After sitting out the last four NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races, Justin Marks has been signed to a one-race deal with ThorSport Racing to pilot the No. 98 Chevrolet in next Friday's event at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Marks, a native of Northern California born in St. Louis, raced most of the 2011 NCWTS season in the No. 66 owned by NASCAR veteran Stacy Compton, earning two top-tens and a pole position at Dover International Speedway.
Dakoda Armstrong has raced this truck in a limited schedule this year, but had no plans to run Atlanta as he already has seven races on his calendar. A NASCAR driver can only run seven events without losing rookie eligibility in the following year. Marks racing the truck also provides the newly-formed No. 98 team valuable track time with a veteran driver who has earned wins in the ARCA Series as well as the GT division of the prestigious Rolex 24 Grand-Am race.
"I'm confident at the 1.5-mile tracks like Atlanta, so I'm focused on running as hard as we can," Marks said in a statement Thursday. "The goal for the race team is to take another step forward with the 98 guys and help them as much as possible to prepare for Dakoda's rookie of the year campaign next season."
ThorSport team manager David Pepper has worked with Marks before in the Truck Series and is looking forward to providing an opportunity to succeed at Atlanta in the GoPro-sponsored truck.
"When this opportunity came along to put a quality driver like Justin Marks in one of our trucks, it was a natural fit to see what we can do in a one-off deal," Pepper said. "This race is all about getting more points, getting more experience for our team, and keeping our full time driver's rookie status in place. The entire 98 team is looking ahead to the full season and rookie campaign with their driver, Dakoda Armstrong, and running this Atlanta race with Justin Marks is just another start that will help gain owner points for 2012."
"David Pepper and I have had history since 2007 when he spotted for me in ARCA," Marks said. "We'd always talked every year about doing something together and the opportunity presented itself this time. GoPro made a decision at the halfway point of the season to concentrate on just a couple of races to round out the year and make the most of them, with one of those events being this opportunity with the No. 98 ThorSport Racing team."
The race will also provide Marks the opportunity to team up with current series points leader Johnny Sauter, the runner up in Wednesday night's race at Bristol Motor Speedway and NCWTS veteran Matt Crafton. On his official Twitter page, Marks tweeted after the announcement was made, "I have a ton of respect for this team and for Matt Crafton and Johnny Sauter. I'm looking forward to being their teammates next weekend."
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to action Friday, Sept. 2, at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The race is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET.
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