MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Reigning USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget Series champion Buddy Kofoid will make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut in the April 16 Pinty’s Truck Race on Dirt at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.
The Toyota Racing Development driver will wheel the No. 51 Tundra TRD fielded by Kyle Busch Motorsports with sponsorship from Mobil 1.
Kofoid, who drives for Keith Kunz Motorsports in midget competition and has made numerous asphalt late model starts in Toyota vehicles, won a pair of POWRi Midget League features last weekend, including Toyota’s 400th national midget victory at I-44 Riverside Speedway in Oklahoma City, Okla.
In addition to the USAC championship last year, Kofoid won several events in winged sprint cars, including the Trophy Cup at California’s Thunderbowl Raceway.
“Getting the opportunity to race the best equipment in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a huge step in my career and I can’t thank Kyle Busch Motorsports, Mobil 1 and Toyota enough for giving me this chance,” Kofoid said. “To be making my Truck Series debut in such a unique event at an iconic venue like Bristol Motor Speedway is going to be really cool.”
The 20-year-old driver is scheduled to drive the same chassis, KBM-12, that Martin Truex Jr. led 105 laps en route to victory in the inaugural Pinty’s Truck Race on Dirt at The Last Great Colosseum last year.
Mardy Lindley will serve as Kofoid’s crew chief.
The No. 51 KBM machine has already visited victory lane this season with Corey Heim driving to victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway.