News Article

Plenty of storylines surround 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series seasons

January 5, 2010
NASCAR PR

The countdown has begun. In just a few short weeks the engines will fire and the 2010 NASCAR season will be in full swing.

NASCAR Nationwide Series teams go to work on pit road. NASCAR returns to Nashville April 2-3, 2010.

After stops in Daytona, California, Las Vegas and Bristol, the NASCAR Nationwide Series will pull into Nashville for race No. 5 of the 2010 season on April 3, 2010.

Likewise, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series comes to Nashville for the first time on April 2, 2010 as part of a doubleheader weekend with the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Drivers will want to start the season off right by scoring a victory at Nashville.

The following news bites are stories to watch in each series as the 2010 NASCAR season gets underway.

NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES
 
New year, new car
The NASCAR Nationwide Series new car will make its on-track debut this year at four races, before being targeted for full-season integration into the series in 2011.
 
The new car – which will feature three new manufacturer models with the Chevrolet Impala, the Dodge Challenger and the Ford Mustang in addition to the standard but sporty Toyota Camry – will run its first race at Daytona International Speedway on July 2. Other races for the new car will be Aug. 14 at Michigan International Speedway, Sept. 10 at Richmond International Raceway and Oct. 23 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
 
Patrick flips the switch
IndyCar star Danica Patrick makes the switch to stock cars in 2010, and like many of her other open-wheel peers, will make her NASCAR debut in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Patrick is scheduled to run up to 13 NASCAR Nationwide races, starting Feb. 20 at Auto Club Speedway.
 
During the last two years, open-wheel drivers such as Juan Pablo Montoya and Sam Hornish made their NASCAR debuts in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Montoya’s first national series win was in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2007 at Mexico City.
 
Patrick joins a list of other new drivers looking to make an impact on the series this year such as Trevor Bayne, Colin Braun, James Buescher, Brian Scott and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., all of whom are running their first full season.
 
NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES

Drive for five for Hornaday
Defending and four-time series champion Ron Hornaday Jr. certainly made up for finishing second to rival Johnny Benson in 2008 in one of the closest battles for the title in the series. He’s back with his No. 33 Kevin Harvick Inc. team but will have to go for an unprecedented fifth title with a new crew chief. NCWTS veteran Dave Fuge will call the shots for Hornaday this season. Rick Ren had been the veteran’s crew chief since 2007.

Austin Dillon brings Richard Childress Racing back to truck racing
Nineteen-year-old Austin Dillon will bring his grandfather Richard Childress and his race team Richard Childress Racing back to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this season. RCR is no stranger to the series. With Mike Skinner at the wheel in the inaugural 1995 season, the team won an impressive eight races on the way to claiming the championship. Dillon made his debut at Iowa Speedway last season where he started ninth before finishing 12th. He competed in a second race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in September and brought home a 15th-place finish.

Crafton looking for first championship
ThorSport Racing’s Matt Crafton arguably had his best season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series last year. With 11 top-five and 21 top-10 finishes, Crafton managed to hold the top points position early in the summer before slipping to second to Ron Hornaday Jr. where he would end the season. The California native will be back in the No. 88 Chevrolet.

Kyle Busch Motorsports brings new team to series
Kyle Busch will make his debut as team owner in the truck series when the 2010 season gets underway at Daytona. Busch will share driving duties of the No. 18 Toyota with rising talent Brian Ickler. Tayler Malsam, who will be in his second full season in the series, will pilot the No. 56 Toyota. Malsam finished 2009 with one top-five and 10 top-10 finishes and 12th in the final standings. He came in second to Johnny Sauter in the battle for Raybestos Rookie of the Year honors.

NASCAR returns to Nashville Superspeedway on April 2-3, 2010. For more information, or to purchase tickets, call 866-RACE-TIX or click here.