Dawson Sutton will run this season’s remaining five races in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, starting Friday at Kansas Speedway, it was announced Monday.
The 18-year-old Lebanon racer will take over for Ty Dillon who had been the primary driver for Rackley W.A.R. Racing this season.
Dillon, who is expected to return to the Cup Series next year, will remain with the team for the rest of this season as a coach and mentor for Sutton.
“I’m super-excited,” Sutton said. “It’s a good opportunity for me and I’m looking forward to racing on all these different tracks.”
After Kansas, the next truck race is at Talladega on Oct. 4, followed by Homestead/Miami, Martinsville (Va.) and Phoenix.
Talladega is NASCAR’s biggest track and considered its most dangerous, but Sutton is undaunted. He has run two trouble-free truck races this season at North Wilkesboro and Nashville Superspeedway, “and I hope to run another one at Kansas.”
Sutton would like to run the full truck schedule next year, but plans have not been finalized.
The Centerville-based team is co-owned by Sutton’s father Curtis whose Rackley Roofing company is the truck’s sponsor, and retired area racer Willie Allen.
In addition to his full-time truck racing duties, Sutton has two more Pro Late Model races remaining at Nashville’s Fairground Speedway, Oct. 5 and Nov. 2 as he closes in on the track championship.
He holds a comfortable 36-point lead over Indiana racer Corey Deuser in the standings, and if he can keep doing what he’s done so far – finish in the top 5 – the title is his.
RACERS REUNION – Prior to the Oct. 5 races, the 7th annual Racers Reunion will be held on the grandstands Party Deck, starting at 4 p.m. Admission to the reunion is free, but a reservation is required. It can be made by calling Phil Spickard at (615) 456-8620 or by visiting his Facebook page.
The season concludes with the Nov.1-3 All-American weekend. The final Pro Late Model race that will decide the track championship will be run on Nov. 2 and the 40th annual All-American 400 the next day.
