Kobyluck Aims To Extend Showdown Record

 

            Waterford, Conn. (January 19, 2010): There really is no substitute for winning.

            Matt Kobyluck, the defending and only two-time winner of the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown, has his sights set on nothing less as the Mohegan Sun Casino sponsored race team gets ready to head out west to California's Toyota Speedway. Kobyluck, one of three past winners entered in the post season event scheduled for January 29-30, will attempt to extend that record and add a third trophy to his collection. With competition from Sprint Cup Series drivers Joey Logano and David Gilliland coupled with the best talent in all of NASCAR's touring divisions, Kobyluck will have his work cut out for him.

            "That's what I really like about this event," said Kobyluck. "It does attract the best of the best. When you win one of these races, it's huge. It's a feather in your cap as a race team, and I wouldn't want it any other way - bring 'em on!"

            Last year, Kobyluck won the race after Logano and Peyton Sellers collided at the finish line. All three were battling for the win, but it was Kobyluck who ended up the victor - the last lap being the only lap he led.

            "The finish has been pretty wild every single time,” Kobyluck said. “It hasn’t happened yet where the finish hasn’t been wild. It’s expected. There aren't any points on the line so you go for it. I was in a position last year to be the benefactor and I was. You don't need to lead 225 laps. You only need to be there at the end."

            And that's the same mentality the team will take to California this year as well. Their drive for a win is even stronger than before as the team hasn't been to victory lane since their win there last January.

            "We had a challenging season last year. We were close, but never close enough. In 2008 we ran well everywhere we went. It was just one of those years where nothing you could do would go wrong. Last year, it was just the opposite. We've put that behind us and everyone on this team wants a win more than anything. We're ready. The guys have been working hard all winter long just to prepare for this race. We're there to win it."

            The NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown, highlighted by the 225-lap Camping World Series race, attracts the top drivers from across the country to what has become the pinnacle of short-track racing in America. Each race winner during the 2009 Camping World Series season is eligible for a protected starting spot, as are the 2009 champions from each of NASCAR’s six regional touring series and the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national champion.

            In addition to eligible 2009 race winners and series champions, the starting lineup will be determined through time trials, limited provisionals for Camping World Series regulars, and the last-chance "Open" race that provides drivers one final chance to make the grid.

            Both nights of racing will be televised live on SPEED and will also air live on SIRIUS NASCAR Radio.

            For more information on Matt Kobyluck and the Mohegan Sun race team, visit www.mattkobyluck.com.