Biography

Dalton Zehr

Daytona Beach, Florida

Birthday: 01-08-91

Biography

Dalton Zehr is not just another driver trying to make it to the big times. He has an impressive background in racing which started nine years ago. This young man has already accomplished more in his racing career than most drivers hope for in a lifetime. He started racing when he was seven years old in Caldwell, Idaho in a class of dirt winged cars called box stocks. In his first race he placed second and his second race he won. He continued the year to win several more races and be the youngest kid to be moved up in class after only four races.

Traveling and moving put a hold on Dalton’s racing career until 2002 when he was eleven years old. He started racing bandolero bandits in Florida and a few of the other eastern states. In his first year he won 17 out of 26 races including an amazing 10 out of 10 winning streak. He concluded the season in second for the championship at Orlando Motor Speedway, after missing four races. He had the highest points average per race in the nation.

In 2003 Dalton raced a partial series with the bandolero young guns and spent some time testing his new truck. His father, Marty Zehr, worked with local track owners and Nextel Cup driver Mark Martin to create a local truck series for kids ages twelve and up. The results were a complete success. In 2004 there was a FastKids Truck Series that ran at many Florida tracks. At the end of 2004, Dalton had won an amazing 7 out of 17 races, including remaining undefeated at his home track (New Smyrna Speedway). He also walked away with the 2004 FastKids championship.

Dalton didn’t stop there. On the day that Dalton turned 14 (January 8, 2005) he ran his very first Super Late Model Race. Shortly after that he went into the Super Bowl of short track racing, Speedweeks! Dalton ran every race with his super late model and finished every lap. His best finish was 6th and he tied in the points for 10th place out of 51 drivers that competed. Dalton was by far the youngest participant there and is the youngest so far to ever have competed in this event.

Shortly after Speedweeks Dalton won his first ProTruck race and not long after that he won his first Super Late Model Race. In 2005 Dalton was not in any particular series, he competed in them all. He has raced in the Sunbelt Series, Fastruck Series, Intermountain Series, ProTruck Series, and Mid-America Racing Series (MARS). He even had a try in a super modified.

Along the way in 2005 Dalton has managed to break eight track records. He won 50% of the truck races he entered, and won three super late model races. Even without running any particular series Dalton finished 2nd in the New Smyrna Speedway super late model championship and 2nd in the New Smyrna Speedway ProTruck Championship, Rookie of the Year in the Super Late Model at New Smyrna Speedway and Rookie of the Year in the Super Late Model at Orlando Speedworld.

In 2006 Dalton ran in the ASA Southern Series for Coleman Racing, he ended his rookie season with five top fives and eight top tens out of the eleven races. At fifteen and still the youngest full time driver in the series Dalton walked away with second place in the championship. He was also able to co-hosting a new short track racing tech show called “Race Scene” for a year. “ Dalton was also given a NASCAR Pavement Late Model and a IMCA Dirt Modified by Circle Track Magazine to run whenever he has a chance and correspond directly with them on how the races go.

In 2007 Dalton has been doing much of what he did in 2005 which is to run wherever he can whenever he can. The results have been impressive yet again and will continue to be throughout the duration of the year.

All of these things lead up to what Dalton wants to do with his racing carrier. Dalton hopes to be able run Hooters Cup and ARCA when he is old enough and eventually to be able to run in the Craftsman Truck Series and on up to Busch and Nextel Cup.

Accomplishments

2006

(15 years old)

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ASA Southern Series Championship 2nd Place

• ASA Southern Series Rookie of the Year 2nd Place

• Driving the #119 Coleman Racing ASA Car in the ASA Southern Series

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Driving a 2004 NASCAR Pavement Late Model built by Hess Chassis

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Driving a 2003 IMCA Dirt Modified built by Smiley’s Chassis

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Won the first truck race of the year at New Smyrna Speedway

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Set a track record at Lakeland in the truck

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Received the Hard Charger Award for the first race of the ASA Season at Bronson Motor Speedway

2005

(14 years old)

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7 Track Records

•

Won 8 Truck Races

•

Won 50% of all Truck Races

•

Won Three Super Late Model Races

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Speedweeks championship 10th place out of 51 drivers

•

Orlando Speedworld Super Late Model Championship 7th Place

•

ProTruck Traveling Series Championship 5th Place

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New Smyrna Speedway Super Late Model Championship 2nd Place

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New Smyrna Speedway ProTruck Championship 2nd Place

•

New Smyrna Speedway Super Late Model Rookie of the Year

•

Orlando Speedworld Super Late Model Rookie of the Year

2004

(13 years old)

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Won 7 out of 17 Truck Races

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Finished in the top three 15 out of 17 Truck Races

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FastKids Truck Championship Winner

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Won every race at his home track (New Smyrna Speedway)

2002

(11 years old)

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Won 17 out of 26 Bandolero Races

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10 Bandolero wins in a row

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Orlando Speedworld Bandolero Championship 2nd place (after missing 4 races)

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Highest Bandolero points average per race in the nation

Crew- Ken Hellyer (crew), Mark Jones (crew), Sonja Zehr (manager/sister), Marty Zehr (owner/dad), Marianne Zehr (owner/step-mom), Eric Needs (crew/brother)

CORPORATE SPONSORS SECURED

Coleman Racing, Inc. Zehr Engineering, Inc.

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