September 4, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Mike Knight Enters Final Week Of Alltel Ohio Speedweek All-Star
Voting As Leader In Chase For $10,000 Top Prize

RIPLEY, NY – Mike Knight is getting so close to the $10,000 Alltel Ohio Speedweek All-Star top prize, he can almost taste it.

With less than a week to go before the contest’s on-line voting (www.AlltelAllStar.com) ends on Sept. 9 at 11:59 p.m., the 21-year-old dirt Late Model standout from Ripley, N.Y., sits atop the standings with 24 percent of the vote. His closest pursuer is fellow area racer Robbie Blair, who has 19 percent of the vote through Sept. 3.

Knight, who qualified for the unique promotion by finishing fifth in the World of Outlaws Late Model Series Alltel Ohio Speedweek event on July 27 at Eriez Speedway in Hammett, Pa., has been listed as the contest’s vote-leader among 15 eligible drivers for more than a month. He’s actually extended his edge in recent days, but he’s not taking anything for granted as the voting draws to a close.

“I’m hoping that everybody who’s been voting for us keeps it up for a few more days,” said Knight. “Hopefully we’ll pick up a few more new votes too. We sure could use that money.”

Fans can vote for Knight once a day through Sept. 9 by visiting www.AlltelAllStar.com. All voters are also entered into a contest for a $500 Alltel Wireless gift card.

Knight is coming off a lackluster holiday weekend of racing in western Pennsylvania. He kicked off the Labor Day weekend with a 15th-place finish on Friday night (Aug. 29) in the Mid-Atlantic Championship Series (MACS) ‘Jim Shank Memorial 50’ at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa., then scored finishes of 15th (Saturday) and 14th (Sunday) in the pair of 50-lap World of Outlaws Late Model Series A-Mains that comprised the Oil Region Labor Day Classic Weekend at Tri-City Speedway in Franklin, Pa.

The driver known as ‘Hollywood’ should have enjoyed a much better finish in Lernerville’s special event. He had charged from the 17th starting spot (he won a B-Main) to sixth place when a blown right-front tire on the final lap caused him to tumble nine spots in the finishing order.

“I feel like we were gonna get a top-five finish at least,” Knight said of his Lernerville effort. “The tire was going flat for about the last 15 laps so I kinda stalled in sixth place, and then it blew out on the last corner and a bunch of cars passed me.”

Knight struggled with his family-owned Rocket No. 9k in the weekend doubleheader at Tri-City. He started 20th in Saturday night’s A-Main after qualifying through a B-Main, while on Saturday night a fourth-place finish in a heat race gave him the 16th starting spot in the headliner.

“I’m not really happy with our runs (at Tri-City),” said Knight. “I’m not sure if it was the car or tires, but we were missing something somewhere. We’re trying to figure it out.

“I do know that I got Dave Hess (Jr.) on Genesis Racing Shocks for the first time (on Sunday at Tri-City), and he ran second (in the A-Main). He had his car identical to mine, but we struggled all weekend and he ran real well on Sunday.

“We’ll go home and try to get better.”

Knight plans to stay close to home this weekend. He’ll enter a $5,000-to-win Super Late Model special on Saturday night (Sept. 6) at Little Valley (N.Y.) Speedway and compete on Sunday night (Sept. 7) at Eriez Speedway, where he’ll shoot for his sixth victory of the season.

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 Tires.

To vote for Mike Knight in the Alltell All Star contest visit www.AlltelAllStar.com.

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

MKR PR.