CARQUEST Renews Sponsorship of ARDC
9 January 1999
FLAGTOWN, N.J., - The American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) announced today that the CARQUEST auto parts chain has renewed its title sponsorship of the ARDC CARQUEST Midget Series through the year 2000.The announcement was made jointly by Rich Pallai, vice president of marketing for BWP Distributors; Mike Roselli, ARDC's booking agent; and Phil DiMario, the organization's trustee and its 1996 driving champion.
"Since it was organized in 1939, ARDC has earned a reputation for staging some of the most exciting racing that can be seen anywhere," Pallai said. "CARQUEST is pleased to sponsor the series again and we look forward to more exciting events as the new blood in the club builds on ARDC's fine tradition and takes it into the new millennium."
"We're delighted to have CARQUEST on board again as we celebrate our 60th anniversary," said Roselli. "We urge everyone who loves midget racing to thank CARQUEST for its support by choosing CARQUEST when shopping for their automotive needs."
Roselli added that he hopes to announce the 1999 ARDC CARQUEST Midget Series schedule in mid-January.
Randy Mausteller of Bloomsburg, Pa., returns as ARDC's president in 1999, a post he also held in 1997. Robert Jackson of Sweet Valley, Pa., will be the vice president, and C. Douglas Starrett of Yorktown, Va., will return as treasurer. In 1999 the secretary will be Lou Perry of Montclair, N.J. The drivers' representative will be Mark Freeland of Ickesburg, Pa., while the reigning car owner champion, Howard Yetter of Scotia, Pa., will be the owners' representative. Ron Lauer of Millersville, Md., will be the member at large. DiMario, of Piermont, N.Y., returns as trustee in 1999. Roselli, of Brodheadsville, Pa., again serves as booking agent.
Bryan Kobylarz of Birdsboro, Pa., earned his first ARDC CARQUEST Midget Series championship in the recently-concluded season. It was the closest battle in the history of the club, as he defeated Ed Stimely Jr. of McVeytown, Pa., the 1997 champion, by a single point. Freeland, who like Kobylarz and Stimely was a rookie with ARDC in 1996, finished third.
Mark Wakefoose of Hopatcong, N.J., earned the Dutch Schaefer/Jiggs Peters Rookie of the Year award in the ARDC CARQUEST Midget Series in 1998.
Larry Hentrich of Hatboro, Pa., the crew chief for DiMario's car, won the Ken Hickey Mechanic of the Year award. The car he prepares is owned by Ray McCabe of New Britain, Pa., the out-going ARDC president.
Don Trent II of Honeybrook, Pa., was chosen as the Most Improved Driver of 1998. Mike Lapp of Slatington, Pa., earned the 1998 Iron Block drivers' championship, while his car owner, Keith Mory of Alburtis, Pa., topped those standings on the car owners' side.
The prestigious Galen Halteman Memorial President's Award for 1998 went to Bill Schwoyer of Reading, Pa., the club's photographer. Starrett, who along with his wife, Claudette, owns the car that Kobylarz drove to the drivers' title and the fifth-place car driven by Bill Courtwright of Hackettstown, N.J., won the Checkered Flag Fan Club award for ARDC in 1998.
Ron Heddendorf, the club's statistian, historian and registrar, reminds everyone that it's time to renew or join ARDC for 1999 before the membership fees go up on Feb. 1. Checks can be made out to ARDC and sent to Heddendorf at 3385 S. Keswick Rd., Philadelphia, Pa. 19114-1609.
The fees for owners and drivers are $55. When the owner and driver are the same person the fee is $65. Memberships for crew members are $45. Associate membership in the club costs $20. Except for associate memberships, all fees increase by $10 after Feb. 1.
For more information, contact Heddendorf.