Michael Annett joins Justin Allgaier as second full-time driver
SPARTANBURG, S.C. (January 27, 2015) – HScott Motorsports enters the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) season with a new look as it expands to two cars. Justin Allgaier will return to the No. 51 BRANDT Chevrolet while Michael Annett joins the team and will drive a Chevrolet adorned by longtime anchor partner Pilot Flying J.
“The addition of a second team increases HScott’s overall ability to better utilize its resources at track and at the shop to be even more competitive,” said team owner Harry Scott Jr. “I’m proud to have seen Justin truly mature as a NSCS driver last year, and I can’t wait to see what he does this year. Like Justin, Michael is coming off his rookie year following six years of competition in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Michael is a quality driver with a great future at HScott Motorsports. These drivers compliment one another and will make great teammates.”
In his impressive rookie season, Allgaier posted 10 top-20 finishes, including 17th at Bristol; 16th at Michigan and Pocono; and 15th-place finishes at Charlotte and Homestead to conclude the 2014 season.
“This is as excited as I’ve been for a new season, I can’t wait to get to Daytona and fire the engines,” said Allgaier. “I’m looking forward to carrying the momentum from the end of last season over to this year. Michael is a great addition to our organization and I’m glad to have a teammate to compete with each week.”
BRANDT Professional Agriculture, a leading agriculture retailer and manufacturer of agricultural specialty products, returns as the primary sponsor of the No. 51 Chevrolet for 21 races, beginning with the Daytona 500 on February 22. Auto-Owners Insurance will also be the primary partner on the No. 51 for three races.
“Justin and the No. 51 team continue to be a great source of pride for BRANDT employees and customers, and we are all looking forward to a great 2015 season,” said BRANDT President and CEO Rick Brandt.
Annett competed in all 36 points races during his 2014 rookie NSCS campaign and posted several top-20 finishes, including 19th at Fontana, 16th at Talladega and 18th at Kentucky. From 2008 through 2013, Annett competed full time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, where he started 163 races and earned seven top-five and 34 top-10 finishes. Prior to his NASCAR career, Annett competed in the ARCA Racing Series in 2007 and 2008, winning races at Talladega and Daytona.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to drive for HScott Motorsports,” said Annett. “I am impressed with the way Harry is building his NASCAR teams. Harry and competition director Steve Addington have a long-term vision and I’m honored to be part of it. I’m also looking forward to having Justin as a teammate.”
Pilot Flying J, the largest operator of travel retail centers, will be a primary partner on Annett’s car. Other partners include Cypress Associates, Inc., Allstate Peterbilt Group and Northland Oil.
About HScott Motorsports: HScott Motorsports, which was established in 1989 as Phoenix Racing, is owned and operated by Harry Scott Jr. and competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with technical support from Hendrick Motorsports. The team competes full time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Justin Allgaier driving the No. 51 Brandt Chevrolet and Michael Annett driving the Pilot Flying J Chevrolet. Scott is also the co-owner of HScott Motorsports with Chip Ganassi, which fields the No. 42 Camaro in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and HScott Motorsports with Justin Marks, which fields five entries in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. His vision is to build a championship contender by developing talented young drivers, partnering with dedicated sponsors and competing hard every week.
