Kahne and Kyle Busch Motorsports Team Up for Pocono Truck Race

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (July 15, 2010) – Kasey Kahne, who is undefeated in two career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts, will pilot the No. 18 Toyota of Scranton (Pa.) Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) in the inaugural Pocono Mountains 125 Truck Series event July 31 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway.

Kahne, who drives the No. 9 Budweiser Ford full-time for Richard Petty Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, won Truck Series races in November 2004 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway and Homestead-Miami Speedway.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve competed in the Camping World Truck Series,” said Kahne, who led 149 of a possible 284 laps in his two Truck Series starts. “It’s a great opportunity for me to come back to the series and compete with really good equipment. I’ve watched Kyle put the team together and it’s really been impressive how well they’ve done this year as a first-year team. I’m really looking forward to working with Rick Ren (director of competition) and Eric Phillips (crew chief) and trying to put the No. 18 Toyota of Scranton Toyota Tundra in victory lane.”
In 13 career Sprint Cup starts at Pocono, Kahne has one win (June 2008), two poles (June 2004 and 2008) and five top-10 finishes. He has never started lower than 20th and has rolled off the grid eighth or better nine times.

“It’s a big deal for us to have someone like Kasey in the No. 18 Toyota Tundra,” said KBM driver-owner Kyle Busch. “His Truck Series record is about as good as it can get, given that he’s never lost a race. He’s obviously got a good record at Pocono in the Sprint Cup Series as well, so we know he’ll give us a great chance to go to victory lane.

“Rick and Eric are excited to work with him and I know the rest of the KBM guys are pumped to have him in our truck. We really have to thank everyone at Toyota of Scranton for their support and I know Kasey will do all he can to get them a victory.”

The Pocono Mountains 125 is the first-ever Truck Series event at Pocono Raceway, which is located 38 miles south of Toyota of Scranton.

“We’re thrilled to be sponsoring Kasey Kahne and Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Truck Series race at Pocono,” said Greg Gagorik, managing partner of Toyota of Scranton. “We’re big supporters of all the racing Toyota is involved in and it will be very exciting for us to have the Toyota of Scranton logo on a Tundra driven by Kasey and owned by Kyle – two of the most recognizable and talented drivers in NASCAR. There will be a lot of our employees and customers out at the track cheering the No. 18 Tundra to victory.”

Busch is hoping to win as an owner and a driver all in the same day, for while Kahne will drive the No. 18 Toyota of Scranton Toyota Tundra for KBM at Pocono, Busch will pilot the No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Iowa Speedway in Newton.

The 50-lap race at Pocono begins at 1 p.m. EDT on July 31 and will be broadcast live on SPEED beginning with a pre-race show at 12:30 p.m.
Kahne and Kyle Busch Motorsports Team Up for Pocono Truck Race Kahne and Kyle Busch Motorsports Team Up for Pocono Truck Race Reviewed by Admin on Friday, July 16, 2010 Rating: 5