Valento joins DGR-Crosley’s driver development lineup with Ford Performance in the CARS Late Model Stock Tour
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Dec. 18, 2020) – DGR-Crosley announced today that it has signed 16-year-old Minnesota driver Joe Valento to drive in the Mid-Atlantic based CARS Late Model Stock Tour in 2021. Valento has spent the past two seasons competing in the Midwest Truck Series, winning two races, and finishing the 2020 season third in the championship standings. He also earned rookie of the year honors in 2019.
The 13-race CARS Late Model Stock Tour kicks off March 6 at the famed Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway and concludes Oct. 16 at South Boston (Va.) Speedway.
“We couldn’t be more excited for Joe to join the DGR-Crosley family,” said team co-owner, David Gilliland. “He is the type of individual that we look for in a young racer and our goal is to help him build on his previous success. We are ready to get back racing full time in the CARS Tour again and are looking forward to having Joe as part of that effort.”
“The past couple of seasons have given me a really strong foundation when it comes to driving and understanding the car,” said Valento. “It’s hard to wrap my head around all the possibilities that racing for a team like DGR-Crosley could lead to for me and my career, but I know that I’m going to have to work hard and focus on a different type of car from what I’ve been used to. NASCAR late model stock cars are a fresh challenge for me and I am excited to start my career at Rockingham, a track where NASCAR’s top series used to race for so many years. I look forward to what 2021 has in store.”
For more information about Valento, visit his website at www.joevalentoracing.com, or follow him on social media by searching Joe Valento Racing.
About DGR-Crosley: DGR-Crosley is a race team owned by NASCAR veteran David Gilliland and Crosley Brands CEO, Bo LeMastus. The team specializes in driver development, competing full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, multiple ARCA Menards Series divisions and CARS Tour with factory support from Ford Performance.
In its first four years of operation, DGR-Crosley has achieved success in each series tallying up multiple wins and championships. The team operates out of three buildings totaling 60,000 square feet in Mooresville, N.C.
