WalTom Racing Driver Search Set To Find Next Racing Superstar

WalTom Racing has never been a team to stand in the shadows of the motorsports world. Ever since entering the fray in the now-defunct ASA National Touring Series, the team has found its fair share of success. Along with that came the ability to help young drivers develop into tomorrow’s superstars. Now, after two-straight ASA Late Model Series National Championships, WalTom Racing’s Driver Development Program is looking for their next breakout superstar. click here for online application

The WalTom Racing team will begin taking applications for those who want to be a part of their next Driver Search program. To do this, WalTom Racing, along with owners Wally and Tom Gleitsman, have teamed up with the popular short track racing website Speed51.com to search for the next WalTom Racing Development Driver. Those interested in submitting their name for possible participation in the driver tryouts can do so by filling out the online application on Speed51.com beginning on Wednesday, September 20th, 2006.

“As we did last year, we are attempting to do a “driver search” and look for another potential talent we can help develop and get the proper exposure for,” said John Mulvenna, WalTom Racing General Manager. “There are a lot of good racers out there who aren’t in the right situations or who aren’t getting the right exposure. Right now, the hardest part is sifting through all of resumes, videos, slide shows, letters, emails, phone calls, etc. With an online form we hope to stream-line the resume submission process. At the end of the day, we’re really looking for recommendations from those in the know-how, like those with Speed51.com and others in the industry.

“We’ve been very fortunate to have great success on the racetrack with Stephen Leicht, Kelly Bires and (crew chief) Howie Lettow. That success has gotten the attention down south for our drivers. Stephen has a very good deal going with Robert Yates Racing, and Kelly is actually down in Charlotte right now working on some big things for next year. So, we need to fill a hole.”

Leicht brought WalTom Racing unprecedented success in the ASA Late Model Series in 2005. The youngster scored five wins and the season’s championship in the first year for the ASA Late Model Series. That success caught the eye of several high-profile NASCAR teams, including Robert Yates Racing. Leicht made his NASCAR Nextel Cup debut with Yates earlier this year.

Bires has earned seven wins so far in the 2006 season with a handful of races still to go. The 21-year-old Wisconsin-native has already locked up the 2006 ASA Late Model Challenge Series Championship with two races remaining in the schedule. He locked up the ASA LM Rookie of the Year title two races before that.

A big factor in both Bires’ and Leicht’s success has been Crew Chief Howie Lettow. Lettow is one of the most recognized and respected crew chiefs in short track racing. Lettow’s success dates back to the mid-80s in the now-defunct ASA National Tour. Lettow has guided some of the best to ever race on the short tracks, including Jimmie Johnson, Ted Musgrave, Mark Martin, Tony Raines, Ricky Johnson and David Stremme.

“I think the success I’ve had is related to the fact that I’ve been given good drivers; then people would notice them, and give them the opportunity to move on,” said Lettow. “Driver development wasn’t necessarily the original intention, but that is just how it worked out because these were quality drivers. We had always looked for the best driver available, and we ended up moving drivers through at a pretty good rate.

“The fact that I worked with a lot of drivers gave me the ability to adapt. Different drivers know different things; every driver is unique. Sometimes, you have to work with them differently. You have to treat them differently. It is learning how to read a driver and to get on the same page as that driver. I guess, if anything, I’ve been fortunate to work with many different drivers enabling me to adapt quicker. There are plenty of successful crew chiefs that have worked with the same driver for 10 years and when they get a new driver, they struggle because they are trying to do things exactly how they did in the past, and you can’t always do that.”

WalTom does have certain criteria they are looking for, but they will be open to accepting info from any driver that would like to submit. The team plans to select between 12 and 18 drivers to participate in the test after evaluating all of the submissions.

“We are not necessarily looking for younger or older drivers,” added Mulvenna. “We are looking for right in the middle. We would prefer to have someone that is out of high school so they can work in the raceshop and learn. That is a great value to us and to them.

“Anyone can submit their information. We want to show people what this team can continue to do with talented drivers. We hear a lot of people say that with the equipment we have, anyone can win races. That really isn’t true. The equipment we have is nothing different than what is at Howe Racing right on the floor. Any of the other equipment we have can be bought right from a catalogue or series sponsor. Our success comes from how the driver uses it (the car) and how it is prepared. If the driver can give good feedback and Howie can interpret that feedback he’ll make the car the best it can be to drive.”

On-line applications will be accepted online until September 30th, 2006. Drivers who are selected to participate in the tryout will be contacted by WalTom Racing. click here for online application

WalTom Racing, with Kelly Bires, are the 2006 ASA Late Model Series Challenge Series champions, and Bires is the Pat Bourdow Memorial Rookie of the Year winner.