NASCAR Veteran Benson Returning to Challenge for the 10th Annual Auto Value 250

Fredericton, NB – Last year’s Auto Value 250 at Speedway 660 Speedway attracted one of the best fields of pro stock cars ever seen in the region. This year’s field has already broken that standard and today veteran NASCAR driver Johnny Benson has thrown his hat into the ring for the 2010 Auto Value 250. The 2008 Craftsman Truck Series Champion and former Nextel/Winston Cup regular announced that he has teamed with Martins Home Heating and Sommerville Racing to make the trek north to Fredericton, NB for the Labour Day event.

The Auto Value 250 is now celebrating its 10th Anniversary, and the region’s top pro stock drivers regard the race as the premier stock car event of the season. Benson is no stranger to the event as he led the charge of high profile drivers to compete with his entry in the 2005 and 2006 event.

“I’ve been looking to get back up here since my last run in 2006.  It’s an awesome weekend and the folks are a blast.  We’ve had some scheduling conflicts over the past few years but I’m excited to be able to come for the 10th Anniversary event” said Benson.

Benson has had some great success since his last visit to Speedway 660 as he won the 2008 Craftsman Truck Series Championship.  “2008 was a great year in the trucks and I remember people from New Brunswick sending email and notes along congratulating me.  That was pretty neat that they took the time to keep up on what I was doing down south” said Benson.

Benson will be supported in his bid for the Auto Value 250 title by local sponsors Martin’s Home Heating and Venmar.   “We are thrilled to have Johnny Benson back at Speedway 660” said Richard Martin of Martin’s Home Heating.  “We were completely impressed with Johnny when he was here in 2005 and 2006.  You couldn’t ask for a better representative and on top of that the guy can certainly wheel a race car”.

He has competed in 274 Spring Cup races over 11 years and was the Rookie of the Year in 1996. He has also competed in 91 Busch Series races over 10 years and was the 1994 Rookie of the Year. He followed his Rookie of the Year Award with a Busch Series Championship in 1995.

“Johnny is a class act and we are really excited to have him back for the 10th Anniversary Auto Value 250” said track co-owner Chris Johnston, “Johnny was the first NASCAR driver to make his way north and compete in our race and I must say he set the standard pretty high for everyone following behind him”.

Please contact Angela Coffey at Speedway 660 at 506-455-3181 or [email protected] for any questions.