Travis Pastrana gets a spot with Roush Fenway Racing in Nationwide Series – NASCAR news
Travis Pastrana, the 29-year-old Maryland driver, gets his first full-time Nationwide Series run in the upcoming NASCAR season.
It was confirmed in a team statement on Thursday that Pastrana will be racing for Roush Fenway Racing as a full-time driver in 2013 Nationwide Series.
“I’m very serious about making this move, running competitively and ultimately winning races in NASCAR. No team can claim the success in the Nationwide Series that Roush Fenway has, and I know driving an RFR Ford will provide me with the maximum opportunity
to develop my skills behind the wheel of a stock car,” Pastrana said while highlighting what the opportunity of racing in NASCAR for Roush Fenway Racing meant for him.
In 2013 Nationwide Series, Pastrana’s driver will be the No. 60 Ford Mustang throughout the season. Pastrana had been trying to get a spot as a full-time driver in Nationwide Series for at least a couple of years. Luckily, now that he has got a chance, he
has got it with one of the best racing team.
For now, Pastrana has very little experience racing in the No.2 NASCAR series. He has only competed in 9 Nationwide races, with a 13th place finish his best so far. In the 2012 Nationwide Series, Virginia 529 College Savings 250 at Richmond was Pastrana’s
first race for Roush which he finished 17th on the final grid.
Jack Roush, one of the owners of Roush Fenway Racing, speaks highly of Pastrana and is willing to utilise all possible means available at their disposal to make Pastrana a great NASCAR driver which in turn will bring fame for the team as well.
“Travis is a champion. It takes a great deal of drive and determination to reach that level of greatness in any field. He is serious about this move to NASCAR and we are committed to doing everything we can to see his career develop in NASCAR,” Roush said.
Following consecutive championship titles in Nationwide Series, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has been promoted to Sprint Cup Series for the next season. Therefore, Pastrana will find Trevor Bayne as his teammate.
Pastrana will have Chad Norris as a crew chief who had spent the latter half of 2012 as the Sprint Cup crew chief for Carl Edwards Racing. Norris is moving back to Nationwide Series in the upcoming season.
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