“Up And Comer Preparing For First PASS Start Of ‘11”

WILLIAMSTON, South Carolina (March 9, 2011) – - After an exceptional performance in the World Series of Asphalt Stockcar racing Crate Model division at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway last month, Gus Dean heads to Williamston, South Carolina this weekend to prepare for his Pro All Star Series (PASS) debut at Anderson Motor (S.C.) Speedway.

Dean, the Bluffton, South Carolina native heads to the racetrack with the same mentality he took to the Sunshine State which includes learning and earning the respect of his peers. Just like New Smyrna, short trace ace A.J. Frank returns to the role as crew chief and driver coach for the first PASS contest of the season.

“I’m pretty optimistic about this weekend,” said the 16 year protégé. “Overall, our week at New Smyrna was quite a success all things considered. Obviously this weekend is just a normal racing schedule but I know exactly what I have to do.”

A barrier that Dean who in 2007 earned American Kart Racing Association’s Junior II National Points Series Championship and his Gus Dean Racing (GDR) team will face will be the rising star’s familiarity with a Super Late Model (SLM). After competing in both the Crate and Pro-Late Model divisions, the Electric City 150 will mark the first outing in the more challenging SLM.

“Anytime you race a new type of car, you can have some jitter bugs,” explained Dean. “Luckily, I have a great team and A.J. (Frank) as my mentor, so I’m prepared for any initial obstacles we may initially face.”

With no prior experience at the tight and treacherous AMS and hearing that the track is somewhat similar to Florence Speedway, a track he competed in the Allison Legacy Series, Dean realizes that plenty of seat time is crucial.

“There’s going to be a lot of tracks this year I’ve never been to,” admitted Dean. “Thankfully, I have prepared myself adequately both mentally and physically to adapt to my new surroundings. My goal for this weekend is very similar to New Smyrna, learn, earn and finish.”

For the second consecutive race, Whirlpool Cooling and Heating will leap aboard the team’s No. 56 Chevrolet Impala as the primary sponsor. “With a lot of teams just struggling to the race track, I am super blessed to have a great crew and a sponsor like Whirlpool Cooling and Heating. Their support has been incredible and their faith in me to represent their company is something you really can’t describe. Hopefully, Saturday, a good finish will let them know how much I appreciate them.”

MODOC Research Group and The CornerStone Grill will continue their support of the former Allison Legacy Series (ALS) pilot this weekend.

In addition to PASS South Series competition, Dean and Co. will run in the Late Model (LM) and other Super Late Model (SLM) events across the Southeast all year long.

For more on Gus Dean, please visit GusDean.com.

For additional input on Whirlpool Cooling and Heating, please logon to WhirlpoolHVAC.com.

PHOTO CAPTION: Gus Dean, driver of the No. 56 Whirlpool Cooling and Heating Chevrolet Impala SS.

TEAM COMMUNICATIONS CONTACT:

NAME: Chris Knight, Knight Motorsports Management (KMM)

PHONE: 239.834.9797

EMAIL:  chris@chrisknightpr.com

“South Carolina Youngster Off To Solid Start For 2011”

In just his second outing in Late Model competition in his career, Gus Dean delivered 1 top 5 and 4 top 10’s in 5 nights of racing in the World Series of Asphalt Stockcar racing Crate Model division at New Smyrna Speedway.

            Dean, just 16 years old from Bluffton, South Carolina entered Speedweeks with the mindset of gaining speed, experience, and respect of his fellow competitors. When the #56 Whirlpool Cooling and Heating, Cornerstone Grill, Modoc Research Chevy Impala was unloaded he immediately did just that!

            Having only one chance to qualify for the whole week of racing, Gus had to get up to speed very quickly. In qualifying, he would post the eighth quickest time out of 24 cars that participated in that session. He would continue to gain more respect by going on to finish eighth that first night, racing like a veteran and bringing the car home without a scratch! Gus continued to gain confidence and speed everyday, while the team led by short track veteran AJ Frank, was obviously building on what seems to be great chemistry. They would go on to have strong finishes every night never finishing outside the top 10.

            On the fifth night of action hopes were high when Gus posted the fourth fastest speed in final practice that day. Unfortunately while running solidly inside the top 5, two of the lead cars got together spinning in front of the whole field. Gus having no place to go would get collected receiving significant damage on the #56 car.

            The wreck would prevent the team from competing in the last two nights of competition, but had gained enough points to still finish in the top 10 in the 7 race series.   Even with the disappointment, the team is satisfied with what they accomplished and looking forward to a successful 2011 campaign.

            “I want to thank Whirlpool Cooling and Heating, Cornerstone Grill, and Modoc Research for their continued devotion and belief in myself and our team.” He continued “Speedweeks was a great experience for me, and I feel a lot more comfortable in the bigger cars, I am very excited for the next race”

            Gus’s next event will be the 150 lap PASS Super Late Model series opener at Anderson Speedway March 12^th.

For more on Gus Dean, please visit GusDean.com.

For additional input on Whirlpool Cooling and Heating, please logon to WhirlpoolHVAC.com.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Florida (February 9, 2011) – -

Dean, a promising driver from Bluffton, South Carolina will be guided by USARacing Series Pro Cup veteran A.J. Frank, who for the last six months or so has managed the role as team manager at the shop and crew chief and driver coach at the race track. While Dean hasn’t competed in Annual World Series before, the rookie is taking his lack of experience in stride knowing that he has the comfort in one of the most respected short track racers in the Southeast.

“I’m very blessed to have A.J. not only as my crew chief and driver coach but as my friend,” said Dean, who first started racing at the tender age of six. “He is such a joy to be around and really has made me become aware of my surroundings inside and outside of a race car. I feel very comfortable going to New Smyrna this week knowing that he’s on my side.”

Indeed, comfortable is a word that the former Allison Legacy Series (ALS) pilot can grasp. With nine tenacious nights ahead of him in all forms of short track racing, Dean plans to earn his respect while not forgetting the real reason that his Gus Dean Racing (GDR) team made the trip to the Sunshine State.

“We are going to New Smyrna with the intentions that we can run strong and (hopefully) be a factor,” added Dean, who in 2007 earned American Kart Racing Association’s Junior II National Points Series Championship. “We’re sticking to our guns of knowing that if we can keep our nose clean and stay out of trouble, we should be able to improve over the course of the next week or so and let everyone know that we were there at least.”

Frank praised his young driver’s ambition to get the job done behind the wheel. “Gus is a very smart and dedicated young man,” sounded Frank, who plans to return to racing himself in the USARacing Pro Cup Series in 2011. “He has that “want” when it comes to being a race car driver. Patience will probably be the most annoying word he will hear at New Smyrna, but there is a method to that madness. Keeping our car together will allow us to race more; thus giving Gus the seat time he needs.”

Frank, the Bluffton, South Carolina added, “Realistically, I think we can go run in the top-10 every night and surely you would like to think you can get a top-five or two and maybe even sneak in a win. These races won’t be a piece of cake though. They are short and very demanding races. Gus will learn a lot that will not only help him for the rest of his trip at New Smyrna but for the rest of the racing season as well.”

In his lone short track venture at Concord (N.C.) Speedway last year, Dean entered the garage showing he meant business. Quickly gaining speed and comfort with the treacherous short track, Dean qualified his machine an impressive eighth and was running in the top six before the engine seized, yielding a disappointing finish.

In the loosest sense of the word, Dean is hoping to make up for that lost momentum at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway.

“I know I would not be racing without the help of support of our sponsors,” the youngster said. “Whirlpool Cooling and Heating, MODOC Research Group and The CornerStone Grill have been huge supporters of this team and have allowed us the opportunity to go to New Smyrna and try and turn some heads. My goal is to try and bring them home a finish (no matter where that may be) that they will be satisfied with.”

Ironically, Dean will be carrying the No. 56, the same signage for Frank in the USARacing Pro Cup Series. “The 56 was available and I respect A.J. a lot, so I’m running the number in his honor,” insisted Dean. “He has been a part of our family for a long time now. My family helped support his dirt racing career in the late 1990s and now he’s giving back by helping me. The circle in a racing family doesn’t get any better than this!”

In addition to Late Model competition at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway, Dean and Co. will run in the PASS South Series and other Super Late Model (SLM) events across the Southeast all year long.

For more on Gus Dean, please visit GusDean.com.

For additional input on Whirlpool Cooling and Heating, please logon to WhirlpoolHVAC.com.

PHOTO CAPTION: Gus Dean, driver of the No. 56 Whirlpool Cooling and Heating Chevrolet Impala SS.

TEAM COMMUNICATIONS CONTACT:

NAME: Chris Knight, Knight Motorsports Management (KMM)

PHONE: 239.834.9797  239.834.9797

EMAIL: chris@chrisknightpr.com