Kevin Hamlin will attempt to qualify for his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway in the Front Row Motorsports #37 Long John Silver’s Dodge. Bob Jenkins, owner of the Front Row Motorsports entry, has given the thirty year old driver his first opportunity to compete in motorsport’s top series for Sunday’s Price Chopper 400. The #37 Dodge Avenger is currently in 45th in owner points. Hamlin must qualify the Long John Silver’s Dodge in on time to make the race. “For Mr. Jenkins to give me this opportunity is a dream come true. Front Row Motorsports has made huge strides this year with the dedication that Jerry Freeze and the entire Front Row team has put towards it, and hopefully we can get the car in the show. I look forward to working with Peter (Sospenzo) and appreciate the confidence he has in me. I like Kansas, it’s where I got my first truck start in 2005,” noted Hamlin. He has two previous starts at Kansas Speedway, both in 2005, in the Craftsman Truck Series and the Nationwide Series.
Crew Chief Peter Sospenzo is looking forward to working with Hamlin at Kansas and California, “We’re real excited about Kevin being in the car for Kansas and California. We have to qualify in to race, but Kevin can do it. He has experience in a truck and Nationwide car at Kansas, and his experience testing in the Cup car will really be beneficial for his first time in a Cup race. Kevin’s a young guy with a lot of enthusiasm and he has a great attitude.” Hamlin is no stranger to Front Row Motorsports, he can be found during most Sprint Cup races spotting for FRM’s John Andretti. Hamlin has also practiced and qualified the team’s Nationwide Series entry driven by Tony Raines on non-companion race weekends when Raines had conflicts traveling between a Sprint Cup and Nationwide track. During the week Hamlin is a test driver for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, putting in laps on various tracks and straight line testing for the team’s Sprint Cup program. Hamlin was heavily involved in testing during the development of the Car of Tomorrow.(Rising Star Management)(9-30-2009)
