PANURE NAMED THE NEW TRACK ANNOUNCER FOR THE ASAMT
By: Kevin Ramsell (www.kevinramsell.com)

Burlington, WI (Friday, February 22, 2008) – ASA Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by Echo Outdoor Power Equipment are proud to announce that Matt Panure has been named as the track announcer for the series 2008 season. Panure replaces Joe Verdegan, who has resigned to spend more time with his family and coaching football.

It’s only fitting that Panure became the one to replace the veteran, as it was Verdegan who gave him his first announcing opportunity. “My announcing career began thanks to my good friend, Joe Verdegan, who let me announce with him at Luxemburg in 2003,” Panure recalled. “I assisted him from 2003 to 2006.”

“Joe Verdegan is one of the best announcers in the country and he will be missed,” Steve Einhaus, ASAMT VP stated. “But, what a better way to keep the ‘voice’ in the booth by offering the position to someone that he trained.”

In 2006, Panure got the call that most young up and coming announcers hope for, “Doug and Julie Strasburg gave me a shot to announce for the Mid-American Stock Car Series. I guess you could call that my big break, they never heard me announce before I showed up at Rockford in April,” Panure stated. It was on April 1, 2006; one day before his 21st birthday that Panure would make his Mid-American debut.

Last year at the ASAMT season finale at Oktoberfest, Panure was at the event to announce the Mid-American Series on Saturday night. When ASAMT officials learned that Verdegan could not make it, Panure, who is also an ASAMT staff writer, was asked if he could fill in and he took advantage of it.

“When I filled in last year at Oktoberfest, I couldn’t believe how accepting everyone with the ASAMT was,” Panure remembers. “I may have felt like the new kid at first, but by the end of the weekend I felt like part of the family. So, when Steve (Einhaus, ASAMT VP) asked me to announce for the ASAMT this year, I was really excited. I have a great admiration for what the Tour did in its first year. You hear a lot of drivers say ‘this is the place to be’ and I couldn’t agree more. I also have a great admiration for the drivers who are part of the Tour. It wasn’t long ago that I was watching these guys from the stands as a little kid, so to get to interact with them on race day is going to be unbelievable.”

Panure is also looking forward to visiting many of the tracks that the ASAMT will be competing at in 2008, “I’m really looking forward to seeing some venues for the first time such as Tim Olson’s (ASAMT President) I-94 Speedway and of course, Iowa Speedway. I am also looking forward to announcing the races that will have some NASCAR stars in it like Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch.”

Panure has been around racing all of his life, with his father being a tech inspector for the Mid-American Series and Slinger Speedway. Panure followed the same path as his mentor, Gregg McKarns, by selling programs at Wisconsin International Raceway when he was in grade school.

Along with his announcing duties for the ASAMT, he will be the announcer for WIR’s Thursday Night racing program and Chilton on Fridays as well as the Mid-American Series, “According to everything that I have scheduled out, I won’t miss any ASAMT races.”

Panure recently received an Environmental Science Degree from St. Norbert College and is now enrolled in University of Wisconsin – Green Bay to pursue a degree in Communications.

“Matt is a great young talent and we are excited to have him as part of the ASA Midwest Tour,” Einhaus stated. “He is very knowledgeable about the sport, he isn’t afraid to talk to the drivers or ask questions, and he knows how to entertain the fans and be informative at the same time.”

Along with announcing, Panure will also continue as a staff writer for the Tour.

Panure will make his official debut on Saturday, April 19th at Elko Speedway in Elko, MN for the ASAMT season opening event.

To learn more about the American Speed Association Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by Echo Outdoor Power Equipment log on to www.asamidwesttour.com or call the ASA Midwest Tour office at (262) 514-3880 or e-mail Tim Olson at tim@asamidwesttour.com or Steve Einhaus at steve@asamidwesttour.com.

To learn more of the Daytona Beach, Florida-based Racing Speed Associates or the American Speed Association Racing Member Track program, call (386) 258-2221 or send an e-mail to info@asa-racing.com. For news and information from racetracks and regional tours involved in the American Speed Association, visit www.asaracing.com.