Hopes To "Unleash the Beast" in the Northeast
8/28/2013
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (August 27, 2013) – For the second time this season, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) will embark on new territory – making racing history once again – this time north of the border at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park (CTMP) in Bowmanville, Canada. The 2.459-mile track marks the series’ first visit to a road course in over 13 years – the last time the series raced on anything other than an oval was June 24, 2000 at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International.
Although Coulter has only experienced the 10-turn course through simulation racing and videos - much like a majority of the 30 truck field – the driver of the Monster Energy Toyota Tundra does have an advantage on the field. Since 2009, the Miami Springs, Fla. native has made three starts on a road course in the ARCA Racing Series, including two laps led en route to one top-five and two top-10 finishes. The 23-year-old hopes his knowledge of turning left and right will pay dividends in Sunday’s inaugural event.
Heading into this weekend’s Truck Series event at CTMP, Coulter is solidly inside the top 10 in points – a position he hasn’t been in since April - after finishing a season-high second at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City. In a field mixed with a few road course ringers and mostly road course rookies, the No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) driver hopes to claw into the competition by capitalizing on his road course racing experience to make “Monster” size strides in the points.
Joey Coulter, Driver of the No. 18 Monster Energy Toyota Tundra:
The Truck Series will head to a road course for the first time in in 13 years - making racing history for the second time this year – what are your thoughts on having such a diverse schedule of tracks in the Truck Series?
“I like it a lot – it’s something I enjoyed when I was racing in the ARCA Series too. I like knowing that the Truck Series has a little bit for everyone - a variety of flavor. Much like the drivers – a mix of veterans and rookies – we have road courses, superspeedways, short tracks, dirt, concrete and pavement tracks. To win the championship at the end of the year, you have to be a well-rounded driver – be able to adapt to new tracks and surfaces – that’s what makes them the best. I know the trucks used to race on road courses and I’m excited to see the series get back to its roots, just like we did at Eldora earlier this year. I’m especially excited about the trip north to Canada this weekend – there is a huge NASCAR fan base up there and I felt like the Truck Series was missing out on it. Canadian Tire Motorsport Park is a really cool looking road course – I’ve watched a lot of races there and I’m looking forward to having a lot of fun up there in my Monster Energy Toyota Tundra.”
Although you have never raced at CTMP, you are one of a handful of drivers that has road course racing experience. What are your thoughts on road course racing – do you like the ‘left and right turns’?
“Yeah for sure – it’s not something that we normally do and it breaks up the schedule of just turning left all the time. Road course racing brings on an entirely new level of challenges for not only the drivers but the crew chiefs, engineers and pit crews as well. Just like the dirt race did for us this year, I think it will be a lot of fun with the diverse field we have – lots of action, passing, some of us just trying to figure it out but just a lot of fun.”
Coulter’s Favorite Monster Energy Drink: Monster Rehab - Tea & Lemonade
Harold Holly, Crew chief of the No. 18 Monster Energy Toyota Tundra:
The 30-truck field will all be considered rookies in this weekend’s Truck Series event at CTMP. What are your expectations of the track and what are your goals for the No. 18 KBM team.
“It’s been a long time since the trucks have raced on a road course and I believe other than one driver the field will all be rookies in a truck on the road course. The best we can tell about the course is that it’s not a huge breaking course; the curves are not huge, so I don’t foresee a lot of mechanical failures. There are only a few corners where you will have to down shit to third and only one corner where you will have to down shift to second, so the track won’t be as violent on the equipment as some of the other road courses in other series. Joey’s experience at Millville and Palm Beach in the ARCA Series won’t help him in terms of track design this weekend, but it will in terms of driving tactics. Every track has different breaking and shifting points, but how you attack road courses and the tactics you use, I feel like he will have an advantage. One of the most important things on a road course is not only getting your tire wear squared up and good balance on your truck, but qualifying, pit strategy and fuel mileage. You have to play the race backwards and you really have to pick the right time to pit, because
No. 18 Monster Energy Toyota Tundra – Canadian Tire Motorsports Park Advance Page Two
track position is key. Road courses create different challenges for the teams than ovals do in terms of equipment and you have to approach road courses much differently. Based off our VIR test, I feel really good about the package we are bringing this weekend. All three KBM trucks are leaving the same way because all three drivers drove the same truck at VIR and we were all happy with the package. I’m pretty optimistic on our chances and truly have expectations for a solid top-five day.”
Joey Coulter’s No. 18 Monster Energy Toyota Tundra:
Chassis KBM02: The No. 18 KBM team will unload chassis KBM02 for the inaugural Truck Series event at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in Mosport, Canada. This Tundra has finished inside the top 10 in each of its six previous starts, boasting an average start of 7.0, an average finish of 3.7, and has completed 100% of laps attempted (850 of 850). This is also the same Toyota Tundra that Kyle Busch captured KBM’s first win with in the NCWTS in April of 2010, but was last seen at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio where Joey Coulter started 11th and was the highest finishing Truck Series regular – finishing fourth.
Date Site Driver Start Finish Laps Laps Led Status
3/6/2010 Atlanta Kyle Busch 2 2 130/130 15 Running
4/2/2010 Nashville Kyle Busch 1 1 150/150 131 Running
5/2/2010 Kansas Brian Ickler 9 4 167/167 6 Running
6/12/10 Michigan Kyle Busch 8 3 100/100 25 Running
8/7/2010 Nashville Brian Ickler 11 8 150/150 0 Running
7/24/2013 Eldora Joey Coulter 11 4 153/153 0 Running
Notes of Interest:
Joey Coulter – Road Course Racing Experience:
• In three ARCA Racing Series starts on a road course has one top-five and two top-10 finishes
• Best Start: Eighth (2010)/Best Finish: Second (2010)
• Completed 99.2% of laps attempted (202 of 404)
• Average Start: 11.3/Average Finish: 6.7
Joey Coulter Road Course Racing Experience Performance Profile in the ARCA Racing Series:
Date Track Size Start Finish Laps Status Laps Led
9/13/09 New Jersey Motorsports Park 2.250-Mile 17 11 65/67 Running 0
2/27/10 Palm Beach Int’l Raceway 2.459-Mile 9 6 70/70 Running 0
8/15/10 New Jersey Motorsports Park 2.250-Mile 8 2 67/67 Running 2
Joey Coulter 2013
• Ranks 10th in the NCWTS driver point standings with 399 points; 27 markers behind fifth-place Timothy Peters and 99 points behind series point leader Matt Crafton
• Recorded a season-best second-place finish at Kansas Speedway (4/20/13)
• Recorded a season-best fifth-place start in the UNOH 225 at Kentucky Speedway (6/27/13)
• In 13 starts in 2013, Coulter has led 17 laps en route to three top-five and five top-10 finishes
• Has completed 93.6% of laps attempted (1946/2080) and has an average start of 14.1 and an average finish of 13.5
• Third full-time season in the NCWTS
Kyle Busch Motorsports’ No. 18 Toyota Tundra:
• In 2013 has an average start of 14.1, an average finish of 13.5 and has led 17 laps en route to three top-five and five top-10 finishes
• Currently 13th in the 2013 NCWTS owner’s point standings
• Finished fifth in the 2012 NCWTS owner championship standings
• Over the final 18 races of the 2012 season, collected 683 owner’s points, the most among Truck Series teams during that span
• Led the NCWTS with 17 top-10 finishes in 2012, including nine straight to end the season, while collecting seven top-five finishes and one win (Brian Scott 11/9/12 at Phoenix International Raceway)
• All seven drivers that made a start in 2012 posted a top-10 finish (Ku. Busch, Ky. Busch, Hamlin, Herring, Leffler, Mayhew and Scott) and six of the seven led at least one lap
• Since debuting in the Truck Series in 2010, has compiled 17 wins, 8 poles, 42 top-five and 61 top-10’s across 83 starts
• Led the Truck Series in wins in each of its first two seasons: 2010 (8) and 2011 (8)
• In 2010, became first team since the NCWTS originated in 1995 to win the owner’s championship in its inaugural season
Last NCWTS Event-UNOH 200 at Bristol (Tn.) Motor Speedway:
After a spin in qualifying forced Joey Coulter to start in the rear of the field for the UNOH 200 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, the No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports driver had his eye on the target and was ready to shoot up the leaderboard in the 13th NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race of 2013. Starting 34th, the Toyota Racing driver advanced more positions than any other driver in the field - gaining 24 spots - to finish 11th in just his third start at the .533-mile concrete oval.
Fast & Fun Facts:
• Monster Energy will be on board the No. 18 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota Tundra when the Truck Series makes its debut north of the border in Bowmanville, Canada on Sunday, September 1.
• Coulter will make an appearance in the Monster Energy Action Zone at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park from 3-3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 28.
The Holly File:
Crew chief Harold Holly begins his third season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) and first with KBM. 2013 marks the fifth consecutive season that the Alabama native has called the shots for Joey Coulter, the first two coming in the ARCA Racing Series with his driver’s family-owned team, Coulter Motorsports. The 2000 Nationwide Series championship crew chief is no stranger to turning left and right – the seasoned veteran has 14 career starts combined between the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (3) and the NASCAR Nationwide Series (11) with five top-10 finishes.