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Accidents Derail Foyt and Bliss in Daytona Truck Race
 DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA (February 16, 2007) – The first 2-truck
effort at the Daytona International Speedway for Key Motorsports was
shortened by accidents Friday night, derailing what were solid runs
for both rookie Larry Foyt and his teammate veteran NASCAR Craftsman
Truck Series driver Mike Bliss.
Despite disappointing qualifying efforts that found Bliss starting
32nd and Foyt 36th in his #44 Silestone USA by
Cosentino mount, both drivers began finding the groove early in the
Chevy Silverado HD 250.
Using the draft to their advantage, Foyt broke the top 20 and Bliss
improved nearly a half dozen spots after just 10 laps of racing that
was interrupted by two early caution periods. After a brief stop for
fuel only on lap 13, the #44 and #40 Key Motorsports machines were
in the 15th and 24th positions, respectively,
and moving forward.
“We
were really running well and were just killing them through the
corners,” said Foyt, a veteran of several NASCAR Nextel Cup and
Busch Series seasons but who was making his Craftsman Truck Series
debut. “The truck really sucked up well in the draft and was
handling great,” added Foyt, who unfortunately saw his night come to
a quick halt just a few laps later.
That
is when the hood on the #09 Ford driven by another rookie, Joey
Clanton, began coming loose. Clanton was making his way to the pits
when another driver tried to go underneath him and triggered a
multi-truck crash that claimed Foyt’s Silestone USA Chevrolet.
“I
just had no place to go,” said Foyt, who clipped one of the slowing
trucks and damaged the right front of his truck to end his race
after just 24 of the event’s 100 laps. “I really hated it for the
people from Silestone, who were here with us tonight in their
first-ever NASCAR race sponsorship, and for Key Motorsports that put
me in a great race truck tonight.
“We
deserved a much better fate, and who knows how well we would have
run if we were able to avoid those slowing trucks. It’s pretty tough
trying to avoid something like that when you’re running better than
a 180 miles per hour,” added Foyt, who was credited with a 32nd
place finish.
Bliss ran a strong race until overheating problems took its toll. He
was battling that condition when two rookies crashed in front of him
and he couldn’t avoid hitting them. After making several pit stops
under yellow to repair the truck, Bliss finally had to park his
mount after completing 85 of the race’s 100 laps. He was credited
with a 23rd place finish.
“It
is really a shame that we had those problems because this race truck
was definitely capable of winning this race,” Bliss said after the
race. “I passed a lot of trucks out there, and it never really
bothered me when we fell back on restarts because the truck was just
so good in the draft. It was flying,” Bliss added.
Larry Foyt, SILESTONE USA and Key
Motorsports Partner for Daytona Truck Race in No. 44 Chevrolet
MOORESVILLE, N.C
- Veteran driver Larry Foyt, Silestone USA and Key Motorsports
have announced a partnership that will enter Foyt in the 2007
season-opening NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at the Daytona
International Speedway.
The Silestone by
Cosentino Chevrolet Silverado will become the first-ever race truck
to bear the new Key Motorsports #44 number, joining the #40 Key
Motorsports entry that will be driven by former NCTS champion Mike
Bliss.
“It’s great
that we have been able to put this deal together for a run at
Daytona,” Foyt said. “I loved racing there in the Nextel Cup and
Busch Series and am looking forward to my first experience in the
Craftsman Truck Series. I want to do a good job for Silestone since
this is the company’s very first venture into racing, and I am
looking forward to the challenge. I am thrilled that Curtis (Key)
has opened his race shop to host this opportunity,” he added.
Team owner Key
has seen his race operation expand dramatically over the last 18
months from a 3-truck, 4-emlpoyee operation in Chesapeake, VA to a
thriving organization in the heart of stock car country just outside
Charlotte. Key is excited about the opportunity to field two trucks
in the 2007 season opener.
“This race
organization has come a very long way in a very short amount of
time, and I could not be any prouder of the hard work and time put
in by every member of this race team – before and now,” said team
owner Curtis W. Key, Sr. “Our goal is to have both the 40 and 44
trucks perform to their absolute best in Daytona, and we are
appreciative of the confidence that Larry (Foyt) and Silestone USA
have placed in us,” Key added.
Silestone USA
was originally established in 1998 as Cosentino USA
to distribute and market Silestone natural quartz surfaces in North America.
The 70-year-old company was first established in Almeria, Spain
dealing in general stone production. Sixty years later, the advent
of the natural quartz surfacing industry added a new dimension to
the company and would eventually lead sales to the American market
through Silestone.
Silestone today
is the world’s largest manufacturer of such products with 75% of all
natural quartz surface sales in North America
made by the company.
“We are really
excited to be a part of the Craftsman Truck/Daytona experience. With
the Key Motorsports/Larry Foyt/Silestone combination, we feel that
we have all the pieces of the puzzle with which to have a good
showing and a successful race,” commented Brando Calvo, Divisional
President – South Atlantic Region.
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