Catchfence

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (April 21, 2010) - Billy Ballew Motorsports announced today that Nelson Piquet Jr. will drive its No. 15 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) entry for three events this season. Piquet will pilot the Qualcomm, ArcSight Toyota Tundra at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 21, Texas Motor Speedway on June 4 and Michigan International Speedway on June 12.

At only 24 years old, Piquet has already accumulated an impressive track record. In 2005 and 2006, Piquet raced in the Formula 1 developmental series, GP2. He won at Belgium in 2005 and claimed second-place in the championship point standings in 2006. In 2007, Piquet was hired by Renault Racing as a test driver for its F1 operation. Renault Racing recognized his talent and put him behind the wheel for the 2008 and 2009 seasons.

Piquet got his first taste of stock car competition this season. He competed in the ARCA Series and NCWTS events at Daytona International Speedway, finishing 27th and sixth respectively. His most recent stint was in Texas Motor Speedway’s Rattlesnake 150. Piquet started first and finished ninth.

“Everyone at Billy Ballew Motorsports is very excited to have Nelson racing with us,” said Ballew. “He’s obviously an incredibly talented driver. I think these three races will give him some valuable seat time, which is just what he needs to continue developing his abilities. He did very well at Daytona earlier this year and showed that he has a good feel for stock car racing. The more time he has to get acclimated to these vehicles, the better he’s going to do.

“We take a lot of pride in our program. We have a talented group of people that can help drivers reach their potential. When you’re up-and-coming, you need guidance to learn how to get the most out of your truck and how you can make it better. We have a lot of experience doing that and look forward to working with talented drivers, like Nelson, who are on the rise. I think this will be a great opportunity for him.”

Piquet is looking forward to the three-race schedule with Billy Ballew Motorsports and honing his NASCAR craft.

“I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of a truck again,” said Piquet. “I really enjoyed racing at Daytona and learned a lot. I gain a better understanding of how these trucks handle with each lap I take. These upcoming races will be exactly what I need to continue growing as a driver.

“It’s going to be a great experience to work with the 15 team. They have great people on their team and I’m excited to be working with them. ”

About Billy Ballew Motorsports:

BBM started competing full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2002 and has had a variety of well known NASCAR drivers over the years. The list includes Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Aric Almirola, Brian Ickler, John Andretti, Kenny Wallace, Paul Menard, Bill Lester, Geoffrey Bodine, Joe Ruttman and a host of others. It was Shane Hmiel who piloted the No. 15 for the 2004 season that brought Billy Ballew his first win at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the team’s 100th start in the NCWTS. Since then Billy Ballew Motorsports has taken 16 more trips to victory lane.

- Billy Ballew Motorsports Press Release