The
Red Bull Racing Team has announced that
Scott Speed will take in a limited number of races in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series this year.
Speed, who is currently competing in the 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series in the #2 Red Bull Toyota run under the wing of Eddie Sharp Racing, will drive the #46 Morgan-Dollar Motorsports entry.
Speed's #46 will carry a Red Bull paint scheme for his NCTS debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 7, followed by a second NCTS race at Martinsville Speedway on March 28. Speed will get additional seat time participating in the NCTS open test at Martinsville Speedway on March 12-13.
"Every time I'm in the car I'm learning something," he noted. "It's a lot more helpful for me to drive the races though because for me to get into a truck or Cup car and go fast by myself has been really easy. It's been easier than I thought, to be honest.
"What's difficult and what I'm learning a lot about is how the other cars around you affect your car. The reason we went this route is because the truck is the most similar to the COT and it is very sensitive to how the other cars around you, where they are and what they're doing to your car. This is kind of the method behind our madness here."
Speed's foray into NCTS racing is part of a development programme aimed at getting the ex-
Scuderia Toro Rosso driver ready for top-level competition in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
Red Bull meanwhile are said to be considering ‘additional opportunities' for Speed as the 2008 season progresses.
