There's another young driver, new to the NASCAR scene, that is going to be a big star that's not getting the attention he should be getting. This kid all ready has a long list of achievements and championships and he started at the age of three! He's starting out at the top with big sponsors, great equipment, and the best crew money can buy. His name is Landon Cassill.
Cassill was only 3 years old when he was first introduced to the world of competitive auto racing. Cassill's father, Roger, started his young son on quads, a form of motocross four-wheeler racing, at local tracks in Iowa. Shortly after, Cassill graduated to go-karts, where he found instant success.
At the age of 10, he finished second in the Pro Kart Tour at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The following year, he earned his first of two Kart Series national championships. Cassill finished his kart racing résumé with four International Kart Federation (IKF) championships, on both dirt and asphalt tracks.
In 2000, Cassill competed in three different classes, one in midgets and two in go-karts, winning all three state championships in the same night. One year later, he topped that achievement by winning four more state championships at the Newton Kart Klub in Newton, Iowa. When Cassill moved to midget racing, he once again demonstrated his dirt track abilities by winning the 2001 IKF national midget championship. He then turned to Legends Cars. In 2003, his sucess continued when he earned the Hawkeye Downs legend car championship.
At the age of 14, Cassill, already a veteran racer in his home state of Iowa, set a record as the youngest driver to race and win a modified feature event at the famed Hawkeye Downs Speedway in Cedar Rapids. In six races that season, Cassill went on to post five more top-five finishes. While racing modifieds weekly in Iowa during 2003, Cassill began to set his career in motion. The world of American professional auto racing centered on NASCAR, and that is where Cassill wanted to be. He graduated from the Finish Line Racing School and began making a name for himself in the American Speed Association (ASA).
Cassill, 15 years old at the time, finished 11th in the final point standings during his first year with the series and improved to sixth the following season. In addition to racing ASA in 2005, he also completed a partial schedule with the Champion Racing Association, where he finished 14th in the series point standings.
In 2006, Cassill was introduced to NASCAR through the GM Racing Development competition. He was one of 16 drivers to participate in the three-stage evaluation process that took place at Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, N.C., North Georgia Speedway in Chatsworth, Ga., and concluded at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway. Cassill's ability caught the attention of Hendrick Motorsports, where he signed as a driver in December 2006.
In 2007, Cassill played an integral role in Hendrick Motorsports' development of the Impala SS, Chevrolet's "Car of Tomorrow" entry in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, by testing Lakeland Speedway in Florida and Greenville-Pickens Speedway (S.C.). Cassill became a full-time employee at Hendrick Motorsports, working with the research and development program at the sprawling racing complex in Concord, N.C. He also drove during practices with the Hendrick pit crews and completed rigorous physical training with the company's human performance group.
As the year progressed, Cassill was given the opportunity of competing in various racing series for Hendrick Motorsports, making his first career start at South Boston (Va.) Speedway in June for a NASCAR Grand National Division, Busch East Series event. In addition, Cassill competed in one other Busch East race, two ARCA Series races and six NASCAR Nationwide Series events. Cassill posted a career-high Nationwide Series finish of 18th at Dover (Del.) International Speedway in September 2007.
In 2008, Cassill will compete in 16 Nationwide Series races in the No. 5 National Guard Chevrolets for JR Motorsports in partnership with Hendrick Motorsports. It will mark the most extensive racing action for the Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate since he signed with the Hendrick organization. Landon will make two ARCA starts at Daytona, and Talledega. He will also drive the Nationwide #4 Phoenix Racing car on the road courses, as well as a start with the #46 Morgan-Dollar NASCAR Craftsman Truck sponsored by www.GoDaddy.com. His first NASCAR top ten finish in the #46 Morgan-Dollar www.GoDaddy.com Nascar Craftsman Truck Series was May 16, 2008.
This kid is the real deal with a real talent and a big future in NASCAR racing. Joey Lagano may be the 'sliced bread' of today, but Landon will be the 'Pocket on the tee shirt' of tomorrow. He finished third in Fridays Craftsman Truck Series race in Milwaukee in the No. 46 GoDaddy.com Silverado and after starting in the third position in Saturdays Nationwide Series race, at the same track, he finished twenty-second due to an engine failure in the No. 5 National Guard Chevy.
Cassill was only 3 years old when he was first introduced to the world of competitive auto racing. Cassill's father, Roger, started his young son on quads, a form of motocross four-wheeler racing, at local tracks in Iowa. Shortly after, Cassill graduated to go-karts, where he found instant success.
At the age of 10, he finished second in the Pro Kart Tour at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The following year, he earned his first of two Kart Series national championships. Cassill finished his kart racing résumé with four International Kart Federation (IKF) championships, on both dirt and asphalt tracks.
In 2000, Cassill competed in three different classes, one in midgets and two in go-karts, winning all three state championships in the same night. One year later, he topped that achievement by winning four more state championships at the Newton Kart Klub in Newton, Iowa. When Cassill moved to midget racing, he once again demonstrated his dirt track abilities by winning the 2001 IKF national midget championship. He then turned to Legends Cars. In 2003, his sucess continued when he earned the Hawkeye Downs legend car championship.
At the age of 14, Cassill, already a veteran racer in his home state of Iowa, set a record as the youngest driver to race and win a modified feature event at the famed Hawkeye Downs Speedway in Cedar Rapids. In six races that season, Cassill went on to post five more top-five finishes. While racing modifieds weekly in Iowa during 2003, Cassill began to set his career in motion. The world of American professional auto racing centered on NASCAR, and that is where Cassill wanted to be. He graduated from the Finish Line Racing School and began making a name for himself in the American Speed Association (ASA).
Cassill, 15 years old at the time, finished 11th in the final point standings during his first year with the series and improved to sixth the following season. In addition to racing ASA in 2005, he also completed a partial schedule with the Champion Racing Association, where he finished 14th in the series point standings.
In 2006, Cassill was introduced to NASCAR through the GM Racing Development competition. He was one of 16 drivers to participate in the three-stage evaluation process that took place at Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, N.C., North Georgia Speedway in Chatsworth, Ga., and concluded at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway. Cassill's ability caught the attention of Hendrick Motorsports, where he signed as a driver in December 2006.
In 2007, Cassill played an integral role in Hendrick Motorsports' development of the Impala SS, Chevrolet's "Car of Tomorrow" entry in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, by testing Lakeland Speedway in Florida and Greenville-Pickens Speedway (S.C.). Cassill became a full-time employee at Hendrick Motorsports, working with the research and development program at the sprawling racing complex in Concord, N.C. He also drove during practices with the Hendrick pit crews and completed rigorous physical training with the company's human performance group.
As the year progressed, Cassill was given the opportunity of competing in various racing series for Hendrick Motorsports, making his first career start at South Boston (Va.) Speedway in June for a NASCAR Grand National Division, Busch East Series event. In addition, Cassill competed in one other Busch East race, two ARCA Series races and six NASCAR Nationwide Series events. Cassill posted a career-high Nationwide Series finish of 18th at Dover (Del.) International Speedway in September 2007.
In 2008, Cassill will compete in 16 Nationwide Series races in the No. 5 National Guard Chevrolets for JR Motorsports in partnership with Hendrick Motorsports. It will mark the most extensive racing action for the Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate since he signed with the Hendrick organization. Landon will make two ARCA starts at Daytona, and Talledega. He will also drive the Nationwide #4 Phoenix Racing car on the road courses, as well as a start with the #46 Morgan-Dollar NASCAR Craftsman Truck sponsored by www.GoDaddy.com. His first NASCAR top ten finish in the #46 Morgan-Dollar www.GoDaddy.com Nascar Craftsman Truck Series was May 16, 2008.
This kid is the real deal with a real talent and a big future in NASCAR racing. Joey Lagano may be the 'sliced bread' of today, but Landon will be the 'Pocket on the tee shirt' of tomorrow. He finished third in Fridays Craftsman Truck Series race in Milwaukee in the No. 46 GoDaddy.com Silverado and after starting in the third position in Saturdays Nationwide Series race, at the same track, he finished twenty-second due to an engine failure in the No. 5 National Guard Chevy.
Keep your eye on this very talented young man, he WILL be a future NA$CAR SuperStar.
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