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EARNHARDT TO MAKE MARTINSVILLE DEBUT AT KROGER 250
Kerry Earnhardt will make his first visit to Martinsville Speedway as a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competitor in the Kroger 250 on Saturday, but the Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate speaks of the tough half-mile track with the savvy of a veteran. “Martinsville will test you in a number of ways, but the most important factor there is brakes,” Earnhardt said. “You’ve got to manage to keep your brakes and not overheat them, because it’ll be a long day and a rough race. My first goal, obviously, is to make the race (Earnhardt’s No. 13 sits 30th in the owner’s point standings, where the teams ranked in the top 30 after Martinsville are guaranteed race starting spots for the rest of the season). Then, it’s a matter of letting things happen and avoiding trouble during the first half of the race, so that you’re there at the end with a chance to compete.” Earnhardt enters the Kroger 250 in need of the adrenaline shot a strong finish in the race would likely provide. After finishes of 18th at Daytona and 29th at California to open the season, Earnhardt qualified 14th (and 3rd fastest among Chevrolets) in the No. 13 ThorSport Racing Silverado at Atlanta, and for the first time this season appeared to have a truck capable of challenging for a top finish. He never got an opportunity, however, as his truck was squeezed against the wall a mere 15 laps into the race, causing right front damage. Earnhardt wound up in 34th place and frustrated. “We qualified well, and I felt like we had a fast truck and was excited to see what we could do,” he said. “It was frustrating, because it wasn’t our fault. On the bright side, Atlanta was the first time this season that our setup was right on, and I was actually able to feel what the truck was doing. It had been so far off before that I couldn’t get a specific feel for it and relay the necessary information for adjustments.” Communication is crucial to success in NASCAR, and Earnhardt’s No. 13 team has seen its share of personnel changes since the outset of the season. Longtime NASCAR veteran Lance Hooper takes over as crew chief for the No. 13 beginning at Martinsville. Hooper replaces interim crew chief Steve May, who returns to his duties as Director of Competition at ThorSport. Earnhardt believes the changes will aid the competitive effort. “I’m excited to work with Lance, and I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to communicate well and learn from each other and turn things around for the No. 13 ThorSport Racing Chevy Silverado,” said Earnhardt. Earnhardt is 26th in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings.
Media Contact: John Dauphin, ThorSport Racing 614-361-5069 |