Race Weekend Central

Tearing Apart the Trucks: Robb Brent to Make His Debut

After taking a weekend off, the Craftsman Truck Series heads to Nashville Superspeedway this weekend for the Toyota Tundra 200. When the green flag flies, Brad Keselowksi Racing will make their Truck Series debut with Robb Brent behind the wheel of the No. 19 Chevrolet. Brent just started racing four years ago, at age 16, at Kart2Kart, an indoor carting track.

In 2007, Brent made his debut in the ARCA Re/Max Series for Brad Keselowski Racing and scored his best finish of 10th at Nashville Superspeedway. Most recently, the Shelby Township, Mich. native has run a few races in the ARCA Re/Max Series this year, and he matched his career best finish of fifth last weekend at Pocono Raceway. In eight starts, Brent has qualified in the top 10 in all but two races and has finished in the top 15 in six races – only two of those finishes were outside the top 10.

Along with making his debut this weekend in Nashville, Brent is also scheduled to run at Gateway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway in September. The team took the truck to Chicagoland Speedway for a test session in preparation for Saturday night’s event.

“It was my first time in the truck and I’m feeling comfortable” said Brent. “Nashville is where Brad [Keselowski] got his first Nationwide series win, the team is working well together and I look forward to representing BKR at this next level.”

As with any new team making their debut, the odds are usually stacked against them. If Brent can come out with strong practice runs and a strong qualifying run – and I’m confident he can – the team will definitely gain an added boost. The higher the 19-year-old qualifies, the easier he’ll find his night. He already has help in the form of Keselowski, and there’s no doubt in my mind that he might also get some help from Dale Earnhardt Jr. since Keselowski drives for Junior in the Nationwide Series.

Just like Randy Moss Motorsports, Brad Keselowski Racing has the right idea by starting small. While the purses are much smaller in the Craftsman Truck Series than the Nationwide or Sprint Cup series races, a team not guaranteed a starting position by way of owner points is more likely to gain the track time that is so important for any up and coming driver.

Did You Know?

  • Atlanta Motor Speedway will not host two races next season? Since 2005, the CTS has visited the 1.5-mile oval twice every season, but the fall race will be dropped from the schedule in 2009. NASCAR officials would not comment on next year’s schedule other than to say the series will again run 25 races.
  • Willie Allen will be back in the CTS again Saturday night? He has signed on for another single-race deal with RMM and will pilot the No. 81 Chevrolet sponsored by Rascal Flatts and the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau.
  • Jeff Green will return to the Truck Series this weekend? He is scheduled to run in the No. 40 Key Motorsports Chevrolet Saturday night and again at Bristol on Aug. 20.
  • David Stremme will be behind the wheel of the No. 15 Ergon Hyprene Toyota for Billy Ballew Motorsports? He will carry a special decal in honor of 17-year-old Chris Jackson, who was recently paralyzed in an accident for this weekend as well as at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 20th.
  • Ron Hornaday Jr. raced in the Nationwide Series at Montreal? He ran the No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet for Kevin Harvick Inc. and finished fourth when the race was cut short due to poor visibility in a blinding rain storm.
  • Shane Sieg will return to the series this weekend? Sieg will again be behind the wheel of the No. 51 Miccosukee Resorts Toyota Tundra in place of Kyle Busch.
  • Colin Braun will remain in the Truck Series at least through the 2009 season? Roush Fenway Racing announced Con-way Freight will remain primary sponsor of the No. 6 Ford, and 2009 will mark Braun’s second full season in the series.

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