Contact: John Ewert
Communications Director
O: (920) 893-4206
jewert@roadamerica.com
ELKHART LAKE, Wis., June 12, 2013 – Nelson Piquet Jr. will be making his return to Road America June 22, looking to capture back-to-back wins at the famed 4-mile, 14-turn road course. During last season’s shootout, Piquet Jr. won the pole, then went on to lead a total of 19 laps to become the first Brazilian to score a victory in one of NASCAR’S top-three series. The win also helped set Piquet Jr. up for a strong finish to the 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series campaign and provided a platform for him to run full-time during the 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series season.
Piquet Jr. began his career racing karts at the tender age of eight. The son of three-time Formula One champion, Nelson Piquet, was born in West Germany and lived in Monaco before moving to Brazil’s capital city of Brasilia. Like many of his racing brethren, Piquet Jr., followed closely in his father’s footsteps moving through the international open-wheel ranks to reach the pinnacle of the sport, Formula One, in 2008, before transitioning to NASCAR. The popular Brazilian is excited to go after another win at Road America.
“I really enjoy Road America and look forward to making my return this weekend,” said the Brasilia, Brazil Native. “Last year’s win was very special for me for many reasons. First, this place is where I was able to capture my first career win in NASCAR, and second, I really feel like this helped me gain the confidence I needed to finish last year strong in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and it would be really great to win again.”
Finish strong is exactly what the 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) Most Popular Driver did. After the Road America win, Piquet Jr. went on to capture two victories in the Truck Series, taking the checkered flag at Michigan International Speedway in August and again one month later at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
“Once we left Road America last summer, I had a feeling that the rest of the year could turn out pretty special for our Truck Series team, said Piquet Jr. It’s amazing what a little bit of good fortune can do for your confidence in this sport. The Las Vegas win in the Truck Series last year was amazing. It was such a thrill to make a pass on the last lap of the race to get the win. The guys racing week in and week out in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the NASCAR Nationwide Series are so good and so strong that anytime you can get a victory, it truly is something special.”
Piquet Jr. wrapped up his 2012 NCWTS campaign by winning the 2012 Most Popular Driver award. This was Piquet Jr.’s first driver award since joining NASCAR in 2008. During the off-season, Piquet Jr. decided to take the next step in his NASCAR journey and sign on with Turner Scott Motorsports to pilot the No. 30 Nationwide Series Chevy Camaro for the 2013 season.
“Being able to drive the No. 30 WORX Yard Tools Chevy Camaro this year for Turner Scott Motorsports has been a dream come true for me. I have learned something new each weekend we have been on the track this year. We continue to learn and make strides and I am thrilled about the possibilities to come. I am looking forward to getting on the track this weekend here at Road America to tackle one of my favorite tracks again, and who knows, maybe this race could be the start again of something special for us here again in 2013.”
The race weekend will be filled with Trans-Am action on Friday, followed by stock car excitement on Saturday including the SCOTT® 160 ARCA Series race and incredible wheel-to-wheel battles later in the day with the Johnsonville Sausage 200 NASCAR Nationwide race presented by Menards. NASCAR Nationwide Series racing showcases some of NASCAR’s future stars as they test their skills on the storied four-mile, 14-turn road circuit. Road America has a legendary history of featuring brilliant racers on a challenging circuit that easily separates the good from the great drivers, just like Nelson Piquet Jr.
Tickets are available and additional event details, schedules, ticket pricing and camping information can be found at www.roadamerica.com or by calling 800-365-7223. Kids 12 and under are free with an adult. All races run rain or shine.
About Road America: Established in 1955 as the first permanent road racing course in the United States, Road America is located midway between Milwaukee and Green Bay in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The world’s best racers have competed at this legendary four-mile, 14-turn road circuit for over 55 years. The 640-acre, park-like grounds offer amazing viewing opportunities, fantastic concessions and high-speed excitement to hundreds of thousands of spectators each year. In addition to public race weekends, Road America offers a variety of group event programs, the Blain’s Farm & Fleet Motorplex for karting and supermoto, and the Road America Motorcycle and Advanced Driving Schools. For more information, visit www.roadamerica.com Follow Road America on www.facebook.com/RoadAmerica and on Twitter: @roadamerica or call 800-365-7223.
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