Camping World Series East To Kick Off 2009 Season

NASCAR's Camping World Series East is ready to rock and roll into the new season at Greenville-Pickens Speedway this weekend.  This premiere developmental league for NASCAR will take the track for the Home Tracks 150 presented by Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet on April 11.

Matt Kobyluck (pictured above), the 2008 CWSE Champion, is ready to defend his reign with honor this season.  He will once again be piloting his famous No. 40 Mohegan Sun Casino Chevrolet, proudly driving as the first ever reigning Native American champion in NASCAR history.

Not only was Kobyluck the 2008 CWSE Champion, but he also won the "world series" of racing, the Toyota All-Star Showdown.  This end-of-the season tradition pitted the East and West series drivers against one another in a battle royal.

In another barn burner of a race, Kobyluck reigned supreme again, scoring his second victory in a row at the Showdown event.

Kobyluck has also been busy during this offseason.  Between celebrating all of his honors, as well as keeping his business afloat in tough economic times, Kobyluck has had very little time to rest on his laurels.

As is his custom, Kobyluck was also busy with many charity events.  Probably one of the most visible was his family business' participation in an episode of Extreme Makeover.

Kobyluck and his company demolished the home of a mother and her children that was literally almost falling down around them. This family had suffered great tragedy including the death of the father and one of the children.

Kobyluck's crew assisted in the rebuilding of this family's lives, one of the most fulfilling offseasons ever from Kobyluck's perspective.

But Matt is absolutely ready to get back behind the wheel of his race car.  "I always look forward to getting back on the track".

Kobyluck continued, "I'm hoping that we, as a team, get to experience it all over again come the fall."

Another CWSE veteran is also ready to take to the track as team owner and crew chief.  Andy Santerre, owner of Andy Santerre Motorsports and mentor to the next generation of NASCAR superstars, will be fielding a very young driver in his car.

Santerre will be introducing Brett Moffitt, a 16-year old who has been racing since he was 10 years old.  Moffitt hopes to learn at the feet of one of the masters, four-time past CWSE Champion Andy Santerre.

"I want to be able to win some races this year and having Andy (Santerre) behind me is a big advantage," said Moffitt.  "He really knows what he's doing and he has really good equipment".

Santerre has high praise for his young protege as well.  "He's real smooth and real consistent", said Santerre.  "The good thing is he adapts real quick".

Santerre, like his friend Matt Kobyluck, has also been very busy not only preparing for the race season but also participating in many charitable events.

For the fifth year in a row, Santerre hosted his Annual Sno-Run in Caribou, Maine.  This year the snow mobile riders raised over $42,500 to benefit the AMHC Sexual Assault Division, an important charity in the New England area.

Another wily veteran, Steve Park, will join Santerre and Kobyluck in kicking of the 2009 CWSE season.  Park will join the series for his second season on the tour.

This 42-year-old Long Island native will be back behind the wheel of the No. 35 Waste Management Recycling America Chevy once again.  Under this team's banner, Park was able to finish ninth in the championship points for the 2008 season.

"It's enjoyable", Park said.  "With all the new talent in the series, I made a lot of new friends, and got to meet a lot of people that enjoy the series.  It's refreshing to see a lot of talent coming up through here". 

Park was also busy during the offseason.  In fact, in December he married his long-time girlfriend Jessica.  Summarized Park, "The wedding's over, the honeymoon is over, now it's time to go racing again."

And indeed it is time for the Camping World Series East to go racing for another action-packed season.  The 11 races in the series, starting this weekend, will also be televised on SPEED.

So, for all the drivers, teams and officials in the CWSE, it is now indeed time to heed the words of Steve Park and get back to racing.

Sources:  Penny Aicardi, EastSeries.com and andysanterremotorsports.com.