DAWSONVILLE, GA – GM Performance Special Projects Manager Bill Martens received the Bob Cross Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award during the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Awards Banquet on Saturday night at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame and Thunder Road USA Museum.

The Bob Cross Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award is presented each year by the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series in memory of the late Bob Cross, a GM Racing Engineer, who developed the GM Performance 604 and 602 Crate Engines that power the race cars in the series. Cross lost his life as the result of a highway accident in 2010.

Cross and Martens worked together for several years on the GM Performance Circle Track Program, and in presenting the award at the banquet, NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Founder and Director Mike Vaughn spoke about how the talents of these two men complemented each other.

“Bob Cross was a man that didn’t show much emotion, but he was intense about talking nuts and bolts,” Vaughn said. “In a working relationship, Bill Martens probably knew Bob Cross better than anyone. When Bob Cross got the GM Performance Crate Engine ready for on-track competition, the nuts and bolts phase of the project that Bob Cross was so prolific in was completed.”

Vaughn then spoke about how Martens carried on with the next phase of the GM Performance Parts Crate Engine Program after he joined the GM Performance Parts team in 2004 as Special Projects Manager.

“Someone was needed to pick up the ball and carry the GM Performance Parts Crate Engine project to the next phase, and that was getting the engines and the information about the engines to the racers,” Vaughn said. “That someone was Bill Martens, and he did a great job at it. I have had the pleasure of working with Bill Martens from the beginning of the program in 2004, first as a car owner, and then as the director of a sanctioning body. His marketing efforts were very convincing, as I was sold quickly on this program.”

Martens was caught by surprise in being named the recipient of the Bob Cross Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award, and almost missed the presentation.

“It’s not very often that I’m at a loss for words, but this is one of those times,” Martens said. “This is a total surprise, and I almost missed it. I had just presented the GM Performance Crew Chief of the Year Award, and then stepped out of the room to go to the rest room. When I came back, I saw myself in a video presentation on the big screen.”

Martens then reflected on his relationship with Bob Cross, where the program has come from, and where it is going in the future.

“All of us at GM Performance Parts miss Bob Cross every day, but we all work hard to see that the vision he had of producing a racing engine that is affordable to all racers continues to grow and be successful,” Martens said. “Bob Cross would be proud of the success of the this program, and as we rebrand GM Performance Parts to Chevrolet Performance Parts, Bob would be excited about the new series involving the last project he worked on, the CT525 Engine.”

Earlier in the evening, Vaughn announced the formation of a new super late model series with race cars powered by the GM Performance CT525 Engine. The new series will begin in 2013 with a 22 to 24-race schedule and a point fund that will pay $30,000 to the champion.

“Bob Cross and the rest of us with GM Performance worked together with Mike Vaughn, his staff at the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series, and driver Ronnie Johnson to bring the CT525 through a three-year R&D program that has shown that this engine is affordable, competitive and durable,” Martens said. “With the CT525 Engine available to the racers for less than $7,000, it will help both the competitors and promoters by returning super late model racing to an affordable level for everyone, as the promoters can pass this savings on to the fans to keep tickets affordable.”

Martens has spent 37 years in the automotive parts marketing field. Before coming to GM Performance Parts in 2004, Martens had also worked for TRW, Clevite-McCord Gaskets, Federal-Mogul, and Ford SVT. He has developed marketing plans and strategies for distributors and dealerships across the country.

For more information about the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series visit the series web site at www.nesmithracing.com, or visit the series on Facebook at NeSmith Racing. Becoming a fan of the NeSmith Racing Facebook page will make you eligible for special prizes that will be given away each month. You can follow us on Twitter @NeSmithRacing.

NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick, GMC of Claxton, GA is the Title Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick, GMC is the nation’s number one GM Powertrain Dealer four years running, with free delivery anywhere in the Southeast. Chevrolet Performance Parts is an Official Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. Hoosier Racing Tire is the Official Tire Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. VP Racing Fuel is the Official Racing Fuel of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. Hedman Hedders is the Official Hedder of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series and the Hedman Husler Award sponsor. RockAuto.com is an Official Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Contingency Sponsors for 2012 are Dominator Race Products, Race Car Engineering, KRC, QA 1 Precision Products, Modern Images, Mike Custom Tanks, Shorty’s Shock Service, Schoenfeld Headers, Integra Racing Shocks, J.T. Kerr Racing Equipment, Kinser Air Filters, Trak-Star Race Cars, Warrior Race Cars, Rocket Chassis, GRT Race Cars, TNT Race Cars, and Stinger Race Cars.