Bill Elliott development driver Casey Roderick is hoping to make his Nationwide Series debut at Phoenix International Raceway on November 13, Frontstretch. Roderick, who scored his first career ARCA victory at New Jersey Motorsports Park Sunday, said that while nothing is set in stone, he is hoping to contest the 200-miler later this fall. While team details were not available, Roderick, who turned 18 less than two weeks ago, also noted that he will be contesting the upcoming ARCA race at Chicagoland in a Phoenix Racing entry. Phoenix Racing has already been providing setup support for the Elliott-owned #51 car in the ARCA Racing Series.(Frontstretch)(8-17-2010)
UPDATE: Blame the economy. Blame a lack of rabbit’s feet. Blame circumstance. But, Casey Roderick’s immediate racing future took a sharp turn in the wrong direction after a series of events both leading up to and during last week’s ARCA Series race at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas. Just two weeks prior to the Kansas Lottery 150, Phoenix Racing, the longtime NASCAR team that Bill Elliott Racing (the team Roderick has worked for and competed with for the past couple of years) and had formed a partnership with BER to help run Roderick part-time in the ARCA, informed Roderick and BER that his car would not be prepared in time for the Kansas race and future plans with the youngster and the team were on hold. Roderick, who also had plans to run the ARCA season finale at Rockingham Speedway and possibly his Nationwide Series debut for Phoenix Racing at Phoenix International Raceway later this year, suddenly saw his racing season come to a halt. The chain of events that has stymied Roderick’s future plans began in the ARCA race at Chicagoland Speedway, when Roderick got a bit hasty in trying to gain spots in the race. The 18-year-old Lawrenceville native lost control of the Phoenix Racing #51 machine early in the race, collected another race car, and absolutely destroyed his. The Bill Elliott Racing driver got a stern lecture from team owner and mentor Bill Elliott, but had full plans of going to Phoenix Racing’s shop in Spartanburg, South Carolina to repair the wounded car in time for the Kansas race. But the damaged race car and a lack of funds led Phoneix Racing to make the decision about Kansas and Roderick that it made.(WSB Radio)(10-5-2010)
