Delaware Speedway

Kennington to Make NASCAR Truck Debut at Martinsville.

Former Delaware Speedway track champ DJ Kennington is in Virginia, where he's about to make his debut in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Kroger 200 at Martinsville for Rick Ware Racing. He's preparing to take his first ever laps in the #6 Chevrolet sponsored by Northern Provincial Pipeline. He has never competed or even practiced in a truck before and it's his first time at Martinsville. It takes a bit of adjustment.

"(laughs) We're trying to get the gas pedal fitted right now. I tried to sit in it and my legs are up around my ears."

The half-mile Martinsville oval, nicknamed the "paper clip", should provide ample challenge to the first-time truck racer but DJ says it's not entirely unfamiliar territory.

"Martinsville is pretty flat. It's like Ste Eustache (near Montreal, Quebec) - just a lot bigger: long straight-aways and sharp corners."

39 trucks are entered for Saturday's race but only 36 will make the field. DJ's job is to keep from being one of the three drivers who are sent home. He figures he's already raced against approximately 15% of the field in the Nationwide Series, including Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick. Although it seems like an unexpected turn in his career, the chance to get into a NASCAR truck race for RWR has been in the works for a while.

"I've been talking to Rick (Ware) about an opportunity for almost a year and a half. He wanted to put a second truck out there for Martinsville. I think it's going to be a whole bunch like the Nationwide car. Same tires, same kind of set-up."

It's a tremendous opportunity for a young racing star on the rise and he outlines his expectations.

"More experience basically, just trying to get more exposure. It's hard to get down here and do these things. Any opportunity you get, you try and jump on it. We're trying to put stuff together to run some Nationwide stuff and some more Truck stuff. But I've got stuff to concentrate on up there too (NCATS). "

DJ will be back to defend his title as the reigning champ of the Delaware 200 NCATS race June 5th. But in Virginia, he continues to talk up his home track every chance he gets.

"Thanks Rick Ware and Dwight Kennedy from Northern Provincial Pipeline for the opportunity. Also thanks to Arlen and the folks at Delaware Speedway. We're down here promoting Delaware and letting people know about it any way we can."