UPDATE: hearing the driver is Klaus Graf of Germany, a sports car driver who is entered by BAM Racing in the ARCA Race at Nashville Superspeedway this weekend.(4-5-2004)
UPDATE 2: NASCAR Radio – XM Satellite Channel 144 reports that BAM Racing says they plan to run the two road course races at Infineon Raceway and Watkins Glen and while they wouldn’t say who would drive, Klaus Graf is a driver under consideration.(4-7-2004)
UPDATE 3: Trained for the highly-technical world of Formula One racing, Klaus Graf has instead found a home with the traditional bodies and carbureted engines of NASCAR stock cars. Graf will run at least two NASCAR Nextel Cup stock car races this year, beginning with the June 27 race at Infineon Raceway at Sonoma, CA. BAM Racing, which fields the #49 Schwan’s Home Service Dodges of driver Ken Schrader, will run Graf in up to seven races in 2004. Graf will join Schrader, who is running the full NASCAR Nextel Cup schedule. Graf, 32, is the first German-born driver to compete in NASCAR’s top series. He lives in Dornhan, which is in Germany’s Black Forrest region, and will eventually relocate to the United States. “Having a multi-car team has been part of our plan from the very beginning and bringing in a driver with the talents of Klaus Graf is the next step,” said Beth Ann Morgenthau, owner of BAM Racing. “We’re very excited with him joining us and with the future this presents all of us.” Said Graf, “My dream all of my life is to compete among the best in motorsports. I am thrilled with the opportunity.” Graf has tested with BAM at Virginia International Raceway and Kentucky Speedway, and was highly competitive in the Apr. 9 ARCA race at Nashville Superspeedway, where he finished third after leading late in the race – his first on an oval. He is scheduled to test at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA on Tuesday, April 27. Graf is the first driver professionally trained for Formula One racing by European automobile manufacturers to move into the NASCAR stock car racing world. He comes to NASCAR racing directly from the Porsche Michelin and Porsche Carrera Supercup series where he raced at Talimit Motorsport after a stint as test driver for McLaren. He ran Sportscar Prototype cars 1999-2001. Graf’s career began with the Suzuki Swift Cup in 1990, followed by German Formula Ford Championship 1991-93; International German F3 Championship (1994-96), Porsche Carrera Cup (1997); and ISRS Endurance Championship (1998).(Williams Company PR), more info about Graf on his website at: klaus-graf.com(4-14-2004)