DAWSONVILLE, Ga. (December 1, 2009) - Chase Elliott’s rookie season piloting the No. 9 Aaron’s Dream Machine Ford is about to come to a close, and the young driver out of Dawsonville, Ga., would like nothing more than to cap it off with a strong run in the 42nd annual Snowball Derby this week at Pensacola, Florida’s legendary Five Flags Speedway.
Elliott, who turned 14 over the holiday weekend, will make his first attempt to qualify for the 300-lap Super Late Model race, considered by many as the “Daytona 500” of short track racing. The young driver will attempt to make it an exciting double header, as he also plans to enter the Allen Turner Snowflake 100 Pro Late Model companion event.
“Our main goal at the Snowball Derby is to first of all make the race and then to be competitive and have a good showing ,” said Elliott about the prestigious event. “The best Late Model drivers in the country will be here, and some NASCAR drivers – so the competition is going to be really tough. But we’ve learned a lot in our runs at Five Flags Speedway earlier this year, so hopefully that will carry over to this race. And then our goal is always to be there at the end of the race, save our equipment and stay out of trouble.
“None of this would be possible without my sponsor Aaron’s, Ricky (Turner) and Jim (Barfield), mom and dad and everyone who has supported us all year. Hopefully we can go down there, make the race and have a good ending to this awesome season.”
Ricky Turner, Elliott’s crew chief and substitute spotter when dad Bill Elliott has been away at NASCAR races this year, has guided the second-generation driver to a stellar rookie campaign, including wins in the Georgia Asphalt Series (GAS), ASA Southeast Asphalt Tour, and the PASS South Series as well as the 2009 GAS championship and Rookie of the Year Honors.
While Turner will be calling the shots from the pits this weekend, his name also graces the impressive list of past winners as the 2002 Snowball Derby champion.
“Having Ricky with me this year has been a huge help, everywhere we’ve gone,” said Elliott. “But especially here, he knows every turn and every bump on this track and he knows what it takes to run up front in this big race. I feel confident in Ricky, Jim and all the guys on the team to give me the best car they can every weekend and to work hard to keep us up front. I really hope we can get a good run here just as a ‘thank you’ for everybody helping me out this year.”
Elliott made his first career Super Late Model start at Five Flags Speedway during the August 7th Blizzard Series event and finished 18th. His other SLM start at Five Flags came on September 25th; after qualifying third and running up front, a failed engine relegated him to a disappointing 21st place finish.
The young driver had a strong run in his lone Pro Late Model start at Five Flags, starting and finishing third during the October 9th Night of Champions race.
The festivities at Five Flags Speedway kicks off Wednesday, December 2, with the 5th annual Cat Country 98.7/WEAR-TV Green Flag Party where fans will have the chance to meet their favorite drivers and enjoy live music at the track.
The on-track action starts with Thursday’s practice for the Snowball Derby and the Allen Turner Snowflake 100. The Snowball Derby hopefuls take to the track Friday for the WXBM Pole Night looking to be one of the top-30 drivers who are locked into the race on time trials.
The field for the Allen Turner Snowflake 100 will qualify and race on Saturday, December 5. Fans can also catch the last chance qualifying for the Snowball Derby.
All the action leads up to Sunday’s 42nd annual Snowball Derby 300-lap Super Late Model event.
Fans that can’t make it to Pensacola can still follow live action thanks to Speed 51 and Race Talk Radio, including live Internet radio coverage of the Snowball Derby and trackside updates throughout the four-day event. Stay tuned to www.ChaseElliott.com for the most up-to-date information and links to the coverage from Five Flags Speedway.
For event tickets and camping spaces at Five Flags Speedway, please call the track box office at 850-944-8400 or visit www.SnowballDerby.com.
For the most up-to-date Chase Elliott news, including his racing schedule and weekly podcast, please visit www.ChaseElliott.com.
Be sure to vote for Chase Elliott in the 2009 Late Model Most Popular Driver Award presented by Aluminum Racing Products. You can vote daily now through December 6th by following the link at www.ChaseElliott.com. The last update showed Elliott third in the standings, and voting wraps up at the conclusion of the Snowball Derby. Spread the word and help Elliott get those last minute votes!
About Aaron’s:
Aaron’s Sales & Lease Ownership stores offer customers access to high-quality furniture, appliances, electronics and computers for sale or as a lease-ownership arrangement. Customers have the option of buying their merchandise for an attractive cash price or opting to lease their merchandise for even greater flexibility. With a lease option, customers make modest monthly payments and have the immediate use of the items they need without waiting for credit checks or other delays. Plus, Aaron’s will take care of delivery, setup, repairs, and more for the duration of a customer’s lease.
The Aaron’s concept has proven to be successful for half a century; in fact, the very first Aaron’s location opened in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1955. Aaron’s is a leader in the sale and lease ownership of residential furniture, consumer electronics and home appliances, with more than 1,500 Company-operated and franchised stores in 48 states and Canada. The Company also manufactures an exclusive line of furniture, bedding and accessories at 10 facilities in four states.
For more information, please visit shopaarons.com.
About Bill Elliott Racing:
In 2008, NASCAR legend Bill Elliott launched a Driver Development program as an extension of Bill Elliott Racing. Based on the principles of teamwork, strong work ethic and positive attitudes, the program aims to guide young drivers through the highs and lows of life in auto racing and to make them leaders on and off the track.
Drivers will climb through the ranks of asphalt racing, starting in the Legends Racing Series and move up to Pro Late Model stock cars – including the Georgia Asphalt Series (GAS) and ASA Racing – and onto Super Late Models in series such as the Champion Racing Association (CRA) Super Series. From there they will progress to the ARCA RE/MAX and other series that are age and talent specific. To encourage strong communication and clear feedback, drivers will also intermittently run dirt Late Models that reinforce car control and a thorough understanding of the feel of the car.
Please visit www.BillElliott.com for more information on the Bill Elliott Racing team and sponsors.
- Bill Elliott Racing