FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Release
Las Vegas, NV - July 1, 2011
Shelmerdine in WSOP
Kirk Shelmerdine, veteran NASCAR Sprint Cup driver, car owner and crew chief will compete in this month’s World Series of Poker Main Event in Las Vegas. Shelmerdine, an avid amateur poker player for many years, will be the first-ever Sprint Cup driver to play in the elite Texas Hold-em world championship, which will be televised on ESPN. “I’ve wanted to do this for a long time, but this is the first year that I haven’t been too busy to go,” says Kirk, who has no racing plans for 2011, his first such season since his career began in the 1970’s. “We have quite a few pretty decent poker players on the NASCAR circuit, plus several I’ve met from the other motorsports, too, so I hope I’m able to represent us well.”
Shelmerdine, who hasn’t had a major payday since his 20th place finish in the 2006 Daytona 500, says he’ll probably never retire from racing, and continues his search for NASCAR sponsorship, now with an added twist: “We’re allowed to wear corporate sponsor logos on our shirts, hats, etc. at the World Series. As always, I have a few backers that helped me get here, but so far we haven’t filled those primary spots. It’d be a neat little TV deal for somebody, and way cheap, too, compared to racing. Plus, you might get a cut of the winnings!”