DARLINGTON RACEWAY EVENT ADDED TO 2010 NCWTS SCHEDULE
January 20, 2010
NASCAR PR
* Historic Track Returning After Five-Year Absence
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 20, 2010) – NASCAR today announced the addition of historic Darlington Raceway to the 2010 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule.
The Aug. 14 Too Tough To Tame 200 replaces an event at The Milwaukee Mile on the 25-race schedule and marks the series’ return to the 1.366-mile South Carolina track that hosted four races between 2001 and 2004.
“Our fans have asked us to bring back the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series because Darlington is a perfect fit for the tough racing the series offers,” said Darlington Raceway President Chris Browning. “We are excited to be able to bring back the trucks in 2010 and look forward to putting on a memorable show for all of our fans.”
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champions Bobby Hamilton and Ted Musgrave are among previous series winners at Darlington Raceway – Hamilton winning twice in 2001 and 2003. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series star Kasey Kahne won the series’ final appearance at Darlington in 2004.
“It’s awesome to return to one of NASCAR’s oldest tracks,” said NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Director Wayne Auton. “There will be a full day of racing since this is a one-day show. The fans definitely will get their money’s worth.”
The single-day schedule features practice, qualifying and a 200-mile, 147-lap race beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET.
The 2010 season is the 16th for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and begins Feb. 19 with the NextEra Energy 250 at Daytona International Speedway.
Ballew making inroads toward two-truck team
January 16, 2010By Dave Rodman, NASCAR.COM
January 15, 2010
04:51 PM EST
http://www.nascar.com/2010/news/headlines/truck/01/15/aalmirola.mwaltrip.ballew/1.html
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — Camping World Truck Series owner Billy Ballew hopes to run Michael Waltrip and Aric Almirola for the series championship he’s chased since 2002.
Ballew hopes it starts with the Truck Series season opener on Feb. 12. But two ancient racing principles — competitiveness and funding — may get in the way.
“Our goal there is to run two trucks, with Michael Waltrip and Aric Almirola,” Ballew said. “We still have some sponsorship stuff that we need to try to get put in place for that all to happen, but that’s the direction that we’re heading.
“We’re digging every day trying to get some sponsorship help for both trucks and I think that’s what we’re doing. I can’t 100 percent guarantee it, but that’s the plan we’re on right now.
“I’ve been against all odds since I started doing this in 1996, so I have no intention of doing anything but running both [trucks] the full year,” he added. “That’s just my mindset. Can I guarantee that? No. But that’s what I’m working toward every morning when I get up.”
The Georgia owner has been in a full-court press for sponsorship since Kyle Busch announced plans to operate his own Truck Series team and took the full-season sponsorship from the Miccosukee that was on Ballew’s trucks for at least part of the past four seasons.
Ballew said he and Waltrip have talked at length about their options. (more…)
Michael Waltrip could run multiple Truck races for Billy Ballew Motorsports
January 4, 2010By Jared Turner – SceneDaily Staff Writer
Monday, January 04, 2010
Waltrip, who is scheduled to run only select Cup events in 2010 with the Michael Waltrip Racing team he co-owns with Rob Kauffman, has been in discussions with team owner Billy Ballew about a full-time ride in the Camping World Truck Series, Ballew said in a phone interview with www.SceneDaily.com on Monday morning.
Waltrip, however, sounded less intent on a full Truck season when asked about his plans Monday afternoon.
“He’s working on sponsorship, and if it comes through, there’s a pretty good chance I’ll run a couple races for him,” the two-time Daytona 500 champion said of Ballew.
Billy Ballew Motorsports, which has enlisted the services of Kyle Busch on a part-time basis since 2005, is looking to name drivers for its two trucks after Busch announced plans in December to compete for his own Kyle Busch Motorsports operation that he is bringing into the series.
Ballew expects an announcement about Waltrip’s future with BMM by Jan. 15 and is still in the process of securing funding for Waltrip and a second driver, Aric Almirola.
Almirola made 16 starts for the organization last season after lack of sponsorship forced him out of a Cup ride at Dale Earnhardt Inc., but 25-year-old Tampa, Fla., native is not under contract with BMM.
Waltrip would join a Billy Ballew Motorsports organization that won seven Truck races last season, all with Busch as a driver. The No. 51 Toyota shared by Busch and others also finished second in the owner standings. (more…)
