When Joey Clanton says he bought into the Zaxby’s franchise, he means it. The 33-year-old Tyrone resident owns two franchises, and starting in February, he’s planning to drive a Zaxby’s-sponsored truck in the Craftsman Truck Series. As part of its fall licensee conference at the Classic Center this week, Oconee County-based Zaxby’s announced that it plans to sponsor the #09 truck starting with the 2007 season. While the decision to field a truck isn’t set in stone, a final decision is expected to be made this month, said Jeff Hood, financial projects manager for Zaxby’s.(OnlineAthens.com)(10-4-2006)
UPDATE: Former ASA champion Joey Clanton of Tyrone, Ga. will compete on a part-time basis in the Truck Series in 2007. The 34-year-old Clanton will drive for Wood Brothers/JTG Racing with sponsorship from Athens, Ga.-based Zaxby’s restaurants. Clanton, who spent the past year serving as team manager for Late Model driver John Wes Townley of Watkinsville, Ga., will drive the Ford truck driven by Marcos Ambrose in 2006. The number of the truck is tentatively scheduled to change from #20 to #09. Clanton is slated to compete in 16 truck events next season for Wood Brothers/JTG Racing. Clanton’s first race will be the Chevy Silverado HD 250 at Daytona on Feb. 16.(Zaxby’s Franchising PR)(12-6-2006)
UPDATE 2: Sponsorship for both drivers: Wood Brothers/JTG Racing has announced that Zaxby’s restaurants and the team have come to terms on a sponsorship deal that will provide backing for one of their two full-time Craftsman Truck Series teams. Representative drivers will be Joey Clanton, scheduled to run 16 events and Stacy Compton, set to run the rest. With Clanton and Compton behind the wheel, the team will also be changing numbers on the Zaxby’s Ford F-150-from #20 to the #09, which has always been the Zaxby’s sponsored team number in the past.(Wood Bros/JTG PR)(1-17-2007)
