Tim McCreadie

WOO, Campers World West, ARCA, Nationwide

Theres very few drivers in the world that are special and trust me, Tim McCreadie is one of them.  His accomplishments are bigger than most.  So what can we say about Tim McCreadie that hasnt been said?

Look out.  Tim can get around on pavement too.  Known for his dirt expertise, McCreadie has been solid in tests and in just his 4th pavement race, he finished 4th at Michigan International Speedway in a ARCA car.

He fits RCR's bad boy image but in reality McCreadie can be as polite as any off the track.  Some time behind the wheel on pavement and we just might have a better version of Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart.

Richard Childress Racing (RCR) just released a press release on its driver development team, and things are indeed looking up for young Tim McCreadie. Tim hails from Watertown, N.Y., and is the son of famed DIRT modified legend "Barefoot" Bob McCreadie.

Matter of fact, Tim's 2007 Childress program includes racing in select Busch Series events in addition to driving the No. 29 Golden Gate Meat Company Chevrolet in the NASCAR Grand National West Division Series. McCreadie won the 2006 World of Outlaws (WOO) Late Model championship and made huge headlines when he stunned everyone in motorsports by winning the 2006 Chili Bowl Midget Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma, known as the "Indy 500" of Midget races. In addition to running for Childress, McCreadie will also campaign his championship WOO dirt late model when time permits, making for a busy season.

In January, the Eastern Motorsports Press Association (EMPA) cited McCreadie as the "Al Holbert Memorial National Driver of the Year," while father Bob was inducted into EMPA hall of fame at the same convention.

RCR's 2007 Driver Development Program runs through the respected Golden Gate Racing Team (GGRT), overseen by Jim Offenbach. Ryan Foster joins McCreadie in the development program, and will compete in the No. 21 Golden Gate Meat Company Chevrolet in the NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series. The Anderson, Ca., native is a seven-time go-kart track champion who won two of the four North State Challenge Series Super Late Model events he competed in last year for GGRT.

Offenbach competed in the NASCAR Grand National Division West Series from 1997 to 1999 with a lineup of drivers that included Mike Skinner, Mike Dillon, Steve Portenga and Jay Sauter. Portenga, who finished fifth in the final standings in 1999 while driving the GGRT entry in the series, will serve as the team's crew chief this year.

"Tim and Ryan have both achieved a lot in their racing careers so the goal is to take the RCR Driver Development Program to the next level," said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. "We've had a great relationship with Jim Offenbach and the Golden Gate Racing Team over the years and we look forward to continuing to build on that success this year with Tim and Ryan."

Said Offenbach, "We are looking forward to working with the RCR Driver Development Program once again. I believe Ryan has the talent, the passion and the mechanical knowledge to run up front. With Richard's help, and the experience of crew chief Steve Portenga, we believe we have a winning package! I am also looking forward to working with Tim McCreadie who, as Richard tells me, is 'one heck of a driver.'"

RCR's Driver Development Program is in its third year of operation. In 2005, Allison Duncan became the first "Drive for Diversity" competitor to win a feature race, claiming victory in a NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series event at Stockton (Ca.) 99 Speedway. Other RCR Driver Development alumni include Clint Bowyer, Kerry Earnhardt, Peyton Sellers, Sarah Fisher and Peter Hernandez.

For more information on the Golden Gate Racing Team, visit their website at www.goldengateracingteam.com and for Richard Childress Racing national news, see www.rcrracing.com.