Cole Whitt: NCWTS Young, Rising Star



Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR



While the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series are enjoying their first off-weekend of the 2011 season, the Camping World Truck Series will be going green at Darlington Raceway on Saturday afternoon. Familiar faces of the truck series will be joined by Kasey Kahne, driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports and featuring newcomers such as Cole Whitt, who I will introduce you to.

Cole Whitt, driver of the No. 60 Red Bull Chevrolet, is in his rookie season with Turn One Racing. Turn One, is owned by NASCAR veteran driver Stacy Compton.

Whitt, who began racing BMX bikes at the age of 5, knew at a young age his passion was to be behind the wheel of a race car. When he was 8, he asked his father to race a kart. Soon there after, Cole was winning races. He went on to win eight International Karting Federation and two World Karting Association Grand National championships.

In 2004, Whitt was participating in the Red Bull Driver Search where he had advanced to the semi-finals. Cole has been sponsored by Red Bull ever since then.

Whitt’s break through moment came in 2008, after he won the United States Auto Club (USAC) National Midget championship, becoming the youngest driver in the 58 year history. 

Cole progressed to stock cars in 2010. Driving the #84 for Red Bull in the K&N Pro Series East, Whitt’s first race earned him the pole. His first stock car race was a success, Whitt finished third. He finished the year with two poles, six top-5 and seven top-10 finishes and finished fourth in the points for the series.

Cole also made a brief appearance in the Nationwide series in 2010. He raced in the final two races of the year, Phoenix and Homestead. Whitt finished 15^th and 17^th respectively, a pretty impressive debut against some of the biggest stars of NASCAR.

This season, Cole is driving the full season and will contend for the Rookie of the Year title in the Camping World Truck Series. Currently third in the points, only three points out of the lead, Whitt heads to Darlington for the first time ever. In the week’s NASCAR teleconference, Whitt was asked about his preparation for the track nicknamed “Too Tough to Tame,” and replied “there's not a whole lot I can do. I kind of thrive on those tracks, so I'm really looking forward to going there. Anywhere with some real characteristic to it where you know you've got to get up on the wheel and get after it and make something happen is a track we seem to shine at.”

Credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images for NASCAR

Watch Cole, Kasey, Ron Hornaday and all the stars of the Camping World Truck Series live from Darlington Raceway on Saturday at 5 p.m. EST on Speed.