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Joy, Jealousy, and
Suspense Rule the Superfresh Dover Racing Pals Winner’s Household
Racing is a family affair with Superfresh, the
official supermarket of Dover International Speedway
Dylan Merrill from Princess
Anne, MD, the eight-year old winner of the Superfresh Dover Racing Pals
contest, is on a lifetime high, having been selected to be teamed up with
three-time Craftsman Truck Champion Jack Sprague and his daughter Paige
for a Meet & Greet on Friday, 4 June at the NASCAR Craftsman Truck race at
Dover International Speedway.
Merrill won the opportunity by participating in a Creative Writing contest
called, I Love This Track Tour! hosted by Superfresh, the official
Supermarket of Dover International Speedway. The program created
partnerships with schools in the Superfresh markets of MD, DE, NJ, PA and
Washington D.C., to bring the excitement of NASCAR to schoolchildren while
celebrating the Superfresh commitment to education, community involvement
and family values.
These elementary and junior high students were asked to submit a 100-word
essay using Superfresh, racing and Dover International Speedway as the
topics. From hundreds of entries, twenty-five youngsters were selected as
winners, and they all got the chance to travel to Dover International
Speedway for a special Track Tour last Friday, 21 May.
During the Track Tour the kids had the opportunity to do something only
racing drivers get to do--take a walk on the track, be driven around the
track, and even get behind the wheel of an actual stock car!
The Track Tour proved to be a highlight for Merrill, who was surprised by
the steep banking at the facility he now calls his “favorite track in the
world.”
“My favorite part of the day was going around on the track,” Merrill said.
“That was just so cool! I was also interviewed by a TV lady. I think I’m
going to be on the news.”
The straight-A student from Princess Anne Elementary School admitted to
being “… so excited when I was writing it that I forgot to mention my
favorite driver, Dale Earnhardt, Jr.!” Dylan went on to impress the
Superfresh judges with his NASCAR knowledge, passion for NASCAR, upbeat
personality and the remarkable maturity he displayed when the Creative
Writing winners were interviewed during the day to be selected for the
Dover Racing Pals program.
Merrill’s mother, who herself spent some time at the race track as a
youngster, thanks to her father’s racing passion, was proud of her son and
thankful for the opportunity he won.
“You should have seen when he found out that he won,” Lisa Merrill said.
“He wouldn’t stop crying he was so happy. And so too were his principal,
his teachers, and the school’s guidance counselors. They were all crying!
They couldn’t have picked a more appreciative family. Dylan has some
jealous siblings right now, I tell you that!!”
Jealously is ripe in the Merrill household this week, as the family has
race fans abound. His uncle has a 8.5 second quarter mile car, his 5
year-old sister loves Jeff Gordon, and 10 year-old brother is a fan of
Tony Stewart. But these family members will be watching the racing on TV
this coming weekend while Dylan enjoys it live at the track.
When young Dylan won the opportunity to meet a racing driver, he wasn’t
told who that driver would be, a small tactic employed to make him
anticipate Friday’s race day even more.
“I don’t have a favorite (NASCAR Craftsman) Truck driver...yet!” Merrill
said. Well, we are pretty sure we know who Dylan’s new favorite Truck
driver will be.
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