SECOND CHANCE AT SHOWDOWN, NEW TEAM SPONSOR, DRIVE BENEDETTI

Source: NASCAR Public Relations
Date: 03/04/2004

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- The countdown to the 2004 NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Northwest Series racing season is on, and it couldn’t arrive fast enough for ninth-year driver Joe Benedetti. The Auburn, Wash. native has two big reasons to get excited for the Northwest Series opener, scheduled for March 27 at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash.

A good performance in the first race ensures a better position in the season-long championship standings, which will help Benedetti in his quest to return to the prestigious NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown, scheduled for Nov. 11-13 at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway.

At last year’s inaugural event, Benedetti finished 32nd after engine troubles slowed his team’s efforts.

“I’m looking forward to going back there because I got beat so bad last year,” said Benedetti. “But I never learned so much in racing as I did during those three days. I’m going to take everything I learned and I’ll be ready this time.”

In order to qualify for the $500,000 special, post-season event, AutoZone Elite Division drivers must finish in the top 10 of their respective series point standings. Other series included in the AutoZone Elite Division are the Midwest Series, Southeast Series and Southwest Series; the top 10 drivers from each series are invited to enter the All-Star field. The Toyota All-Star Showdown will be broadcast live on SPEED Channel.

Benedetti, who finished seventh in the Northwest Series standings to secure an invitation to last year’s event, says the race to ‘make the show’ starts now.

“In the Northwest Series, we had a lot of teams in 11th, 12th or 13th place, that were really close to making it in [to the Toyota All-Star Showdown] last year,” Benedetti said. “This year, it’s going to be even tougher because everyone who stayed home and saw the race on TV is going to work harder to get there this time.”

In addition to having a second chance at the Toyota All-Star Showdown on the horizon, Benedetti has other reasons to be optimistic as well. Benedetti will kicks-off the 2004 season with a new sponsor adorning his No. 2 race car – Bret Chevrolet, located in Kent, Wash., will sponsor Bendetti’s team for four races this season.

Following the season-opener at Evergreen, Northwest Series teams travel to West Richland, Wash., for a 125-lap race at Tri-City Raceway April 24. A return to Evergreen – this time on the facility’s smaller, 3/8-mile infield oval track – on May 8 is followed by a 125-lap race at Yakima (Wash.) Speedway May 29.

See Also .:

• Joe Benedetti Driver Card

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