News & Notes: Titlist Truex Heads Stellar Rookie Class In 2009

The 2009 season for the NASCAR Camping World Series East featured arguably the best rookie class in history as four first-year drivers finished in the top 10 in the standings and nearly two-thirds of the checkered flags were captured by cars with a yellow stripe.

Heading the class was Ryan Truex, who not only earned Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors, but captured the 2009 Camping World Series East championship as well. Only current NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rising star Joey Logano had accomplished that feat prior to Truex.

Accelerated Learning Curve

Drive for Diversity’s Tiff Daniels wrapped up her abbreviated season in the NASCAR Camping World Series East on a high note – a top-15 finish at Dover International Speedway – but she’s not done thinking about the 2009 season quite yet. Daniels, a support engineer at Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, is still hard at work, working primarily on the No. 42 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entry driven by championship contender Juan Pablo Montoya.

Jersey Boys: Truex and Harraka Earn Sunoco Rookie Honors

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.– Ryan Truex and Paulie Harraka made a big splash on opposite coasts in the NASCAR Camping World Series – winning races and even a championship in NASCAR’s top developmental series. NASCAR announced today that Truex and Harraka are the Sunoco Rookie of the Year honorees for the 2009 seasons in the NASCAR Camping World Series East and West, respectively.

Truex and Harraka – both from New Jersey – will be officially recognized at the NASCAR Touring Series Gala in Concord, N.C., Saturday, Nov. 14.

Truex Wins First NASCAR Title

DOVER, Del. - A pair of rookies took center stage Friday at Dover International Speedway: Brett Moffitt came away with the Sunoco 150 checkered flag and Ryan Truex earned the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Series East championship.

Truex, a 17-year-old development driver for Michael Waltrip Racing, finished eighth on Friday but it was the performance throughout the 11-race season that put him in the championship Winner’s Circle following the Sunoco 150. Truex finished his first season in NASCAR’s top development series with three wins and eight top 10s.

QUALIFYING: Record-Breaking Effort For DiBenedetto At Dover

DOVER, Del. – Fastest in Thursday practice translated to fastest in Friday qualifying as first-year Joe Gibbs Racing driver Matt DiBenedetto shattered the previous NASCAR Camping World Series East qualifying at Dover International Speedway in preparation for today’s Sunoco 150.

DiBenedetto, from Grass Valley, Calif., needed just one lap in time trials to turn in a fast lap of 23.201 seconds (155.166 mph), eclipsing the mark Sean Caisse set in 2006 at 23.563 (152.782).

PRACTICE: DiBenedetto Leads The Way In "Monster Mile" Debut

DOVER, Del. – Continuing a season-long trend, first-year NASCAR Camping World Series East driver Matt DiBenedetto took little time to adapt to a new track.

The Joe Gibbs Racing development driver clocked a fast lap of 23.963 seconds (150.232 mph) in final practice Thursday in his first appearance at Dover (Del.) International Speedway. He was also second-fastest in the first practice session earlier in the day at 24.436 (147.324).

No. 9 NCWS East Team Penalized for Rules Violations

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR announced today the car No. 9 team that competes in the NASCAR Camping World Series East has been penalized as a result of rules violations committed Thursday, Sept. 17 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H.

Statistical Advance: Analyzing The Sunoco 150 at Dover

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The 2009 NASCAR Camping World Series East champion will be crowned in the Sunoco 150 this Friday, Sept. 25 at Dover (Del.) International Speedway.

News & Notes: Down To The Wire ‘Monster Mile’ To Decide Title

Eddie MacDonald did what he needed to do at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The Rowley, Mass., native drove the No. 71 Grimm Construction Chevrolet to the win at the ‘Magic Mile.’ It was his third win at his home track in the last four races there, and was just about the best he could have done.

Unfortunately for MacDonald, the driver he’s chasing in the NASCAR Camping World Series East points race, Ryan Truex, brought his No. 00 NAPA Toyota home in third.

MacDonald Back In Victory Lane

LOUDON, N.H. – Eddie MacDonald closed the gap on NASCAR Camping World Series East points leader Ryan Truex Friday night at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with a win in the Heluva Good! Fall 125.

MacDonald beat Kevin Swindell to the line on a Lap 92 restart and kept the lead when Swindell faltered on a Lap 97 green-white-checker restart to win the rain-delayed and darkness-shortened race in Loudon.