November 14th 2008

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ( Nov. 10 , 2008) – Marty Ward's post season has been nearly as busy as his racing season.

In addition to winning the Greenville-Pickens Speedway track championship and finishing third overall in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, Ward also earned the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series South Carolina state championship. Recently, Ward's achievement was recognized by Governor Mark Sanford in a visit to the state capit o l in Columbia.

Ward had 13 wins, 22 top fives and 22 top 10s in 22 starts racing at Greenville-Pickens.

The 43-year-old Ward, from Marietta, S.C., was accompanied on the visit with his wife , Gina , and son Jacob, 7.

“That was awesome,” Ward said. “He knows a lot more about racing than I thought he did. We sat down a nd got to talking – he's really a nice guy.”

South Carolina has a long history in NASCAR. Stars such as David Pearson, Ralph Earnhardt and Cale Yarborough have won NASCAR South Carolina state championships, and Greenville-Pickens is one of NASCAR's oldest san c tioned short tracks.

It was the fifth Late Model championship at Greenville-Pickens for Ward, who had previously won track titles in 1990-91 and 2002-03.

“You really can't put it into words,” said Ward when asked to describe the success he had in 2008. “When we started out the year, we weren't running for points or anything. The season got going and you couldn't have asked for a better year. It's been a great year.”

Just 26 drivers out of the thousands of participants in NASCAR's grassroots, local-racing program – which encompasses tracks throughout the United States and Canada – earned a similar honor as U.S. state or Canadian province champion.

The NASCAR South Carolina champion was determined by the driver's highest 18 finishes at NASCAR - sanctioned tracks within the state.

The crowning of champions in a U.S. state or Canadian province continues a tradition of honoring the best short-track racers which dates back to the earliest days of NASCAR.

Ward was also honored Friday, Nov. 7 at the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Awards Banquet at the Rio All-Suite Hotel in Las Vegas, along with the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national champion, U.S. state and Canadian provincial champions, track champions and special award winners.

The trip to Las Vegas also included a celebration of another sort, as one of Ward's crew members took advantage of the opportunity to get married.

“They had been talking about getting married for a while,” said Ward, who took nine of his crew members with him to the awards banquet. “I told him if you come out to Vegas with me, I'll make sure you get married.”

Since its inception, NASCAR's local racing series has served as a springboard in the careers of many top drivers. NASCAR stars Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton, Kurt and Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Bobby Labonte, Jamie McMurray, Elliott Sadler and Brian Vickers all began their careers racing their local short tracks.

PAST NASCAR SOUTH CAROLINA STATE CHAMPIONS

All-American Whelen Series     
Year    Driver  Hometown       
2008    Marty Ward      Marietta, S.C. 
2007    David Roberts   Simpsonville, S.C.     

Late Model Sportsman   
Year    Driver  Hometown       
1980    David Pearson   Spartanburg, S.C.      
1978    Buddy Howard Jr Greenville, S.C.       
1977    Buddy Howard Jr Greenville, S.C.       
1976    Don Sprouse     Greer, S.C.    
1975    Bob Jarvis      Greenville, S.C.       
1974    Harold Fountain Martinez, Ga.  
1973    Don Miller      Winston-Salem, S.C.    
1972    Don Miller      Winston-Salem, SC.     
1971    Johnny Allen    Greenville, S.C.       
1970    Sam Sommers     Savannah, Ga.  
1969    Harold Bumgardner       Kings Mt., N.C.
1968    Ralph Earnhardt Kannapolis, N.C.       

Grand American Stock Car       
Year    Driver  Hometown       
1981    Joseph D. Biship        Greenville, S.C.       
1980    Billy Howard Jr.        Greenville, S.C.       
1979    Billy Howard Jr.        Greenville, S.C.       

Limited Sportsman              
Year    Driver  Hometown       
1981    Kevin Rainey    Greenville, S.C.       
1980    Will McGrew Jr. Greenville, S.C.       
1979    Jimmy Mann      Greenville, S.C.       
1978    Greg Porter     Easley, S.C.   
1977    Greg Porter     Easley, S.C.   
1976    Mike Owens      Myrtle Beach, S.C.     
1975    Danny Smith     Myrtle Beach, S.C.     
1974    Rodger Gentry   Greenville, S.C.       
1962    Floyd Powell    Chesnee, S.C.  
1961    Floyd Powell    Chesnee, S.C.  
1959    R. Earnhardt    Kannapolis, N.C.       

Hobby          
Year    Driver  Hometown       
1974    Mike Owens      Myrtle Beach, S.C.     
1973    Gene Morgan     Travelers Rest, S.C.   
1972    Gene Morgan     Travelers Rest, S.C.   
1971    Campbell King   Flat Rock, N.C.
1970    Harold Brookshire       Travelers Rest, S.C.   
1969    Leonard Sharpe  Lexington, S.C.
1968    Rick Hunter     Greenville, S.C.       
1967    James D. Harris Greenville, S.C.       
1966    Johnnie Cooper  Columbia, S.C. 
1965    Raymond Brown   Greenville, S.C.       
1964    Jack Cochram    Greenville, S.C.       
1963    Jim Taylot      Owings, S.C.   
1962    Bill Coker      Greer, S.C.    
1961    Carral Stokes   Hartsville, S.C.       
1960    Harrison Williams       Woodruff, S.C. 
1959    David Pearson   Whitney, S.C.  

Sportsman              
Year    Driver  Hometown       
1967    Ralph Earnhardt Kannapolis, N.C.       
1966    Ralph Earnhardt Kannapolis, N.C.       
1965    Ralph Earnhardt Kannapolis, N.C.       
1964    Joe Penland     W. Columbia, S.C.      
1963    Ralph Earnhardt Kannapolis, N.C.       
1960    Cale Yarborough Timmonsville, N.C.     
1959    Earl Moss       Creedmoor, N.C.
1958    Bobby Isaac     Newton, N.C.   
1957    Dink Widenhouse Concord, N.C.  
1956    Ralph Earnhardt Kannapolis, N.C.       
1954    Johnny Deaver   Columbia, S.C. 
1953    Bill Widenhouse Concord, N.C.