Sports car racer Johnny O’Connell
will drive for JR Motorsports in the June 22 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at
Road America, general manager Kelley Earnhardt Miller announced today.
O’Connell will make up a two-team contingent for JR Motorsports at Road America
that includes Nationwide Series point leader Regan Smith.
O’Connell, a longtime GM factory
driver and recent inductee into the Sebring Hall of Fame, will drive the No. 5
CorvetteParts.net Chevrolet at Road America, the first of three road-course
venues the Nationwide Series will visit in 2013. This will mark O’Connell’s
first-ever race in a NASCAR stock car.
CorvetteParts.net is a subset of
Keen Parts Inc., a leading supplier of Corvette restoration parts. It
specializes in Corvette restoration parts ranging from vintage 1953 models to
customized accessories for today’s Corvettes. The company’s current inventory
boasts more than 18,000 parts and accessories.
“Needless to say, I’m extremely
excited about the opportunity Dale Jr. and Kelley have presented me,” O’Connell
said. “Over the years, competing in NASCAR is something I’ve always wanted to
do, but I never thought I’d get the opportunity. To be given that shot with JR
Motorsports is something that I fully expect to dedicate 100% of my effort to,
and I truly appreciate CorvetteParts.net for stepping up to support our team. I
plan to give them all I have.”
A native of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., but
longtime resident of Flowery Branch, Ga., O’Connell is considered one of the
most successful GM factory racecar drivers from the United States. He is a
three-time American Le Mans Series champion for Corvette Racing and current
World Challenge champion for Cadillac. He won the 2001 24 Hours of Daytona for
Corvette Racing. He has eight total wins in the 12 Hours of Sebring – more than
any other driver – and an overall title in 1994.
Most recently O’Connell won the
fourth round of the Pirelli World Challenge GT Cadillac Sports Car Challenge at
Circuit of the Americas on May 18. He is the defending series champion with
Andy Pilgrim.
O’Connell tested with JR Motorsports
at Virginia International Raceway on Mon., May 27, and is scheduled for another
test session prior to the June 22 race at Road America.
No comments:
Post a Comment