| MOORESVILLE, N.C. (November 16, 2016) – Thad Moffitt, the 15-year-old grandson of “The King” Richard Petty, won his first stock car championship at the Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Speedway this past weekend. Moffitt finished fifth during Friday night’s Southeast Limited Late Model (SELLM) Daytona 1 Challenger Series race to secure the season-long championship. It’s the first major championship for Moffitt who previously raced go-karts and quarter midgets.
In partnership with Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM), Empire Racing Group (ERG) entered Moffitt in the SELLM Series this year. Moffitt’s first win came in August and led to a string of Top-Five finishes. Friday night’s strong result clinched him the championship in his first year on the tour.
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| Thad Moffitt Wins Southeast Limited Late Model Championship |
Moffitt won the championship in the famous family color, Petty Blue. Moffitt races the No. 46 to continue the Petty family tradition, started by his great grandfather Lee racing the No. 42. The team is supported b Transportation Impact, Jacob Companies and Hostetler Ranch. Moffitt is the oldest son of Brian and Rebecca Moffitt.
“I have to thank Empire Racing Group and everyone involved to make this happen,” said Moffitt. “Growing up around racing, it really gets in your blood. It’s all I think about and all I want to do. It’s awesome to win a championship in my first year in a stock car. I just want to get better and better.”
“It feels good to carry on the family tradition,” continued Moffitt. “You try not to think about it. I’m just proud to race the family color and put the ’46’ on the side of the car. I have plans to take the next step, but I’l work with my family and with Empire Racing Group on what that may be.”
“Hey, he did pretty good for his first year,” commented Petty. “He has a real passion for this, so who knows how far it can take him. He’s pretty determined.”
Richard Petty Motorsports and Empire Racing Group will announce Moffitt’s 2017 plans soon.
About Richard Petty Motorsports
A performance and marketing driven company, Richard Petty Motorsports, co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty and successful business entrepreneur Andrew Murstein, is one of the most recognized brands in all of motorsports. With a history of over 200 wins and business partnerships with national and global leaders, today the race operation fields two teams in competition in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with drivers Aric Almirola and Brian Scott. Almirola will return to the iconic No. 43 Ford with partners Smithfield Foods, STP, United States Air Force and the “Fresh From Florida” campaign. Scott will make his debut with the team and drive the Petty Family No. 44 Ford. Albertsons Companies, Shore Lodge, Twisted Tea and GoBowling.com will join Scott as he competes for Rookie of the Year in his first full-time season in the Sprint Cup Series. The team is headquartered in Mooresville, N.C.
About Empire Racing Group
Established in 2009, Empire Racing Group is a driver-development team that strives to identify young racing talent and assist them in the advancement of their careers. While ERG originally focused on the ARCA Racing Series with driver Sean Corr (team owner) the team has since expanded its reach into other series thanks in part to its alliance with Grumpy’s Performance, Inc. Under the expertise of crew chief Mike ‘Grumpy’ Cheek, ERG now competes in various Late Model series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS). In 2016, Empire Racing Group will be serving as a developmental team for Richard Petty Motorsports, providing young drivers with driver coaching, technical support, as well as public relations and marketing needs. RPM will also utilize ERG for developing full pit crew for opportunities within the RPM organization. Additionally, ERG will compete in multiple racing series including the ARCA Racing Series, NCWTS, and NASCAR Late Model Series at various local short tracks. Drivers for the 2016 season include notable rising stars Austin Hill and Dylan Martin, Thad Moffitt, and now another rising star Korbin Forrister, as well as racing veteran Sean Corr. To learn more about ERG, call (704) 664-8882 or visit www.empireracinggroup.com. |
