CORNELIUS, N.C. — It’s been an eventful year for 22-year-old Brett Moffitt.
He began the 2015 season without a ride but working with Michael Waltrip racing and Toyota Racing Development. That changed when he filled in for Brian Vickers at Atlanta on March 1 and drove the No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine to an eighth-place finish.
Moffitt was in high demand after the race and agreed to drive the No. 34 for Front Row Racing during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ three-race West Coast swing. His life changed again last Friday when he was told he’d drive the No. 55 in place of Brian Vickers at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana.
This weekend the Grimes, Iowa, native will drive the No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine at Martinsville Speedway. One of his nine K&N East Series victories came at the half-mile Virginia track in 2010.
BRETT MOFFITT: “Life is funny and this sport can be a crazy business at times. But I feel very fortunate to be where I am. Brian Vickers is a friend of mine and to see him go through what he’s been going through is tough. He’s such a battler. I’m honored I can fill in for him and as much as I enjoy driving the Aaron’s Dream Machine and driving in the Sprint Cup Series nothing would make me feel better than giving the keys back to Brian.
“Until then my plan is to do the best I can do. My crew chief Billy Scott has been such an unbelievable help and it seems like I gain spots on pit road every time I come in. Those things make life easier for a rookie driver. I’ve learned a lot so far this season. These guys in the Sprint Cup Series sure do know how to do restarts. I’ve been smoked a couple of times already but I am starting to get the hang of it. Last weekend in Fontana we passed 10 cars on the first green-white-checkered and then I lost some spots on the next one. But that will get better each week. I’ll figure it out.
“Martinsville is a tough track but it’s the type of track I am more used to driving from my days in the K&N East Series. I have a Grandfather clock from winning there in 2010 which is kind of cool. Not many can say that. Now the competition is certainly going to be a heck of a lot tougher this weekend and I don’t think I’ve ever raced a 500-lap race anywhere. So it’s going to be all about staying patient and just racing the track and not get worried about what everyone is doing around me.”
NOTES:
· CHASSIS: Primary: 807 – Brian Vickers drove this chassis to 16th and 27th-place finishes at Martinsville in 2014. Backup: 785 – served as backup in Martinsville in 2014.
· 2015: Michael Waltrip finished 26th at Daytona and Brett Moffitt finished eighth at Atlanta. Vickers finished 15th and 41st at Las Vegas and Phoenix before Moffitt returned to the seat and finished 22nd at Fontana.
· MOFFITT: Moffitt is a nine-time winner in NASCAR K&N Pro Series East competition and currently serves as a test driver for Toyota Racing Development (TRD) and Michael Waltrip Racing. In 63 career NASCAR K&N Pro Series races, Moffitt has earned 10 poles, 34 top-five finishes and 45 top-10 finishes. In his 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at Iowa Speedway, Moffitt finished ninth. The following year, he also made his first start in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competition, where he finished 14th at Kentucky Speedway and 17th at Michigan International Speedway.
§ XFINITY Series: 1 start, 1 top-10
§ Camping World Truck Series: 2 starts
§ K&N Pro Series: 63 starts, 9 wins, 34 top-5s, 45 top-10s, 10 poles
· AARON’S: Aaron’s carries only the best brand names in furniture, electronics, and appliances with a variety of flexible payment options. It’s really easy to “Own It” at Aaron’s with customers who are now pre-approved for up to $2,500 in merchandise – no credit needed. During Aaron’s 60th Anniversary Sale, for the first time in Aaron’s history, get 6 months same as cash on ANYTHING IN THE STORE! And lease select items at just $60 a month. See the full selection of $60 products at your local Aaron’s store or at Aarons.com/60.
CREW CHIEF BILLY SCOTT: Scott began racing motorcycles as a 5-year-old and stock cars when he turned 15. He worked in the truck series as a mechanic before he returned to college to obtain an engineering degree. After graduating in 2005 Scott worked at Robert Yates Racing and began as an engineer at MWR in 2008. The 36-year-old served exclusively as the No. 55 team’s lead engineer before taking over crew chief duties in 2014.
55 CREW:
Billy Scott
Crew Chief
Ryan Langley
Front Tire Changer
Chris Hall
Front Tire Carrier
Shannon Myers
Rear Tire Changer
Blake Haugland
Rear Tire Carrier
Wes Evans
Jack Man
Jeff Kerr
Gas Man
Steve Channing
Car Chief
David Cropps
Interior Mechanic
Roman Pemberton
Spotter
Brandon Pope
Race Engineer
Joe Bisson
2nd Engineer
Jeremy Sharpley
Shock Specialist
Kevin White
Front Mechanic
Joe Zanolini
Rear Mechanic
Scott Swift
Tire Specialist
Kirk Butterfield
TRD
Tim Bruce
TRD
Stump Lewis
Truck Driver
Al Nelson
2nd Truck Driver
· FOLLOW US ON TWITTER:
@brett_moffitt
@brianlvickers
@mw55
@mwrteam
@aaronssports
@aaronsinc
@toyotaracing
· TELEVISION:
Friday, March 27
10 a.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice, FOX Sports 1
Noon, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice, FOX Sports 1
1:30 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice, FOX Sports 1
2:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Weekend Edition, FOX Sports 1
3 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice, FOX Sports 1
4:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, FOX Sports 1
Saturday, March 28
10 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice, FOX Sports 1
11:30 a.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying, FOX Sports 1
12:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Weekend Edition, FOX Sports 2
1 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series final practice, FOX Sports 2
2 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Setup, FOX Sports 1
2:30 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Kroger 250, FOX Sports 1
Sunday, March 29
11:30 a.m., NASCAR Race Day, FOX Sports 1
1 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series STP 500, FOX Sports 1
3:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 400, FOX Deportes
