Ransomville, NY - Chuck "Hot Shoe" Hossfeld is a modified driver from Ransomville, NY. He's been a racer all of his life and is always looking for opportunities to climb behind the wheel and chase the checkered flag. In recent years he has been a full-time competitor on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, regularly driving 7 hours or more to races across the North East United States; he's raced his own #22 modified in and around Western New York; he's made the 1500 mile trek during SpeedWeeks to race New Smyrna Speedway where he's finished 2nd in the points the past two years; and he's even raced (and won) in a dirt sportsman owned by Ray McIver.

Chuck Hossfeld … he's a racer.

Roger and Sandra Hill are the owners of the Hillbilly Racing team based out of Westfield, NC. The driving force behind the team is veteran crew chief David Hill. His skill and experience have put the #79 Hill Enterprises Pontiac in the top-ten in points for the last four consecutive years on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. Being closer to the heart of the senior NASCAR Nextel Cup division rather then the North East-based Whelen Tour, the Hillbilly Racing team knows about the long rides necessary just to make it to the tour races. But you won't hear them complain. Nor will you hear them complain as they head for Florida in February for the World Series at New Smyrna Speedway; or when they travel across the Eastern United States running races wherever and whenever they can.

The Hills'… they're racers.

It was only a matter a time before they partnered up to pursue the desire that burns within them all - to race. That partnership was born in late 2005 as the Hills' secured Hossfeld as their driver for the 2006 season.

The focus of this partnership is winning the Whelen Modified Tour championship, though it is by no means limited to that series. It began with an offer to drive the #79 modified during the 2006 World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Speedway in February. While that would have been a great start to the season and would have allowed the team to hone their relationship prior to the chase for the championship, Hossfeld turned the offer down.

Near the end of the 2005 season, Hossfeld had decided he was going to build his own car to race in Florida. For months Chuck and his team, comprised of hometown friends, worked in his shop to build a car capable of winning the World Series. As the Hillbilly Racing deal began to take shape, so did Chuck's #22 modified. When the Hill's offered Chuck the #79 ride for the Florida races he respectfully declined the offer. His reasoning was that his crew had worked hard to get his car ready, and had scheduled vacation time to make the races, it wouldn't be fair to them if he switched gears now and didn't run his car with his crew. It was a classy move for the 29 year-old driver to make and this show of respect for his team earned him likewise respect from the Hillbilly Racing team.

Chuck's first race with Hillbilly Racing didn't come until the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour opening race March 25th at Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, North Carolina - and what a start it was. After qualifying 7th, Hossfeld went on to finish 2nd behind fellow Whelen "Northern" Tour competitor Ted Christopher. The team backed this performance up with a 2nd place finish in the Whelen Modified season opener April 9th at Thompson Speedway. Two races, two second place finishes, this team was off to a great start.

Since Thompson, Chuck has driven the Hillbilly Racing modified twice on the southern tour at Motor Mile Speedway and Caraway Speedway, and this past weekend at Stafford Motor Speedway on the northern tour. With the last three finishes outside of the top-ten due to on-track incidents, the finishes have been less than desirable - but the performance has been there. The #79 team has provided Chuck with a fast race car and if it weren't for some bad luck the last three could have easily been top-5 finishes.

Based on the potential seen so far this season, it is certain that Hillbilly Racing and Chuck Hossfeld will be one hard combination to beat.