Source: NASCAR Public Relations
Date: 09/10/2004

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- When the 2004 NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Northwest Series season was about to begin there was a new job, a new car and a new series on the horizon for Travis Bennett. Those are big changes for young driver, changes that can throw a wet blanket on an entire season in a hurry.

The new job, car and series were all rolled into one when Don Scriver offered the youngster the full-time position occupied by Kevin Hamlin, two-time Northwest Series champion in the #33 car. Despite all of the changes, goals had to be, and were set.

The goals were not all that modest, but there were really just two. One was to finish in the Top 10 in points for the season. The other was to win the Northwest Series Auto Meter Rookie of the Year Award. Well, there are two races still left on the schedule, but Bennett can check both off his list as done.

The Ellensburg, Washington driver currently sits second in points just six points behind leader Garrett Evans and when he pulls the yellow tape (signifying a rookie driver) from his back bumper after the final race of the season, he will be the Northwest Series’ Auto Meter Rookie of the Year.

“This is a really big honor for me. To win an award such as this in a series that is as competitive as this one, it’s a great thrill,” said Bennett. But the satisfaction is two-fold for the 25 year-old. “Another reason I wanted to win this award was for Donnie, my car owner. He took a chance on me and while he had won championships with Kevin, he never had a driver win Rookie of the Year.”

At the Northwest Series championship awards ceremony, Oct. 16 in Tacoma, Wash., Bennett will collect a $2,000 bonus from Auto Meter. In addition, he’ll receive a package of Auto Meter products including: 1-4494 Tachometer, 1-4461 electric full sweep fuel pressure gauge, 1-4453 electric full sweep oil pressure gauge, 1-4456 electric full sweep oil temperature gauge and an 1-4455 electric full sweep water temperature gauge.

Bennett’s life has been all racing all the time. Has father, Ron, is a former competitor and currently manages Yakima (Wash.) Speedway. “When we were growing up we didn’t go boating or camping, we hooked up the trailer to the truck and headed to the races,” says Bennett. “Sometimes we would be in three different cities racing over the course of a weekend all over the state.”

His older brother, Chad, has raced all along, as well. He even raced a limited schedule in the Northwest Series in the mid-1990’s. “Chad’s a great driver, but he just never had the financial backing or got a chance like I have now,” stated the younger Bennett. “He has put his entire driving career on hold to help me out right now. I can’t say what that means to me. He’s my brother, my crew chief and my best friend. I owe him an awful lot.”

Being around racecars as a child and watching his father compete all over the Northwest gave Travis the itch to drive. “My first chance to race came at 11 years old in a go-kart, but in 1996 I got my first crack at a stock car with a Limited Sportsman class car,” said Bennett. “But I had to have good grades in school to keep racing.”

This is Bennett’s third time to collect Rookie of the Year honors. He won previously in the Limited Sportsman class racing at Yakima Speedway and in the Big 10 series at Wenatchee Valley’s Super Oval in East Wenatchee, Wash.

Bennett joins an exclusive list of drivers who have won this award in the past, including Tobey Butler, Jerry Bowers, Perry Chappelle, Pete Nash, Hershel McGriff Jr., Mike Ramsey, Kevin Quesnell, Chris Cunningham, Roger Habich, Marc Groskreutz, Jeff Bird, Wilbur Bruce, Joe Benedetti, Gaylon Stewart, John Bender, Kelly Mann and Jason Jefferson.

Now that the Rookie business can be put aside, Bennett can turn his attention to the big prize – the season championship. It is worth noting that no driver has ever won both Auto Meter Rookie of the Year and point championship honors in the same season in the Northwest Series. Perhaps there has never been a better chance than Bennett’s in 2004. He is the only driver in the series to finish in the top 10 at every event so far and complete every lap.

“In my wildest dreams, back in March, did I think that we would be in this position, but here we are and I like our chances,” Bennett said. “We’ve been competitive at every single race. I’ve matured as a driver this season and my communication with my team has never been better.”

The top three in points, Evans, Bennett and Jeff Jefferson, are separated by only 15 points heading into the final two events of the year while Jason Jefferson and Pete Harding lurk just behind. Amongst those top three, though, Bennett understands that he is the prohibitive underdog. Evans is racing for his fifth championship and Jeff Jefferson is looking to duplicate his 2003 title. “That’s fine. I should be the underdog against those guys, but that’s why I like my chances. The pressure is on them, not me. I’m not supposed to be here,” he says.

“The bottom line is that my team has done a tremendous job all season. The credit goes to them. They volunteer their time making it possible for me to win this Rookie award and put me in position to win the championship,” stated a proud Bennett.

Change is often frowned upon, especially in racing, but the #33 Bowman’s Electro Painting/Zeb’s Truck Stop/Knudson Lumber Chevrolet team has shown this season that it should be embraced rather than feared.

What:

Big O Tires 125 (Race No. 11 of 12 in the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Northwest Series).

Where:

Evergreen Speedway, Yakima, Wash.

When:

8:45 p.m. (approx.), Saturday, Sept. 18, 2004

Track layout:

5/8-mile oval

Race length:

125 laps/78.125 miles.

Posted awards:

$47,317.

2003 winner:

Pete Harding.

2003 polesitter:

Jeff Jefferson

Top 10 in points:

1. Garrett Evans 1532, 2. Travis Bennett 1526, 3. Jeff Jefferson 1517, 4. Jason Jefferson 1481, 5. Pete Harding 1480, 6. Gary Lewis 1448, 7. Brandon Riehl 1439, 8. Wes Rhodes 1429, 9. Steven Howard 1411, 10. Joe Benedetti 1391.

Pre-race schedule (all times local):

10:00 a.m. Registration opens, 2:30-5:00 p.m. Practice, 6:00 p.m. Time Trials, 7:00 p.m. Qualifying Race.

Track contact:

Mickey Beadle, (360) 805-6100.

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