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Bires To Make NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Debut At Atlanta This Weekend
By: ASA Late Model Series/M.P.H. Promotions
Lexington, Michigan (10/25/2006): 2006 ASA Late Model Series Challenge
Division Champion and Pat Bourdow Memorial Rookie of the Year, Kelly Bires has
had a dream season in 2006. The Mauston, Wisconsin standout became the second
driver in series history to win both the series championship and rookie of the
year titles in the same season.
The first to do it was 2004 Champion, Bobby Stremme, the younger brother of
NASCAR Nextel Cup Driver, David Stremme. Bires eclipsed or tied nearly every
freshman record Stremme ever held and is even amongst the all-time overall
leaders in several categories after completing his first season in the ASALMS.
Now the 2006 Champion and Rookie of the Year will embark on the next phase of
his budding racing career. After making a start in the ARCA Re/Max Series at
the Talladega (AL) Super Speedway back on October 6, 2006 for Wood Brothers/JTG
Racing in a Kenny Schrader owned ride and finishing a strong fourth, Bires
will now take his career a step further!
Bires will make his NASCAR Craftsman Trucks Series debut on Saturday October
28, 2006 at the Atlanta (GA) Motor Speedway driving the #19 Wood Brothers/JTG
Racing Ford Truck in the running of the Easy Care Vehicle Service Contracts
250. The race will be shown live on Speed TV at 4:30pm.
“Everything is happening so fast, it’s really unbelievable! I’m in the
process of moving down here to North Carolina, so I’ve been pretty busy
since Iowa.” Laughed the 2006 ASALMS Challenge Division Champion and Pat
Bourdow Memorial Rookie of the Year. “We had a great run in Talledega in the
ARCA car and now I get to run my first Craftsman Truck Series race.” He
added.
The Mauston, Wisconsin driver is looking forward to his first experience in
the NASCAR Craftsman Trucks Series and is banking on his experience this
season in the ASALMS to help him through.
“The ASA Late Model Series taught me to be patient more than anything
else.” Explained the 22-year-old. “There’s such good competition in the
ASALMS, and it made me a better driver, hopefully we can use that to our
advantage this weekend in Atlanta.” He added.
As for how he expects to do in Atlanta, Bires is optimistic as his crew chief
will be none other than Michael “Fatback” McSwain, Crew Chief for NASCAR
Nextel Cup Series veteran, Kenny Schrader, for his maiden NASCAR Craftsman
Truck Series voyage.
“We’re not going down there and just lay back, we’re heading down to
win.” Continued Bires. “I’ve got a great group of people behind me with
Wood Brothers/JTG Racing, just like I did with WalTom in the ASALMS. I’m
just so excited to be doing this, the team built me a brand new truck, so
we’re ready to go.” Bires stated.
If all goes well in Atlanta, Bires hopes to make more starts yet this season
before embarking on the 2007 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule with hopes
of capturing the Rookie of the Year title.
“This is such a great opportunity for me and I can’t thank Wood Brothers/JTG
Racing enough.” Added Bires. “I hope I can make the ASA Late Model Series
and WalTom Racing proud just like Stephen Leicht has this year after he won
the championship last year.” Bires ended.
There hasn’t been a driver in their rookie season in the series’ four year
history that has had such a successful rookie season including 2004 ASALMS
Champion, Bobby Stremme, as Kelly Bires had during the 2006 season!
In the 11 points events held for the crown jewel of the ASALMS, the televised
Challenge Division, Bires never finished worse than ninth! Six Feature Wins,
10 Top Five’s and all 11 events have been at least a Top Nine finish in
Bires’ freshman campaign.
Bires six feature wins began at the Madison (WI) International Speedway on May
27, 2006 during the Miller Lite 200. He backed up that win two weeks later
with his second straight on June 10, 2006 at the Oswego (NY) Speedway in the
Fleet Pride 200.
The third Feature win came during the Automotive Resources/AC-Delco 200 on
July 29, 2006 at the Jennerstown (PA) Speedway. Bires followed that up with
the biggest win of his career in the Governors Cup 150 at the famed Milwaukee
(WI) Mile on August 26, 2006 where he clinched the 2006 Pat Bourdow Memorial
Rookie of the Year title.
The next weekend, The Mauston, Wisconsin stand out would then clinch the 2006
ASALMS Challenge Division Championship, despite health issues, when he won the
Labor Day 200 Presented by Trackside Charities on September 3, 2006 at the
Elko (MN) Speedway.
Finally, Bires put an exclamation point on the 2006 season by dominating the
Northland Oil 250 Presented by TMC Transportation on October 14, 2006 at the
brand new Iowa (IA) Speedway in Newton, Iowa during the 2006 ASALMS Challenge
Division Season Championships!
In addition, Bires picked up two ARP Bodies/Aluminum Racing Products Fast
Qualifier Awards. His first came at the I-70 (MO) Speedway back on July 8,
2006 and then by virtue of being the overall points leader at Elko Speedway
when Qualifying was rained out.
Bires also made limited appearances in the ASALMS Northern Division where in
just five starts, he has one Feature win, at the O’Reilly (IN) Raceway Park
at Indianapolis on July 22, 2006 as well as two Top Fives and three Top 10s to
go with two Fast Qualifier Awards. Bires, despite only select appearances in
the ASALMS North, finished 15th in the final points standings!
Plus for good measure, Bires beat out NASCAR Nextel Cup stars and former
champions, Matt Kenseth and Tony Stewart in a special 100-lap feature for
ASALMS type machines back at Madison on June 27, 2006.
During the 2005 season, Bires made limited appearances in his Kelly Bires
Racing Super Late Model primarily at the Madison (WI) International Speedway
and his home track of the Wisconsin Dells (WI) Motor Speedway. Bires also made
an appearance at the Snowflake 100 held during Snowball Derby Weekend at the
Five Flags (FL) Speedway, which was also his first event in the potent WalTom
Racing ride.
Bires' racing career began at the age of nine, Kelly began racing go-carts in
Brodhead, WI. After racing in Brodhead for three years on Sunday afternoons,
Kelly won two track championships, and decided it was time to move up.
The next step was the Midwest Sprint Series, which was a traveling regional
go-cart series throughout the Midwest. Competing in classes such as, Briggs
Restricted Jr., Briggs Unrestricted, and HPV Jr., Kelly racked up three series
championships, in two years.
The WKA National Touring Series would be the next ring up the ladder! At this
time, Bires was also signed on as a factory driver for Coyote Products Inc.
out of New York. Bires competed at the National level for two ½ years,
racking up two National Championships and five Grand National race wins.
At the age of 15, Kelly’s career moved out of go-carts into a 5/8 scale
stockcar. The choice was the Allison Legacy Series for the 2000 season. He
competed in the Wisconsin Series for the first year, racking up several poles,
including the track record, many top five finishes, and his first win on his
16th birthday.
For the 2000 season, Kelly ended up third in points with Rookie of the Year
Honors. The following season, Bires moved in to the Great Lakes Allison Legacy
touring series. Bires won the first three races, and rounded out the 2001
season with seven wins, 11 poles, 13 top three finishes, and the 2001 GLALS
championship by over 250 points.
2002 was the next big step on Bires' career as he made the big jump to Super
Late Models at his home track of the Wisconsin Dells (WI) Motor Speedway where
he would finish fifth overall in the points and win the Rookie of the Year
honors.
2003 saw Bires finish in the runner-up spot with four feature wins in the
Wisconsin Dells Super Late Models and in addition, he would also win his first
career Wisconsin Challenge Series event, also at Wisconsin Dells. Bires would
also make his first career ARCA Remax Series start at the Lowe's (NC) Motor
Speedway.
During the 2006 season, Bires took over the potent #89 Waltom Racing Chevrolet
Monte Carlo which was taken to the 2005 ASALMS Challenge Division Championship
by now NASCAR Nextel Cup Driver, Stephen Leicht and has now given the WalTom
Racing Team their second consecutive ASALMS Challenge Division Championship!
To learn more about Kelly Bires and the Wood Brothers/JTG Racing Team, log
onto their website at: Wood
Brothers/JTG Racing, and for Kelly Bires own website, log in at; Kelly
Bires.com
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