Rising Star signs Michael Annett with driver development program

Chicago, IL., April 28, 2006

Michael Annett, who drives the TMC black and gold #12 Ford Fusion, signed on with a motorsports driver development program called Rising Star. Rising Star Driver Development (RSDD) offers a one-stop, comprehensive training and marketing resource that is unmatched in the industry.

Born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa, Annett began an ice hockey career at the age of six and retired from minor league hockey at the end of the 2004-05 season after playing for two years on a national championship winning team. The Annett family and TMC have a rich heritage in auto racing spanning a period of over thirty years. Always dreaming of a career in motorsports, this accomplished athlete will now apply his winning ways in the pursuit of the 2006 ASA North rookie of the year title. He will also be running a select schedule at South Boston, VA (NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series) for Barry Beggarly’s team.

Annett said that he chose RSDD because it gives him the best opportunity to succeed on the track. “I am looking forward to using everything they are teaching me and being the best driver I can be,” Michael said.

Kurt Smith, a founder of RSDD is excited to have Annett on board. “We hand-select drivers and provide dedicated resources to elevate their status among sponsors, fans and teams, ultimately enabling their transition to professional racing”, he said. “Having played on a championship team, he knows what teamwork and dedication is all about and he is exactly the type of driver we are recruiting for our program,” Smith continued.

The drivers are scouted and recruited to join this elite and intensive program after an interview and selection process to determine their ability to compete at a professional level in motorsports. RSDD drivers continue to cultivate the skills learned in this program by competing in grassroots series. Once they have surpassed certain performance benchmarks, RSDD management actively presents their drivers to professional teams – providing drivers with a ladder to professional racing and professional teams with the highest quality racing talent.

Rising Star Driver Development was formed to create the most highly trained, marketable and successful race car drivers in the USA and around the world. Their innovative program offers amateur and professional drivers the sort of one-stop comprehensive training and marketing resource that is sure to increase their likelihood of winning on the track. The drivers are hand selected and provided dedicated resources to elevate their status among sponsors, fans and teams – ultimately enabling their transition to the highest ranks of professional racing. The founders have over 40 years of experience in motorsports and sports marketing.

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