Monday

Ryan Truex, No. 99 Pastrana Waltrip Racing Toyota Camry Charlotte Motor Speedway Preview

Filed under Nationwide Series, Press Releases

Ryan Truex

No. 99 Pastrana Waltrip Racing Toyota

Charlotte Motor Speedway

CORNELIUS, N.C. — Ryan Truex returns to the No. 99 Pastrana-Waltrip Racing Toyota for Friday night’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Truex and three other drivers will fight for a chance to earn the $100,000 bonus in Nationwide’s Dash 4 Cash program. The 19-year-old qualified for the program by finishing fourth at Richmond last month. He pockets the $100,000 if he’s the highest finisher among Kenny Wallace, Elliott Sadler, or Ricky Stenhouse Jr. at Charlotte.

RYAN TRUEX ON THE $100,000 BONUS: “It’s a neat program that NASCAR and Nationwide have put together for us. I qualified for the Dash 4 Cash program in Richmond, and I know winning this $100,000 would mean a lot. I’m going to be working with Pastrana Waltrip Racing this weekend at Charlotte. We didn’t decide to run Charlotte until last Thursday so the guys back at the shop have been working around the clock to get the cars ready. I was told my primary is a new car that performed well at the wind tunnel so I am excited to see how it handles. I am feeling pretty confident in our chances of winning the bonus money this weekend.”

TRUEX RACING AT CHARLOTTE: “Charlotte is fast, high-banked and is a lot of fun to race at. It’s going to be good to work with (Crew Chief Mike) Greci again. We communicate well and have good results when we work together. Pastrana Waltrip Racing always gives me fast Toyotas, and I know that this combination will give me a good shot to do well at the track, and keep me in contention for a win as well as for the Dash 4 Cash. ”

MIKE GRECI ON TRUEX: “I think Ryan has stepped it up a lot in the past few months. Ryan has been in the MWR gym almost every day since his wrist surgery to try and make himself stronger. He has been able to go out there and get some good finishes lately on the track, and I think that has given him confidence to go out there and win the $100,000 bonus. We had a good run with Martin (Truex Jr.) last year so we are going to bring the same set up this race and hopefully it equals the same results.”

NOTES OF INTEREST

· Owners: Michael Waltrip Racing, Gary and Blake Bechtel and Travis Pastrana own Pastrana-Waltrip Racing that fields Toyota Camrys out of the MWR shop in Cornelius, N.C. The Bechtels have owned cars in the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series since 1990. The Morgan Hill, Calif. residents’ teams have visited victory lane 10 times in the Nationwide Series.

· Season Stats: In 15 NASCAR Nationwide Series starts this season Truex has one top-five and four top-10 finishes. He has an average starting position of 12.7 and an average finishing position of 15.9.

· Champion: Truex is the only teenager to win back-to-back K&N Pro Series East titles (2009 & 2010), and he is the first driver to bring a championship to Michael Waltrip Racing.

· Atop the Pit Box: Longtime crew chief Mike Greci will serve as Truex’s crew chief on the No. 99 Pastrana Waltrip Racing Toyota this Friday night at Charlotte. Greci won titles with Truex in 2009 and 2010 and with Mike Stefanik in 1997 and 1998.

· Meet the Driver: Truex will sign autographs 1-2 p.m. Friday on pit road at Charlotte.

- Pastrana-Waltrip Racing Press Release