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Gafforini Honored In Las Vegas

Gov. Gibbons praises NASCAR Nevada champ

By Official Track Release
November 19, 2008 - 6:09pm

LAS VEGAS – Scott Gafforini will get his trophy for being the track champion at Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s Bullring this Saturday night. But Tuesday morning, the two-time champion received praise from Nevada’s highest-ranking citizen.

Gov. Jim Gibbons met with Gafforini, who also won the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Nevada state championship, in the governor’s Las Vegas office.

“Anytime a Nevadan is highly successful in such a unique sport as auto racing, all of Nevada benefits,” Gibbons said. “Scott has certainly brought a great deal of pride to the community and the entire state of Nevada.”

Gafforini posted two wins in route winning his second track championship in the past three years.

“My entire team worked very hard to win this championship this year,” Gafforini said. “For someone such as the governor to recognize the effort and dedication of the racers at the Bullring, it is very rewarding for all of us. I’m just honored that Gov. Gibbons has shown such an interest in our sport.”

Gafforini will be honored this Saturday at the Bullring’s annual awards banquet at Sam’s Town Hotel and Gambling Hall. Gafforini will be joined by all of the Bullring’s track champions this Saturday.

Just 26 drivers out of the thousands of participants in NASCAR’s grassroots, local-racing program – which encompasses tracks throughout the United States and Canada – earned a similar honor as U.S. state or Canadian province champion.

The NASCAR Nevada champion was determined by the driver’s highest 18 finishes at NASCAR-sanctioned tracks within the state.

The crowning of champions in a U.S. state or Canadian province continues a tradition of honoring the best short-track racers which dates back to the earliest days of NASCAR.

Since its inception, NASCAR’s local racing series has served as a springboard in the careers of many top drivers. NASCAR stars Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton, Kurt and Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Bobby Labonte, Jamie McMurray, Elliott Sadler and Brian Vickers all began their careers racing their local short tracks.

PAST NASCAR NEVADA STATE CHAMPIONS

All-American Whelen Series

Year	Driver	Hometown
2008	Scott Gafforini	Henderson, Nev.
2007	Dustin Ash	Las Vegas, Nev.

Late Model Sportsman

Year	Driver	Hometown
1978	Robert Ruppert	Las Vegas, Nev.
1977	Phil Hayes	Las Vegas, Nev.

Grand American Stock Car

Year	Driver	Hometown
1981	Dick Attisani	Las Vegas, Nev.
1980	Clark Cobb	Las Vegas, Nev.
1979	Dick Attisani	Las Vegas, Nev.

Sportsman

Year	Driver	Hometown
1962	Don Onstead	N/A

Hobby

Year	Driver	Hometown
1962	Darrell Sparks	N/A