New Weekly Series Rookie Award To Be Presented By Jostens
Daytona Beach, FL — Minneapolis-based Jostens, a leading provider of special awards, rings and trophies, has joined the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, sponsoring the series’ new Rookie of the Year Award presented by Jostens. The company will reward a national Rookie of the Year, as well as state and province rookies of the year. All award winners will be recognized at the series’ year-end awards banquet in Concord, N.C.
The national award winner will also receive a $2,000 bonus, while each state or provincial Rookie of the Year will receive a bonus of $1,000.
“Every race becomes a great story and we are pleased to help recognize and remember each event,” said Curt Bruns, Jostens. “We are very excited about our new relationship with the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series and the Rookie of the Year program. It’s truly a great honor to support the grassroots of racing and help recognize the young stars of NASCAR.”
One rookie contender with hopes of establishing his career is Zach Germain, 24, of Columbus, Ohio. Germain is the son of Steve Germain. Steve and his brothers, Bob and Rick, operate Germain Racing, who won the 2006 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship with their longtime driver, Todd Bodine. The family also operates Toyota, General Motors, Ford and other dealerships in Ohio, Florida, Arizona and Arkansas.
Zach Germain advanced to the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model division at Columbus Motor Speedway after two years in Legends cars. Prior to launching his racing career, Germain received a degree in Political Science at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
“I went to the Finish Line Racing School in Florida this past winter, and that gave me some confidence,” Germain said.
That led the Germains to purchase a Late Model to race at Columbus starting this spring. They were also able to attract veteran crew chief and former driver Bob Cumbow to lead the effort.
After mechanical issues in their first start and a DNF, their second start showed potential. On May 2, Germain finished fifth in his heat race and then brought home a third-place finish in his first completed Late Model feature. He has three top 10s in six starts.
“Bob Cumbow is the reason we got that third-place finish so soon,” Germain said. “He knows his stuff and the car was good.”
Sponsors of the Germain Toyota Camry include Dent Wizard, Terra Firma Sports Management and Columbus Fair Auto Auction.
All NASCAR Whelen All-American Series participants who hold a Division I License this year for the first time in their career are automatically eligible for the awards. The national Rookie of the Year Award presented by Jostens recipient will be the rookie who finishes highest in the series’ final 2009 points standings. State and provincial rookie of the year award winners will be the highest-finishing rookies in the state and provincial final points standings. Complete rules governing the program are available at www.nascarmembers.com.
Jostens supplies trophies and championship rings for all of the NASCAR-sanctioned series. The company created the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series “crystal cup” national championship trophy in 2007. The company is also the exclusive designer/provider of all NASCAR championship rings. Jostens has created 27 of the 42 NFL Super Bowl rings, including the ring for the Green Bay Packers Super Bowl I victory. Jostens has also created NBA Finals and World Series championship rings, as well as rings for collegiate sports championships, and is an official sponsor of the Heisman Trophy,. The company’s products also include school yearbooks and class rings.
Sources: Paul Schaefer/NASCAR PR