NASCAR.COM special correspondent Leilani Münter. Credit: Courtesy

SS Racing signs Münter for 2006 racing season

INDIANAPOLIS -- SS Racing has signed racecar driver Leilani Münter for the 2006 racing season.

Münter will run a combination of ASA, USRA Super Late Model Series and NASCAR Elite division along with an extensive testing program. Three-time ASA champion and Cup veteran driver Butch Miller will serve as Münter's mentor and coach.

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Münter and SS Racing plan to run approximately 30 races this season including events in the ASA Southern Division, ASA Northern Division and ASA Challenge Series.

Münter will race in the USRA Super Late Model event June 10 at Texas Motor Speedway during the race weekend with the Craftsman Truck Series and the Indy Racing League. Her last race of the season will be Nov. 9 at Phoenix International Raceway in the NASCAR Elite Southeast Series.

"Leilani is an exciting addition to SS Racing," team owner Ken Smith said. "Leilani has proven she has talent, now SS Racing will give her the opportunity she needs to further develop those natural abilities.

"She is going to spend a lot of time behind the wheel of a racecar this year and we look forward to watching her develop as a driver."

For the past two seasons, SS Racing has fielded cars for Hendrick Motorsports' driver development program. Hendrick development drivers Kyle Krisiloff (Craftsman Trucks) and Chase Austin (USAR Pro Cup) have both driven for SS Racing, in addition to Jimmie Johnson's younger brother Jarit.

"I am honored to be racing with SS Racing this season," Münter said. "Clearly they are top quality organization. What a wonderful opportunity to get to race with a team that has experience developing young drivers for an organization like Hendrick Motorsports. This will be my first full-time season, I'm going to get a lot of seat time and I can hardly wait.

"I am really excited to work with championship racer Butch Miller and short-track veteran crew chief Deon Deneau and race such well-prepared cars as evidenced in the amount of victories they both have had in ASA.

"I am so impressed with not only Deon's knowlege of racecars, but his willingness to teach me. I want to learn as much as I can from Deon and Butch."