NASCAR Camping World Truck Series News & Rumors
November 2011 Archives

  • Lofton headed off-road racing this weekend in Nevada: With the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season behind him, Justin Lofton, driver of the#6 CollegeComplete.com Chevrolet Silverado for Eddie Sharp Racing will be back behind the wheel of a race vehicle this weekend. Lofton, who just closed out the NCWTS season 14th in the driver point standings, will pilot a Class 1500 Buggy in Henderson, Nevada this Saturday, December 3rd, in the Best in the Desert Racing Association’s season finale. On Saturday, Lofton’s class will compete on an 80-mile loop three times, totaling 240 miles. He will have a new navigator on board for this event, as Justin Santz will strap in for the ride. Santz usually navigates for Robbie Pierce, driver of the#30 Trophy Truck. Though he now races full-time within NASCAR competition, Lofton’s early racing career saw him earn the BITD Rookie of the Year honors (2004), along with three wins in the Desert Buggy Class, and the Class 1000 championship. And although the NASCAR season is over and Lofton will be focusing on his desert run this weekend, he will still have support from his crew chief at ESR, as Dan Bormann is making the trip to be on hand for the event. (Lofton Racing PR)(11-30-2011)

  • ThorSport teams switching to Toyota in 2012: ThorSport Racing, the longest-tenured NASCAR Camping World Trucks team with entries since 1996, announced today their 2012 expansion plans – to include a partnership with TRD, U.S.A. (Toyota Racing Development). After a successful 2011 season in the NCWTS, with three wins and four poles between two veteran drivers – Johnny Sauter and Matt Crafton – and debut of rookie Dakoda Armstrong; the organization is hiring in its state of the art facility in Sandusky, Ohio for the #44 ARCA Racing Series team of Frank Kimmel. “We’d like to thank everyone at Chevrolet for all the support over the last 16 years,” said Matt LaNeve, vice president of motorsports partnerships for ThorSport Racing. “ThorSport Racing, along with dedicated owners Duke and Rhonda Thorson, have a long-standing history and commitment to conservative, steady growth within NASCAR. Toyota’s business and competitive philosophies are in line with our 2012 goals for both Frank Kimmel, as he pursues his 10th ARCA Racing Series Championship; and our NCWTS teams of the 13, 88 and 98, as we further look to increase competition. We are aggressively chasing not only wins in our two respective series, but championship trophies for our drivers and sponsors.” ThorSport Racing currently operates three NCWTS teams – the #13 of Johnny Sauter; the #88 of Matt Crafton; and the #98 of Dakoda Armstrong. The organization will also field the #44 Ansell/Menards Toyota Camry during the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season. The #13 Safe Auto/Curb Records entry finished second in driver championship points in 2011, matching the organization’s highest previous finish by the #88 Menards entry and Matt Crafton in 2009 – narrowly missing the championship by six points but capping the year off with a win at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18th; adding to driver Sauter’s win list, shared with a trophy clock at Martinsville earlier in the year. The #88 Menards entry, piloted by Matt Crafton, finished 8th in overall driver championship points, earned two poles and wheeled into Victory Lane at Iowa Speedway during the 2011 season. “ThorSport Racing is a first-class organization and a championship-caliber race team, as well as one of the most respected teams in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series,” said Lee White, president and general manager of TRD, U.S.A.(Toyota Racing Development). “We look forward to working together with the entire ThorSport race team and are confident that it will raise the level of our entire Toyota Tundra racing program.”(ThorSport Racing PR)(11-29-2011)

  • Turner Motorsports adds Paludo to its 2012 lineup: As preparations have already begun for the 2012 season, Turner Motorsports announces the addition of Miguel Paludo to their stable of NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) drivers for the 2012 season. While he brings a multi-faceted, international racing resume to the team, Paludo is fresh off of his first full year in the NCWTS where he scored a career-high three top-five and seven top-10 finishes, closing out the season 17th in the series point standings. Paludo joins a stable of drivers including James Buescher and Nelson Piquet, Jr. who will contend for the 2012 NCWTS championship. In adding Paludo to the already strong line-up of talent, team owner Steve Turner is affirming his commitment to giving young drivers a strong platform on which to build their careers.(Turner Motorsports PR)(11-28-2011)

  • Sieg hoping to run some NNS down the road: From an interview with Ryan Sieg: The team has landed Pull-A-Part Used Auto Parts, another small, family-owned business, which sponsored the #39 at Talladega in October and will again in 2012. Sieg hopes the team can expand its partnership with Pull-A-Part to bigger and better things in 2012 and 2013. “I would love to do Nationwide [Series]. I know we are thinking of getting a Nationwide car and trying a few [races] next year. There are a few tracks we’d like to run. I’m thinking we can get our feet wet for 2013 and do a full Nationwide and full Truck [schedule] then, maybe.”(WSBRadio.com)(11-28-2011)

  • Smith suspended by NASCAR: Jack C. Smith, a driver in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, has been indefinitely suspended from NASCAR for violating the sanctioning body’s substance abuse policy. He was found to have violated Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 19 (violation of the NASCAR substance abuse policy) of the 2011 NASCAR rule book.(NASCAR)(11-22-2011)
    UPDATE statement from Jack Smith: “I would like to thank those who have shown me their overwhelming support during this trying time. I regret that I was not in compliance with NASCAR’s Substance Abuse Policy regarding prescription medicine, and I am working with NASCAR towards reinstatement and compliance with their policy. In the interim, I want to let my family, friends and teammates know their support means the world to me.”(Jack Smith PR)(11-28-2011)

  • No off-season yet; many headed to Snowball Derby: Cale Gale, Johanna Long, Mike Garvey, Grant Enfinger, David Ragan, Colin Braun, Steve Wallace, are among tthe 56 entries listed for the 44th Annual Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway located in Pensacola, Florida. Events start on Wednesday, culminating in the running of the Snowball Derby on Sunday, December 4th. For more information on the Derby and other events, see the Jayski Appearances page.(11-28-2011)

  • 2011 season most watched in SPEEDtv history: According to Nielsen Media Research, the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season on SPEED was the most-watched in network history with an average of 636,000 HH impressions and 838,000 total viewers per race. The mark also tied the 2009 season as the series’ highest-rated in SPEED history (.81 HH). SPEED will present coverage of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series/NASCAR Nationwide Series Awards Banquet on Dec. 2 at 7:00pm/et, and will be back on the air from Daytona International Speedway with live coverage of the Feb. 24 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season opener.(SPEEDtv PR)(11-23-2011)

  • NASCAR announces 2012 NCWTS schedule: NASCAR announced today the 2012 schedule for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, highlighted by the sport’s return to historic Rockingham Speedway for the first time since 2004 and a number of familiar venues known for the typically intense battles among the tough trucks. “The 2012 schedule has a great mix of tracks that will continue to deliver great racing for our fans,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations. “We’re excited to bring the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series to the famed Rockingham Speedway, along with the addition of a second date at Iowa Speedway. Looking ahead, interest in the truck series continues to grow in a number of different markets and we’re excited about what the future holds for next season and beyond.” The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will race at Rockingham for the first time in its 17-year history, marking the first time the 1.017-mile track will host a NASCAR national series race since February of 2004. Next season’s schedule, which features 22 races, opens with the traditional Daytona International Speedway Friday night bout, on Feb. 24. The championship will once again be decided at the season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 16. With a nod to the sport’s — and the series’– roots, the trucks will race on short tracks five times, at three different tracks, next season. Martinsville Speedway hosts the first short-track event, on March 31, with a return engagement on Oct. 27. Iowa Speedway, the popular 7/8th-mile short track, also hosts two NASCAR Camping World Truck events next season– on July 14 and Sept. 15. Bristol Motor Speedway’s high banks will hold its traditional Wednesday night show, on Aug. 22. For the third consecutive season, the series will race at the 2.5-mile Pocono Raceway triangle for its fast 50-lapper.[Complete schedule is posted on the 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Schedule page.](NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications)(11-21-2011)

  • Champions honored at Awards Banquet; Dillon named most popular driver: Ricky Stenhouse Jr., 24 and Austin Dillon, 21, officially were proclaimed champions of the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, respectively, on the Americana Ballroom stage at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel.

    Both were honored with their first NASCAR national series titles. Each became champion in the season following a rookie-of-the-year performance. Dillon becomes the youngest champion in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ 17-year history. Both champions won twice during the 2011 season.

    Kevin Harvick Inc. claimed its third NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Owner Championship. DeLana Harvick’s #2 Chevrolet Silverado posted seven victories with three different drivers in adding to KHI’s owner titles from 2007 and 2009.

    Roush Fenway Racing’s #60 Ford Mustang won the NASCAR Nationwide Series Owner Championship, as driver Carl Edwards won eight times. The title is the second in the series for Jack Roush, his previous owner championship coming in 2002. It also marked the first time that the same owner claimed both the NASCAR Nationwide Series driver and owner titles with different teams.

    Dillon’s Richard Childress Racing teammate Joey Coulter, 21, won the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award, the second time the same organization claimed both championship and rookie laurels.Timmy Hill, an 18-year-old Maryland competitor, won NASCAR Nationwide Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors by a single point, tying the series’ closest decision for that award.

    Elliott Sadler, Justin Allgaier, Aric Almirola and Reed Sorenson finished second through fifth in the championship standings and were honored along with Stenhouse in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

    Johnny Sauter, James Buescher, Ron Hornaday Jr. and Timothy Peters were second through fifth in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final points and joined Dillon on stage.

    After a fan vote on NASCAR.com, in which more than 215,000 combined votes were cast, each series’ Most Popular Driver was revealed. Sadler and Dillon were chosen by the fans in the NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, respectively.Each was honored for the first time. (NASCAR)(11-21-2011)

  • RCR’s Austin Dillon wins 2011 Championship: Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Dillon and his Danny Stockman-led Bass Pro Shops team ended their second year of full-time competition in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with a 10th-place finish in the season finale race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, allowing Dillon to clinch the 2011 Driver’s Championship for Bass Pro Shops and Richard Childress Racing’s black #3 Chevrolet team.
    *The accomplishment marks the second NCWTS championship for RCR, who earned the inaugural NCWTS series championship in 1995 with Mike Skinner, also in a #3 Chevrolet. The 42-year-old racing organization, headed by Dillon’s grandfather Richard Childress, now has 14 motorsports championships overall, spread across the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, NCWTS and the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards.
    *Dillon, the 2010 NCWTS Rookie of the Year, becomes the first driver in the 11-year history of the NCWTS to earn the rookie title and then the driving championship the subsequent year. He also holds the honor of youngest champion to be crowned in the series’ history. Along with Ty Dillon, the 2011 ARCA Racing Series champion, the Dillon’s are the only brothers who have earned same-year championships on a national stock car tour.
    *The nation’s #1 outdoor retail leader, Bass Pro Shops, was positioned as the primary partner on Dillon’s #3 Chevrolet for the duration of the 2010 and 2011 race seasons. A long-time RCR supporter, Bass Pro Shops began its association with Richard Childress Racing in 1998 with associate sponsorship of the #3 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet Monte Carlo made famous by seven-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt. Bass Pro Shops’ partnership with RCR has also included sponsorship of the #29 Chevrolet driven by Kevin Harvick and primary sponsorship of Earnhardt’s eldest son, Kerry Earnhardt, in RCR’s #33 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet for six Sprint Cup Series races in 2004. The company sponsored Ty Dillon for his season-finale race in the ARCA Racing Series this year.
    *Dillon joins an exclusive list of NCWTS driving champions, including Todd Bodine, Ron Hornaday, Jr., Johnny Benson, Ted Musgrave, Bobby Hamilton, Travis Kvapil, Mike Bliss, Jack Sprague, Greg Biffle and Mike Skinner. He will be formally honored at the annual NNS and NCWTS Awards Banquet at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel on Monday, Nov. 21. (Richard Childress Racing PR)(11-19-2011)

  • RCR’s Coulter clinches 2011 ROTY honors: Richard Childress Racing’s Joey Coulter was officially named the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year on Friday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The 21-year-old Miami Springs, Fla., native clinched Sunoco rookie honors with his fifth-place finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway following a season-long spirited battle with four other drivers. Coulter entered the season-finale race at Homestead with a five-point lead in the rookie standings over former Formula One driver Nelson Piquet Jr., 20-year-old Red Bull Racing development driver Cole Whitt, 2010 ARCA Racing Series Rookie of the Year Parker Kligerman and Red Horse Racing’s Miguel Paludo. The Sunoco Rookie of the Year award is calculated using a driver’s best 14 finishes and a vote by a NCWTS rookie of the year panel that considers a driver’s competitive abilities and interaction with other drivers and the media.
    *It is the second consecutive year that RCR has earned the year-end rookie award. Austin Dillon earned the 2010 Rookie of the Year Award for RCR and went on to earn the series’ driver’s championship this season. The Dillon/Coulter duo mark only the second time in the NCWTS that the same organization has earned both the Rookie of the Year award and the Championship in the same season. Roush-Fenway Racing accomplished the feat with champion Greg Biffle and rookie of the year Kurt Busch in 2000.
    *Coulter joined RCR following a two-year run in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards driving for his family’s team. The 21-yar-old mechanical engineering student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte finished seventh in the NCWTS championship point standings this year, earning five top-five and 13 top-10 finishes.
    *Coulter joins a list of former NCWTS Rookie of the Year winners in addition to his teammate, Austin Dillon, which includes Kurt Busch, Biffle, Carl Edwards, Johnny Sauter, Brendan Gaughan and David Reutimann, among others.
    (Richard Childress Racing PR)(11-19-2011)

  • Piquet joins Turner Motorsports for 2012 season: The 2011 racing season may be coming to a close, but Turner Motorsports already has an eye on the 2012 season. The organization is pleased to announce the addition of Nelson Piquet Jr. to their 2012 driver line up. Piquet Jr., who will compete for the 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship, is also slated to run a limited NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule for the team. Before taking the wheel in 2012, he will make his debut with the team in this weekend’s NNS season finale event at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the #30 Chevrolet Impala. Coming to Turner Motorsports for his sophomore year of Camping World Truck Series competition, Piquet Jr. brings with him a rich racing heritage. The son of three-time Formula One World Champion, Nelson Piquet, Piquet Jr. began racing karts at 8-years-old in his native Brazil. Making his way through the open-wheel racing ranks in South America and Europe, he made his Formula One debut in 2008 before making the transition to NASCAR in 2010. Currently engaged in a fierce battle for the 2011 NCWTS Rookie of the Year honors, Piquet Jr. has recorded four top-five and 12 top-10 finishes in 24 starts this season. The 26-year-old driver is thrilled to have the opportunity to compete at NASCAR’s highest levels with Turner Motorsports. Adding another young driver to his roster, team owner Steve Turner, reaffirms his commitment to helping drivers solidly establish their careers with his organization.(Turner Motorsports PR)(11-18-2011)

  • Joe Denette Motorsports reunites Hornaday & Hensley for 2012: Joe Denette Motorsports, a rookie team in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, is pleased to announce that four-time series champion, Ron Hornaday, Jr., will pilot the #9 Chevrolet powered by Pro Motor Engines for the 2012 campaign. Hornaday will be joined at JDM with veteran crew chief, Jeff Hensley. Hornaday, a 14-year veteran of the series, has an impressive 51 victories, 27 pole awards, 146 top-five and 208 top-10 finishes on his racing resume. A sponsorship announcement for Hornaday and the #9 JDM entry will be forthcoming in the following weeks. JDM also plans to run a second entry in 2012 for selected events.(Joe Denette Motorsports PR)(11-18-2011)

  • Goodyear Tire Notes — Homestead-Miami: Teams in all three NASCAR series will run the same tire codes at Homestead this weekend, though the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series will be branded “Goodyear Eagle,” while the Camping World Truck tires will be branded “Goodyear Wrangler” . . . this is the same combination of left- and right-side tires that teams in all three of these series ran at Homestead last season . . . other tracks at which teams have run this exact tire set-up in 2011 have been Chicagoland (all three series) and Texas (Sprint Cup and Nationwide only) . . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams are required run inner liners in all four tire positions at Homestead . . . air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire.(Goodyear PR) [Complete tire specs are posted on the Homstead-Miami Race page.](11-17-2011)

  • Lofton sponsor shows support at HMS: Lofton trekked to Florida early this week in order to spend some time at sponsor CollegeComplete.com’s headquarters in Deerfield Beach before heading to Homestead for Friday night’s race. On Friday, the College Complete headquarters will close early in order for the staff members to shuttle to Homestead to support Lofton and the #6 CollegeComplete.com Chevrolet Silverado. Before heading to Homestead, the staff will be visited by a representative from the Community Blood Centers of South Florida in order to take more than 40 cheek swabs for registry in the National Marrow Donor Program. Dan Haim, co-founder of CollegeComplete.com knows all too well the importance of donor testing. His mother Eve was diagnosed with a rare bone marrow disorder, Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Eve received a transplant via the National Marrow Donor Program that November. Sadly, Eve passed away in June. Eve received a transplant via the National Marrow Donor Program that November. Sadly, Eve passed away in June. More information on the registration drive is available on the CollegeComplete.com website.(Justin Lofton PR)(11-17-2011)

  • Greenfield picks up Homestead sponsors: AmpedUpMagazine.com based in Murfreesboro, Tenn., is joining forces with Clay Greenfield and Bill Alger Motorsports as a sponsor on the No. 68 Amped Up Magazine Dodge that will race in the 2011 Camping World Truck Series Ford 200 at Homestead Miami Speedway Friday, Nov. 18. The race is the series season finale. This is the second race that Amped Up Magazine joins Greenfield in 2011. Illiana Motorspeedway, Schereville, Ind., also is an associate sponsor. The track celebrated its 64th year during the 2011 season.(AmpedUpMagazine.com)(11-17-2011)

  • Gaughan heads to HMS with Tire Kingdom/Service Central;image added: For the second time this season, Brendan Gaughan will carry the red-white-blue paint scheme, this time with Tire Kingdom on the hood of the #62 Tire Kingdom/Service Central. Gaughan has earned one runner-up finish at Homestead and has led two races. Rendering of the #62 Tire Kingdom/Service Central Toyota Tundra is posted on the #62 NCWTS 2011 Paint Schemes page.(Germain Racing/RMM PR)(11-17-2011)

  • Hamlin to drive #18 for KBM; triple-duty weekend: Denny Hamlin will celebrate his 31st birthday behind the wheel of the #18 Dollar General Tundra in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway Friday night. Hamlin – who also will pilot Joe Gibbs Racing’s #18 Camry in the Nationwide Series race Saturday, and #11 in Sprint Cup – will take a shot at becoming just the second driver to win in all three of NASCAR’s national series in the same weekend. Friday’s 134-lap race will be Hamlin’s first start in the trucks at Homestead-Miami Speedway, but he has experienced success while driving in NASCAR’s top two divisions. In six career Sprint Cup Series starts at the 1.5-mile oval, he has one win and three top-three finishes, and in five Nationwide Series starts he has posted two top-five finishes. The race will be a reunion between Hamlin and Dollar General, the primary sponsor of the #18 Tundra for Friday’s race.(Kyle Busch Motorsports PR)(11-16-2011)

  • Bodine only repeat winner at HMS: Todd Bodine, driver of the #5 International Trucks/Monaco Toyota Tundra, isthe only repeat winner at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the series’ 15 races, leading all active drivers with two wins, his seventh and 15th of 21 career Camping World Truck Series victories. Bodine has also accrued the most points of any driver in the three previous truck series races at HMS (510 points). In total, Bodine has four top-five and four top-10 finishes in six NCWTS starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway. In addition to his Truck Series statistics, Bodine has 12 Nationwide Series starts and four Cup Series starts at HMS.(Germain Racing/RMM PR)(11-16-2011)

  • Homestead a first for Feese; new sponsor onboard: Blake Feese will make his first start at Homestead-Miami Speedway this Friday evening. In his eight starts this season for Turner Motorsports, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series rookie has earned one top-five and one top-10 finish, with his best starting spot of third coming at Texas Motor Speedway. He holds an average finishing spot of 18.2. Red Hot Insurance Quotes will adorn the hood of Feese’s #32 Chevy this Friday evening at HMS. In it’s first foray into the racing world, Red Hot Insurance Quotes works to save hundreds on auto, home, and life insurance and strives to provide excellent care for its customers.(Turner Motorsports PR) [Rendering of the #32 Red Hot Insurance Quotes Chevrolet is posted on the #32 NCWTS 2011 Paint Schemes page.](11-15-2011)

  • Austin Dillon – Fast Facts: Austin Dillon and the Bass Pro Shops team plan to debut a brand new chassis this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Chassis No. 023 was built in-house by the #3-Bass Pro Shops team this season and Dillon tested it at Caraway Speedway in North Carolina last week.
    According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics:
    *Dillon leads all NCWTS drivers with an average running position of 7.354 in the season’s first 24 races.
    *He has the series’ highest driver rating (106.3), the highest average starting position (4.9), highest percentage of laps led among championship contending drivers (12 percent), highest percentage of fastest laps among all drivers (12.6 percent)
    *He is ranked as the fastest championship contending driver early in a run with an average running position of 4.650 and fastest championship contending driver late in a run with an average running position of 5.3.
    *He has the fastest green-flag speed among championship contending drivers with an average rank of 5.250
    *He has completed the highest percentage of laps on the lead lap among all drivers (91.75 percent) and has completed 86.4 percent of his laps in the top 15, ranking him first among all drivers.(Richard Childress Racing PR)(11-15-2011)

  • Ty Dillon making 3rd start joined by Charter Media for HMS: Ty Dillon will make his first NASCAR start and third-career NCWTS start at Homestead-Miami Speedway in this weekend’s NASCAR 200. Dillon made his first career NCWTS start at Kentucky Speedway in October and his second start at Texas Motor Speedway earlier this month. Dillon and Company will sport a new paint scheme this weekend in the NASCAR 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The #21 RCR team welcomes Charter Media to the Chevrolet Silverado. Charter Media, an advertising sales division of Charter Communications, Inc., provides local, regional and national businesses with advertising expertise in individual markets on cable television networks. Although Dillon has yet to make any laps at the Homestead, Fla.-based facility, he has some impressive statistics from other 1.5-mile tracks on the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. In his young career, Dillon has made nine starts on tracks 1.5-mile or larger, earning six wins, seven top-five finishes and two pole awards.(Richard Childress Racing PR)(11-15-2011)

  • Piquet making first start at HMS: UPDATE 2 Piquet doubles up; to drive for Turner in Nationwide; image added: Nelson Piquet Jr. and the Kevin Harvick Inc #8 Piquet Realty Chevrolet team will head to South Florida for the final NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race of the 2011 season. While the event will mark the young driver’s 25th start of the season and final start as a rookie in the series, it will be his first appearance at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Piquet Jr. has excelled at the intermediate-style tracks on the circuit this season, earning five top-five and seven top-10 finishes in 12 starts on 1.5-mile tracks. Piquet Realty will be onboard the #8 Chevrolet for this weekend’s event. During the second half of the season, Piquet Jr. has climbed his way through the Rookie of the Year point standings moving into the second position, only five points behind leader Joey Coulter, as the Truck Series heads to Homestead for the final race of the season. With the help of strong consistent finishes, the young driver has worked his way up through the standings from as far back as eighth after the fourth race of the season at Martinsville Speedway in April.(Kevin Harvick Inc. PR)(11-14-2011)
    UPDATE: Nelson Piquet is listed as entered in the Ford 300 Nationwide Series race as driver of the #30 Chevrolet for Turner Motorsports.(11-14-2011)
    UPDATE 2: Rendering of the #8 Piquet Realty truck is posted on the #8 NCWTS 2011 Paint Schemes page.(11-15-2011)

  • Coulter heads to HMS leading Rookie Standings:Joey Coulter will pilot the #22 RCR Graphics Center powered by Roland Chevrolet Silverado at Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend. Although this weekend marks Coulter’s first on-track appearance at Homestead-Miami Speedway, he is very familiar with the track as he grew up in nearby Miami Springs, Fla. A large contingent of family members and friends will be on hand this weekend to support the 2011 Rookie of the Year candidate in the NCWTS season finale. .With 208 points, Coulter leads the 2011 NCWTS Sunoco Rookie of the Year point standings, five markers ahead of second place Nelson Piquet heading into the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.(Richard Childress Racing PR)(11-15-2011)

  • Homestead a first for Armstrong; new partner onboard: This season has been full of firsts for Dakoda Armstrong, but the Ford 200 will mark his first career start in any racing vehicle at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The #98 will have a new sponsor donning the rear quarter panels this weekend at Homestead as EverFi joins ThorSport Racing. EverFi, Inc. is the leading education technology company to teach, assess, and certify students in critical skills. EverFi teams with major corporations and foundations to provide programs to schools at no cost and is spreading into new facilities in its national movement across the 50 states. Dakoda Armstrong will honor a foundation special to his family this weekend at Homestead with the help of Drive For Savings. The United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation (UMDF) logo will ride on the #98 to raise awareness for this debilitating disease. Armstrong’s cousins, Erikka and Seth, were both diagnosed with mitochondrial disorders. With six starts prior to Homestead in the NCWTS, Armstrong and his #98 team lead by veteran crew chief Dan Stillman head into next season with some notes, ideas and real racing experience on their side. Armstrong feels his seat time this season, along with watching from his teammates’ pit boxes when he’s not competing, has helped prepare him for a solid run at the 2012 Rookie of the Year.(ThorSport Racing PR)(11-15-2011)

  • George making first 2011 start in season finale: Tim George Jr. is set to drive the #45 Applebee’s/Potomac Family Dining Group Chevrolet Silverado from the Richard Childress Racing NCWTS stable this weekend [in conjunction with Eddie Sharp Racing]. George has made two previous starts in the NCWTS, both at Phoenix International Raceway, posting finishes of 29th and 22nd in the 2009 and 2010 events, respectively. George spent the 2011 season competing in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards where he earned his career-first victory at Pocono Raceway among eight top-five and 10 top-10 finishes. In the season’s 19 races, he held an average starting position of 9.2 coupled with an average finishing position of 11.5. George’s ARCA Racing Series crew chief, Gere Kennon, will serve as crew chief; in addition, George’s ARCA crew members will work in the same capacity on the #45 Chevrolet Silverado.(Richard Childress Racing PR)(11-15-2011)

  • ThorSport Racing adds ARCA program with Kimmel; will run truck at Homestead: UPDATE images added: ThorSport Racing, the longest tenured team in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with over 500 active entries since 1996, announced today its plans to continue its growth model by fielding a 2012 full-season ARCA Racing Series team. 9-time ARCA Racing Series Champion and All-time ARCA Purse-winning driver Frank Kimmel will pilot the # 44 Ansell/Menards Chevrolet under the ThorSport Racing banner in 2012. Kimmel will “kick off” his partnership with ThorSport Racing by running the championship finale of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season at Homestead-Miami Speedway November 18th. He will join new teammates Matt Crafton, Johnny Sauter and Dakoda Armstrong – all running in their respective trucks – by piloting a fourth entry, the #44 Ansell/Menards Chevrolet Silverado at the Ford 200.(ThorSport Racing PR)(11-11-2011)
    UPDATE: Rendering and photo of the #44 Ansell/Menards Chevrolet are posted on the #44 NCWTS 2011 Paint Scheme page.(11-15-2011)

  • Hornaday to Joe Denette Motorsports in 2012: Heard from several sources that Ron Hornaday Jr. has been signed to drive for Joe Denette Motorsports for the 2012 season. A team representative confirmed and a formal announcement is scheduled to be made on Friday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.(Nancy/Jayski)(11-15-2011)

  • Sadler to raise awareness for Autism Speaks in third start with JDM’s #24; image added: Elliott Sadler returns to Joe Denette Motorsports for the third time behind the wheel of the #24 AM/FM-Energy/Great Play Chevrolet for the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Veteran crew chief, Jeff Hensley will be calling the shots for Sadler in this weekend’s Ford 200 at HMS. AM FM Energy and Great Play will serve as co-sponsors. Sadler is heavily involved in the Autism Speaks charity because his niece Halie has the disorder. In this weekend’s final NCWTS event of the season, Sadler will carry the famous Autism Awareness puzzle piece paint scheme.(Joe Denette Motorsports PR.)[Rendering of the #24 AM/FM-Energy/Great Play Chevrolet is posted on the #24 NCWTS 2011 Paint Schemes page.](11-14-2011)

  • Hornaday making 300th start at Homestead: Four-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday will head into the 2011 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway adding another milestone to his career this season. The veteran will be behind the wheel of the #33 OneMain Financial Chevrolet making his 300th Truck Series start and gunning to close out the year at Kevin Harvick Inc. with his fifth win of the season. OneMain Financial will again be pulling double duty in both the Nationwide Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events during the season-finale weekend. Ron Hornaday will pilot the #33 OneMain Financial Chevrolet Silverado in the Truck Series race on Friday night with Sadler competing the following day in the #2 OneMain Financial Nationwide Series ride.(Kevin Harvick Inc. PR)(11-14-2011)

  • Double-duty for Buescher at season finale: James Buescher will do double-duty in South Florida this weekend. Not only will he compete in Friday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series finale driving the #31 Exide Batteries Chevrolet for Turner Motorsports, but the 21-year-old will also drive the #32 Dollar General Chevrolet Impala in Saturday’s Ford 300. This will be the Texas driver’s 11th NASCAR Nationwide Series start in 2011.(Turner Motorsports PR)(11-14-2011)

  • Clinch scenario for Homestead: Austin Dillon owns a 20-point lead over Johnny Sauter heading into the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series finale. James Buescher also remains in title contention, 28 points behind Dillon. Ron Hornaday Jr., 48 points behind Dillon, will be eliminated as soon as Dillon starts at Homestead. Dillon guarantees himself his first championship by finishing 16th or better; or 17th or better with at least one lap led; or 18th or better with the most laps led in Friday night’s Ford 200. Kevin Harvick Inc.’s #2 Chevrolet clinched the 2011 owners championship last week at Texas Motor Speedway. It was KHI’s third owners title.(NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications)(11-14-2011)

  • Peters hoping to score record points finish: Timothy Peters and the #17 Tire Kingdom/Service Central racing team have several standout achievements in 2011 including a pole win at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, a win at Lucas Oil Raceway in July and currently they are fifth in the Truck Series point standings. Peters is currently 21 points ahead of sixth position in the point standings, in this weekend’s race at Homestead-Miami Speedway Peters must finish 17th or better regardless of what the sixth place competitor does to hold onto the fifth position in the point standings. If Peters is able to accomplish this goal, he will record his highest points finish to date in his young Truck Series career.(Red Horse Racing PR)(11-14-2011)

  • Harvick in KHI’s #2 at Homestead: Kevin Harvick Inc. co-owner Kevin Harvick will join the #2 Hunt Brothers Pizza team for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The final Friday night showdown will be the Bakersfield, Calif., native’s sixth Truck Series start at the Florida track. In the driver’s previous five starts at the speedway he has earned one win (2009), three top-five and three top-10 finishes, while being credited with leading 125 laps.(Kevin Harvick Inc. PR)(11-14-2011)

  • Sauter looks for upset in Homestead: Johnny Sauter, driver of the #13 Safe Auto/Curb Records/Mud Jug Chevy Silverado for ThorSport Racing, currently sits second in NCWTS driver points standings, 20 points back from competitor Austin Dillon in the points standings, after a strong top ten finish at Texas. Sauter isn’t new to the game, knowing cooler heads can prevail in a championship run. He has made four appearances in NCWTS at Homestead-Miami Speedway, two with ThorSport Racing in 2009 & 2010 – with his best start at third in 2010. Sauter’s infamous finish at the 2010 saw Kyle Busch in Victory Lane and him with his best track finish, on the podium at third. The #13 Chevy Silverado welcomes back an associate sponsor from earlier this year -Mud Jug Portable Spittoons – for the Homestead-Miami race.(ThorSport Racing PR)(11-14-2011)

  • Paludo runs marathon during off-week; ready for 2nd trip to Homestead: This past weekend, while the Truck Series enjoyed a rare off weekend, Miguel Paludo competed in his first half-marathon. Paludo competed in the Thunder Road Marathon in Charlotte, North Carolina with pit crew coach Adam Merrell and with Amy Cook, wife of spotter and Red Horse Racing Director of Competition Terry Cook. When he is not on the track, Paludo spends his time staying in shape, mainly running. This is the first half-marathon Paludo plans to compete in as he trains to compete in the New York City Marathon in 2012. In 2010, Miguel Paludo made his second start for Red Horse Racing at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Competing full-time in 2011, Paludo has earned three top-five finishes, seven top-10 finishes and has paced the field for 19 laps. Last season Paludo earned his first top-10 finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway finishing ninth in the season finale. Paludo completed each of the 134 laps in the event, while preparing for his first full season in the Truck Series in 2011.(Red Horse Racing PR)(11-14-2011)

  • Congrats to Matt & Ashley: After making the announcement in September that he would be returning to ThorSport Racing’s #88 truck in 2012, Crafton’s off-season will be less silly season and more wedding season. Crafton and fiancée Ashley Greer will tie the knot in a January ceremony in Mexico before returning to the garage in February as Mr. and Mrs. Crafton. This week, Matt Crafton and the #88 Menards/Tarkett team head to Homestead-Miami Speedway for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series finale. Crafton has 10 previous starts at the 1.5-mile oval, with two top-five and five top-10 finishes and an average finish of 11.4. Crafton earned his best finish at the track when he was the runner up in the 2009 Homestead event, and he took the sixth spot in his last visit to the South Florida facility.(ThorSport Racing PR)(11-14-2011)

  • Quiroga set to return to KBM’s #51 for season finale: Kyle Busch Motorsports announced today that three-time reigning NASCAR Mexico Series Champion Germán Quiroga will make his second career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start in the 2011 series finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway Friday, Nov. 18. Quiroga, who finished 17th in his Truck Series debut at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in September, will be back behind the wheel of KBM’s #51 Toyota Tundra with Telcel, the leading provider of wireless communications services in Mexico, returning as the primary sponsor. With one race remaining on the 2011 NASCAR Mexico Series schedule, the 31-year-old driver has already clinched his third consecutive NASCAR Mexico Series championship. In 13 starts this season, the Mexico City native has collected three wins, two poles and 10 top fives. Prior to winning three consecutive titles, Quiroga finished second in points in 2007 and 2008. Quiroga’s 17 career wins rank second on the all-time NASCAR Mexico Series list behind Rogelio Lopez’s 20. Over 94 career starts, he has captured eight poles, 61 top fives and 74 top 10s.(Kyle Busch Motorsports PR)(11-11-2011)

  • NASCAR announces plans for 2011 banquet: Following what promises to be an historic Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, NASCAR will hold its annual NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards Banquet – a postseason tradition honoring the champions and award winners from two of NASCAR’s national series. The ceremony takes place at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel on Monday, Nov. 21 at 6 p.m., one final opportunity for the sport to celebrate its champions, and its fans. SPEED’s Krista Voda and Rick Allen will host Monday’s banquet, with the band Simplified unleashing an opening to the show with a live performance. Comedian John Pinette returns to the ceremony, enlivening the festivities with his unique brand of self-deprecating humor. And as the chances for championship glory near an end, so too do the opportunities for fans to vote for their favorites in the NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Most Popular Driver polls. NASCAR.COM has housed on-line voting for both series since July 20. Voting closes on Thursday, Nov. 17 as the teams from each series close out the year at Homestead-Miami Speedway. NASCAR Camping World Truck Series top five as of Oct. 31: Todd Bodine, Ricky Carmichael, Austin Dillon, Ron Hornaday Jr. and Nelson Piquet Jr. (Vote here: NASCAR.com.) The 2011 Most Popular Driver for each series will be announced at the combined awards banquet for each series on Nov. 21 at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel. SPEED will broadcast the banquet on Friday, Dec. 2 from 7-9 p.m. ET, which will lead into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony at the Wynn Las Vegas.(NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications)(11-10-2011)

  • NASCAR fines Kyle Busch; probation remainder of year: NASCAR has fined Kyle Busch $50,000 and placed him on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31 for his actions during the Nov. 4 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Texas Motor Speedway. Kyle Busch violated Section 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) of the 2011 NASCAR Rule Book. NASCAR took immediate action, parking Busch for the remainder of Friday night’s event and maintaining the parked position for the NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway. On Monday, the parking directive was lifted by NASCAR. In issuing Monday’s penalty, NASCAR went on to say that “if during the remaining NASCAR events in 2011 there is another action by the competitor that is deemed by NASCAR officials as detrimental to stock car racing or to NASCAR, or is disruptive to the orderly conduct of an event, the competitor will be suspended indefinitely from NASCAR.”(NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications)(11-7-2011)

  • Less Truck races in 2012; back to road courses? UPDATE 2 Road America a no-go for 2012: Lots of talk in Kansas about the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series schedules for next year, which wasn’t released when NASCAR unveiled the 2012 Sprint Cup Series. The sanctioning body expects to have the finishing touches done in a few days. The Nationwide Series will more than likely be down to 33 races in 2012 with a return to Montreal expected. The truck slate may also be down a race to 24 with Road America and Watkins Glen on the speculative addition list marking a return to road course racing for NASCAR’s number three series.(MotorRacingNetwork.com)(10-10-2011)
    UPDATE: Status of road course races being added to Camping World Truck Series 2012 schedule; On Twitter — When NASCAR’s Steve O’Donnell was asked about Watkins Glen being added, he “tweeted” in response – “Watkins Glen declined.”
    Looks like a go for Road America as reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – “A few details remain to be ironed out, but it appears the Camping World Truck Series will join the Nationwide Series next summer at Road America in Elkhart Lake. Road America president George Bruggenthies says he prefers that sanctioning bodies announce their schedules, but everything he said in a conversation Thursday implied that it would happen. NASCAR has yet to release the CWTS schedule, and a representative wouldn’t confirm the date. Rumors of a return to road racing with the trucks after more than a decade have heated up to the point it’s a general assumption among teams that it will happen.(Journal Sentinel Online.com)(10-28-2011)
    UPDATE 2: The all-but-done deal to bring the Camping World Truck Series to Road America next season is done, but not in that way. Done, as in over. NASCAR and the track had hoped to package the truck race with the Nationwide Series and Grand Am on the weekend of June 23-24. The hangup? TV. Because of other commitments by NASCAR’s television partners, a truck race couldn’t be scheduled for that Sunday, Bruggenthies said. Grand Am and Nationwide are committed for Saturday. The other option was Friday, but to run an afternoon race on a traditional work day would not have made sense economically. Although the trucks often race on Fridays, those are nighttime events at tracks with lights. “We’re all disappointed,” Bruggenthies [track President] said. “You know what? We’ll make it happen in the future. We’re going to run a couple national NASCAR events on the same weekend in the future. I’m confident of it.”(JournalSentinal.com)(11-3-2011)

  • Whitt to attempt Cup debut at Phoenix: Cole Whitt will attempt to make his first start in the Sprint Cup Series at Phoenix International Raceway. He is entered to drive the #84 Red Bull Racing Toyota in this weekend’s Kobalt Tools 500 at PIR. Whitt currently sits ninth in the Camping World Truck Series point standings. He has two previous starts at Phoenix; Truck Series started 9th and finished 6th (2011), and in the Nationwide Series, started 23rd, finished 15th (2010). Whitt currently sits ninth in the Camping World Truck Series point standings.(Red Bull Racing PR)(11-10-2011)

  • TV Ratings up double-digits at Texas: According to Nielsen Media Research, Friday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race from Texas Motor Speedway on SPEED scored a .70, up 11-percent with HH over last year’s equivalent date at Phoenix (.63). The rating also reflected a 53-percent increase among M35-54 (.66 vs. 43) and a 73-percent uptick among M18-49 (.38 vs. .22). The Texas race marked the seventh year-to-year ratings increase in the past eight Truck Series races. With one race remaining in the 2011 season, the NCWTS is pacing up six-percent in HHs (0.82 vs. 0.77) and eight-percent among M35-54 (0.71 vs. 0.66) compared with equivalent-date races during the 2010 season. When compared with equivalent events during the 2009 season that finished as the highest-rated in SPEED history, the NCWTS is pacing up one-percent with HHs (0.82 vs. 0.81) this year.(SPEEDtv PR)(11-08-11)

  • Hornaday joins Buescher & Carmichael at Turner Motorsports for Phoenix: Turner Motorsports and the #32 team welcome Ron Hornaday, Jr. as he pilots the Dollar General Chevy this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway. Hornaday is making his first NASCAR Nationwide Series start for Turner Motorsports. Hornaday will make his 11th NNS start at the track and has notched three top-five and six top-10 finishes in 10 previous starts along with 103 laps led. He owns an average starting position of 16.5 with an average finish of 14.6. James Buescher will be driving the #30 Exide Chevrolet. This weekend’s race at Phoenix International Raceway will mark Buescher’s 10th NASCAR Nationwide Series start of the 2011 season. Ricky Carmichael will be driving the #34-Monster Energy Chevrolet at Phoenix. Carmichael will attempt to make his second NNS start at PIR in Saturday’s WYPALL 200.(Turner Motorsports PR)(11-8-2011)

  • Monday Rundown – Racing Resources:
    *Kevin Harvick won the WinStar World Casino 350K at Texas Motor Speedway, posting his 13th career win in his 116th series start. It was his first win at Texas and fourth victory of 2011, tied for second-most with teammate Ron Hornaday Jr. It was Harvick’s first win with crew chief Chris Carrier. Harvick has won with six different crew chiefs.
    *Harvick led four times for 61 laps, including the final 45. Kevin Harvick Inc. posted its 43rd career win, second all time in the series, and its 10th win of 2011. KHI swept both Texas races this year. The #2 truck clinched KHI’s third owners’ championship.
    *Chevrolet posted a series-leading 14th win of 2011 and 11th win at Texas, most of all makes. Chevrolet clinched the manufacturers’ championship for the seventh time but for the first time since 2005. It swept the top eight finishing positions.
    *Austin Dillon (second) had his sixth top-two finish of 2011. He could clinch the 2011 series championship with a 16th-place finish or better at Homestead-Miami Speedway even if Johnny Sauter wins the race.
    *Ty Dillon (third) had his first top-10 finish in his second series start.
    *Nelson Piquet Jr. (fourth) had his ninth top-10 finish of 2011. It was his second top-10 finish in three Truck series starts at Texas.
    *Matt Crafton (fifth) had his fifth top-5 finish of 2011. It was his fourth top-5 finish in the past six Texas Truck races.
    *Joey Coulter (sixth) had his 12th top-10 finish of 2011 but only his second in the past eight races
    . *Johnny Sauter (seventh) had his 15th top-10 finish of 2011. He moved up one position in points to second but still trails leader Austin Dillon by 20.
    *Ricky Carmichael (eighth) had his seventh top-10 finish of 2011 and third in the past five races. He started the race at the rear of the field because of an engine change.
    *James Buescher (19th) is now third, 28 points back, after running out of gas with fewer than five laps to go while running second.
    *Kyle Busch (33rd) and Ron Hornaday Jr. (34th) were involved in a Lap 14 accident. Hornaday is fourth in points, 48 back.(ESPN.com)(11-7-2011)

  • NASCAR to meet with Busch Saturday am: UPDATE 2 parked for weekend; statement from KB: Tempers flared early in Friday night’s truck race at Texas Motor Speedway. As they ran three-wide early in Friday’s race, Ron Hornaday moved up the track, causing Kyle Busch, running on the outside, to hit the wall. Hornaday also hit it. As they slowly went around the track, Busch ran up on the rear of Hornaday and caused Hornaday to smack the wall head-on in what was hard contact. Hornaday was uninjured. NASCAR called Busch to the hauler to meet with officials after the race. NASCAR met with Kyle Busch for less than five minutes on Friday night after the race. They will meet with Busch before Saturday morning’s Cup practice (which is at 8:45am/et) to discuss the incident. Hornaday went to the NASCAR hauler (he wasn’t called there by officials) after Kyle left and said: “If NASCAR doesn’t (park Busch), I’m hanging around, and I’m going to buy Tommy Baldwin’s ride and that guy will never finish another race. That’s a promise. He’s got to be parked. They did it to Harvick at Martinsville.” Hornaday was reminded that the Harvick parking was in 2002, which Hornday said: “So, let’s have at it? So I can go over and beat his ass and let’s have at it? He lives too close to me. We’ll see what NASCAR does. If they don’t handle it right, I’ll be over at his house Monday morning.”(Virginian-Pilot)(11-5-2011)
    UPDATE: NASCAR announced that they have parked Kyle Busch for the remainder of the weekend. He will not be allowed to participate in the Nationwide or Cup races at Texas. He will be replaced in the Cup race by Michael McDowell and Denny Hamlin is expected to drive for him in the Nationwide race. Further penalties against Busch could be announced early in the week.(11-5-2011)
    UPDATE Letter from Kyle Busch: I’ve had a lot of time today to sit and reflect, and try to put my thoughts into words as best I can. I want to sincerely apologize for my actions during Friday night’s Truck Series race at Texas. I apologize to my fans, all my sponsors, everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing and Kyle Busch Motorsports. After talking with my team, it’s great to have their support and encouragement to assure me that there are better days ahead. Even though this took place while driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports, I am sorry for how difficult this has been for everyone associated with Joe Gibbs Racing’s Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series teams. I’d also like to apologize to Ron Hornaday Jr., and everyone associated with the #33 team in the Truck Series. I understand why I was taken out of the car for the rest of the weekend. NASCAR officials had to act, and I accept their punishment and take full responsibility for my actions. As a racecar driver, the hardest thing to do is to sit on the sidelines listening to cars on the track when you know you should be out there competing. For this, I have no one to blame but myself. Through a lot of support from the people around me, I feel like I’ve made a lot of strides this year, but this was certainly a step backward. Moving forward, I will do everything I possibly can to represent everyone involved in a positive manner. However, I know my long-term actions will have more of a bearing than anything I say right now.(Kyle Busch Motorsports)(11-6-2011)

  • Chevrolet wins 2011 NCWTS Manufacturers’ Championship: With Kevin Harvick’s win in the WinStar World Casino 350K at Texas Motor Speedway tonight, Chevrolet clinched the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) Manufacturers’ Championship. This is Chevrolet’s seventh NCWTS Manufacturers’ title since the Series’ inception in 1995 and occurs one day after Chevrolet celebrated its 100th anniversary. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series closes out its 2011 season at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18. Austin Dillon sits atop the standings, followed by fellow Silverado drivers Johnny Sauter (20 points behind the leader) and James Buescher (28 points behind Dillon). Chevrolet drivers have won 10 NCWTS championships, with Ron Hornaday being the only four-time champion of the Series. Chevrolet’s first drivers’ championship was won by Mike Skinner in 1995.(Team Chevy Racing PR)(11-4-2011)

  • Gale to ESR in 2012: UPDATE confirmed; Rheem to sponsor: Hearing from a couple of sources that Cale Gale will be moving to one of the open seats at Eddie Sharp Racing, and is expected to run full-time in the Camping World Truck Series in 2012.(Nancy/Jayski)(9-25-2011)
    UPDATE: Rheem Manufacturing Company officially announced a comprehensive plan to continue its involvement in various NASCAR racing series. Rheem has completed a multi-year agreement with Richard Childress Racing (RCR) to be the primary sponsor of the No. 29 Chevrolet driven by Kevin Harvick for 10 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series® points races as well as being the co-primary sponsor with Budweiser for NASCAR’s annual mid-season All-Star race over the term of the agreement. Rheem will also be a major associate sponsor of the No. 29 Chevrolet for the remaining 26 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in which Budweiser or Jimmy John’s are the primary sponsor. Rheem will continue its co-sponsorship with Menards of RCR’s No. 33 Chevrolet driven by Paul Menard and others in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for 12 races in the 2012 season. Rheem also announced an agreement with Eddie Sharp Racing to be the season-long, primary sponsor of the #33 Chevrolet Silverado that will compete in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2012. As a part of the agreement, RCR has formed a technical alliance with ESR to provide engineering, testing and technical assistance to the team while also receiving support from Chevrolet and ECR Engines. After successfully competing in several NASCAR races for Rheem in 2011, Cale Gale has been signed to drive the #33 Rheem truck full time for ESR in 2012.(Richard Childresss Racing PR)(11-3-2011)

  • International/Monaco onboard with Gaughan at Texas: Four-time Texas Motor Speedway winner Brendan Gaughan will pilot the #62 International Trucks/Monaco RVs Toyota this week at in the WinStar World Casino 350k at TMS. Gaughan last raced for International under the MaxxForce Engines brand in 2008. His best finish for International that season was third at Charlotte Motor Speedway, a sister track to Texas. Gaughan’s crew chief in 2008 was Bryan Berry, who also leads Gaughan’s efforts in the #62 Tundra at Germain Racing.(Germain Racing PR)(11-3-2011)

  • Big Red joins Bodine at Texas: The Big Red Tundra has taken to the track twice this season, once with Germain Racing driver Brendan Gaughan behind the wheel at Texas Motor Speedway in June, and in July with Germain Racing driver Todd Bodine steering the #5 Big Red/International Trucks Tundra for Randy Moss Motorsports at Indianapolis Raceway Park. This weekend, Texas fans are in for another Big Red weekend as Bodine will race the Big Red Tundra on Friday night. Bodine has amassed six wins at Texas Motor Speedway as part of Germain Racing’s win count of seven at the Fort Worth track.(Germain Racing PR)(11-3-2011)

  • Whitt to make first Cup attempt at Phoenix: Cole Whitt hopes to make his Sprint Cup debut at Phoenix International Raceway next weekend. Red Bull Racing will field a third Toyota for the 20-year-old Alpine, Cal.-native, who currently drives the #60 Silverado for Stacy Compton in the Camping World Truck Series. He will likely attempt to qualify the #84 Camry. If all goes well at Phoenix,Red Bull will also run Whitt in the season finale at Homestead Miami Speedway.(FoxSports.com)(11-3-2011)

  • Crum returns at Texas with Bandit onboard: Jake Crum and Bandit will once again be joining forces for the WinStar World Casino 350, November 4th at Texas Motor Speedway. Crum will be behind the wheel of the #55 Bandit Chippers.com Chevrolet Silverado. Bandit will once again be the sole sponsor for Jake and Team Crum Racing, though the Tree Care Industry Association and the American Loggers Council will also be displayed on the truck. With the annual TCIA Expo taking place in Connecticut during the race and the largest, cleanest biomass power plant in Texas now up and running just a few hours from the speedway, the timing couldn’t be better to help raise awareness for these two organizations.(Jake Crum Racing PR)(11-3-2011)

  • Cooper Standard & Cequent form major alliances with BKR & Kligerman for 2012: Brad Keselowski Racing announced today that two industry-leading companies, Cequent which designs, manufactures and markets towing, hitch systems and related accessories, and Cooper Standard, which specializes in body sealing systems, fluid handling systems and anti-vibration systems for the automotive industry, will join the #29 RAM team as major sponsors for the entire 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season. The marketing and business alliances will see Cequent and Cooper Standard as the primary sponsors for the 2012 season, each taking one-half of the 2012 races. Both companies will also receive partnership assets, entitlements, and benefits throughout the season, including exposure via Keselowski personally in both NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series competition for Penske Racing. Parker Kligerman, a Penske Racing development driver, will return for his second full-season with the BKR team to pilot the #29 Cequent/Cooper Standard entry. Cequent’s sponsorship of Keselowski and BKR, which also includes primary sponsorship for 15 Truck Series races in 2013 and 18 Truck Series races in 2014, is designed to drive exposure for its brands such as Draw-Tite and Reese Towpower, strengthen relationships with retail partners, and generate new business opportunities. Cooper Standard’s expanded relationship with Brad Keselowski’s #29 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series entry in 2012 mirrors its broader commitment to the automotive aftermarket as the company looks to widen its offering of innovative products to the aftermarket. The company first worked with BKR in 2011 for three races.(Brad Keselowski Racing.com)(11-2-2011)

  • Long welcomes Pegasus Helicopter on board: Johanna Long and the Panhandle Motorsports team will return to NASCAR Camping World Truck Series action on Friday, November 4 in the WinStar World Casino 350K at Texas Motor Speedway. Long and the Panhandle Grading and Paving team are pleased to welcome Pegasus Helicopter Group on board at Texas Motor Speedway. The Pegasus Helicopter is a new unique helicopter design concept using pressure jet technology. The technology is so significant that it reduces demands on the pilot by dramatically reducing torque and virtually eliminating the dead man’s curve. The vehicle is as easy to operate as a five-speed car. Robert Zummo, CEO Pegasus Helicopter Group says, “We are thrilled to team with Panhandle Grading and Paving and Long. This is our first teaming arrangement in NASCAR and we specifically chose Long because we believe she is on the brink of stardom. Her driving ability is astonishing for a 19 year old female and we look forward to watching her mature in the 2012 season. It’s our goal to grow with Panhandle and Long. We look forward to supporting her in the upcoming late model Snowball Derby in December and many times in 2012.”(Johanna Long PR)(11-2-2011)

  • Goodyear Tire Notes — Texas: While teams in all three NASCAR series in action at Texas this weekend will run the same left-side tire code (D-4392), teams in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will run a different right-side code (D-4418) . . . as always, the Camping World Truck tires will be branded “Goodyear Wrangler,” while the Sprint Cup and Nationwide tires will be branded “Goodyear Eagle” . . . truck teams are running the same combination of left- and right-side tire codes they ran at Texas in June . . . they have also run this left-side tire code at Chicagoland, Darlington and Nashville (twice) in 2011 . . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams are required to run inner liners in all four tire positions at Texas . . . air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire.(Goodyear PR)(11-2-2011)

  • Ty Dillon making first start at TMS; new sponsors onboard; image added:The 19-year-old RCR driver, grandson of team owner Richard Childress, will make his first start at Texas Motor Speedway and second career NCWTS start this weekend in the WinStar Casino 350k. Dillon made his first career NCWTS start at Kentucky Speedway in October. Although Dillon has yet to make any laps at the Fort Worth, Texas-based facility, he has some impressive statistics from other 1.5-mile tracks on the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. In his young career, Dillon has made nine starts on tracks 1.5-mile or longer, earning six wins, seven top-five finishes and two pole awards. This weekend’s #21 Chevrolet will adorn a new design for the WinStar World Casino 350k at Texas Motor Speedway. Dillon and Company welcome Sherwin-Williams and Cain Food Industries to the truck. Sherwin Williams joins Dillon and the #21 team this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway — the nation’s largest specialty retailer of paint, stains, coatings, wall coverings and sundry items. Also on board, Cain Food Industries, Inc. providing a local link to the Lone Star State for the #21 team this weekend. Founded by Ernie and Billie Cain and now in its third generation of family ownership, Cain takes pride in being your preferred supplier of technical baking ingredients and has more than 40 years of experience in their business.(Richard Childress Racing PR) [Rendering of the #21 Sherwin Williams / Cain Foods Chevrolet is posted on the #21 NCWTS 2011 Paint Schemes page.](11-2-2011)

  • Eurocopter onboard with Coulter at Texas: American Eurocopter joins RCR as primary sponsor of the #22 Chevrolet with driver Joey coulter for this weekend. Based outside of Dallas, Tex., American Eurocopter manufactures, markets, sells, assembles, supports and provides training solutions for Eurocopter rotary-wing aircraft in the United States. Since beginning operations in 1969, it has become a leading provider of helicopters of U.S. civilian, parapublic and military markets. In his lone NCWTS appearance at Texas Motor Speedway in June 2011, Coulter finished fifth after starting second. He has one start at the track in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, starting fifth and finishing 23rd in April 2010. With 201 points, Coulter leads the NCWTS Sunoco Rookie of the Year point standings, four markers ahead of Cole Whitt, who is second in the standings.(Richard Childress Racing PR)(11-2-2011)

  • MB & SealWrap wrap up Operation Homefront program at Texas: MB Motorsports and SealWrap will wrap up their 2011 program to support Operation Homefront at Texas Motor Speedway in the WinStar World Casino 350K. Jack Smith will be making his third start at the fast 1.5 mile quad-oval in the #63 SealWrap / Operation Homefront Ford for MB Motorsports. MB Motorsports and SealWrap will wrap up their 2011 program to support Operation Homefront at Texas Motor Speedway in the WinStar World Casino 350K. Jack Smith will be making his third start at the fast 1.5 mile quad-oval in the #63 SealWrap / Operation Homefront Ford for MB Motorsports. Operation Homefront provides direct services to alleviate a military family’s or individual’s actual/complete emergency financial burden, as well as counseling and/or recovery support. To volunteer, contact your local Operation Homfront chapter. You can make an automatic $5 donation by texting HERO to 50555.(MB Motorsports PR)(11-2-2011)

  • Hackett Racing signs Derek White for final two in 2011: Ray Hackett Racing is pleased to announce the signing of Kahnawake, Quebec native Derek White as the team’s driver for the #76 Ford F-Series. White will pilot the truck in both the WinStar World Casino 350K this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway and in the Ford 200 at Homestead/Miami Speedway on November 18th. O.C.R. Gaz Bar will be on board to sponsor White’s efforts in both races. White has raced a total of three prior races in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, including last year’s race at Homestead/Miami. He also is a veteran of twenty four NASCAR Canadian Tire Series starts, including eight in the 2011 season. White has posted a total of ten top 15 finishes in his twenty four Canadian Tire Series starts including two top 10’s.(Ray Hackett Racing PR)(11-02-2011)

  • Texas hometown track for Starr: Once again the Build Your Future Campaign will join Zachry on the SS Green Light Racing #81 Toyota with driver David Starr. This week they will be joined by the Boot Campaign on Starr’s hometown ride. As part of Careers in Construction week Starr will make a special appearance at the Build Your Future construction career day in Dallas on Wednesday. “It’s always great to come back home to Texas to race, it’s really a fun weekend when all three NASCAR Series are racing here,” said Starr. “I’m really excited that we get to start the weekend with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race under the lights on Friday night.”Starr has 26 starts at the Texas Motor Speedway, the most of any track over his 14-year NCWTS career, and is currently thirteenth in the NCWTS standings with just two races remaining in 2011.(SS Green Light Racing PR)(11-2-2011)

  • Martinsville scores double-digit TV ratings increase: According to Nielsen Media Research, Saturday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on SPEED from Martinsville scored a .82, up 19-percent with HH over last year’s equivalent Martinsville race (.69). The Martinsville race marked the sixth year-to-year ratings increase in the past seven Truck Series races. The event also saw an increase of 58-percent among M35-54 (.71 vs. .45) and 40-percent among M18-49 (.42 vs. .30). When compared to last year’s equivalent-date race at Texas Motor Speedway, the Martinsville race was up 12-percent (.82 vs. .73) with HH, 13-percent among M35-54 (.71 vs. .63) and 27-percent among M18-49 (.42 vs. .33). The network’s pre-race show, NCWTS Setup with Krista Voda, scored a .63 from Martinsville, up 58-percent from last year’s .40. With two races remaining in the 2011 season, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is pacing up five-percent overall versus last year at this point (.82 vs. .78).(SPEEDtv PR)(11-1-2011)

  • Cyclone Anaya’s joins Feese at Texas; image added: The #32 Chevy Silverado will have a new look on track this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. Cyclone Anaya’s Mexican Kitchen will adorn the hood of Blake Feese’s #32 machine. Created by former Mexican professional wrestler Cyclone Anaya, the Mexican eatery has become a staple in the Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston areas. The restaurant serves up “Fine Mex,” a blend of the traditional and the modern. [This will be Feese’s first Truck Series start at Texas Motor Speedway. He has one Nationwide start back in 2005.](Turner Motorsports PR) [Rendering of the #32-Cyclone Anaya’s Mexican Kitchen Chevrolet is posted on the #32 NCWTS 2011 Paint Schemes page.](11-1-2011)

  • Busch back in the #18 with Traxxas at TMS: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams are finding it tough to top Kyle Busch Motorsports when Traxxas, the leading manufacturer of hobby-class radio-controlled vehicles, is onboard the team’s #18 Tundra. Denny Hamlin’s win last weekend in the Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway was the sixth in seven races with the Plano, Texas-based company serving as a primary or co-primary sponsor the last two seasons. Kyle Busch, who has been behind the wheel for five of Traxxas’ six wins, will pilot the #18 Traxxas Tundra Friday in the WinStar World Casino 350k at Texas Motor Speedway in Forth Worth — the final Traxxas sponsored race of 2011. Busch, the two-time defending winner of the race, will be looking to add to his Truck Series-leading six wins and at the same time help his KBM #18 team improve upon its series-leading eight wins.(Kyle Busch Motorsports PR)(11-1-2011)

  • Buescher doubles-up at hometown track: The Texas native is going to be busy this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. Buescher will pilot the #31 Exide Batteries Chevrolet Silverado on Friday evening, and will also drive the #30 ABF Chevrolet in Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series event. Not only does driver James Buescher consider Texas Motor Speedway his home track but so does Turner Motorsports team owner, Steve Turner. Turner, along with his wife Sandra, live outside of Houston, only four hours from the “Great American Speedway.” In August, Texas Motor Speedway launched an incentive based reading program called “Speeding to Read,” a platform which encourages children to read, at Clara Love Elementary. The program is part of NASCAR’s ongoing effort in targeting the younger demographic. On Thursday morning, James Buescher will visit the winning class to congratulate them on their accomplishments and encourage them to continue reading. James Buescher and the #31 Exide Batteries team remain in one of the closest battles in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series history. The Turner Motorsports team is only 11 markers out of the championship point lead with two races remaining on the 2011 schedule.(Turner Motorsports PR)(11-01-2011)

Camping World Truck Series News & Rumors Archives
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October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011

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