Press Release | DGM RACING
As DGM Racing and Ryan Ellis prepare for their first full season together, the team plans to debut a new number – one made possible by the unwavering support of Sweetwater Construction. To signify a fresh start for the Virginia-native, DGM Racing introduces the No. 71 to the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS), a number that feels like home for Ellis.
The No. 71 is the first number Ellis ever ran when he began racing go karts at the age of four. “I ran the 71 on everything growing up – go karts, hockey jerseys, legends cars, and even video games,” Ellis shared. “My father and I can’t quite remember how it started, but it could be considered homage to my grandpa, Vic, who ran the car number 51 two generations prior. To be able to run it in a premier series like the NASCAR Xfinity Series is something I’ve dreamt of since I was a kid creating my own schemes in NASCAR video games.”
The number is also significant to Team Owner Mario Gosselin, who made his first NXS start with the No. 71 in 1998, securing a 16th-place finish at Myrtle Beach Speedway. And to make it even sweeter, both Gosselin and his wife, Michelle, were born in 1971—a perfect alignment of history and sentiment as they roll out the new number.
For both Ellis and the Gosselins, the number represents cherished memories and a new beginning that is being brought to fruition by Sweetwater Construction’s Ronald Witt. When Witt learned of the possible number change, he was eager to make Ellis’s dream of racing the No. 71 at the NASCAR national level become a reality.
Witt further stated, “Working with Ryan is awesome, and I continue to be proud of the relationship we’ve forged on and off the track. I’m also looking forward to the move to DGM Racing to capitalize on the competitive advantages that the Gosselins and their organization bring as a race team. Supporting Ryan as he takes on the No. 71 is a fitting way to celebrate this new chapter.” Sweetwater Construction will return in 2025 for at least four races with Ellis starting at Pocono Raceway.
Ellis will now get to live out the dreams that kept him up at night before he could even legally drive a car. When the Classic Collision No. 71 Chevy hits the track in February it is sure to be a moment that Ellis and his family will remember forever.
(Photo Courtesy NASCAR)
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