The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will have a new entry for the upcoming Phoenix and Homestead-Miami events as the driver of Ninety-Nine Racing LLC, Gilbert King, continues to follow his racing dreams. King will pilot the Chesterfield, SC-based #82 Chevrolet truck for these two races at the end of the 2003 season to gain experience in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and to attract the attention of potential sponsors for next season. Phoenix and Homestead-Miami will be his second and third attempts in the exciting NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series after an impressive 6th place practice time at South Boston earlier this month attracted the attention of some of the circuit’s veterans. Qualifying 26th for his first truck race, King finished a disappointing 29th after experiencing mechanical problems early in the race, but gained valuable experience in this new venue for him and his team. Gilbert King is not a novice to racing. In the 1980s, he assisted the late J.D. McDuffie with his NASCAR Winston Cup efforts. Since purchasing his first race car in 1992, King has been on his way up. In 1993, Gilbert King won the track championship at Florence (SC) Motor Speedway, and over the next six years drove in the NASCAR Late Model Stock Division and at numerous tracks on the east coast.(Ninety-Nine Racing PR)(10-28-2003)
