Hamlin back at Evergreen for Big Track Championship

Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, September 6, 2005

MONROE – One of Evergreen Speedway’s most accomplished alums makes his return to the track this month.

NASCAR Busch Series driver Kevin Hamlin races at Evergreen on Sept. 17 in the Snap-On Tools Big Track Championship.

Hamlin began his racing career at Evergreen when he was a junior at Snohomish High School before moving up to the NASCAR Elite Division Northwest Series. In three years in that series, he won two championships before deciding to move to North Carolina to try to further his career.

After struggling to find a ride, Hamlin, 26, finally secured a spot in an ARCA car owned by Nextel Cup driver Ken Schrader. With two top-10 finishes on the ARCA circuit, Hamlin got a chance to drive in the NASCAR Craftsman Trucks series, finishing 23rd in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 at Kansas Speedway.

That led Hamlin to being offered a spot in Chip Ganassi’s Geico Dodge for the remainder of the Busch Series season. In his debut race, he led the Salute to the Troops 250 at Pikes Peak for four laps before finishing 17th on July 29. That’s been his best finish, though he was 22nd at the Food City 250 at Bristol Motor Speedway and 23rd at the Wallace Family Tribute 250. In that race, he started a season-best 10th. At last week’s Ameriquest 300, Hamlin started 14th but got crashed out after 10 laps, the only race he’s failed to finish. After six races, Hamlin stands 62nd in the drivers standings and has won $115,753.

Hamlin has seven races left on his Busch season, including this weekend’s Kroger 200 at Indianapolis Raceway Park. The series is on break the week Hamlin will return to Evergreen.