FORT WORTH TX (3-4-10) - For the first time in his 13 year career, Fort Worth, Texas resident Nur Ali will compete in a stock car on his home track, the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway. On April 16, Ali will compete in the Rattlesnake 150 ARCA Racing Series race driving the Budweiser-Tara Energy Chevrolet prepared by DGM Racing.
The 35-year-old has five previous starts in the ARCA Racing Series. Prior to setting his sights on a career in stock cars, Ali spent several years competing internationally. He was the driver for Team Pakistan in the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport during the 2006-2007 season. In the states, he spent eight seasons competing in the Star Mazda Series. Ali, who has raced in 12 countries, is also the first and only professional race car driver of Pakistani descent.
Ali is sponsored by three Texas-based corporations - Fort Worth-based Ben E. Keith Company (Budweiser), Houston-based Tara Energy and Dallas-based A to Z Wholesale.
"This is a dream come true," said Ali. "I'm a Texan and have lived in this area for the past 27 years. This is my home and there is nothing more special than racing in my hometown with Texas sponsors. For much of my career, the only way to see me race was to watch it on TV. This will be the first attended race for many of my family and friends. I expect to have at least 500 guests in the grandstands cheering me on."
Team owner Mario Gosselin and his DGM Racing team have been fielding winning cars in the ARCA Racing Series since 1999. It has two poles, four wins and multiple top-10s to its credit. In addition to fielding entries in ARCA, DGM Racing also competes in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with Gosselin behind the wheel of its No. 12 Chevy Silverado.
On March 9, Ali will get his first taste of the Texas Motor Speedway in a stock car when he participates in ARCA's official test day. He plans to use the day to get comfortable with the unique characteristics of the speedway.
"Every track is different, " said Ali. "It doesn't matter if they are all 1.5 mile ovals, each will have unique attributes. This test gives me the chance to learn the track and develop a relationship with Mario and the team. Come race day, I plan to be as prepared as possible."
The Rattlesnake 150 at Texas Motor Speedway will be televised live on SPEED on April 16. The broadcast begins at 7:30 P.M. (ET). SPEED is DirecTV channel 607 and Dish Network channel 150. Check with your cable provider for SPEED in your area.
About Ben E. Keith Company
Ben E. Keith Company is a distributor of foodservice products and Anheuser-Busch products. They have six foodservice and 10 beverage distribution centers. The foodservice division serves 10 states and the beverage division exclusively delivers products throughout the state of Texas. Together, they employ over 3,500 people. For more information on Ben E. Keith Company visit http://www.benekeith.com/.
About Tara Energy
Tara Energy is one of the largest independent retail electricity providers in Texas. Tara is empowering its customers by providing competitively-priced electricity and outstanding personalized service. Tara is also energizing communities by supporting causes that matter to its customers through sponsorships and innovative contribution programs. For more information about Tara, visit http://www.taraenergy.com/.
About A to Z Wholesale
A to Z Wholesale is a locally owned and independently operated wholesale distributor of thousands of goods, including cigarettes, food items and personal care products. With a list of over 7,000 clients, A to Z Wholesale has been proudly serving convenience store owners from its warehouses in Dallas and Waco, Texas for more than 20 years. For more information, please call (972) 484-1153.
For further information on Nur Ali visit http://sportsmediaandevents.com/mediacenter. Photos available upon request.
