Eighteen-year-old Cassie Gannis has been a standout since she decided to hit the tracks at age 10 in the Quarter Midget Series, where she consistently placed among the top five. She followed that with the 2003 Arizona State Championship in the Bandolero Series and in 2005 was named that Legends series Rookie of the Year. Cassie celebrated her 16th birthday by obtaining a NASCAR license to race in the NASCAR Super Late Model Series. She is the youngest female driver to race at Tucson Raceway Park, where she began to reach speeds of 120 miles per hour on the track while tuning her skills. In 2008 she consistently placed in the top 10 with numerous top 5 finishes, finished 7th in points and became a fan favorite. Also in 2008, Cassie raced at “The Bullring” at Las Vegas Motor Speedway placing in the Top 10 against numerous racers. She is currently racing a NASCAR Super Late Model #7 in Arizona and Las Vegas. She is proud to have raced car #56 Late Model with the High Point Racing Team at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale, California for the first half of the 2009 season. After numerous appearances on The Mid Valley Sports Show, Cassie has been asked to be a regular co-host along with Andy Villanueva. As a 5 year old, Cassie was busy making a statement in swimming, but in her spare time she was always watching racing on TV. As soon as she was old enough to ride bike, she would always want to race the other kids in the neighborhood. Although she was swimming competitively and internationally over the next several years, she bugged her Dad to let her try car racing. In school she was always a good student but struggled in reading because of dyslexia. Cassie was always determined she would conquer this and her teachers were always impressed with her perseverance. Seeing her interest in racing, her father, John Gannis took her to South Mountain Park to watch the Quarter Midgets race. After months of constant reminding her dad that she wanted to race, he told her that if she read the rule books and learned all she could about the sport, he would see to it that she raced in a car. Determined to race, she learned all the rules in a few weeks. So the racing began! Dad and Cassie began with a used quarter midget that they both put together in the garage. As she began to win races they bought a new car. From there on, there was a no stopping Cassie’s need for speed. During this time she decided to pursue racing cars as life passion and career. Her passion for racing has continued into the Bandolero’s, then Legends, then ASA Speed Trucks, then Super Late Model and now Late Models. Cassie has been recognized as an up and coming driver for several years. She is a graduate of the Lyn St. James Driving Academy and was a candidate for the 2009 Drive for Diversity Combine in South Boston, Virginia. She was 1 of 30 drivers chosen to compete in the 2010 Drive for Diversity Combine in Charlotte, North Carolina out of 5000 applicants. At the combine she was the fastest and most precise female driver in the Late Model competition. She was fortunate to make it into the semi finals along with 16 other drivers. As part of the 2010 Driver for Diversity Combine she will be a part of the “Changing Lanes” television series to being airing in early 2010 on the BET Network. Cassie brings more to the table than just sharp racing skills. She is also a spokesperson and guest speaker on Teen Driving Safety issues (Boys and Girls Clubs of Arizona Community Safety Days, AAA of Southern California Safety Events, and CHP Designated Driver Program). Cassie has the ability and desire to impact other young people with her life story. In 2006, Cassie took 8 months off to have scoliosis surgery performed to correct a life threatening curvature in her spine. The surgery was a huge success and Cassie made a remarkable recovery and was back on the track within the year. This experience also allows her to speak to other young athletes facing serious health issues and communicate the hope of not only recovering but also becoming a better athlete through desire and motivation to beat the odds. Professional Training Racing Experience and Accomplishments NASCAR Whelen All-American Series #7 ASA Speed Truck Series 2006 INEX Legends Series INEX Bandolero Series Quarter Midget Series (15 top 5 finishes/18 races) Personal and Professional Goals
Professional Speaker/Host 2009 CHP Designated Driver Program
References Robert A. DeFazio Professional Appearance References Rick Lalor Personal References Larry Ward Marketing |
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