BEM-VINDO (WELCOME) NELSON PIQUET JR.: Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) welcomes Nelson Piquet Jr. to the team’s family of drivers in 2011. The 25-year-old Brazilian, who is the son of three-time Formula One world champion Nelson Piquet, transitioned from open-wheel racing to NASCAR in 2010 when he made his Truck Series debut at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Piquet Jr. will get behind the wheel as full-time driver of KHI’s newest entry, the No. 8 Chevrolet Silverado, in pursuit of 2011 Rookie of the Year honors.
CAREER BEST: When Piquet Jr. made his NASCAR debut at Daytona last year, he proved just how talented he was at piloting a 3,400 pound full-bodied truck by navigating it to a sixth-place finish. Piquet Jr. went on to earn a total of three top-10 finishes in only five Truck Series starts, with his Daytona finish remaining his career-best NASCAR finish.
ATOP THE PIT BOX: NASCAR veteran Chris Carrier has come aboard to lead Piquet Jr. and the No. 8 team in 2011. Coming to KHI from Penske Racing’s driver development team, Carrier brings over 30 years of NASCAR experience to the team and has earned wins as a crew chief in each of NASCAR’s top three series.
EM MEMÓRIA (IN MEMORY): The No. 8 Chevrolet Silverado will carry a very special message on the truck’s tonneau cover this weekend in Daytona. The truck bed will feature a decal in memory of the victims of last month’s devastating flood in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The flood and subsequent mudslides that hit the mountainous region of eastern Brazil is considered the country’s worst natural disaster for several decades, killing nearly 1,000 people. Shortly after the event, Piquet Jr. held a fundraiser via Twitter where he matched every donation that was pledged, ultimately donating $40,000 to relief efforts.
MARK IT OFF: KHI hopes to add another achievement to the team’s long list of accolades when the trucks hit the track at DIS. KHI has scored Truck Series victories at all but eight tracks currently on the schedule, with Daytona being one of the places that has eluded the team in the Truck Series. Piquet Jr. hopes to be the one to cross Daytona off KHI’s list by earning his first-career Truck Series victory at the 2.5-mile superspeedway.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY: In 2011, KHI will celebrate their 10th year of competition in NASCAR. Team co-owner Kevin Harvick made KHI’s first start in the Truck Series event at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway in 2001, narrowly missing the win by inches to series veteran Jack Sprague. Ten years later Kevin and DeLana Harvick have two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championships to their credit and multiple wins with a host of drivers to boast in their over 80,000 square foot facility in Kernersville, North Carolina. During 2011 all KHI vehicles will carry a commemorative decal as the company celebrates their accomplishments over the last 10 years.
CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 8 team will utilize chassis No. 055 this weekend at Daytona International Speedway. This is a brand-new superspeedway chassis which will make its first laps when it hits the track in Daytona. The truck visited both the wind tunnel and the chassis dyno during the off season, performing extremely well at both.
THOUGHTS FROM THE DRIVER: Nelson Piquet Jr.
After your successful debut there last season, what are your feelings going into Daytona?
“Daytona is always a big gamble. You can run very well, but it’s more of a survival race. You have to be very calm, because anybody can touch you and put you in the wall and end your race on the first lap. Or you can have beginner’s luck like I did last year. My best finish was in my Truck Series debut at Daytona, which I think was one of the toughest races I competed in. When you look at the finish I had last year, it makes me feel like I can come back this year and win it, but I’ll have to be careful, keep my head down, and keep calm, because it’s a long race.”
What do you think is going to be your biggest challenge in 2011?
“There are actually a lot of things that are going to be challenging for me this year, but as I learn, they’re all things that will make me a better driver. It’s very important that I stay out of trouble and remain consistent with strong finishes. I’ll need to learn the nuances of the truck’s handling, and know exactly how the setup changes affect the truck, because it’s not something I’m used to yet. I’ll also have to get used to the characteristics of each track and how different variables, such as weather and daylight, affect the track.”
What do you need to accomplish this year in order to feel like this season was a success?
“Knowing the kind of equipment that KHI has and how successful this team has been in the past, I feel that it’s reasonable to think that I could win a race this season. This is going to be a competitive year in the Truck Series, but if I can win a race or two and perform consistently enough to win Rookie of the Year honors, this season will be a success.”
THOUGHTS FROM THE PIT BOX: Chris Carrier
How do you feel about working with Nelson Piquet Jr. this year?
“I could not be more excited going into this season. We have had two tests with Nelson during the off season and he has shown all of us at KHI just how talented, driven and passionate a driver he is. I really enjoy working with rookies and watching young talent develop, and Nelson is a perfect example. He has made it very clear to me that he’s not here to run 10th, he’s here to win.”
Media Access: Members of the media can now log on to www.kevinharvickinc.com to gain access to press kit information online. For more information, please email Jessica Trippy at KHI: jtrippy@kevinharvickinc.com.
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Fast Facts:
Nelson Piquet Jr.
Truck Series results at
Daytona International Speedway:
Starts: 1
Wins: 0
Poles: 0
Top 5: 0
Top 10: 1
Laps Led: 0
Average Start: 22.0
Average Finish: 6.0
Race Info:
February 18, 2011
Daytona International Speedway
2.5-Mile Tri-Oval
NextEra Energy Resources 250
100 Laps/250 Miles
Broadcast Info:
TV: SPEED will broadcast live at 7:30 p.m. EST
Radio: The Motor Racing Network (MRN) will broadcast live at 7:15 p.m. EST
Truck Specs:
Chassis: 55
Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing (ECR)