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SOUTHERN
SHORT TRACK RACING NEWS
| Saturday, September 20, 2008 | | Hungarian Driver Gyuri Makai Makes Historical ASA Late Model Debut | Saturday September 20, 2008 Mooresville, NC -
SS Green Light Racing announced today that Hungarian Race Car Driver Gyuri Makai (pronounced YUR-EEE MAK I) will make his debut for the team in the ASA Late Model Series - Southern Division September 27th. Makai will pilot the #32 Eton Finance Chevy for the Florida 100 at New Smyrna Speedway. It will mark the first-ever
Makai tested a NASCAR Craftsman Truck for the team back in May and both veteran racers Butch Miller and Bobby Dotter were impressed with Makai's test despite having little stock car experience. Makai does have an ARCA Series start at Chicago Land Speedway back in 2005. Since his test in May it has been the goal of SS Green Light Racing to get Makai into a race this season.
It's been a matter of finding an off weekend from the team's primary focus of running Two NASCAR Craftsman Truck Teams and chasing the Championship in the ASA Challenge Division with Driver Sean Murphy, who ended the point's season 3rd overall with 4-victories. Part owner of the team and long time veteran owner/racer Bobby Dotter believes Makai is ready for the race.
"I really believe Gyuri has a special talent," said Dotter. "He is ready for a race and I'm confident he can be competitive. He's also a great kid with determination and a positive personality. We hope to work with him and develop him further into American racing."
From age five he was obsessed with racing. He would watch car-racing on TV instead of cartoons. Young Gyuri kept asking his parents for a car and finally at age seven he got his wish and started racing go-karts. With no circle tracks in his country his racing experience comes from road course racing in sports cars and go-karts, where he has won many events. Makai and his parents never dreamed his racing path would lead him to the United States.
"I never thought I would race in the USA when I began racing. I got the chance to race at Chicago and now I'm very lucky to return to the USA and race at New Smyrna. I'm really excited about racing with SS Green Light as they are a top notch team in the field," said Makai. "This is an opportunity that many people would like to have. So, I'm just happy to be here in America having this chance to show my ability to drive and do what I love."
"I think stock car racing is the best racing and the toughest racing in the world," added Gyuri. "I plan to just be patient, learn and have a good finish. I hope I can become a top driver and earn my way over time in this series and in America as a race car driver."
Makai comes from a humble hard working family background. Back home when not racing he's a mechanic and works as a private driver for a corporate executive. He likes to get his hands dirty working on street cars. And he says driving nearly every day on the streets in Budapest, Hungary has been good racing experience.
"Budapest is a very crazy city to drive in," expressed Makai. "Just like in the race car you have to always be focused or you'll wind up crashing. And everyone drives very fast. I like to find out how long it takes people to get to different places in the city. Then I see if I can get there in half their time."
Makai made the journey to the United States this week, where he'll spend this weekend with the team watching the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event in Las Vegas before heading to New Smyrna Beach, Florida for his ASALMS Debut.
For more on Gyuri Makai visit: www.MakaiTeam.com www.SSGreenLight.com Contact: Shawn Stewart - shawn@ssgreenlight.com Have an opinion on this story? E-MAIL KARNAC to send a letter to the editor!
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