NickHolt Posted January 30, 2009 Report Share Posted January 30, 2009 PGM Racing Announces 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Rookie Campaign With Driver Stephan McCurley Porter, TX (January 29, 2009) - PGM Racing team owner Donny Kelley has announced that 18 year old Texas late model champion Stephan McCurley will drive his #03 PGM Racing Chevrolet in the 2009 ARCA RE/MAX Series. The team will debut at the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 ARCA event at the Daytona International Speedway on February 7th. They plan to race the full season in an effort for Stephan to compete for the Rookie of the Year title. This will be the first ever ARCA race for this newly formed team and rookie driver. They will be under the guidance of veteran crew chief Travis Sharpe. PGM team owner Donny Kelley is no stranger to the series, having competed last season as a driver with a top 20 finish in the final ARCA RE/MAX point standings. Donny became an ARCA RE/MAX Series team owner with the strategy for PGM Racing that is based on giving young and talented race drivers an opportunity to prove themselves in the bigger leagues of the sport based on talent and not their pocketbook. His plan is to start building the team with Stephan, whom he has known and raced with on the Texas short tracks, and then eventually develop him into the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He then plans to scout top racing talent and then bring another deserving driver through his program. “We know the next ‘Great American Driver’ is out there and we aim to find them, build them, and make their goals and dreams a reality. Our mission at PGM Racing is to build a strong foundation with winning drivers, championship caliber equipment, good people and a winning attitude.” States Donny Kelley. “We are looking for marketing partners who also believe in this cause and want to share in this purpose. We already have some great supporters on board with us and we plan to build this into a successful program for all involved.” For driver Stephan McCurley, this is a dream come true. “I am really excited to be driving for Donny, the PGM team and racing at Daytona,” says McCurley. “Donny is giving me a chance that I probably would not have been able to get on my own since I don’t have the finances to offer teams in these top divisions. It’s a goal for me to win races and championships soon in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and this gives me the start I need to prove myself. I will be focusing on getting the ARCA rookie of the year and doing my best to get the team good finishes all season. I appreciate the opportunity and I want help him build the team.” Stephan comes to Daytona after testing for the PGM team back in December of ‘08, but it will be his first race on a super speedway. McCurley has just come off a hot late model season in the ASA Southeast Asphalt Tour where with only one car, and just his dad and himself as crew, he finished 2nd overall in the final series championship point standings, 2nd in the Carolina Clash standings and won the Blue Ridge Regional point standings all in the tour’s first season, as well as Stephan’s first touring series in a late model. Stephan McCurley is fully focused on the job he has ahead of him at Daytona. Recently, when the new PGM ARCA car was painted a metallic charcoal grey, he was asked if he was worried he would blend into the track and get run over as a rookie-- He replied; “The color of the car won’t matter because I plan on being up front.” Donny Kelley is impressed by McCurley’s desire and focus. “Stephan has a ton of driving talent and knowledge about the race car,” Says team owner Donny Kelley. “I have had my eye on him for years and both of us being from the Houston, Texas area I believe we have the perfect combination for this team. As a fellow driver Stephan and I respected each other on the track, but we raced hard -- and that’s what I want in my driver as a car owner. I am very optimistic that we will have success this season with the car, engines and crew we have assembled. We are going for a full 2009 ARCA run and we hope to bring in more marketing partners as the season progresses. We are excited about our debut at Daytona and we are going there fully prepared to run up front.” PGM Racing is based out of Porter, TX and driver Stephan McCurley hails from nearby Humble, TX just outside of Houston. PGM Racing’s marketing partners include; Porter Glass and Mirror, American Screen Graphics, Royal Purple Synthetic Oil, and Sonic Restaurants. For more information please visit www.pgmracing.net and www.stephanmccurley.com. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weirracing Posted January 31, 2009 Report Share Posted January 31, 2009 Congratulations Stephan!! We never had a doubt that we would be seeing you on TV!! Glad to see Donny supporting you. We love you both, and now we get to root for you two TOGETHER as a team!! The post didn't say if he was going to still be driving...I hope so! I bet your dad is beside himself not being your crew man. But we all know he will still be getting his hands dirty! It's good to see remarkable talent getting the recognition it deserves! Just you getting behind the wheel of that car makes us proud to be your friends!! Good luck to you and your new team... Jeff, Kathie and the clan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShortTrackFan Posted February 1, 2009 Report Share Posted February 1, 2009 I was fortunate enough to be listening to SIRIUS XM this morning when Stephan called in for an interview--too cool! Good luck in 2009. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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