As the primary NASCAR Cup Collection dust race in over 5 many years, 28 March’s Meals Metropolis Filth Race at Bristol Motor Speedway will unsurprisingly function some new names with dust monitor backgrounds. One in every of such drivers was revealed on Tuesday when Rick Ware Racing introduced Chris Windom will drive the #15 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE in his maiden Cup begin. NOS Power will function sponsor.
“I’m excited to have Chris make his début within the NASCAR Cup Collection with Rick Ware Racing within the inaugural dust race at Bristol Motor Speedway,” RWR proprietor Rick Ware said. “Chris is a longtime dust racer, whose achievements surpass many. I’m wanting ahead to seeing him race, and hopefully deliver house an excellent end.”
Windom is certainly one of seven drivers to finish the United States Auto Membership (USAC) Triple Crown with Midget, Dash, and Silver Crown class championships, successful the Midget title in 2020 after claiming the Silver Crown in 2016 and Dash the next 12 months. In January’s Chili Bowl Nationals, he received a touch race and completed sixth within the A Characteristic. Numerous drivers within the prestigious quarter midget race embody present Cup racers Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Sunday’s Daytona road course winner Christopher Bell, and Chili Bowl champion Kyle Larson.
Whereas his resume is totally on dust, he additionally has asphalt expertise, competing in what’s now the ARCA Menards Collection from 2011 to 2013 and in 2015 with top-ten finishes in 5 of his seven begins. In 2019, he ran the Indy Lights race at Indianapolis.
In 2017 and 2018, Windom was employed as a dust ringer for the NASCAR Tenting World Truck Collection‘ races at Eldora Speedway; on the time, the occasion was the lone dust race in any of NASCAR’s nationwide collection. He scored high twenties in each makes an attempt with a finest end of fourteenth within the 2018 race for now-David Gilliland Racing. The Illinois native additionally ran three pavement races throughout the 2 years with a highest run of twenty-fourth at Homestead in 2018.
“I’m very excited for this distinctive alternative with RWR,” Windom commented. “Not solely to race within the NASCAR Cup collection, however to be part of the primary time they race Bristol on dust is basically cool. Hopefully my earlier dust expertise will give me a head begin out of the gate. I’ve to thank Lauren Albano with NOS Power Drink, Brodie Hayward, and David Byrd for serving to make this attainable for me.”
“We’re thrilled to be a part of this new alternative with Chris Windom and Rick Ware Racing,” Albano, NOS Power’s advertising director, added. “Coming off a 2020 USAC Championship Season, it’s clear Chris is a wheelman and prepared for this subsequent problem. Bristol Motor Speedway is such an iconic NASCAR monitor and will probably be quite particular to see a NOS Power automotive hit the monitor with certainly one of our authentic dust monitor drivers.”
Whereas their #51 and #52 have full-time drivers, RWR’s #15 (and #53) are being piloted by quite a lot of names in 2021. Derrike Cope and James Davison opened the season for the 2 Daytona races, and the latter is entered for Sunday’s Homestead occasion. Like Windom, Davison has ties to Hayward and Byrd, each of whom are dust monitor workforce house owners with the latter additionally fielding entries in the IndyCar Series for Davison and sustaining a partnership with RWR.
