August 13, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Mike Knight Has Quiet Weekend But Receives Good News
In Alltel Ohio Speedweek All-Star Contest

RIPLEY, NY –Mike Knight experienced a quiet weekend on the local racing scene, but off the track he received some good news about his pursuit of the $10,000 Alltel Ohio Speedweek All-Star prize.

The 21-year-old dirt Late Model standout from Ripley, N.Y., has emerged as a frontrunner in the Alltel-sponsored contest, which features an on-line poll that pits the 15 drivers who scored a top-five finish in the recent World of Outlaws Late Model Alltel Ohio Speedweek events. He is in a virtual dead-heat for the 10-grand check that goes to the top vote-getter at the close of the contest on Sept. 9, sitting tied atop the rankings with fellow regional racer Robbie Blair of Titusville, Pa. – both at 16 percent of the vote through Aug. 13.

Fans can vote once a day for Knight by logging on to www. AlltelAllStar.com. Voting also automatically enters fans in a drawing for a $500 Alltel Wireless gift card.

“We’re doing everything we can to round up votes for the Alltel All-Star contest,” said Knight, one of the nation’s most talented young dirt Late Model drivers. “So far, so good, but there’s a long way to go. We have to keep up the momentum and keep the votes coming to us – that $10,000 would be a real big help to our team.”

Knight raced his family-owned Rocket No. 9K just once last weekend – and it wasn’t a memorable outing. Making an appearance close to home in a regular weekly program on Saturday night (Aug. 9) at Stateline Speedway in Busti, N.Y., the personable driver known as ‘Hollywood’ completed just eight laps of the 25-lap Super Late Model feature. He was credited with a 26th-place finish after dropping out with a broken right-front tie-rod.

“We weren’t in the handicapping rotation so we had to start last (10th) in our heat, but we came up through to finish fourth,” Knight said of his evening at Stateline. “I started 14th in the feature and got up to about 10th before I got into the wall because I was trying to ru n really high on the track. I think that bent the tie-road and then it broke a couple laps later.

“We were running decent, but I don’t know how it would’ve turned out.”

Knight had planned to run on Sunday night at Eriez Speedway in Hammett, Pa., but he found himself with a day off after the program was washed out by rain.

This week Knight’s focus will be on the 50-lap, $5,000-to-win Independent Racing Series (IRS) event on Sunday night (Aug. 17) at Eriez Speedway. He has tentative plans to compete in a regular show on Saturday night (Aug. 16) at Stateline Speedway.

An up-and-coming dirt Late Model driver whose breakout 2007 season was highlighted by a points title at Eriez Speedway, Knight has an ambitious schedule of 70-plus races across the region planned with his family-owned team in 2008.  His operation carries sponsorship from Arrowhead Wine Cellars, Mobilia Fruit Farm, Ottaway’s Auto Parts, Ottaway’s Auto Body, Knight Farms, NYPenn Surveying, TeCulver Contracting, Ripley Machine & Tool, Genesis Shocks, Slavic Custom Racing Shirts, Farr MotorSports, MWB Web Designs and American Racing Tire 

For more information on Mike Knight, visit www.mikeknight9k.com.

MKR PR.