Mooresville, N.C. (October 15, 2008) - TRG Motorsports development driver Ben Stancill will add another chapter to his developing career when he makes his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut on Saturday at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The 19 year-old driver will be making his first career NCTS start in the No. 71 Zero Seconds / “Get Well Grace” Chevrolet, after two previous and successful starts for TRG Motorsports in the ARCA RE/MAX Series which resulted in seventh and 12th place finishes.
The Ayden, North Carolina native will be competing in one of three Chevrolet’s fielded by TRG Motorsports at the 0.526-mile oval. Stancill and his teammates - T.J. Bell and J.R. Fitzpatrick - will negotiate the tight half-mile Virginia short-track in a rare three truck effort by TRG. TRG Motorsports’ Team Principal, Kevin Buckler, commented on bringing Stancill up through the ranks. “We are truly excited to be a part of Ben’s ascension through the NASCAR ranks,” said Buckler. “This boy has talent. This will be his first Truck Series race and we will be working hard to give him a great truck, great team and a strong finish. This is all part of the bigger picture though, we are trying to prepare him for a full season next year so we need to be a little careful but then again - this is Martinsville and it's going to be a real street fight. This is going to be good and we have a ton of confidence in his abilities.”
While Stancill is new to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and Martinsville Speedway, he is very excited about the track because it fits his style of racing. “I am excited about competing with TRG in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and I think Martinsville is one of the most exciting races on the circuit,” he explained. “The racing that goes on at Martinsville fits comfortably with my short track experience and is a great place to catch up with many of my fans. I have a strong fan base in the Virginia area and every time we visit these tracks we see many of the same faces. It has a great stock car racing heritage, and I owe a lot of gratitude to these fans. I am sure we will put on a great show.”
This race will also give Stancill the opportunity to send several messages. The hood of his No. 71 Chevrolet will feature the Zero Seconds campaign and the rear quarter panels will be a tribute to Stancill’s childhood friend Grace who is living with Guillain-Barré Syndrome. Grace was a classmate of his from kindergarten through high school. While attending Mt. Olive College in North Carolina, Grace was stricken with this rare disorder which affects the body's immune system, attacking part of the peripheral nervous system. While there is no known cure for the disease, therapy can lessen the severity of the illness and accelerate the recovery in most patients. Stancill’s wish is that his simple 700 horse power “Greeting Card on Wheels” can assist in motivating a speedy recovery for Grace.
Stancill will roll out his “Greeting Card on Wheels” when the Series hits Martinsville Speedway on Saturday, October 18th for the Kroger 200. Live television coverage will be provided by the SPEED Channel at 2:30 p.m. ET with radio coverage coming to you live courtesy of MRN Radio.
From Jamie Maynard / TRG
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