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2001
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| Saturday, December 21, 2002 | |
| David Castello of Ormond Beach Wins Valvoline Cup Championship | by Jane Smith
Ormond Beach, Fla - The Valvoline Cup is a national season points championship open to virtually all drivers in all type and classes in sanctioned racing or track sponsored weekly racing program throughout the country. In 2002, there were over 30 classes in the first Valvoline Cup program.
Drivers were awarded points for their finishing positions in their racing season. You might find an ASA driver, a Winston West driver and a local track driver on equal footing for the same awards. The final points would be based on the best 15 finishes in the season.
David Castello of Ormond Beach, Florida was one of many who signed up for the first Valvoline Cup series. Castello, who drove the US1 Muffler Mini Stock at New Smyrna Speedway would compete against Late Models, Sportsman, Super Stocks, Thundercars, Street Stocks Cadets and others in the Asphalt Stock division.
Castello, 23, began racing R/C cars when he was ten years old. His mom, who was a big race fan, would take young David to Daytona for races and would watch racing on tv which got the "bug" into David early.
At age 17, David and his friend Mike Culver built their first racecar, a 4 cylinder pure stock which they raced at Volusia Speedway Park and Ocala Speedway. While racing at Ocala, Castello won 6 or 7 races and then took off two years for school.
In 2001, Castello returned to racing in a Mini Stock he purchased from Jerry Symons. He debuted his car at the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing. At the end of the 2001 season, Castello was named "Rookie of the Year" for New Smyrna Speedway's Mini Stock division.
When the old Mini Stock was destroyed at the end of the 2001 season, Mike and David once again set out to build a new stockcar which was the US1 Muffler Mini Stock. The beginning of 2002 was alittle rough with the team having engine problems but once that was solved, there was no stopping the US 1 Mini Stock.
Not only did Castello have 13 feature wins in 2002 and countless heat wins but he took home the 2002 Mini Stock Track Championship for New Smyrna Speed- way.
On December 20th, Valvoline Cup released the official results for the Cup Championship with David Castello in the number one position beating out Frank Kimmel of New Albany, Indiana by a mere five points. Also in the top ten were two of David's fellow racers, Tim "Missleman" McPhail in fifth and Bobby Orr, the 2002 Mini Stock Track Champion at Orlando SpeedWorld, in sixth.
Not only will Castello receive the Valvoline Cup Trophy but also $1,000 cash, major equipment award from Campbell Hausfeld, Valvoline Racing Support Package (Valvoline Racing oil for the 2003 season), Campbell Hausfeld coupon entitling him to an equip- ment purchase at wholesale price, Valvoline product rebate coupon, Campbell Hausfeld discount coupon, Valvoline logo merchandise and Campbell Hausfeld logo merchandise.
Upon learning the official results, Castello said he owed it all to his crew and family. "Thank you to my mom, Ed and Kim for their support. Ed for having an awesome place to let us work on the cars, Mike Culver and the crew, Dick Shafer and US 1 Muffler, Hellyer Racing, the Symons and their crew, the Ward Company, and all my "extended family" at the track" said a smiling Castello.
"It was very special to win the Championship at New Smyrna Speedway for the Mini Stocks but to receive the first National Championship Trophy from the Valvoline Cup people is awesome. I can honestly say that 2002 was a great year for the US 1 Muffler crew." added Castello.
The Valvoline Cup Series will run again in 2003. To register, go to www.valvolinecup.com.
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