JEGS/CRA
All-Stars Tour presented by GM Performance Parts, in store for
Josh Nelms in 2011
Lockport,
Illinois (February 1, 2011): After finishing sixth in the points
standings in what would turn out to be the last season for the
now defunct ASA Late Model Series, 35-year-old Josh Nelms was in
search of a place to call home for the upcoming 2011 racing
season.
As the new season approaches, Nelms has been hard at work in
more ways than
one
and all that hard work has paid off; Not only did the Lockport,
Illinois driver find a new series to call home, he's also joined
forces with a new team as well!
Nelms and Trgovich Racing out of Highland, Indiana have teamed
up for the upcoming racing season and they have big plans in
store and that includes a run for the 2011 championship in the
new JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour presented by GM Performance Parts.
In addition to his JEGS/CRA/GM schedule, the team will also make
select appearances at Trgovich Racings' home track of Illiana
Motor Speedway in Schererville, Indiana in the tracks weekly
Late Models division.
"The equipment they have is top notch. I'm really looking
forward to my opportunity with Trgovich racing this season,"
Stated Nelms. "I have to thank a couple of people for allowing
me to showcase my talent; Dave Dotter who stepped up when I
wrecked my car in 2008 and allowed me to drive his car." He
continued.
"That opened a door to do some testing for Tom Kmak and TK
Racing / Lisa Thomas Salon. They gave me my biggest win of my
career when I drove for them and was crowned National Short
Track Champion at the NSTC 200 at Rockford Speedway in 2009. If
it wasn't for Dotter and Kmak, I wouldn't have this great
opportunity for Trgovich Racing. My Wife, Kerrie and I can't
wait for 2011 to get started and we definitely can't wait to get
to Toledo." He ended.
Nelms' first race for his new team will be the inaugural race
for the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour presented by GM Performance
Parts; The JEGS 100 on Saturday, April 23rd at the famed 1/2
mile high-banks of Toledo Speedway, located just south of the
Michigan / Ohio state line in Toledo, Ohio.
During the 2010 season in the now defunct ASA Late Model Series,
Nelms recorded two top five finishes with a season high of a
second twice with those runner-up showings coming at Grundy
County Speedway in Morris, Illinois and Owosso Speedway in Ovid,
Michigan. He also racked up six top 10 finishes in eight starts
within the series. Despite missing the last two shows, Nelms
still finished sixth in the final points standings.
Nelms is no stranger to CRA racing as in his lone appearance,
driving in the CRA Street Stocks Series season opener in 2010,
Nelms scored the win in the Spring Fling driving for Dotter at
Plymouth Speedway in Plymouth, Indiana.
Nelms started his career in 1989 on the dirt at Sycamore
Speedway in Sycamore, lllinois. In 1993 he moved to the late
model division and won the tracks' rookie of the year title.
After winning the most improved driver award in 1994, Nelms
would capture the 1996 track championship.
After spending three more seasons moving on to the super late
model division with second and third place finishes in the
points standings, Nelms made the move to pavement in 1999 and
ran a partial schedule that season and in 2000 in the
Mid-American Stock Cars division at Lake Geneva Speedway before
going full-time in 2001 at Illiana Motor Speedway in
Schererville, Indiana.
After spending three more seasons at Illiana as well as making
select appearances in the Mid-American Stock Car Series, Nelms
won his second and third career track championship and first on
pavement at Illiana in the Mid-American Stock Car division in
2004 and 2005.
A year later a move up to late models was next and Nelms was the
2006 Rookie of the Year at Rockford Speedway and since then, he
has made limited ASALMS appearances as well as running the full
2008 USPRO Cup Series schedule, all in an effort to retain his
rookie eligibility for the 2009 season in the North series.
Amongst the highlights of his limited ASALMS / USPRO schedules
from 2006-2008, Nelms set the track record for the USPRO Cup
Series at Dixie and with the USPRO Cup Series now defunct, Nelms
will forever hold that track record.
In addition, Nelms recorded a pair of fourth place finishes in
2006 in ASALMS North competition. In 2009, his first full season
in ASALMS, Nelms was rewarded with the 2009 Rookie of the Year
title with one top five finish and eight top 10 showings as he
also finished third overall.
To learn more about Trgovich Racing and their new driver, Josh
Nelms, and to inquire about sponsorship opportunities for the
fast approaching 2011 racing season, go to the teams' website
at:
www.joshnelms.com