After a long offseason the SS Green Light Racing team is ready to kick-off the 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on Friday night at the Daytona International Speedway. The team will have a new look for 2012 returning to its familiar No. 08. The team will have a new crew chief in Bryan Berry along with an exciting Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate in Ross Chastain behind the wheel.
Friday night the rookie driver will make his second NCWTS start in his home state and first at Daytona in the NextEra Energy Resources 250. The 19-year old is eager to show off the fresh new look of his Toyota Tundra featuring two Florida based organizations; The National Watermelon Association will adorn the hood of Chastain’s black and green No. 08 Toyota while the National Watermelon Promotions Board will cover the quarterpanels for the season opener. Perhaps the most unique aspect of the colorful design is the load of watermelons that Ross will be hauling in his Tundra pick-up at nearly 190 miles per hour.
“We are going to be known as the watermelon team,” Chastain said with a smile. “We are going to have a lot of fun with this truck. Our goal is to help the watermelon industry promote one of the healthiest and nutritious fruits available anywhere in the world.”
“It’s definitely going to be a big deal for me and for my whole family to be racing so close to home in such a special race, a bunch of them are coming up Friday. We’re also going to have a bunch of people from the National Watermelon Association and the Promotions Board coming down from Amelia Island where they are having their national convention, plus I’ll be up there both before and after the race. This will be one of our big races with people who have seen me race before and those who are supporting me. Being the first race we can get them all excited, it will be pretty good.”
Friday will be Chastain’s first NCWTS start at the Daytona International Speedway. In just five starts last season, Ross had one top-ten finish at Lucas Oil Raceway. The 19-year old from South Florida has an average start of 28.2, an average finish of 18.8 and completed an impressive 98.5% of the possible laps run.
“Going off what the team has done the past few speedway races with this truck I think a top-fifteen qualifying is realistic. With the motor program we have worked out with Mark Smith from Pro Motors we should be pretty good,” he continued. “As for the race a goal of a top-ten would be great, but I would be satisfied with a top-fifteen.”
“It’s the guys in the shop who are doing all they can with what we’ve got,” Ross concluded. “I’m just the guy who get’s to have all the fun hauling the watermelons around.”
The NextEra Energy Resources 250 is the 271st consecutive NCWTS start for the SS Green Light Racing team and the 6th career start for Chastain in the Truck Series.
SS Green Light Racing PR
