Midland, Michigan (11/17/2006): 17-year-old Kyle Callahan has come of age in his brief four year racing career that started when he was just 13 years old. From learning the ropes of weekly short track racing to becoming a bona fide contender week in and week out, Callahan feels that the time is now right to take the next step in his racing career.
For the 2007 season, Callahan and his Kyle Callahan Racing Team have announced his intentions on moving up to the Short Track Trucks.com Challenge Series and the Midland, Michigan pilot will battle for the series' Rookie of the Year championship.
The High School Senior at Bullock Creek High School in his hometown of Midland, Michigan, who also plans on attending Grand Valley State University to pursue a degree in the engineering field, has spent the last four seasons in the Four-Cylinder Mini Stocks division at various facilities throughout his home state of Michigan.
With nothing more to accomplish in what is widely considered a beginners division at the weekly bullrings throughout the United States, Callahan will now take the next step up the proverbial ladder in his racing career and will head out on the road travel with the traveling stars of the Short Track Trucks.com Challenge Series for the 2007 season.
The Midland, Michigan driver hopes to duplicate the success of his good friend, 2006 Short Track Trucks.com Challenge Series Rookie of the Year, Kyle Trinklein, who also moved up to the Trucks Series after a successful career in the Four-Cylinders type divisions.
The Short Track Trucks.com Challenge Series will be celebrating its' fifth anniversary throughout the 2007 season with events scheduled throughout the series home state of Michigan as well as select appearances in Indiana, Ohio and possibly Illinois and even Wisconsin. The complete 2007 schedule will be released at a later date.
"I've been watching the Short Track Trucks since there existence. I remember watching them back at Tri-City Motor Speedway in 2004 when there was just a handful of trucks." Explained Callahan as he talked about the next step of his racing career.
"I knew back then I wanted to get into one. I personally can't wait to get started. It'll be much more work, but we're willing to sacrifice the time and effort because we want to make the move into the traveling series." Continued the Midland, Michigan driver.
"The talent in the series is just amazing, the drivers all race each other hard and clean week in and week out. We are currently planning on running the full schedule and making a serious push at the Rookie of the Year honors." Callahan stated.
During the 2006 season, Callahan competed primarily at the 0.375 mile high-banked paved oval of the Owosso (MI) Speedway in Ovid, Michigan where he finished a solid sixth place in the final points standings, just eight markers out of the Top Five.
In addition, Callahan also seen time at the Auto City (MI) Speedway as well as the Spartan (MI) Speedway, Springport (MI) Motor Speedway, and the Standish (MI) Asphalt Raceway in various Four-Cylinder invitationals.
"We suffered more heartbreaks in 2006 then we would have liked too. We were solidly fifth in the season long points chase at Owosso when we had a motor let go and missed four nights." Continued Callahan. "A potential top three in points diminished just like that. We were in contention to win every week, that was the fun part." Added the 17-year-old.
As for Callahan's expectations during the 2006 season, Callahan had set some modest goals for himself. "Going into the season our goals were to finish in the top five in points with the stiff competition that Owosso has to offer, we fell just short of that." Callahan offered.
"I feel as if 2006 was a great year for us, we traveled all over the state, and got some good exposure and some great finishes against some good competition. We could go one more year in the Mini-Stocks, but we're looking on to bigger and better things with the Short Track Trucks.com Challenge Series." Callahan said.
The 17-year-old began his racing career on the dirt at the Mt. Pleasant (MI) Speedway in 2003 in the Mini Stocks division and despite just three starts, he finished 19th in the points at just 13 years old.
In 2004, Callahan moved to the pavement where he competed at the now closed Tri-City (MI) Motor Speedway in a very competitive Mini Stocks division and won the tracks Rookie of the Year title while finishing a strong fifth in the final points chase.
2005 saw Callahan broaden his horizons by competing at several different tracks around the state of Michigan with his focus at the Owosso Speedway. He finished 10th in the final points standings at Owosso. In addition, Callahan saw time at the Auto City Speedway, Spartan Speedway, Springport Motor Speedway and the Whittemore Speedway.
Callahan was also the recipient of the Michigan Racing Scene's People's Choice Awards as the 2005 Most Popular Mini Stock Driver Award winner.
During the 2006 season, Callahan carried sponsorship on his Ford Mustang from; IGD Solutions as well as Danly I.E.M., Bandit Built, Schafer Trucking, Gary A. Schluckbier D.D.S., Pro Grafix, IMPACT Racing, and Maximum Voltage Entertainment.
"We hope to challenge for the 2007 Rookie title in the trucks series and sponsors are more than welcome for the upcoming year to try and help us do just that." Callahan added. "I would like to thank all the people that make this happen for me primarily my mother and father. I cannot wait to make my first Short Track Trucks race" He ended.
Kyle Callahan Racing is looking for additional sponsors for the 2007 racing season! All interested parties should contact the team by e-mail at; kyle@kylecallahanracing.com or call; 1 (989) 837-1178.
www.kylecallahanracing.com |
