Stringer Motorsports gets a Sweet deal for Truck series races in 2010
Stringer Motorsports says that USAC open-wheel driver Brad Sweet will drive the organization’s No. 90 Toyota in select races next season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
Sweet will get a head start on 2010 by making his debut in the Great Clips-sponsored truck this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway.
The Grass Valley, Calif., native made his stock-car debut in July, racing in the ARCA Re/Max Series race at Kentucky Speedway for Stringer Motorsports.
Tentative plans call for Sweet to compete in the following Truck races in 2010: Dover International Speedway (May 14), Charlotte Motor Speedway (May 21), The Milwaukee Mile (June 18), Gateway International Raceway (July 16), O’Reilly Raceway Park (July 23), Bristol Motor Speedway (Aug. 18), Phoenix International Raceway (Nov. 12) and Homestead-Miami Speedway (Nov. 19).
Sweet, who plans to continue to run the World of Outlaws series when it doesn’t conflict with Truck events, has made a name for himself driving USAC Midgets and Sprint Cars for Kasey Kahne Racing the last two years. He is currently battling for the 2009 USAC National Midget title and has also run USAC and World of Outlaws sprint cars for KKR this season.
His most prestigious USAC career victories came at the Belleville Midget Nationals, the Knoxville Midget Nationals, and the Sprint Car and Midget “Four Crown Nationals” at Eldora Speedway.
Sweet is following a path similar to his racing mentor, Sprint Cup driver Kasey Kahne. Kahne drove for Stringer Motorsports in what is now the Nationwide Series from 2003 to 2005, with Great Clips as his sponsor. Kahne will continue to be a mentor for Sweet as he makes the transition from open wheel to stock cars.
“I’d like to thank both [team owner] Doug Stringer and Kasey Kahne for the opportunity and Great Clips for supporting us,” Sweet said. “I’m look forward to taking my career to the next level. I expect to learn a lot from the other Truck drivers and gain their respect at the same time. To be able to draw from Kasey and Doug’s experience will hopefully make the transition much smoother.”
Stringer looks forward to bringing Sweet into the fold.
“Kasey has been telling me about an up-and-coming, young talent named Brad Sweet for the last year or two,” Stringer said. “When the opportunity arose to put Brad in the No. 90 Great Clips Toyota Tundra I jumped at it. It’s an interesting parallel to be working with one of Kasey’s protégés, five years after Kasey drove for me. It’s going to be a lot of fun to now to work with Brad and to mentor him as he starts out on this new career path.”
Financial terms of the sponsorship were not disclosed.
