Special from 51sports.com

EASLEY, SC (January 30, 2012) – If race officials at SpeedFest 2012 kept gave an award for the most cars passed through the course of Sunday’s event at Georgia’s Watermelon Capital Speedway, 14-year-old Kyle Benjamin would be the run-away winner. Between the CRA Super Series’ 200-lap Super Late Model feature and the Rheem 150 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Pro Late Model race on January 29^th, Benjamin came from the back of the pack four times for various reasons en route to two solid finishes.

Whether it was from an early tangle and subsequent lost lap in the Pro Late Model race or a pit road malady in the Super Late Model run, Benjamin had to slice his way back to the front pack with the precision of a veteran. The charges to the front worked out well in both races, as he started the day off with a 12^th-place finish in the Pro Late Model race, then followed it up with an impressive seventh-place result in his first-ever Super Late Model event, the SpeedFest 200.

"I’m really proud of our effort," said Benjamin. "It was my first Super race and there were a bunch of Cup drivers like Kyle Busch and David Ragan in it. It was like a professional race in Super Late Models. I learned a ton all weekend and I’m really pleased with how we ran."

SpeedFest feature day nearly got off to a disastrous start in the Pro Late Model 150-lapper. A first-lap tangle resulted in Benjamin getting stuck against the inside wall and having to make a series of pit stops to get back into contention.

"We got caught up in an early wreck and that wasn’t a good way to start that race," added Benjamin. "We had to go to the back, but we were able to get the Lucky Dog and got back on the lead lap. Between the stops and the Lucky Dog, we were able to get to the front three separate times. By that point, the tires were gone, but I’m happy with the way we finished that one."

The Super Late Model race was as good of a learning experience as the 14-year-old could have asked for. Racing against NASCAR stars in a 200-lap test of endurance, Benjamin didn’t fold against the competition. He ran inside the top-10 most of the race before a pit penalty prior to halfway put him to the rear of the field one more time.

But, since he had already come from the back three times in a 150-lapper earlier in the day, doing it one more time was a piece of cake for the young racer.

"The Super race was a lot of fun. We got sent to the back because Freddie (Query, crew chief) made a call to come in for tires before the halfway break. We weren’t allowed to do that. We were able to overcome that setback and came back for a good finish."

While the finish will look good on the stat sheet, the seventh-place run also was a valuable learning tool.

"I learned a lot of throttle control and some techniques to use from other people I got to race around with the Super Late Model. There was a lot of things I learned running the Super that I didn’t know by running the Pro. It’s just a lot of new stuff that will be very helpful as we go through the season."

Benjamin’s 2012 schedule will continue in the Super Late Model division during the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway. Benjamin will make his first appearance in a Super Late Model at the nine-night racing extravaganza during Florida Speedweeks. The World Series event kicks off on Friday, February 17^th, but Benjamin and his number-71 team will likely begin competing on Tuesday, February 21^st. Action continues through Saturday, February 25^th.