Photo Credit: Kala Perkins
Rising Star Makes his Team Target Debut in the No. 51 Chevrolet SS
CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 1, 2013) – Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (EGR) announces today that young driving sensation, Kyle Larson, will make his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) debut for Team Target in the Phoenix Racing No. 51 Target Chevrolet SS at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Oct. 12. In addition, he will run the NSCS race in Martinsville in the No. 51 Target Chevrolet SS on Oct. 27. In August, EGR announced that Larson would take over the reins of the No. 42 Target Chevy SS beginning in 2014.
Larson, who is currently running full-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS), will also compete in the NNS race at Charlotte in the No. 32 Target Camaro for Turner Scott Motorsports. Next season, the 2012 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (NKNPSE) Champion, will continue to run full-time in the NNS and compete for Rookie of the Year honors in the NSCS in the No. 42 Target Chevy SS.
Notes of Interest:
· Staying on Target: Before becoming the full-time Target driver in the NSCS in 2014, Larson will drive under the Target banner for his two 2013 NSCS starts in Charlotte and Martinsville and in one NNS race in Charlotte. Larson’s 2013 Target paint scheme in the No. 51 and No. 32 Chevys will be white and carry the familiar Target bullseye in red.
· NASCAR at a Glance: Larson has started 28 races in the 2013 NNS season, finished second last week in Dover and sits ninth in the point standings with eight top-five and 15 top-10 finishes. He has also had two 2013 starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) with a win at Rockingham Speedway and second-place finish at Eldora Speedway. Larson also made four NCWTS starts in 2012 and finished with one top-five and three top-10s. He became just the third driver in history of the NKNPSE to win the series championship as a rookie.
· Drive for Diversity: The native of Elk Grove, Calif. is of Japanese-American descent and with his NKNPSE Championship in 2012 claimed the first series championship for one of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program drivers.
Quote Board:
· Chip Ganassi, Owner, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates: “We are happy to have an opportunity to get Kyle in a couple of Cup races this year. Those races along with an aggressive testing schedule will be invaluable in his preparation for the 2014 season.”
· Kyle Larson, Driver, No. 51 Target Chevrolet SS: “I am very excited to get behind the wheel of a Cup car in Charlotte this month – especially getting to race with the Target bullseye on the car. I have a lot of work to do to prepare for the 2014 season and I cannot wait to get started.”
About Chip Ganassi Racing Teams
Chip Ganassi has been a fixture in the auto racing industry for over 25 years and is considered one of the most successful as well as innovative owners the sport has anywhere in the world. Today his teams include two cars in the IZOD IndyCar Series, two cars in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and one Daytona Prototype in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series. Overall his teams have 16 championships and over 150 victories, including four Indianapolis 500s, a Daytona 500, a Brickyard 400 and five Rolex 24 At Daytonas. Ganassi boasts state-of-the-art race shop facilities in Indianapolis and Brownsburg, Ind. and Concord, N.C., with a corporate office in Pittsburgh, Penn.
