Ross Kenseth Wins Late Model Most Popular Driver Award
More than 45,000 Fan Votes Are Cast & ARBodies.com to
Give-a-way an ABC Body
51 Sports Press Release
After months of fan voting and more than 45,000 ballots cast online at Speed51.com, website officials announced today that Ross Kenseth is the official winner of the 2009 Late Model Most Popular Driver Award presented by Aluminum Racing Products.
Kenseth, driver of the #25 Blains Farm and Fleet Ford, is the son of 2003 NASCAR Cup Series champion Matt Kenseth and has racked up some impressive accomplishments on his own accord up in the Midwest this past year.
“I’m a little surprised,” said Ross Kenseth, upon learning of his victory. “I knew that we were in contention and I campaigned on Twitter a little bit, but I didn’t expect to win either. I’m just so thankful to all of the fans who go to the racetrack every week for voting. Short track fans are the best. The economy is bad, but the fans still make it to the race track.”
“I work with Ross’s dad Matt in the Cup Series and I’ve been able to spend some time with Ross as well,” said Bob Dillner, SPEED broadcaster for its NASCAR programming and co-owner of Speed51.com. “He is a shy, but stand-up kid and a heck of a driver like his dad. It’s pretty special to see a kid like Ross win the Aluminum Racing Products Late Model Most Popular Driver Award.”
Kenseth ran a smorgasbord of short track events in 2009. He was named the Big 8 Series champion after winning six of the seven races contested this past season. He also won in the ASA Late Model Series and capped off his season by earning the outside pole for the Snowball Derby in his first trip to Five Flags Speedway (FL).
“We ran a lot of Big 8 races and that’s kind of a secondary series to the ASA Midwest Tour,” said Kenseth. “We also got to run some of the ASA Late Model races. It was always great to meet new fans and travel around the country. The Snowball Derby really stands out too. That race was just so packed – it reminded me of Oktoberfest up in Wisconsin.”
Kenseth doesn’t quite know what his 2010 season holds in store for him, but he may be back to defend his Late Model Most Popular Driver award.
“We’re still working on finalizing everything for this season,” Kenseth said.
Kenseth’s Most Popular Driver status earned him a new “Package A” ABC-configuration racecar body from Aluminum Racing Products (www.arbodies.com).
“It’s an honor having Ross Kenseth as the 2009 ARBodies.com Late Model Most Popular Driver,” said Brad Cook of Aluminum Racing Products. “Ross is a class act competitor who has done a lot in a short period of time in Super Late Model racing. He is one of short track racing’s brightest stars and we’re proud to support him and the short track racers throughout the country in 2009 and beyond.”
Finishing a surprising second in the voting was Texas young gun Dillon Spreen. The 15-year-old won his first race in the Texas Super Racing Series this past season and even at his young age has built up a strong resume of quarter midget, Allison Legacy and road racing success. He seems to know a thing or two about earning fan respect too as he gave Kenseth a run for his money.
Chase Elliott burst onto the Late Model scene in a big way in 2009 – winning races in the Georgia Asphalt Series, PASS South Super Late Model Series and on the ASA Southeast Asphalt Tour. Along the way, the son of 1988 NASCAR Cup Series champion Bill Elliott also won the hearts of short track fans as he ended up finishing third in the Speed51.com / Aluminum Racing Products balloting.
Finishing just off the podium in the Most Popular Driver balloting was part time PASS South competitor Trey Mitchell. Although Mitchell didn’t race as much as his MPD competition in 2009, he made himself a serious contender for the fan vote thanks to some heart. Mitchell, a Texas student, lobbied hard for the award and as a result had fans from all corners of the globe voting for him – racking up ballots from Australia, Thailand, Spain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Philippines and India among other places.
Chase Elliott’s teammate at Bill Elliott Racing Development, Casey Roderick, rounded out the top five in fan voting. The former Legends car standout enjoyed a 2009 season that included winning the Lanier Super Six Pro Late Model Series championship.
Scores of other drivers, ranging from top touring stars to weekly Late Model competitors received votes in this year’s competition.
The Speed51.com/Aluminum Racing Products Most Popular Driver award was decided based on fan votes at the short track website, Speed51.com. Fans were only allowed to vote once per day and only one per day with the same computer. The votes were then verified as being legit.
For a driver to be included on the ballot he or she must have been in the top 10 in points in their respective Late Model touring series or the top five of their local track series prior to the cut-off date of July 18, 2009. If a track was not listed in the balloting, Speed51.com does not receive information from that specific facility.
For more information on Aluminum Racing Products, visit them online at www.arbodies.com.
Speed51.com has become a leader in online motorsports information by focusing on the Short Track Racing realm. 51 realized several years ago that there was a void in the industry for news and behind-the-scenes stories. Now, 51 is viewed by thousands of fans per day. The site fuels your Short Track appetite for NASCAR's Camping World East and West Divisions, NASCAR Modified Tours, the USARacing Pro Cup Series, and Super Late Models from all across the country and much more.
Speed51.com also received a graphical overhaul in February 2009, as the site now enters its tenth season of covering the short tracks from coast-to-coast and Canada.
51 Sports is the parent company of two of the largest short track racing news websites, Speed51.com and LegendsNation.com 51 Sports is continually signing up clients for its Sports Services and Web Design work for 2010 and beyond. 51 offers everything from single-time press releases to full campaigns, website development and much more. If you are interested in finding out more, please contact us at www.speed51.com or through Matt Kentfield at (704) 788-2134.
Kenseth will receive a new Aluminum Racing Products ABC body for his #25 car. (Doug Hornickel Photo)
Ross Kenseth has one more celebration in store as the 2009 Speed51.com/ARBodies.com Late Model Most Popular Driver. (ASALM Photo)
Texan Dillon Spreen finished second in this year's MPD voting. (Tory Christopher/Lone Star SpeedZone Photo)
Youngster Chase Elliott rounded out the podium in this year's MPD voting.
