KITCHENER, ON- Former ALSTAR Super Series standout Tim Ellis will return to fulltime Late Model competition this Summer for the first time in almost a decade.
The Kitchener, ON veteran will chase the 2015 Sauble Speedway championship, with help from longtime Crew Chief and setup guru Brian MacDonald.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been preparing for a full season of racing,” smiles Ellis. “I can’t remember being this excited in February. Sauble has a fantastic division and I look forward to seeing just where we fit into the mix”
“We raced a few nights at the end of the 2014 season, and it was a unique feeling being back in the pit area after so much time off. There’s so much young talent at Sauble that it’s impossible not to feel a little old. I was on track with second and third-generation drivers – and I could remember racing against their fathers 20-years earlier”
“Partnering up with Brian [MacDonald] was a no brainer for me,” continues the multi-time feature winner. “He’s a master at what he does, and I wouldn’t even consider strapping back into a racecar without having him in my corner”
Ellis will compete in a freshly built Hamke by MacDonald chassis, and admits that the car itself may come with a bit of a learning curve.
“This piece is an absolute work of art – it’s unlike anything I’ve ever driven before,” says Ellis.
“The cars have advanced so much from where they were five years ago. There’s no question in my mind that we have championship caliber equipment. As soon as we can get our driver up to speed, I think we’ll be contending for a win or two”
Although Ellis isn’t ready to categorize his return as a multi-year engagement, it’s clear the veteran has a few things left on his ‘To Do’ list before he calls it a career.
“We know that we’re fulltime for the 2015 season, but we haven’t thought much further ahead than that,” explains Ellis.
“I have the car I’ve always wanted, I have the best team I could ever ask for, and I know that as long as we’re at the speedway every weekend we’ll be doing it the right way”
“Wether it’s for one season, two seasons or five seasons, all that matters to me is that we enjoy what we’re doing,” says Ellis. “I know that I still have some wins left in me, and I’m excited to test myself against the very best that this division has to offer.”
Follow Spencer Lewis on Twitter @itsspencerlewis
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