Gresham is Ready for a Full -Time Relationship
CONCORD, N.C. (December 6, 2012) -Max Gresham has re-signed with Eddie Sharp Racing (ESR) to drive the No.8 Made In USA Brand (MIUSA) Chevrolet Silverado for the 2013 season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS).
The 19-year-old driver from Griffin, Ga. made five selected starts with Eddie Sharp Racing this year at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Kentucky Speedway, Martinsville Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, and Homestead-Miami Speedway. The successful relationship resulted in race-by-race progress, including an 11th-place finish at the Martinsville Speedway in October and a 12th-place effort at the Texas Motor Speedway. It was this progress that led Eddie Sharp, Gresham, and the Made In USA Brand to continue their growing relationship next season.
“We started something good at Eddie Sharp Racing this year,” Gresham said. “It was clear we needed to continue the relationship we started in August. We’re happy to be with Eddie Sharp Racing again. The team is a proven winner, and they always deliver a great race truck.”
Gresham said he plans to compete in all 22 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races next year with Eddie Sharp Racing, including a series-first visit to Tony Stewart’s Eldora Speedway, a half-mile dirt track in Rossburg, Ohio, as well as the Canadian Tire Motorsports Park road course near Toronto, Canada.
“We’re pleased to have Max Gresham returning next year,” team owner Eddie Sharp said. “I was impressed with how much he evolved as a driver in just five races. It’s our plan to continue that process.
“We will give him the resources necessary to be successful. It was really important to bring him back next year.”
Chris Showalter will return as Gresham’s crew chief. The team plans to open the season with the NextEra Energy Resources 250 at the Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 22.
“This is a great opportunity,” Showalter said. “Eddie Sharp gave us all the tools we needed. It’s an honor that Max has this much faith and confidence in this team.”
Gresham won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East national championship in 2011. He took the next step by moving to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2012. He started with Joe Dennette Motorsports before moving over to Eddie Sharp Racing for the final three months.
“The best part is that we have all the important pieces coming back next year – the Made In USA Brand, Eddie Sharp Racing and, of course, Chris Showalter,” Gresham said. “In the five races we had in the 2012 season, we were able to build a solid baseline for the future. We’ll be busy trying to improve on that. It’s a big challenge, but I know we’re up for it.
“ESR finished the 2012 season with Cale Gale’s victory at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. Hopefully, we can extend the team’s winning streak at Daytona.”
Sharp fielded two full-time entries last year for Gale and Justin Lofton and the part-time truck for Gresham and former series’ champion Mike Skinner. The organization won two races last year – Gale and Lofton each with one victory – and Lofton finished eighth in the truck series standings.
About Eddie Sharp Racing
Eddie Sharp Racing (ESR) (TeamESR.com) is a championship winning racing team housed in a 45,000 square-foot facility in Denver, N.C. After getting its start in the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) Racing Series, ESR has accumulated upwards of 20 race wins, the 2009 ARCA Racing Series Championship, and countless top-five and top-10 finishes in just five years of competition. By 2010, ESR began to make the transition into the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) with a partial schedule before racing in the series full-time in 2011. By 2012, the team expanded to be a multi-truck team and secured its first victory in just the team’s 35th NCWTS race. Additionally, ESR continues to build its driver development program fielding various drivers in the ARCA Racing Series, the United Auto Racing Association (UARA) STARS Series and other late model events across the southeast.
