Two-time defending NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division Midwest point series champion, Justin Diercks, will sign a contract with Robert Yates Racing in the coming days, Yates team general manager Eddie DHondt said Thursday. The Yates team has three Nextel Cup cars [? three? #38, #88 and ?], but DHondt said Diercks likely would spend the coming year driving on the ARCA circuit. DHondt said Diercks also could earn some starts in the Busch Series, which is raced at NASCAR tracks in conjunction with Nextel Cup events. Diercks could not be reached for comment, but DHondt confirmed that the 26-year-old Quad-Citian tested twice at different tracks for RYR, driving Dale Jarretts #88 UPS Ford Taurus once and Elliott Sadlers M&Ms Ford on another occasion. He did a really good job both times and on different-sized racetracks, said DHondt, who is entering his third year with RYR and previously worked for Bill Elliott Racing and Evernham Motorsports. We plan on making him part of our family in the near future. Diercks has been racing on asphalt tracks for almost a decade and won his first feature at the age of 17. DHondt said a Diercks representative made the Yates team aware of Diercks a year ago, and he said RYR closely followed Diercks second straight Midwest Series points win last summer and fall. Diercks interviewed with DHondt and RYR engine builder Doug Yates twice and impressed them, DHondt said. He is just a good kid, the general manager said. Hes a racer, and hes a worker. He has a very good background, and what he has accomplished to date is strong. Marketability-wise, he will do a good job for any sponsor. We just have to get behind him. DHondt said Diercks would be one of three young racers RYR planned to groom for a possible Nextel Cup future, joining racers Steve Leicht and Matt McCall. Diercks will continue to test in RYRs Nextel Cup cars throughout the year, DHondt said. As for getting to drive in a Nextel Cup race, Not until he earns it, the GM said. But hell get to that eventually.(Quad-City Times)(12-24-2005)
