Brian Ellenberger to run fulltime in 2009

Brian Ellenberger to Contend for Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award with the World of Outlaws in 2009

Concord, NC-- December 18, 2008--Timing is everything in racing and the timing felt right for Brian Ellenberger and his team to expand their horizons, as they will make the jump to compete full-time with the World of Outlaws in 2009. The native of Butler, Pennsylvania wanted to make sure everything was in place when he made the decision to be a contender for the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award.

Ellenberger spent the 2008 season competing with the All Star Circuit of Champions, finishing fifth in points on the strength of 11 Top-10 finishes. He won his first event with the series at Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis Arkansas, a track that the World of Outlaws will compete at again in 2009 on April 24.

"It's something that I have always wanted to do," said Ellenberger. "I had the opportunity to team up with Ti22 Performance. There are a lot of new tracks that I've always wanted to race at, especially out west in California, tracks like Chico (Silver Dollar Speedway). I'm really looking forward to the 2009 season and can't wait to get going."

Ellenberger began racing sprint cars in 1996 at Lernerville Speedway in his home state of Pennsylvania and won his first race that same season in Ohio. After competing a couple of seasons in the western Pennsylvania/Ohio area he began racing regularly with the All Stars, adding priceless experience to his resume.

"Having experience will help," he noted. "Qualifying is one of the toughest things, especially for local guys when the Outlaws or All Stars come to town. Having run with the All Stars and time trialed every night should help quite a bit. The competition with the All Star was very tough as well and I think that helped raise the bar for me quite a bit."

While many of the tracks that the World of Outlaws will visit in 2009 will be new to Ellenberger, he has had success at the tracks on the schedule that he has visited in the past. He has three career wins at his home track of Lernerville Speedway in Pennsylvania, including in 2008. The World of Outlaws will visit the always racy four-tenths-mile twice next season for the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup on July 21 at the Commonwealth Clash on September 26. He also has competed at Eagle Raceway in Nebraska, picking up a very solid sixth-place finish last season, at a track that the World of Outlaws will visit on the Fourth of July in 2009.

Other tracks that the series will compete at in 2009 that Ellenberger has raced at include: Attica Raceway Park in Ohio, the famed Eldora Speedway in Ohio, Huset's Speedway in South Dakota, I-96 Speedway in Michigan, K-C Raceway in Ohio, the storied Knoxville Raceway in Iowa, Limaland Motorsports Park in Ohio, Lawrenceburg Speedway in Indiana, The Dirt Track @ Lowe's Motor Speedway, Volusia Speedway Park in Florida and the legendary Williams Grove Speedway.

"The biggest challenge will be going to a lot of these new tracks," explained Ellenberger. "Looking at the schedule, I think there is about 70 percent of the tracks on the schedule that I have never seen or never run on. I think will be the biggest challenge we face."

The team will be sponsored by Ti22 Performance, a new company based out of Zelienople, Pennsylvania, just 30 miles north of Pittsburgh, which is a full-service designer and manufacturer of high-quality, lightweight sprint car components. Ellenberger's car will aptly carry the No. 22 on it, with the team utilizing a J&J Chassis and Garrett Racing Engines.

Ellenberger won a career-high five races in 2008, including his first career All Star Circuit of Champions triumph at Riverside International Speedway. He was also victorious at Lernerville Speedway and three times at Mercer Raceway Park in his home state of Pennsylvania. He racked up 25 Top-10 finishes, running a very ambitious schedule that saw him compete at about 25 different tracks.

"I'm realistic about it," he shared when asked what would make 2009 a successful season. "It would nice to get our first win with the Outlaws and I can see that happening. It would be nice to get as close to the Top-10 as possible. I don't know who all is running, but I think we can get in the Top-10 and that would make it a good year."

The 2009 World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series seasons kicks off February 6-8 at Volusia Speedway Park in Florida with the 38th Annual Alltel DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH.

-credit: woo