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Nick Murgic Is the 2008 Late Model Most Popular Driver

Thursday December 18, 2008

 

60,000 Votes Cast in Award presented by Aluminum Racing Products & Speed51.com

CONCORD, NC (December 18, 2008) – More than 60,000 votes were cast for the 2008 Late Model Most Popular Driver Award presented by Aluminum Racing Products – a record amount for the voting hosted by Speed51.com, the nation’s leading asphalt short track racing news website. Drivers from coast to coast and even Canada received votes, but only one was selected as the 2008 Most Popular Driver of an ABC-body-based Super Late Model or Pro Late Model and will now receive an ABC-legal “Package A” body kit from Aluminum Racing Products.

Last year, Alabama Pro Late Model driver Andy Pugh was the first-ever MPD, but this year the body is going to have to get shipped a little bit further from Aluminum Racing Products’ Tennessee headquarters.

That’s because Speed51.com is proud to announce today that 17-year-old ASA Midwest Tour Rookie of the Year Nick Murgic of Rosemount, Minnesota, received more votes than any other driver in this year’s balloting to become the 2008 Late Model Most Popular Driver.

“That’s amazing,” said Murgic upon hearing he was the winner of the MPD voting. “We were working so hard letting everyone know that they were having the voting. Wow, there are a lot of people waiting to hear how this turns out up here.”

“I can’t believe that many people voted this year,” said Brad Cook of Aluminum Racing Products. “The phone has been ringing off the hook from guys wondering what they need to do to win this award. I just kind of joke and say you have to race a lot and people have to like you. It’s obvious that of 60,000 votes, Nick Murgic met that criteria this year, so we congratulate him and his fans on their effort.”

Murgic had the entire student body at Rosemount High School, where he is a Senior, helping him towards this goal. He also had the entire Rosemount community behind him, as well.

“We actually made some business cards early in the voting, saying ‘vote for your local driver’ and handed them out to all the people that my dad buys parts from for his auto repair business. We gave them to every customer that came in, too.

“At school, they have a video update show every Friday, and they did one on me about a month ago. I got a bunch of kids at school voting for me after that. All my crew guys and their families were voting, too. Even the guys that I raced against were voting for me too, which is cool.”

Murgic finished 12th overall in the tough ASA Midwest Tour’s final standings with three top-10 finishes, which earned him Rookie of the Year honors. He also won the prestigious Dwain Behren Memorial race at his home track, Elko Speedway.

Already an Aluminum Racing Products customer, Murgic plans to use the new body he will receive as this year’s Most Popular Driver towards an even bigger assault on the ASAMWT in 2009.

“At the PRI trade show last week, I was talking to Roy and Dave (of Aluminum Racing Products) about getting a deal for a body anyways. Dave was like, ‘We’ll see how things turn out with the voting because maybe we won’t even have to work out a deal.’ It worked out pretty well, I guess.

“We’re going to run the Midwest Tour again. We have three cars ready to go for 2009, but having that new Aluminum Racing Products body will sure come in handy.”

Murgic wrapped up the voting with just a few more votes than early campaign leader, All American Challenge Series competitor Anthony Campi, for this year’s award. Viper Pro Late Model regular Trey Mitchell was third in the voting, while Florida Super Late Model standout Jeremy Colangelo was fourth and Texas Super Racing Series regular Dillon Spreen finished fifth in this year’s balloting.

For more information on Aluminum Racing Products, visit them on the web at arpbodies.com.

For all the latest in short track racing news and event coverage, be sure to check out Speed51.com. For more information on Speed51.com, contact Matt Kentfield at 51 Sports by calling (704) 788-2134.

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This report was provided by an outside PR source and posted by Kim DeHaven.

 

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