Stars of Karting’s Duerson Awarded SunTrust Youth Racing Scholarship
December 7, 2007
For Immediate Release
Contact Laz Denes
True Speed Communication
(256) 717-8014 or Laz.Denes@truespeedcommunication.com
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Stars of Karting’s Duerson Awarded
SunTrust Youth Racing Scholarship
ORLANDO, Fla. (Dec. 7, 2007) – As the curtain falls on the 2007 Snap-On Stars of Karting Presented by the Indy Racing League season, SunTrust, the Official Bank of Motorsports, once again exemplifies its support of grassroots racing by recognizing a promising young competitor and helping to accelerate his racing future.
This year’s recipient of the second annual SunTrust Youth Racing Scholarship is 15-year-old Hayden Duerson from St. Petersburg, Fla. Duerson, a 10th-grader at Shorecrest Preparatory School, was this year’s Stars of Karting Rookie of the Year in the Pro ICC class. He has driven the past three seasons for Italian Motors, the karting team owned and operated by Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series veteran Michael Valiante, who was recently named to co-drive full-time with Italian star Max Angelelli in the No. 10 SunTrust Pontiac for Wayne Taylor Racing. The SunTrust Youth Racing Scholarship will provide Duerson the opportunity to participate in the Skip Barber Karting Shootout at Sebring (Fla.) International Raceway in January. Duerson also will be a guest of Wayne Taylor Racing and the SunTrust Pontiac team at a 2008 Rolex Series event weekend, where he will have behind-the-scenes access to the team’s numerous activities, as well as receive tips and advice from Taylor about racing and business issues to keep in mind as he attempts to further his career in motorsports.
After qualifying fourth at his first Pro ICC race at the Race of the Americas in Norman, Okla., Duerson’s Rookie of the Year season was highlighted by five top-five finishes, including a podium run at New Castle, Ind. He qualified second and finished fifth at the Stars of Karting Finals in Las Vegas in October. Prior to moving up to the Pro ICC class, Duerson won national races in both the 80cc shifter and JICA classes. He is one of 12 elite karters from across the country invited by Skip Barber Racing and Mazda to compete in the Skip Barber Karting Shootout.
“In the midst of our diverse and wide-ranging support of motorsports at the highest levels, SunTrust remains as committed as ever to helping develop racing and business opportunities for racing’s future stars,” said Craig Kelly, Corporate Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer, SunTrust Banks, Inc. “With that, we are proud to recognize young Hayden Duerson as the 2007 recipient of the SunTrust Youth Racing Scholarship. We applaud his efforts, as well as all of the competitors, officials and our fellow supporters of the Snap-On Stars of Karting Presented by the Indy Racing League.”
Duerson was presented with the SunTrust Youth Racing Scholarship at Thursday’s Stars of Karting Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Show All-Star karting event at the Orlando Convention Center, where he competed alongside fellow young racers from across the country in the Karting Division. The all-star cast of competitors entered in the PRI event’s Masters Division included elite drivers that made up a who’s who of the world’s top racers from NASCAR (Jamie McMurray, A.J. Allmendinger, John Andretti), the Indy Racing League (Buddy Rice, Marco Andretti), the Rolex Series (Wayne Taylor, Michael Valiante, Joey Hand) and Formula One (Scott Speed). Competitors from the SunTrust MotoGP Series, American Le Mans Series, ARCA, the National Hot Rod Association and Yamaha Supercross also took part in the Masters Division event.
To learn more about the specialized banking services of SunTrust, Official Bank of Motorsports and proud sponsor of the Snap-On Stars of Karting for the second year, go to www.suntrust.com/motorsportsbanking and www.suntrustracing.com.
SunTrust Banks, Inc., headquartered in Atlanta, is one of the nation’s largest banking organizations, serving a broad range of consumer, commercial, corporate and institutional clients. As of September 30, 2007, SunTrust had total assets of $175.9 billion and total deposits of $115.9 billion. The Company operates an extensive branch and ATM network throughout the high-growth Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states and a full array of technology-based, 24-hour delivery channels. The Company also serves customers in selected markets nationally. Its primary businesses include deposit, credit, trust and investment services. Through various subsidiaries the Company provides mortgage banking, insurance, brokerage, equipment leasing and capital markets services. SunTrust’s Internet address is suntrust.com.
