DARNELL: Track Position is Key at Vegas
09-18-2008 12:36 am

Erik Darnell on racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: "If you want to win at Las Vegas, you need to get up front early. It's going to take great track position throughout the race to get our No. 99 Ford F-150 a good finish. Straightaways here are nice and long and allow you to continue on the throttle through the turns. We have put together some really strong, consistent finishes over the past couple of months giving the Northern Tool + Equipment team quite a bit of momentum heading into the final stretch of the season. I came close here last year and I think we've got a good shot this weekend."

Crew chief Matt Puccia on racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: "Las Vegas can undoubtedly burn you if you cannot find track position early on in the race. Qualifying could end up playing a major role in the outcome of this weekend's race. We also have to be on cue when making our pits stops. Erik has really gotten in a groove of late and you always like when your driver feels like he can go out each and every week and compete for a win."

FAST FACTS

Darnell enters Las Vegas just four points out of the top five in the Craftsman Truck Series point standings.

The No. 99 team will be bringing chassis RK-58 to Las Vegas. This chassis last raced at Kentucky back in July, where Darnell started 25th and finished 29th. Darnell also raced this chassis at Michigan in June where he picked up his first victory of the 2008 season.

Darnell's best finish at Las Vegas came in 2007 when he picked up a fifth-place finish.

In 69 starts career starts, Darnell has accumulated two wins, two poles, 15 top-five and 29 top-10 finishes.

The winner of the Northern Tool + Equipment "Paint My Ride" promotion is Tracy Hutchens of Bassett, Va. Hutchens' "Flying Tool" paint scheme will be on Darnell's No. 99 Ford F-150 for this weekend's race.