Roush Fenway Racing plans to move current NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Erik Darnell into the Nationwide Series next year, but the organization’s complete lineup is still being finalized, and some spots are dependent on sponsorship. Team owner Jack Roush said Wednesday that he expects to run four or five full-time Nationwide cars and at least one full-time truck. Carl Edwards, who drives for Roush in the Cup series, will also compete for the drivers’ championship in the Nationwide Series, and Colin Braun will do the same in Trucks. The rest of the Nationwide lineup likely will be a mix of drivers. Darnell, who is sixth in the Truck standings, likely will run in Nationwide, Roush said. “If a sponsor came and very much wanted to have Erik back in the Truck series, we would certainly think about that,” he said. “If Erik is going to advance – my understanding of his career goal wasn’t that he wanted to be a Truck driver for his career but to advance into Nationwide and into Sprint Cup. “We have got an opportunity. Although he’s not running for a championship, he’ll get a significant number of races in a Nationwide Fusion next year.”(SceneDaily.com)(10-22-2008)
UPDATE: Roush Fenway Racing driver Erik Darnell and his Craftsman Truck Series sponsor Northern Tool + Equipment will continue their partnership next season in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. The 2009 season will be Northern Tool + Equipment’s fourth year with Darnell and Roush Fenway Racing. Darnell and Northern Tool will share the #6 Ford Fusion with David Ragan and Discount Tire Company during the 2009 Nationwide season. The team’s full schedule will be announced at a later date.(Roush Fenway Racing PR)(10-24-2008)
