10-06-2006 | TruckSeries.com Report
Roush Racing driver Erik Darnell (left) and Chuck Albrecht, President of Northern Tool + Equipment present the No. 99 Ford F-150 at Talladega Superspeedway on Friday morning. Northern Tool + Equipment will sponsor Darnell and the No. 99 Roush Racing truck series team in five races in 2006 and the entire 2007 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season starting at Daytona in February. (Steve Keller/TruckSeries.com Photo) Northern Tool will become the primary sponsor of Roush's No. 99 Ford F-150 in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for five upcoming races this season and begin fulltime primary sponsorship with 2007's first truck race at Daytona International Speedway in February. Rookie driver Erik Darnell, currently 14th in the overall points standings, will debut the No. 99 Northern Tool + Equipment Ford F-150 in this weekend's John Deere 250 at Talladega Superspeedway. Darnell, winner of Roush Racing's 2005 driver selection competition commonly known as "The Gong Show" - a process team owner Jack Roush created to identify and sign the best driving talent in the world - is signed to pilot the No. 99 truck through the 2008 season. Darnell has been the highest finishing Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate in 10 of the 18 Craftsman Truck Series races thus far in 2006. He holds a 39-point lead in the rookie standings over second place Chad McCumbee. Eric Darnell with the No. 99 Northern Tool + Equipment Ford F-150 (Steve Keller/TruckSeries.com Photo) "Partnering with an elite organization like Roush Racing is a perfect fit for our company's entry into the world of motorsports as a team sponsor," said Chuck Albrecht, president, Northern Tool + Equipment. "The No. 99 team has built a winning tradition in the Craftsman Truck Series and we are thrilled to be along for the ride for years to come." "We're truly energized by our new, long-term partnership with Northern Tool + Equipment for our NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series program," said Jack Roush. "Northern Tool is the ideal partner for us for a number of reasons, but mainly because their company's philosophy mirrors ours in that we both strive to be the absolute best at what we do. Northern Tool is committed to being our driver development partner in the Craftsman Truck Series for many years to come, and hopefully loyal NASCAR fans will reward them for the support. The breadth and scope of this program is a testament to the power the Craftsman Truck Series holds for companies as fan appeal continues to grow. We've been really happy with what Erik Darnell has been able to accomplish so far this season, and we look forward to putting him in Victory Lane with Northern Tool + Equipment on board." The No. 99 Northern Tool + Equipment Ford F-150 (Steve Keller/TruckSeries.com Photo) In addition to this weekend's event at Talladega Superspeedway, Darnell will sport Northern Tool + Equipment's black and yellow paint scheme in 2006 races at Martinsville Speedway on October 21, Atlanta Motor Speedway on October 28, Texas Motor Speedway on November 3 and at Phoenix International Raceway on November 10. "I'm really looking forward to hitting the track with Northern Tool + Equipment," said Darnell. "We've got a great looking paint scheme on this truck and I plan on putting it up front often over the next few seasons. We had a great run at Daytona in February, and we're looking to back that up here in Talladega. It would mean a lot to all of us if we could kick off this new relationship with a good, strong finish on Saturday."
Roush Racing, one of the most formidable teams in NASCAR racing, today announced a multi-year sponsorship agreement with Burnsville, Minn. based Northern Tool + Equipment, a leading supplier of high-quality tools, light industrial equipment and do-it-yourself supplies.
Audio! Geoff Smith, President of Roush Racing discusses the new sponsorship.
Audio! Erik Darnell on Racing in Talladega and the new sponsorship.
