Jeffrey Earnhardt is set to return to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for the first time since the 2011 season as he will pilot a Toyota Tundra for MBM Motorsports at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Friday, May 24.
“We’ve got some good news. Want to announce that we’ll be running the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Memorial Day weekend,” Earnhardt said in a video shared to social media on Friday afternoon. “If y’all follow me, you know how much military and first responders mean to me. So, to be able to get run on Memorial Day weekend at our hometown track at Charlotte Motor Speedway is a huge honor.”
Earnhardt will carry sponsorship from Forgotten Coast K9, a 501 (c)(3) organization, which provides companion service dogs or emotional support dogs for Veterans and First Responders in need.
“Excited to hop back in a truck,” Earnhardt said. “It’s been a while, so this should be a lot of fun.”
Staff Sargeant Craig Shaffer, who passed away two years ago will be the honorary service member for Earnhardt in the event. Schaffer was a scout sniper for the Marine Corps.
Earnhardt, 34, is a fourth-generation NASCAR race car driver, who has found success in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in recent years. In 169 career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, Earnhardt has recorded two top-five finishes and six top-10s. Earnhardt finished eighth in his lone NASCAR Xfinity Series start this season, which came at Atlanta Motor Speedway in February.
Earnhardt’s career-best finish of second came while driving the Richard Childress Racing No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro at Talladega Superspeedway a couple of seasons ago. Earnhardt started from the pole, and surged to a runner-up finish in an emotional weekend.
While he only has 10 career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts to his name, the North Carolina native scored a top-10 finish driving for Rick Ware Racing in the 2011 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season-opener at Daytona International Speedway.
In all, Earnhardt has started 255 races in the NASCAR National Series ranks.
Earnhardt is the son of former NASCAR National Series competitor Kerry Earnhardt, the nephew of NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr., and the grandson of the legendary Dale Earnhardt.
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway is set for Friday, May 24. FS1 will provide television coverage of the event beginning at 8:30 PM ET. The Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will provide the radio broadcast of the race.
