Driver Announcements are Made as Racing Season Revs Up

Several teams have reported new drivers in the seats of race cars for the 2014 season.

Jeb Burton will drive the No. 13 Toyota for ThorSport Racing. Burton will drive in the season-opening ARCA Series series race on Feb. 15 at Daytona International Speedway and in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race a week later. The rest of Burton’s 2014 program will be determined depending on sponsorship. Burton was left without a ride at Turner Scott Motorsports after his primary sponsor defaulted on a payment.

Dylan Kwasniewski will pilot the No. 31 Rockstar Energy Drink Chevrolet Camaro for Turner Scott Motorsports in 2014. Kwasniewski is a champion in the both the K&N East and West Series. He will run a full-time schedule in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Pat Tryon will be Kwasniewski’s crew chief.

Eric McClure will return to NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series when he drives the No. 35 Hefty/Reynolds Wrap Ford Fusion for Front Row Motorsports in the Great American Race – the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 23.

Erik Jones and Kyle Busch will share the No. 51 Toyota Tundra in the NCWTS for Kyle Busch Motorsports. Jones will race in 12 events beginning March 29 at Martinsville Speedway and Busch will drive in ten races beginning with the Daytona race on Feb. 21. ToyotaCare returns as the primary sponsor.

Dakoda Armstrong will drive the No. 43 WinField Ford Mustang for Richard Petty Motorsports full-time in the Nationwide Series. Phillippe Lopez will serve as his crew chief. Armstrong finished 12th in championship points in the NCWTS in the 2013 season.

Win-Tron officials announced that 19-year-old Mason Mingus will compete in the NCWTS in the No. 35 Call 811 Before You Dig Chevrolet. This is the eighth year of competition for the racing team who will also have a strong presence in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards.

David Ragan will be making his 100th career Nationwide start when he climbs into the No. 98 Curb Records Ford during the DRIVE4COPD 300 on Feb. 22 at Daytona International Speedway for Biagi-DenBeste Racing.

Brian Ickler has signed with Red Horse Racing to wheel the No. 7 Bullet Liner Toyota Tundra full-time in the NCWTS. Ickler has 22 career starts in the NCWTS along with 22 Nationwide Series starts.

Tommy Baldwin Racing will have two new drivers this season. Reed Sorenson will drive the No. 36 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Todd Parrott as his crew chief. Michael Annett will be behind the wheel of the No. 7 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet where Kevin “Bono” Manion will be the crew chief.