Veteran driver Stacy Compton looks ahead to the next stop on the schedule with much optimism. He and his No. 60 Wyler Racing Toyota team are riding a wave of momentum coming off a sixth-place finish at Martinsville Speedway. The finish was his best so far this season, and with new crew chief Marcus Richmond guiding the team, he believes there is more to come.
"Things are really turning," said Compton. "We unloaded good in Martinsville and were among the fastest in practice. Marcus is a great fit. I'm really excited and the guys are excited."
His solid finish also moved him closer to the top 10 in the 2009 standings. Compton sits 11th, a mere one point behind Rick Crawford (No. 14 Circle Bar Truck Corral/International Truck Engine Ford). At this point last season, he found himself back in 19th in the standings.
Another motivating factor for the Wyler Racing team - a new sponsor. Safe Auto Insurance, which was on board at Martinsville, liked what they saw and will remain with the team.
The Midwest is familiar territory for Compton. While he has only two starts at Kansas Speedway, he has raced at both I-70 Speedway and Heartland Park Topeka, which hosted the series from 1995 to 1999.
Heartland, a road-course track about 60 miles west of Kansas Speedway, marks the place where Compton grabbed his last win in the series in 1998.
"The Midwest is a good place for me," he said. "It's always fun to go out there."
