Erik Darnell (VPS Motorimages Photo)

To say Erik Darnell is ready to get to Daytona and get the 2007 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season underway would be an understatement. The driver of the No. 99 Northern Tool + Equipment Ford F-150 is ready to improve on his impressive 2006 Raybestos Rookie of the Year winning season.

"I don't think I've ever been this excited to get to the track in my life," said Darnell. "After the race at Homestead, I took a vacation and had some time to soak it all in. With last year being my first in the series, I don't think I was able to take the time and enjoy what we were able to accomplish. As soon as we were done with one race, I started thinking about the next one and trying to get myself prepared for another new track. We had some great races and that gave us excitement heading to the next track, but when we wouldn't run well I really beat myself up. Knowing that I have one of the best teams in the business, I expected to be up front every week."

When the series visited racetracks for a second time in 2006, Darnell shined. The Northern Tool + Equipment team had stellar performances at Martinsville Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway, and contended for the win at Atlanta Motor Speedway in October.

"I feel like I will be entering Daytona with a new sense of confidence," said Darnell. Knowing that I've got experience in the truck at these racetracks, I'll be able to approach each weekend feeling that much better than I did last year. I'll know what to expect and how to prepare myself. Having Travis Kvapil as my new teammate, that's going to be huge as well. We talked a lot between the Daytona and Homestead tests, and I think that we will be able to lean on each other for information quite a bit. We drove each others trucks in Daytona and we gave the same feedback, so our driving styles are similar and that will help us with setups quite a bit."

"It's going to be a great year," Darnell added. "The team is ready to go, I am ready to go. We feel like we've got the potential to win a few races and make a serious run for the championship in '07."