PASS South SLM champ Lawler plans PASS National Championship run
Throughout Ryan Lawler's young career, he has lived by the motto that
"bigger is better."
That's only fitting considering that he is a native of Colleyville, Texas.
At only 20 years of age, Ryan has accomplished much in his young career. In
1999 he was the Texas state champion in the INEX Bandelero division. He
followed that up with three more state championships in INEX Semi-Pro and
Pro Legends classes.
Lawler's name quickly came to prominence when he finished second to Mike
Rowe for the inaugural Pro All Stars Series (PASS) South Super Late Model
championship in 2006. In 2007, with two wins, Ryan won the PASS South
championship and emerged as one of stock car racing's drivers of the future.
In addition to his PASS South championship in 2007, Lawler won one of the
nation's most prestigious short track events taking the checkered flag in
the legendary Winchester 400.
Said Lawler, "It was funny at Lakeland [Speedfest 2008 where he finished
second] how much notice we got in the garage area thanks to the Winchester
win and the PASS South championship."
Like so much of his career thus far, Ryan hopes that bigger will once again
mean better. He will join veteran driver and crew chief Bobby Dotter in at
least seven NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driving the #07 Truck in 2008.
But Lawlers ' move to a limited Craftsman Truck Series schedule doesn't mean
that
he won't take a shot at yet another PASS Super Late Model Championship. You
can rest assured that Lawler and the entire #31 team will be at Hickory
Motor Speedway for the 3rd Annual Easter Bunny 150, seeking their third win
in five starts at "the birthplace of the NASCAR stars." The March 22nd event
opens the 14 race PASS South schedule.
"No doubt we would have three PASS wins in a row at Hickory had we not
experienced alternator problems last fall," said Lawler. "We're going back
for the Easter Bunny to see if we can get a good start in the PASS Champions
Series," said Lawler. He hopes to be at the wheel of his Robert Hamke owned
Super Late Model for all four events that make up the PASS Champions Series.
The Champions Series starts at Hickory on March 22nd, followed by two
$10,000 to win events; Orange County on July 18th and 19th and the PASS 400
weekend at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway on September 20 and 21. The National
Champion will be crowned at the final Champions Series race, The Howler", at
Greenville-Pickens on October 18th. Lawler thinks these races, along with
the $30,000 to win DNK 250 at Wiscasset Raceway on August 17th and the
$10,000 to win Mason-Dixon 500 at South Boston Speedway on October 25th will
only help the PASS North and South Super late Model tours to prosper.
"With the increased schedule, the PASS Champions Series starting this year
and all the big money races in the North and South, I think you will
continue to see more racers come on board to race with PASS," said Lawler.
Although Ryan Lawler will trade the familiar seat of his full time PASS
South Super Late Model ride for the pressure cooker of a NASCAR Craftsman
Truck, don't be surprised to see him flash his winning smile in PASS victory
lane once again in 2008.