Clevite Prepares for the Engine Builder Showdown’s Sixth Season

Clevite Engine Parts will once again shine the spotlight on NASCAR’s hidden heroes of racing by sponsoring the 2005 Clevite Engine Builder Showdown. This year, Clevite will be making one significant change to the Showdown program. This year marked the passing of one of the world’s greatest engine builders - Randy Dorton of Hendrick Motorsports. In memoriam, Clevite has commissioned a new perennial trophy named the Randy Dorton Memorial Trophy. Every year, the winner and his build partner will have their names engraved on the trophy, as well as receive a smaller version to add to their trophy cases.

ANN ARBOR, MI — Clevite Engine Parts will once again shine the spotlight on NASCAR’s hidden heroes of racing by sponsoring the 2005 Clevite Engine Builder Showdown.

This year, Clevite will be making one significant change to the Showdown program. This year marked the passing of one of the world’s greatest engine builders – Randy Dorton of Hendrick Motorsports. In memoriam, Clevite has commissioned a new perennial trophy named the Randy Dorton Memorial Trophy. Every year, the winner and his build partner will have their names engraved on the trophy, as well as receive a smaller version to add to their trophy cases.

In keeping with previous competitions, 16 of NASCAR’s top engine builders will participate in the first round of the showdown. The competing engine builders will assemble 357-cubic-inch Ford engines, similar in design to those used by NASCAR’s Ford race teams. As with last year, the first round of the showdown will serve as a qualifying round, with the eight fastest times advancing to Round 2. Engine builders from NASCAR’s top race teams will be vying for the title of Clevite Engine Builder Showdown Champion. In addition to last year’s Champion Lanny Barnes of Richard Childress Racing and Runner-Up Mike Maiwald of Hendrick Motorsports (they receive an automatic bid), the field will include the following teams:

Arrington Engines
DEI Engines
Ernie Elliot Engines
Evernham Engines
Joe Gibbs Racing
Hendrick Engines
Penske Engine Company
RCR Engines
Yates/Roush Racing Engines

Round 1 of the 2005 Clevite Engine Builder Showdown will kick off on January 5 and 6 at Richard Childress Racing in Welcome, N.C. Each participating engine builder will receive a commemorative plaque and $300. The eight fastest times will also receive a cash award of $1,000 and will advance to the second round of competition.
Clevite is hosting Round 2 in Daytona during Preseason Thunder, January 19 and 22. The winners of Round 2 will receive cash awards of $1,500 and will proceed to Round 3, which awards $2,000 to each winning engine builder. The location of Round 3 is yet to be determined.
The fourth and final round will be held in May 2005 and will take place at the NASCAR Technical Institute (NTI) in Mooresvile, N.C. The final round’s first runner-up will receive a cash award of $5,000. The first-place winner will receive a cash award of $20,000 and will be dubbed the 2005 Clevite Engine Builder Showdown 2005 Champion.

Results of each round can be viewed at the Clevite Engine Parts web site: www.engineparts.com. Highlights of the Showdown will also be show on the Speed Channel.

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