CONCORD, North Carolina (May 18, 2016) – – Jesse Little has been anxiously waiting to return to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS).
The wait is finally over as Little and Rette Jones Racing (RJR) owned by racers Mark Rette and Terry Jones along with a technical alliance with powerhouse ThorSport Racing invade Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway ahead of Friday night’s N.C. Education Lottery 200.
Little hasn’t competed in a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race since the season-finale at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Motor Speedway, but it doesn’t mean that the third-generation driver hasn’t been keeping his eye closely on the tour knowing his return was imminent.
“I’m ready to get back in the truck, I’m really excited,” said Little who will drive the No. 30 The Carolina Nut Co. Toyota Tundra in the sixth race of the season. “Everyone at Rette Jones Racing has been working extremely hard to get this truck ready and we can’t thank the crew over at ThorSport Racing for their support. We know without them; this race wouldn’t be possible.”
While not having the opportunity to race full-time on the tour, Little knows that every chance he is given is an audition.Friday’s race is another chance for not only him to showcase his talent, but also propel his Rette Jones Racing team into the spotlight in their first race of the season.
“This team has really come a long way in a short amount of time,” Little added. “It has family-toned values and cores which immediately drew me to them. Owners Mark (Rette) and Terry (Jones) are hardcore racers who know what it takes to be successful, but understand the fundamentals of racing too.
“Together, we all want to come out of the box strong. We know that if we can have a good run this weekend it could open some doors to run even more races later in the season and that’s what we are chasing. I’ve never raced at Charlotte, but I’m looking forward to the challenge it brings.”
A good reason that Little doesn’t have to worry about his truck is the leadership of Rette who has prior experience at the 1.5-mile oval and the open-door relationship with Sandusky, Ohio’s ThorSport Racing which will field four entries in Friday night’s contest.
“We know that we have the equipment and personnel capable of putting in a good position this weekend at Charlotte, but we know we also need some luck too,” added Little. “These races are hard to win. Everything just has to be perfect. No mistakes. We know the competition is going to be fierce this weekend – but we have the motivation and willpower to go out there and try and be the David vs. Goliath.”
Like everyone else, Little knows that Mother Nature could try and soak the team’s objectives this weekend at Charlotte, but the Sherrills Ford, North Carolina native said his team is thinking positive.
“It’s no secret we don’t have any owner’s points, so it’s likely if it rains and qualifying is canceled, we could be going home, but we can’t let that detour us from our goals at hand,” Little explained. “The weather can change quickly in North Carolina, so we just have to keep our eye on the sky, stay focused on our plan and hope for the best.”
Rain or shine – Rette, the 2009 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards crew chief is proud of what his team has been able to build.
“We ran some truck races last year, but that was with a different driver and manufacturer,” Rette said. “Rette Jones Racing along with my partner Terry (Jones) is proud to have this opportunity to represent the Toyota family as well as work with ThorSport Racing. I’ve said it time and time again Jesse is a wheelman and I’m glad he’s on our side. Terry agrees. I can’t predict anything that’s going to happen this weekend, but we’re going to go out there and give 100 percent and hope everything else falls into place.”
In four truck starts, Little owns a best finish of 14th at Homestead. In addition to Dover (Del) International Speedway, he has additional starts at Chicagoland Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway respectively.
The No. 30 Toyota Tundra will carry additional support from Performance Friction Brakes, Racing Electronics, Penske Shocks, Mac’s Speed Shop, Russo’s Tinting and Goodridge Fluid Transfer Systems as associate marketing partners.
In addition to his limited NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule, Little will also run select NASCAR K&N Pro Series East events also under the Rette Jones Racing banner.
For more on Jesse Little, visit JesseLittle.com and follow her on Twitter @JesseLittle97.
The latest on Rette Jones Racing is available at the team’s Facebook page, while also active on Twitter @RetteJones30.
The N.C. Education 200 (134 laps / 200 miles) is the sixth of 23 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on the 2016 schedule. Practice begins on Thursday, May 19 from 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. A second practice has been etched in from 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. with a final session on deck from 4:30 p.m. – 5:55 p.m. Qualifying is set for race day, Friday, May 20beginning at 5:30 p.m. The 32-truck field will take the green flag shortly after 8:30 p.m. with live coverage on FOX Sports 1, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Satellite Radio, Channel 90).
About The Carolina Nut Co:
For more than 60 years The Carolina Nut Co. has used unique handcrafted family recipes to create gourmet nut flavors for every nut lover. Located in Henderson, N.C., The Carolina Nut Co. is a family-owned company that is spreading its delicious nut creations throughout the nation.
