Sirius Speedway host Dave Moody reported Monday that Bill Lester will announce a new deal in the next few days to drive the full Craftsman Truck Series schedule in 2007 for Billy Ballew Motorsports. Sponsorship details are still being finalized, but should be announced next weekend.(Sirius Speedway/MRN Radio)(12-4-2006)
UPDATE: Billy Ballew ,confirmed a Sirius Satellite Radio report that he’s working to finalize a deal to put Bill Lester in his #15 truck for 2007.(SceneDaily.com)(12-8-2006)
UPDATE 2: Bill Lester, whose contract wasn’t renewed by Bill Davis Racing, will drive Billy Ballew Motorsports’ #15 Chevy for the 2007 Truck Series season, Ballew crew chief Richie Wauters said Friday. “Bill Lester’s going to run the #15 truck right now,” Wauters said. Sponsorship for the team should be announced soon, Wauters said. Ballew will also field the #51 truck in selected races, with Kyle Busch, Steve Wallace and J.R. Norris likely sharing driving duties. (Scene Daily)(12-15-2006)
UPDATE 3: Lester’s Cup hopes dim: Bill Lester’s chances of landing a Nextel Cup ride in 2007 have dimmed with news that he has left the Bill Davis Racing fold to sign a full-time Craftsman Truck Series deal with #15-Billy Ballew Motorsports. Lester, who became the first black driver to start a Nextel Cup race in 20 years when he qualified for the March race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway had been looking at securing a limited Cup programme at least in 2007 with BDR and Toyota, for whom he has driven the last couple of Truck seasons with. However no that Lester has left the BDR fold that now looks unlikely. While Lester has at least secured a full time ride in one of the top three NASCAR series,’ Billy Ballew Motorsports do not have a Cup or Busch Series program and Lester must now seek occasional Cup outings around his NCTS commitments.(crash.net)(12-18-2006)
