STATESVILLE, N.C. — CR7 Motorsports, owned by Codie Rohrbaugh, will field a single-entry in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with a new driver in its stable.
Colby Howard has been named the full-time driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Silverado this season.
Howard enters his second full-time season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and his fifth season in NASCAR’s top-tier series. In 2022, Howard had three top-10 finishes with an average finish of 19.4, including 10 laps led. Howard made his series debut on Nov. 8, 2019, at the Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway.
After acing a part-time schedule in the Truck Series for two seasons, Howard made five starts and placed in the top 15 twice. He entered three Truck Series events with CR7 Motorsports. In 2021, he competed in 21 NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) events and raced at 22 events in 2020. Howard also has five starts in the ARCA Menards Series with four top-10 finishes.
The Simpsonville, S.C.-native has 46 career starts in NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series with four victories, 20 top-fives and 39 top-10 finishes at the NASCAR Home Tracks of Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Speedway and Greenville-Pickens (S.C.) Speedway.
Proving to be both versatile and adaptable behind the wheel, he made eight starts in the Southeast Limited Late Model Series with two wins and also earned one win and three top-five finishes in the Southeast Limited Late Model Series Challenger Division.
“It was an easy decision for us to put Colby (Howard) in the No. 9 Chevrolet Silverado with the speed he showed two years ago when he ran select events with our team, and also with the impressive season he had last year,” Rohrbaugh said. “I have been very pleased with the work and dedication he has put into CR7 Motorsports during the off-season. We have a lot to prove this year.”
CR7 Motorsports will enter its sixth NASCAR Crafstman Truck Series season.
In 2016, Rohrbaugh founded CR7 Motorsports. The team now boasts seven years of ARCA Menards Series competition with drivers Jason Kitzmiller and Rohrbaugh, collecting 10 top-10 finishes. The team also has three top-five finishes and eight top-10 finishes in 70 Truck Series starts.
CR7 Motorsports has had four drivers compete under its banner in the Truck Series, including Blaine Perkins, Grant Enfinger, Colby Howard and Rohrbaugh.
Michael Shelton, who has seven victories as a crew chief in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, has been named competition coordinator at CR7 Motorsports. He will work with team owner Rohrbaugh and oversee the Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series teams.