Purdy to Honor New England Racing Legend Shaw in NASCAR Busch North Throwback 100
MOORESVILLE, NC (Jun. 21, 2017) – David Gilliland Racing and Chase Purdy released today a throwback paint scheme the No. 17 team will run in July’s NASCAR K&N Pro Series event at Thompson Speedway Park in Connecticut. A throwback to the 1994 season, the scheme mimics the one made famous by New England racing legend Dale Shaw who won the series title that year in a Pontiac owned by Quint Boisvert.
The Shaw family has been a mainstay in New England racing circles for decades, most notably in the late model ranks and a strong run in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, formerly known by a handful of names including the NASCAR Busch North Series when Shaw won his title in 1994. Until Austin Dillon replicated the feat in the NASCAR Xfinity Series a few years ago, it was the only time in NASCAR history a division champion won the title without visiting victory lane during the championship year.
With 19 wins over his series career, Shaw campaigned as a frequent tour competitor until 2005 when his son, D.J. Shaw, began showing an interest in a racing career of his own. Today, D.J. continues to race a super late model built and maintained in the family business’ shop, aptly named Dale Shaw Race Cars.
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“As a team and family with a deep history in stock car racing ourselves, it’s always neat to be able to honor others who have made an impact in the sport like the Shaws have in New England,” said team owner David Gilliland. “Their history is much like our family’s in that it’s multi-generational and has been passed down from each generation with a high level of success. Even the Boisvert team who owned the car was a mainstay in the series for years. I believe Chase can continue their tradition and have a chance to put the car in victory lane at Thompson.”
Ironically, despite all of his success in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, Shaw never visited victory lane at Thompson in the tour. His career best was a third on three different occasions including his championship season of 1994. Shaw also started a race in 1997 from the outside pole, his only top-five start at the facility in his nearly 20-year career.
“I think it’s really cool what the track and NASCAR are doing with the NASCAR Busch North Throwback weekend at Thompson,” Purdy said. “To run a paint scheme of such a meaningful figure in what’s now the K&N Pro Series is very humbling. I hope we can make the entire Shaw family proud with a good weekend and we’d really like to take the scheme to victory lane.”
The NASCAR Busch North Throwback 100 hits the track on Saturday, July 8, at Thompson Speedway Park, the first time the series has visited the facility since 2009. Prior to that event, Chase will be in action at Berlin Raceway on July 1 in another NASCAR K&N Pro Series event.
For more information on Chase Purdy, visit his website at ChasePurdyRacing.com and follow him on Facebook (@ChasePurdyRacing), Twitter (@ChasePurdy12) and Instagram (@chase_purdy).-
Sources: Chase Purdy Racing PR