Teams Shuffle Lineups For Pocono, Iowa, Watkins Glen

Hamlin does double duty at Pocono

With events scheduled at Pocono Raceway (Sprint Cup/Camping World Trucks) and Iowa Speedway (Nationwide), a number of teams have announced changes to their usual driver lineups. In addition, teams are finalizing their driver lineups for the upcoming road course outing at Watkins Glen International. 

Denny Hamlin will make his first Truck Series start of 2012, driving the No. 18 GNC Franchising Toyota for Kyle Busch Motorsports. Hamlin, who has competed in 13 career Truck Series races, made two starts in KBM’s potent No. 18 Tundra during the 2011 season. In his debut for the team last October at Martinsville Speedway, he became the 23rd driver in history to collect at least one win in each of NASCAR's top three divisions. He returned to the truck for the series finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway last November, and came home with a runner-up finish.  

Despite ranking 16th in Truck Series points, veteran David Starr has withdrawn his No. 81 entry from the Pocono Mountains 125. "We have been very lucky this season with the partners that we have; Zachry, AdvoCare, and BYF to name a few, who have all gone above and beyond to support us this season," said Starr. "But right now, we don't have money lined up for a handful of races. We are fortunate and thankful to our partners this season and we're looking forward returning strong with those same partners to our next race." 

McDowell back in JGR's No. 18

Tim George Jr. will be back in a Richard Childress Racing Truck Series Chevy at Pocono; the same truck driven to a pole position start and a third-place finish by Kevin Harvick at Dover earlier this season Saturday’s race will be George's first Truck Series start at the Tricky Triangle, in addition to six ARCA starts, one victory, two Top-5 and three Top-10 finishes. 

At Iowa Speedway, Michael McDowell returns to Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 18 Pizza Ranch Toyota; the fourth of five races he is scheduled to run for JGR this season. McDowell will also drive the car at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal on August 18. In McDowell's first three races in the Pizza Ranch car this season, he notched a third place finish at Iowa Speedway (May 20), a seventh place finish at Michigan International Speedway (June 16) and a runner-up finish at Road America. 

NASCAR K&N Pro Series East star Darrell Wallace Jr. will make his second Nationwide start of the season at Iowa, driving JGR’s  No. 20 Toyota. His U.S. Cellular 250 effort will be overseen by crew chief Adam Stevens. 

At Watkins Glen, Miguel Paludo returns to the NASCAR Nationwide Series lineup, driving the No. 30 Duroline Brakes and Components Chevrolet Impala for Turner Motorsports. Paludo will make his second career series start at the 2.54-mile road course. In his previous NNS start at Road America in June, he led four laps and ran among the leaders before a broken sway bar in the late going relegated him to a disappointing, 29th-place finish.