The Outdoor Channel announced it will continue its partnership with BACE Motorsports in the 2004 NASCAR Busch Series season. Damon Lusk joins the BACE Motorsports stable as driver of the #74 Outdoor Channel Chevrolet. Lusk made 11 Busch Series starts in 2002, finishing outside the top-25 just four times in a limited schedule that featured his first top-10 starting spot (10th at Charlotte 5/24) and three top-20s (New Hampshire 18th, Michigan 12th and Miami -18th). The Washington state native grabbed the attention of the NASCAR garage during his brief stint in the ARCA Series, where he posted two wins, six top-five and 10 top-10 finishes during the 2002 season.
We watched Damon with great interest in 2002 during The Outdoor Channels coverage of the ARCA Series (ARCA Racing This Week), said Wade Sherman, Outdoor Channel Senior Vice President, and were very pleased with our association with BACE Motorsports in 2003. The combination of BACE Motorsports winning tradition and Damons talent and enthusiasm will be the key to success in 2004, and were excited about the future of our program, Sherman added.
The Outdoor Channel will serve as primary sponsor for the BACE team for a minimum of 17 races during the 2004 season, beginning with the season opener at Daytona International Speedway on February 14. The Outdoor Channel Chevrolet will also take the track at Las Vegas, Texas, Talladega, California, Chicago and Homestead.
Im thrilled to come on board at BACE Motorsports and continue their successful partnership with The Outdoor Channel, said Lusk. BACE has an outstanding track record in the Busch Series and they are a team you immediately identify as a contender. The guys in the shop have a great chemistry and it translates into competitive cars every weekend. Im thankful to Bill and Brian (Baumgardner) for giving me the opportunity to drive for them and am looking forward to working with The Outdoor Channel this season.
Its great to return to the Busch Series on a full-time basis in 2004, said BACE Motorsports Owner Bill Baumgardner. Damon joins a team with a winning heritage and we believe hes the right driver to continue that tradition as we compete for our fourth NASCAR Busch Series Championship. We are actively pursuing corporate partners to share the remainder of the 2004 season with The Outdoor Channel, with the knowledge that we provide one of the best branding opportunities in the NASCAR garage.
The Outdoor Channel will also continue its association with Nextel Cup driver Tony Raines, who drove the Outdoor Channel ride in 12 Busch Series events in 2003, posting a pair of top-5 and five top-10 finishes. Raines, who will compete in his sophomore season in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, will again sport The Outdoor Channel as an associate sponsor on the #74 BACE Motorsports Chevrolet. For more information, visit The Outdoor Channels web site at www.outdoorchannel.com.(BACE Motorsports PR), so this pretty much kills off the Kerry Earnhardt to the #74 rumor.(12-16-2003)
