Ward Burton to run truck race at Daytona for new team
Ward Burton will run the Camping World Truck Series race at Daytona this year. // Jim Fluharty, NASCAR Illustrated
Former Daytona 500 winner Ward Burton will compete in the season-opening Camping World Truck Series race in a truck owned by former Germain Racing general manager Mike Hillman Sr.
Hillman bought equipment from Germain and has started Hillman Racing, which will field the No. 27 Chevrolet in the truck series this year. Burton’s truck will have sponsorship from State Water Heaters.
The team also will create a development program for Burton’s 19-year-old son, Jeb, who will see time in the truck this year.
The team is still determining its lineup of drivers for the 22-race schedule.
Burton won the 2002 Daytona 500 in a career that included 375 Cup starts. He has five career Cup wins, all with Bill Davis Racing. He has never run a NASCAR truck race and has not raced in a NASCAR national touring series event since 2007.
“I am real excited about the things we have going on with Mike and his program,” Burton said in a news release. “I think this is a real good thing for Jeb and his career.
“Hillman Sr. is building a great team of people and we are hoping that we can bring some additional marketing partners on board with us to make this program a huge success. “
Hillman Sr. managed a Germain Racing truck operation that won two titles with Todd Bodine.
“First off, I have to thank Bob Germain for his friendship over the years; it’s because of that we were able to acquire the truck teams,” Hillman said. “I put my heart and soul into that organization and I wanted to continue the tradition of winning that we established there with the two Camping World Truck Series championships.
“I’m also appreciative of State Water Heaters for coming on board as we continue to talk with additional marketing partners to grow this operation. Having a driver of Ward’s caliber entrusting me with the development of his son’s Jeb NASCAR career is a compliment to what I’ve been a part of in the Truck Series and the sport.”
