MOORESVILLE, N.C. (November 18, 2011) – The 2011 racing season may be coming to a close, but Turner Motorsports already has an eye on the 2012 season. The organization is pleased to announce the addition of Nelson Piquet Jr. to their 2012 driver line up. Piquet Jr., who will compete for the 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) championship, is also slated to run a limited NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) schedule for the team. Before taking the wheel in 2012, he will make his debut with the team in this weekend’s NNS season finale event at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the No. 30 Chevrolet Impala.
Coming to Turner Motorsports for his sophomore year of Camping World Truck Series competition, Piquet Jr. brings with him a rich racing heritage. The son of three-time Formula One World Champion, Nelson Piquet, Piquet Jr. began racing karts at 8-years-old in his native Brazil. Making his way through the open-wheel racing ranks in South America and Europe, he made his Formula One debut in 2008 before making the transition to NASCAR in 2010. Currently engaged in a fierce battle for the 2011 NCWTS Rookie of the Year honors, Piquet Jr. has recorded four top-five and 12 top-10 finishes in 24 starts this season.
The 26-year-old driver is thrilled to have the opportunity to compete at NASCAR’s highest levels with Turner Motorsports.
“I am excited to have the opportunity to come to Turner Motorsports in 2012. They are one of the top organizations in our sport and are proven winners. I know we will be in the hunt for the Camping World Truck Series championship and I will gain invaluable experience behind the wheel of the Nationwide Series car. I want to thank Steve Turner and everyone at Turner Motorsports and I know 2012 will bring great things for me and my new team,” Piquet Jr. said.
Adding another young driver to his roster, team owner Steve Turner, reaffirms his commitment to helping drivers solidly establish their careers with his organization.
“Turner Motorsports prides itself on cultivating young talent. One of our main objectives is to give drivers a platform to showcase their abilities to help propel them to NASCAR’s highest level. Nelson brings a significant amount of experience and depth to our driver line up. He also brings a strong international fan base to our program. I am confident he will compete for both race wins and the 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship.”
About Turner Motorsports: Turner Motorsports, LLC, established in 1999, is in the midst of its sophomore season of NASCAR competition. Owned by Texas businessman Steve Turner, the organization has expanded in 2011 from a two-truck operation in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) to become the largest stand-alone multi-series team in NASCAR’s top-tier touring series. Turner Motorsports operates out of an 110,000 square-foot state-of-the art facility in Mooresville, N.C., and will compete with three entries in the Camping World Truck Series and four entries in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. The team boasts an all-star driver line-up that includes Kasey Kahne, Mark Martin, Jason Leffler, Brian Vickers, Justin Allgaier, Ricky Carmichael, James Buescher, Brad Sweet, Brandon McReynolds and Ron Hornaday Jr. The Chevrolet-backed team has created alliances with General Motors’ powerhouse teams Hendrick Motorsports, which will provide engine support for both its NNS and NCWTS programs, Kevin Harvick Inc. for body and aero support, and Earnhardt Technology Group for drive train and suspension technology assistance. Turner Motorsports’ marketing partners include Great Clips, Dollar General, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Monster Energy, BRANDT, Rexall, Exide, AccuDoc Solutions, Wolfpack Rentals, Fraternal Order of Eagles and ABF Freight. For more information on Turner Motorsports, visit www.turnermotorsportsllc.com.
