Key Motorsports announced that the team has signed driver Chad Chaffin to pilot the No. 40 Key Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado in the first four races on the 2006 NASCAR Craftsman Series schedule. Chaffin's first race in the No. 40 Chevy will be the Daytona 250 at Daytona International Speedway on February 17.

Chaffin is the 37-year-old Nashville, Tennessee pilot who has earned two Craftsman Truck Series victories in his 78 career starts, and who posted back-to-back tenth place finishes in the Series' driver point battles in 2003 and 2004. Chaffin has earned nearly $1 million in his Craftsman Truck Series career and is the only driver to have driven for all four truck manufacturers competing on the circuit - Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford and Toyota.

Key is committed to run all 25 races on the Craftsman Truck Series schedule in 2006 and is thrilled with the opportunity to sign a driver of Chaffin's caliber.

"I had some of the best drivers in NASCAR drive my Busch Series cars from 1993 to 1999, and Chad (Chaffin) ranks right up there as far as his experience and ability to get on top of the wheel", Curtis explained. "Although Chad can't commit at this time to more than the first four races with us because of his Nextel Cup commitment, we will continue to talk. Having the chance to drive for Key Motorsports will give him a great opportunity to see exactly what we have, and if he finds our Chevrolets and team to be competitive, I believe we can agree to more races as the season progresses", Key added.

Former Craftsman Truck Series driver and now Key Motorsports Team Manager Lance Hooper will double as Crew Chief during the season for Chaffin.

After nearly 10 years of up and down performances in all three of NASCAR's major touring circuits, Chaffin began opening eyes in 2003 when he drove the entire Craftsman Truck Series campaign for Bobby Hamilton Racing. He posted two top five and nine top ten finishes, secured his first career pole and finished tenth in points.

The 2004 season then became Chaffin's true coming out year as he earned his two career victories (at Dover and Indianapolis Raceway Park), scored a half dozen top five and 10 top ten finishes and earned a career high $394,135 in earnings. He again finished tenth in driver points while again driving for Hamilton in the Dickies Dodge.

In 21 races last season primarily with Germain Motorcars and Jeff Wyler Racing, Chaffin had one top five and five top ten efforts but still finished 26th in driver points. He will top the $1 million mark in Truck Series earnings in his first race this season and has earned more than $2 million in his overall NASCAR career.

"I am excited with the opportunity that Curtis (Key) has given me to drive his trucks in at least the first four races of the 2006 season", Chaffin said. "Curtis' teams have always been known to have good equipment, and I know that I will find his trucks competitive. I plan on giving Key Motorsports the same effort behind the wheel that I have given to the other teams I have driven for, and it should also help me in my Nextel Cup opportunity as well", added Chaffin, who is also gearing up for a full season in the Nextel Cup Series with Front Row Motorsports and owners Bill Jenkins and Jimmy Means.

Key recently moved his operation into a 10,000-square foot race shop in the new Performance Park off of Highway 152 in Mooresville, NC that was previously the home of Joey Lagano Racing, now with Joe Gibbs Racing. Key Motorsports had been operating the last three years out of an impressive facility in Chesapeake, Virginia on the grounds of Key's highly successful Plumbing & Heating contracting business. His decision to move his racing operation back to North Carolina (where it had been based from 1995 through 1999) is evidence of Curtis' recommitment to the sport.

Due to a lack of sponsorship, the team has only run a limited schedule over the last two seasons, but Key has raised the funding to go full boar in 2006 as he continues to find full-time corporate funding for his organization. Key will use Hutter Engines to power his trucks this season.

Brandon Whitt tested the Key Motorsports truck in Daytona a couple of weeks ago and recorded the 18th fastest speed despite not participating in any drafting sessions and with a short track motor.