Salem, IN (October 21, 2008) – Aaron Pierce has won the 2008 CRA Super Series K & N Filters Rookie Of The Year Award after a season long battle with fellow rookie contender Zach Taylor that went down to the wire at the season ending Boyne At Berlin 125 last Saturday night. Pierce, who drove a car fielded by Ken Muller and crew chiefed by Bill Rievley, ended the season with 1108 K & N Filters Rookie Of The Year points, which allows each competitor to drop their two worse finishes of the season. Zach Taylor, who drove for car owner Jim Mougette with Chris Gabehart as his crew chief, finished in second with 1073 points.

Pierce was the K & N Filters Rookie Of The Race in eight series events during the season, while Taylor captured that award at the other seven series events. Taylor captured the award at the series first three events, then Pierce rallied to get the award at the next four events. The two traded the award back and forth the rest of the season, shutting out their fellow rookie competitors from earning that award.

Both drivers had a season high finish of second in an event this season with Taylor doing it twice at both Salem Speedway events this season. Pierce finished second in the 200-lap event at Plymouth Speedway. Pierce’s most impressive finish of the season came in the Winchester 400, were he finished in fifth place in the series longest event of the season finishing one lap down to the lead lap cars, it was also the longest race the open wheel veteran had ever driven in a stock car.

The series began naming a Rookie Of The Year award winner in 1998, the second season for the series. The winner of that first award was Ohio competitor Spanks Overbeck. From that point on a new rookie star was born each season including the following former series Rookie Of the Year Award winners: 1999 Peter Cozzolino, 2000 Scott Hantz, 2001 Joel Kauffman, 2002 Andy Ponstein, 2003 Chuck Barnes Jr., 2004 Chris Gabehart, 2005 Tommy St. John, 2006 Danny Jackson, and 2007 John VanDoorn. Pierce can now add his name to the impressive list of series Rookie Of The Year Award winners.

Robert Maynor finished third in K & N Filters Rookie Of The Year points with 910 points, Maynor got a season best ninth place finish at Salem Speedway on August 16^th. Adam Purdy finished in fourth place with 858 points, he got his best ever series finish of sixth also at the series event at Salem on August 16^th. Tommy Cook is in fifth place with 522 points followed by Donald Karr Jr., in sixth with 383 points, both of those drivers did not run the full schedule of series events this season.

The K & N Filters Rookie Of The Race Award was awarded to the highest finishing registered rookie at each CRA Super Series point’s event during the 2008 season and consisted of a $100 cash bonus and a $25 Product Certificate. As the 2008 K & N Filters Rookie Of The Year, Pierce will receive a $1000 cash bonus, a jacket and a $100 Product Certificate from K & N Filters at the 2008 Champion Racing Association Awards Banquet in January.

Pierce will also receive a race ready Carburetor from VDL Fuel Systems, an ABC Body from Five Star RaceCar Bodies, a complete website with hosting and domain registration as well as maintenance for the entire 2009 race season from Speed Media, a $500 Product Certificate towards a Racing Uniform from Hinchman Racing Uniforms, a pair of AP Brake Rotors from AP Racing Brakes, a $200 Product Certificate from Cometic Gasket, a $200 Product Certificate from Tex Racing, a set of restraint belts from Impact Racing, a $100 Product Certificate from Hawk Performance, a $100 Product Certificate from AFCO, a $100 Product Certificate from JOES Racing Products, a $50 Product Certificate from PitStopUSA.com, and a Product Certificate from RaceDriverCards.com.

For finishing second in the K & N Filters Rookie Of The Year points Taylor will receive a $300 Cash Bonus from Cometic Gasket and Product from Ringers Gloves.

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