MALSAM: O'Reilly Raceway Park Preview
07-22-2009 3:48 pm
MALSAM
AT ORP:
Friday's race at O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis will be Malsam's
first race at the legendary track. Malsam will look to bring home a solid effort
in only his fourth short-track race of the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck
Series season. CHASSIS
CHOICE:
This weekend, crew chief Doug Wolcott and the No. 81 One Eighty team will unload
Randy Moss Motorsports chassis No. 40. This will be the second time that Malsam
has raced this chassis, as he captured a 16th-place finish at Memphis
Motorsports Park in June, after spinning late in the race. FIRST
LAPS LED:
During last week's race at Kentucky Speedway, Malsam led once for a total of
12 laps. This marked the first time that the 20-year-old has led laps in NASCAR
competition. ROOKIE
OF THE YEAR UPDATE:
With Malsam's solid effort at Kentucky, the Seattle, Washington native
extended his lead in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year Point Standings. Malsam
currently leads second-place Johnny Sauter by a total of three points. In
addition, Malsam is the highest Raybestos Rookie in the NCWTS Championship Point
Standings, as he holds the seventh position. MAN
ON THE GROUND:
Ever wonder what happens behind the scenes with Malsam and the No. 81 One Eighty
team? Here is your chance to find out. Andrew Hanan, a friend of Malsam, is the
"man on the ground" and has a blog on Malsam's website that anyone can
subscribe to and follow Malsam and his team throughout the racing weekends.
Hanan posts updates throughout the race, along with videos and quotes from
Malsam and other team members. Simply log onto www.taylermalsam.com/blog
and stay up to tune with all of the latest happenings. MOST
POPULAR DRIVER:
NASCAR has created an online ballot for the fans to vote for their favorite
driver for the Most Popular Driver Award. Fans are allowed to vote once a day,
until the polls close on October 31, 2009. The results of the balloting will be
announced at the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series banquet at the end of the
season. Let your voice be heard and vote for your favorite driver! PREVIOUS
RACE RECAP:
Last week in the Bluegrass State, Malsam captured his 10th top-15 finish of the
season at Kentucky Speedway, by coming home in the 13th position after competing
for the win throughout the entire 150-lap event. Malsam received contact from
another competitor with only a handful number of laps left, leaving the rookie
with a cut tire and disappointing finish. CATCH
THE ACTION:
The AAA Insurance 200 presented by J.D. Byrider from O'Reilly Raceway Park at
Indianapolis will take the green flag this Friday, July 24th at 8 P.M. Eastern.
Race coverage will be televised live on SPEED, beginning at 7:30 P.M. Eastern,
and heard live on select affiliates of MRN Radio and Sirius-XM NASCAR Radio
Channel 128, beginning at 7:30 P.M. Eastern. MALSAM
(On racing at ORP):
"Last week at Kentucky was exciting and disappointing at the same time. It
was really cool to run up front and lead laps with the veterans in the Truck
Series, but to have a cut tire that late in the race while running second was
very disappointing. But we have put that race behind us and are looking forward
to this weekend at ORP. I've never raced there before and I've heard it can
be challenging to get around. Doug (Wolcott) and the One Eighty guys have been
working hard at the shop and I know that our truck is going to be good this
weekend. If we can keep our momentum from last week, we should be able to run up
front again on Friday."