Photo by BCsportsimages.com

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA- Two time defending Irwindale Speedway Super Late Model champion Rip Michels has announced that Stock Building Supply will play a major role in his efforts as a rookie in the 2004 NASCAR AutoZone Elite Southwest Division.
   Stock Building Supply, of Raleigh, North Carolina, has been announced as the primary sponsor for Michels, who will run the complete fourteen race schedule beginning at Phoenix (AZ) International Raceway the weekend of January 23-24. Michels, the 2003 NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Sunbelt Series champion, recently had a practice session at Phoenix to prepare for the season opener and looks forward to the challenge of the 2004 schedule and his new partnership with Stock Building Supply.

   "I couldn't have asked for a better sponsor," explained Michels of Stock Building Supply. "They understand racing and have really gotten involved with our program. I'm looking forward to representing them on and off the race track."
   Stock Building Supply has over 200 locations in 24 states and exceeds sales of 2.7 billion a year. Stock Building Supply and it's associates have been in the business of providing a full line of quality building materials for over 100 years. Stock Building Supply has chosen to dedicate it's efforts and resources to fulfilling the needs of the professional contractor.
   "Rip Michels is a champion and surrounds himself with good people," said Stock Building Supply representative Rick Smith. "Rip knows how to market himself and that should make his relationship with Stock Building Supply a major success."
   "Last year, Rip's car owner Lee Ladd came to us with a pretty good offer to sponsor this race team. We're certainly looking forward to the season opener at Phoenix."
   Michels won nineteen races at Irwindale over the past two seasons in winning championships in 2002 and 2003. The NASCAR AutoZone Elite Southwest Division will make one visit to Irwindale in 2004.
   "I won a lot of races there, but I'm disappointed that they have just one race scheduled for 2004. They usually have two, sometimes three races there every year," said Michels, refering to Irwindale Speedway's scheduled May 29th NASCAR SWT event. "I'm certainly looking forward to the event. I've had a lot of good luck here."
   Michels will run a limited schedule in his Irwindale Speedway Super Late Model when it doesn't interfere with his NASCAR AutoZone Elite Southwest Division schedule. Following Phoenix, the next NASCAR SWT event will be at Madera (CA) Speedway on March 13th.