Bio
Birth Date: June 23, 1986
Hometown: Des Moines, Iowa
Residence: Mooresville, North Carolina
Marital Status: Single
Hobbies: Cycling, Working Out, Boating
Michael Annett - Insider Info »
Born and raised in America's heartland, 23 year-old Michael Annett dreamed of a career as a professional athlete. The talented Des Moines (IA) native had a natural talent for ice hockey and quickly advanced through the ranks. Annett caught the eye of regional and national talent scouts and joined a tier one AAA team, Team Illinois, at the age of 16 and led them to the 2002 Calgary Mac's AAA Hockey Tournament Championship.
After a successful season with Team Illinois as the league's leader in penalty minutes, Annett joined the Waterloo (IA) Black Hawks in the United States Hockey League (USHL) and earned honors as the 2004 USHL "Most Improved Player". The Hawkeye native remained with the team for two seasons and earned a Clark Cup Championship. At the conclusion of the 2005 season, Annett opted to hang up his hockey skates for a steering wheel.
While time on the rink was a natural fit for Annett, so was life in the fast lane. He was born into a family with a rich heritage in auto racing and attended his first race, the famed Knoxville Nationals, just days after his birth. For several years, the Annett family served as owner and primary sponsor for World of Outlaws legend Sammy Swindell.
Annett’s name became synonymous with speed in 2007 because of his instant success in the ARCA RE/MAX Series. Annett united with Country Joe Racing for three starts. His series debut came at Iowa Speedway where the hometown favorite impressed the Hawkeye crowd with a SIM Factory Pole Award and a third place finish. The young driver enhanced his resume with a pair of 3rd place qualifying efforts and top-10 finishes while making track debuts at Nashville Superspeedway and Gateway International Raceway.
Annett's crowning glory came at his debut on the largest track on the ARCA RE/MAX Series tour, the famed Talladega Superspeedway. Partnering with Bill Davis Racing and carrying the colors of loyal sponsor Pilot Travel Centers, Annett led laps en route to a historic win under the watchful eye of veteran crew chief Tommy Baldwin, Jr. In only four series career starts, Annett visited Victory Lane and was the first driver in series' history to put a Toyota there as well.
During the off-season prior to the start of 2008 racing action, Annett left his familiar surroundings in Iowa and moved to North Carolina after inking an agreement with Bill Davis Racing to participate in the ARCA RE/MAX Series superspeedway events, a select number of races in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and participate in a rigorous testing program.
The former hockey standout returned to Victory Lane at the 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway. He earned one win, three top-fives and four top-10 finishes in five starts in his Toyota Camry. While Annett’s 2008 season started with Bill Davis Racing, he competed under the Germain Racing banner in the No. 9 (Germain) Toyota Tundra in his final NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event of the season at Phoenix International Raceway. Annett finished the 2008 season with a debut in the NASCAR Nationwide Series with a new sponsor, HYPE Energy, in a Germain fielded entry at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Annett continued his relationship with Germain Racing and Pilot Travel Centers for the 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series season behind the wheel of the No. 15 Pilot Travel Centers Toyota Camry. Annett finished out the 2009 season tenth in the championship point standings and tallied up four top-10, ten top-15 and 21 top-20 finishes. As a 2009 Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender, Annett ended his rookie Nationwide Series season third in Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings and earned Raybestos Rookie of the Race honors at five races throughout the season.
For the 2010 Nationwide Series season, Annett will again compete under the Pilot Travel Centers banner for Germain Racing’s No. 15 team. Battling for the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series title, the young driver’s proven performance combined with the success of the Germain Racing organization is a winning combination for the 2010 Nationwide Series season.