Daytona 500 champion to make NASCAR Truck Series debut at Daytona

A NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team has picked a Daytona 500 champion to drive one of its trucks in the Feb. 13 Truck Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway and the Feb. 21 race at EchoPark Speedway.

On Wednesday, Niece Motorsports announced that two-time NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series champion and 2023 Daytona 500 champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will drive the organization's No. 45 Chevrolet Silverado and make his Truck Series debut in the Fresh From Florida 250 at Daytona on Feb. 13. The Olive Branch, Miss., native will then compete in another superspeedway race at EchoPark Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway) on Feb. 21. 

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has a proven track record

Stenhouse, 38, has become one of NASCAR's best superspeedway racers in recent years. He is entering his 14th season of full-time Cup Series competition and his sixth with HYAK Motorsports. 

In addition to his 2023 Daytona 500 victory, he has three other Cup Series wins in superspeedway races (one at Daytona, two at Talladega). He is a veteran of 472 Cup Series starts as well as 110 O'Reilly Auto Parts Series starts and an eight-time O'Reilly Auto Parts Series winner.