Dakoda Armstrong Faces Learning Curve in Truck Series Debut

Dakoda Armstrong makes his NCWTS debut today
in the No. 98 for ThorSport Racing.
Courtesy of ThorSport Racing

The usual suspects at ThorSport Racing are geared up and ready to go for the Coca-Cola 200 at Iowa Speedway on Saturday night, but one unfamiliar face will be a part of the team’s racing lineup this weekend. Dakoda Armstrong, an up-and-coming driver from New Castle, Indiana, is making his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut this weekend, and he has one goal in mind.

“Get experience,” said Armstrong. “I haven’t had any racing experience in the truck yet, but I know they handle a lot different with trucks around them.”

Armstrong, who competed full-time in the ARCA Racing Series last season, participated in two practice sessions on Friday, sitting 24^th on the boards in first practice and 25^th in second. Transitioning from one series to the next though hasn’t been without its challenges for the rookie driver.

“It’s a lot different,” he said. “These things don’t have any horsepower so you really gotta hustle them off the corner and even getting in because they have a lot of down force. But we’re making some big changes here before qualifying, and we’ll see how it goes.”

Armstrong isn’t alone in his debut, though. ThorSport Racing teammates Matt Crafton and Johnny Sauter have been helping him along as he learns the ropes of the Truck Series.

“Johnny and Matt have great,” said Armstrong. “They’ve been open books. Really it’s been really helpful because there have been a couple times where I just can’t feel anything with this hard tire and that splitter is so big that I can’t feel what I’m hitting. Then I go up to them and they say the same thing so it’s just really nice having people to assure me that what I’m feeling is right. It’s nice having them.”

Once Iowa is over and done, Armstrong is planning on competing in a few more Truck Series events this season, including the AAA Insurance 200 at Lucas Oil Raceway; the VFW 200 at Michigan International Raceway; the Kentucky 225 at Kentucky Speedway; the Talladega 250 at Talladega Superspeedway; and the Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Following the conclusion of the 2011 season, Armstrong and ThorSport Racing plan on running for Rookie of the Year in the 2012 Camping World Truck Series season.

Aside from gaining experience, Armstrong has some extra motivation to do well. He turns 20-years-old today, and says he is hoping for some “birthday luck.”

“20 kind of feels pretty old!” Armstrong stated. “There is a big difference between 19 and 20.”

You can tune into SPEED Channel tonight at 8PM ET to watch Armstrong makes his truck debut.

To read more on Dakoda: Getting to know Dakoda Armstrong