kat
09-13-2000, 04:01 AM
Craftsman Trucks to race in Darlington in 2001
DARLINGTON, S.C. (Sept. 12, 2000)
Darlington Raceway will host its first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event the weekend of May 11-12, 2001 giving the track a third major racing weekend for the year.
The weekend, in which officials plan to include an event for the Goody's Dash Series, NASCAR Touring as well as "Monster Truck" events, has been added to a raceway schedule that already includes two weekends of NASCAR Busch Series Grand National Division and NASCAR Winston Cup activity.
In its 51-year history the 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval has challenged everything from Indianapolis race cars to NASCAR's old convertible division. The Pepsi Southern 500, which had its 50th anniversary race two weeks ago after its 1950 inaugural, is NASCAR's longest-running superspeedway race.
"This is going to be one whale of a wing-ding weekend of racing," said Darlington Raceway President Jim Hunter. "We've been trying to schedule the Craftsman Trucks and the Goody's Dash cars here for quite some time and it finally all came together."
The four-cylinder sub-compacts of the Goody's Dash Series last race at Darlington in the mid-1980s, when the raceway was the title sponsor of the series.
The weekend will begin with Bud Pole Qualifying and practice for both the Goody's Dash cars and the NASCAR Craftsman Trucks on Friday, May 11, with a triple-header race day including Monster Truck competition on Saturday, May 12.
"We're hoping to schedule the Monster Trucks both days and will use the third and fourth turn infield portion of the track down in front of Pearson Tower for them -- just like we did earlier this year," Hunter said. "We're still working out all the details but I don't have to over-emphasize how pumped-up we are."
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, which is NASCAR's youngest division of racing, has continued to grow since its inception in 1995. The 2000 season highlights 24 race events, including four facilities that were added to the schedule this year: Daytona International Speedway, Chicago Motor Speedway, Dover Downs International Speedway and Kentucky Speedway.
The Goody's Dash Series features six-cylinder sub-compact cars from Pontiac, Chevrolet, Ford, Mercury and Toyota. Drivers such as the late Davey Allison, Larry Pearson, Michael Waltrip and Phil Parsons cut their NASCAR racing teeth in this division.
"Adding Darlington to the truck schedule is a huge step for this series," says Kurt Busch, NCTS Rookie of the Year point leader who will be moving into a NASCAR Winston Cup ride in 2001. "The history and tradition behind Darlington is huge, and adding the Darlington date says something about where the series is going. I wish I was driving a truck at that track!"
Reserved and unreserved tickets are currently on sale for the inaugural event, and may be purchased by calling the Darlington Raceway ticket office at (843) 395-8499.
DARLINGTON, S.C. (Sept. 12, 2000)
Darlington Raceway will host its first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event the weekend of May 11-12, 2001 giving the track a third major racing weekend for the year.
The weekend, in which officials plan to include an event for the Goody's Dash Series, NASCAR Touring as well as "Monster Truck" events, has been added to a raceway schedule that already includes two weekends of NASCAR Busch Series Grand National Division and NASCAR Winston Cup activity.
In its 51-year history the 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval has challenged everything from Indianapolis race cars to NASCAR's old convertible division. The Pepsi Southern 500, which had its 50th anniversary race two weeks ago after its 1950 inaugural, is NASCAR's longest-running superspeedway race.
"This is going to be one whale of a wing-ding weekend of racing," said Darlington Raceway President Jim Hunter. "We've been trying to schedule the Craftsman Trucks and the Goody's Dash cars here for quite some time and it finally all came together."
The four-cylinder sub-compacts of the Goody's Dash Series last race at Darlington in the mid-1980s, when the raceway was the title sponsor of the series.
The weekend will begin with Bud Pole Qualifying and practice for both the Goody's Dash cars and the NASCAR Craftsman Trucks on Friday, May 11, with a triple-header race day including Monster Truck competition on Saturday, May 12.
"We're hoping to schedule the Monster Trucks both days and will use the third and fourth turn infield portion of the track down in front of Pearson Tower for them -- just like we did earlier this year," Hunter said. "We're still working out all the details but I don't have to over-emphasize how pumped-up we are."
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, which is NASCAR's youngest division of racing, has continued to grow since its inception in 1995. The 2000 season highlights 24 race events, including four facilities that were added to the schedule this year: Daytona International Speedway, Chicago Motor Speedway, Dover Downs International Speedway and Kentucky Speedway.
The Goody's Dash Series features six-cylinder sub-compact cars from Pontiac, Chevrolet, Ford, Mercury and Toyota. Drivers such as the late Davey Allison, Larry Pearson, Michael Waltrip and Phil Parsons cut their NASCAR racing teeth in this division.
"Adding Darlington to the truck schedule is a huge step for this series," says Kurt Busch, NCTS Rookie of the Year point leader who will be moving into a NASCAR Winston Cup ride in 2001. "The history and tradition behind Darlington is huge, and adding the Darlington date says something about where the series is going. I wish I was driving a truck at that track!"
Reserved and unreserved tickets are currently on sale for the inaugural event, and may be purchased by calling the Darlington Raceway ticket office at (843) 395-8499.