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[/media-credit]Driver of the No. 08 Florida Watermelon Association/National Watermelon Promotion Board Toyota Tundra
NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES
N.C. Education Lottery 200
CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
No. 08 Florida Watermelon Association/National Watermelon Promotion Board Toyota Tundra NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES – RACE 5 OF 22 – Charlotte Motor Speedway
IT’S RAINING WATERMELON IN CHARLOTTE: With an unfortunate early finish in Kansas due to engine failure, rookie Ross Chastain is looking for a strong performance with his No. 08 Florida Watermelon Association/National Watermelon Promotion Board Toyota Tundra at Charlotte Motor Speedway. This will be Chastain’s 10th start in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and his fifth start this season.
Chastain started 24th at Kansas Motor Speedway and gained several spots during the first 16 laps of the race. However, a sputtering engine which eventually coughed and died, ended his day and he finished 34th.
Chastain is hoping to turn that luck around at Charlotte Motor Speedway with Florida Watermelon Association/National Watermelon Promotion Board supporting him at his debut at the famed track. With a few weeks to work on the truck, crew chief Bryan Berry and Chastain are confident they have the truck dialed in for Charlotte’s 1.5 mile quad-oval.
THOUGHTS FROM THE DRIVER: ROSS CHASTAIN:
ON KANSAS: “Kansas was just a bummer for us. We had a fast truck with a lot of down force and I felt confident at the start of the race. We could have easily been a top 10 truck with a few adjustments. It was disappointing the engine let go because it would have been fun to see what we could have done. It was my first time at Kansas and I was looking forward to running all the laps and figuring the lines out. Oh well, I guess that’s just how it goes sometimes. The guys at SS Greenlight Racing are working hard for me and I am looking forward to the next intermediate track.”
ON HIS FIRST TIME AT CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY:
“Even though I didn’t have the opportunity to run all the laps at Kansas, at least I got the jest of an intermediate track before heading to Charlotte. Charlotte is a fast track and I can’t wait to get my truck out there and see what we can do. Bryan (crew chief) and SS Greenlight Racing have built me a fast truck and I definitely think we will be a contender in the field. Just keep your eye on the Watermelon truck as I move to the front of the pack!”
FUN FACTS ABOUT WATERMELON: *Did you know the U.S. is 4th in the world of the production of watermelon? *If you have ever eaten a seedless watermelon before you are actually eating a sterile hybrid that is incapable of producing seeds. *It is believed that watermelons were placed in the ancient Egyptian tombs of kings to nourish them in the afterlife.
For more fun facts and information about the Florida Watermelon Association/National Watermelon Promotion Board, visit www.watermelon.org.
APPEARANCES: Ross Chastain will be making an appearance at the Camping World store in Statesville, NC for their Grill Fest event from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm on Thursday, May 17th 2012. Ross will sign autographs, take photos and even answer any question you may have about watermelons! Stop by and enjoy the festivities.
RACE INFO: Friday, May 18th 2012, 8:00 pm EST Charlotte Motor Speedway 1.5 mile Quad-Oval
N.C. Education Lottery 200 134 laps / 201 miles
Follow on Twitter @RossChastain:
Broadcast Info: 7:30 pm EST, live on SPEED
