Naima Lang, Whelen All-American Series Speedway Chevrolet Super Late Model Champion

Congratulations to Naima Lang on his second consecutive NASCAR Whelen All American Division 1 Championship!!!!

The Evergreen Speedway Late Model season did not end as we had all hoped, but it was an amazing season.  With rain causing the cancellation of the final race of the season for the Speedway Chevrolet Super Late Models the points and finishing order for the season are final.

Lang had an impressive season with 11 victories in 18 starts for a total of 933 series points. Naima not only won the track championship for Evergreen Speedway, he also won the state championship for the Whelen All-American Series and finished in the top 300 drivers for the national points standings. In his Wired X Energy sponsored car, Lang had a spectacular run through the middle part of the season winning 3 events in a row twice and 8 of 10 from May through July. Every week, Lang and his crew showed up at the track ready to race. The brightly painted metallic blue car always shiny and clean, even when in the previous weeks where damage was sustained only to return to the track ready for competition and photo opportunities. For a driver who is often soft spoken, Lang let his driving style do the talking. A fierce competitor, Naima always wants to win, driving for victory lane and nothing else.

In his 3^rd season as a feature division driver, Jeff Knight, finished the year 2^nd in points with an impressive display of tenacity. Coming back week after week from what some would call more than anyone’s share of bad luck. Knight persevered through to the end. With tire blow outs, car fires, bizarre crashes and mechanical gremlins, a lesser person may have given up, but not Jeff, a true champion among sportsman.

In just his sophomore season as a late model driver, Daniel Moore, proved that he was a true racecar driver. Starting out the season, Moore and his team improved week after week. By mid season, Daniel was running up front and coming ever so close to getting that first late model win. With four second place finishes, Moore will surely be a force in the 2010 season. He finished 3^rd in the points standings just 12 points behind Jeff Knight.

Driving for diversity standout, Natalie Sather, finished 4^th in the track points standings. In her first year as a late model driver, the former sprint car racer from North Dakota steadily improved week after week. But where she shined was on the “Big Track”. Natalie ran on a half mile dirt track before arriving at Evergreen Speedway and the speed and size of the 5/8’s mile oval suited her style.  One of her best finishes came on the large oval, a 2^nd place, with a very talented pool of drivers in what turned out to be the last race of the season.

Rounding out the top five for the 2009 season in the Speedway Chevrolet Super Late Model Division is a driver who is admired by fans, drivers and crews alike. A true gentleman to the sport of auto racing, Tom Hughs. Hughs was on the verge of winning his first feature when a late caution caused the field to be tightened back up. Erasing what was to be an insurmountable lead, Lang and Hughs were lined up side by side. A violent crash with laps closing relegated Tom to finishing the race via a tow truck. Help from other drivers and crews and his crew chief, Mike Walker, Tom was back for the next race.

6^th in points, Steve Ptacek
7^th, James Mugge
8^th, Chris Preston
9^th, Tom Moriarty
10^th, Darrin Stordahl

All drivers will be honored at the 2009 Evergreen Speedway awards and appreciation banquet on November 21^st.