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09-04-08 Howard Looks to Get Back on Track at Gateway Shelby Howard looks to get back on track in the Camping World 200 at Gateway International Raceway on Saturday. Howard, driver of the No. 13 FarmPaint.com Silverado, says despite subpar performances in his last couple of races, he believes success is right around the corner for the team. “Obviously, we didn’t finish the way we would have liked the last couple of races, but I feel like we’re on the verge of turning things around,” he said. “This team continues to work hard, and I appreciate everything the guys are doing for me. We’ve got a great group of guys here, and we’re all hungry for success. We expect to be competitive each time out, and we’ll keep working and doing what we need to do to make that happen.” Howard will shift gears on Saturday, as it will be his first outing with longtime crew chief Dennis Connor at the helm. Saturday will mark Howard’s first start at Gateway. “I’m excited to race at Gateway,” he said. “I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do. We’re taking a truck with a new front clip this weekend. Gateway is a unique track, with one end being tight and narrow and the other longer and sweeping. We’ll give it everything we have, and hopefully we can come out of here with a top-10 finish and build momentum as we head down the stretch of the season.”
08-07-08 Howard Enters Nashville on Strength of First Top-5 Finish Shelby Howard enters Saturday’s Toyota Tundra 200 at Nashville Superspeedway on the strength of his first top-5 finish of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season. Two weeks ago, Howard finished 5th at Indy in front of his hometown fans. “It meant a lot to me to do well in front of many friends and family who came out and supported me,” Howard said. “Their support has been tremendous. But I’m happiest for the guys on this No. 13 FarmPaint.com team, because they’ve been working their tails off for me. Our finish at ORP is confirmation that we’re making progress. We’re a young team, and we’ve come a long way since the season started. We continue to grow and get better, and I believe good things are in store for us around the corner.” Howard’s other top-10 finish this season was at Mansfield, where he finished 6th. Howard knows strong results at Nashville would go a long way toward establishing the momentum he seeks. “It would be huge if we can come out of here with another top-10 run,” said Howard. “It’s a great place to race, but it can be difficult to pass here. We just have to try to put ourselves in the best position we can, and see if we can be right there at the end of the race. We’re excited to see what we can do on Saturday.”
07-28-08 Howard Roars to First Top-5 Finish at ORP Shelby Howard roared to his first top-5 finish of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season in front of hometown supporters in the Power Stroke Diesel 200 at ORP on Friday. Howard, who grew up in nearby Greenwood, Indiana, gave his fans a thrill and his No. 13 FarmPaint.com Chevy teammates a much-needed shot in the proverbial arm with his 5th place effort. “I had a bunch of friends and family out there rooting for me, and it was a perfect time for a top-5 finish for us,” he said. “It’s been a long time coming, and there’s no better place than ORP to do it. It was pretty cool as we made our way back up thru the field those last 30 laps or so. I’m excited for all of the guys on this FarmPaint.com team. We have a young team, and we took our lumps early, but we’re learning a whole lot and we’ve come a long way so far this season. The guys are working really well together, and we’re excited about what lies ahead for us. We just have to keep working, keep looking for ways to get better.” Howard’s only other finish inside the top-10 this season was at Mansfield in May. On Saturday, Howard capped a special weekend by driving the No. 13 Bobcat/FarmPaint.com Chevrolet to a 20th place finish in the NASCAR Nationwide Series Kroger 200 at ORP. “I was a little bit disappointed with our finish, but we were able to bring the car home in one piece,” Howard said. “We learned a lot, and I really enjoyed it. All in all, it was a special weekend for me back at ORP. Hopefully, we can take the top-5 NCTS finish and build on it.”
07-23-08 Howard Looks Forward to ORP Homecoming This weekend at ORP will mark a homecoming of sorts for Shelby Howard, driver of the No. 13 FarmPaint.com Silverado. Howard is a native of Greenwood, Indiana, just a short-track lap from venerable ORP, site of Friday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Power Stroke Diesel 200 “I’m excited to be racing at ORP this weekend in front of lots of friends and family, and their support means a great deal to me,” he said. “Hopefully, we can make ‘em all proud with a strong run.” According to Howard, a top-10 finish at ORP would be the perfect jumpstart to his ’08 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series campaign. He is in 19th place in the NCTS standings, but within easy striking distance of a handful of drivers in front of him. “As a young team, we feel like we’re on the right track as far as gaining the knowledge we need to be successful,” Howard said. “We kind of put ourselves in a hole early in the season, and it takes time to dig out of it. We’re trying to do that.” Howard will be pulling welcome double-duty at ORP, as he will also pilot the No. 13 Bobcat/FarmPaint.com Chevrolet in Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series Kroger 200. “I’m real familiar with this track, so I’m confident we can run well in both races,” he said. “It would be awesome if we could come out with top-10 finishes both nights, especially with all of the great support we’ll have in the stands.”
07-18-08 ThorSport Racing Welcomes FarmPaint.com as Sponsor ThorSport Racing announced Friday that FarmPaint.com has become a proud sponsor of the No. 13 Chevrolet Silverado in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. FarmPaint.com will make its first appearance on the No. 13 race truck in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Ford Built Tough 225 at Kentucky Speedway on Saturday. FarmPaint.com is the leading source for agricultural paint and coating needs (www.FarmPaint.com). “We’re excited to have FarmPaint.com on board beginning this weekend at Kentucky,” said driver Shelby Howard. “They are the best in their marketplace, and we are constantly striving to be as good as we can be…it’s a natural fit. We look forward to a strong partnership with FarmPaint.com, and hopefully we can bring home a top-10 finish for them at Kentucky.” Howard is eager to return to the track following a break in the NCTS schedule. “I’m excited to get going again,” he said. “I think this break was good for us, as a young team, to be able to catch our breath a bit. It allowed us to take a close look at what we can do better, how we can improve. We’re taking a new piece to Kentucky, and I’m excited to see what this truck can do.” Howard looks forward to returning to Kentucky. “I love racing at Kentucky,” he said. “There’s plenty of room to run, and it’s a fast track. Racing under the lights is exciting, too; it just adds that much more excitement for everybody. We’re confident we can put our No. 13 FarmPaint.com Silverado in position for some good things on Saturday night.”
06-12-08 Howard Expects Wide-Open Affair at Michigan Shelby Howard enters the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Cool City Customs 200 at Michigan International Speedway on Saturday looking for a strong finish at one of the largest and fastest tracks on the circuit. Howard hopes to drive the No. 13 Bobcat Silverado into the thick of contention at the 2-mile behemoth. “I’m excited about racing at MIS,” Howard said. “It’s a big, roomy track and the racing is fast. There’s no doubt there will be some three-wide racing, maybe even four-wide. Drafting will definitely come into play at Michigan. We’re expecting to perform well, and hopefully come out of there with another top-10 finish in the Bobcat Silverado.” Howard, who was 6th at Mansfield a few weeks ago, says the No. 13 team is on the right track. “We continue to learn and find ways to do things better, and everybody on this team is hungry to show that we can be consistent... we’d like nothing better than to put together a few top-10 finishes in a row to build some nice momentum. We’re hoping to bounce back strong at Michigan this weekend.”
06-04-08 Howard Seeks Return to Top-10 at Texas Shelby Howard heads for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Sam’s Town 400 at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday hoping to recapture the top-10 form he displayed a couple of weeks ago. Howard finished 6th at Mansfield in the No. 13 Bobcat Chevy Silverado, and was lurking just outside the top-10 early in last week’s race at Dover when brake issues slowed his charge. He finished in 19th place. “We’re excited to see what we can do at Texas,” Howard said. “We’re taking a nice piece with us. Texas is a fast track, with plenty of room to race. I think things are coming together for us. We’re learning a lot, and the guys are all on the same page. We’d like nothing better than to pick up another top-10 finish, and keep things moving in the right direction.” Howard says his relationship with teammate and veteran driver Matt Crafton has helped to ease the learning curve inherent to fulltime NCTS action. "Matt has been great at sharing ideas with me," Howard said. "It's been valuable to be able to bounce ideas off him, to hear his thoughts about the little things as well as the bigger things. He's pretty much seen it all in this series, and his input has been real helpful to me."
05-27-08 Howard Nabs First Top-10 Finish at Mansfield Shelby Howard wheeled the No. 13 Bobcat Chevy Silverado to a 6th place finish in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Ohio 250 at Mansfield Motorsports Park on Saturday. The finish was Howard’s first in the top-10 this season, and capped a solid weekend for him at the half-mile track, located an hour from ThorSport Racing headquarters in Sandusky. “I feel really good for this team, to come in here to our home track and perform in front of our fans the way we did,” Howard said. “It means a great deal to me. These guys have been working so hard for me, and it’s a nice payoff for them. I believe it’s a sign of things to come for us.” Howard led the early practice session for the race at MMP, and qualified 9th. He led laps in the race, and spent most of the day in the top-10. “Our Bobcat Silverado was pretty darned good when we unloaded here, and we definitely had one of the best trucks in the race,” he said. “I think we had a top-three truck for sure, but we only took two left side tires on our pit stop, and our right front was getting a little chewed up there toward the end. The truck got a little tight. But we kept battling and worked our way back up to 5th. I got blocked up there with Terry Cook, and lost a spot. Mansfield can be brutal on your equipment, but we came out with a strong top-10 finish and just a little bit of body damage to the right side of the truck, so we’re pretty happy. We’re thankful to the folks at Bobcat for their great support, too.” Howard’s performance provided a spark for the No. 13 team as they prepare for the AAA Insurance 200 at Dover International Speedway on Friday. “We know what we’re capable of, and these guys take a lot of pride in their work, so it feels good to get that first top-10 finish as we head to Dover,” said Howard. “I know Dover is a real fast track, and because of the way the track is designed, you can get caught up in a mess there pretty quickly. We’ll go in there and try to stay out of trouble and hopefully come out with another top-10 finish and keep building momentum.’
05-22-08 Howard Seeks Top-10 Finish in Front of ThorSport Hometown Fans Shelby Howard enters Saturday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Ohio 250 at Mansfield Motorsports Park hoping to pounce on a top-10 finish in front of the ‘hometown’ fans. Howard, driver of the No. 13 Chevrolet Silverado for ThorSport Racing, based in nearby Sandusky, says there would be no better place than Mansfield for a strong finish. “Mansfield is the ‘home track’ for our team, and we’ve really been looking forward to this race,” Howard said. “It’s always a terrific atmosphere here. We have lots of people out here cheering us on, fans who have supported ThorSport Racing for a long time. The fans are great and they really pack this place. These fans are as knowledgeable about racing as you’ll find anywhere, and they expect us to put on a show. We hope to do that for them.” Howard expects patented short-track wildness at the half-mile MMP. “This track is rugged, and it can take a toll on your equipment,” he said. “You can expect lots of beating and banging, and there’s not much room to get away from anybody. Track position will be the key here, so qualifying takes on extra importance. Pit strategies will be huge here, too. We’ll have to see how it all plays out. IIt will definitely be hard-battling, old-fashioned racing. Hopefully we can come out of here with a top-10 finish and our truck in one piece. That’s not easy to do at Mansfield.”
05-15-08 Howard Anticipates Electric Atmosphere at Charlotte Shelby Howard enters the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on Friday hoping to build on a solid performance at Kansas. Howard, driver of the No. 13 ThorSport Racing Silverado, finished 16th at Kansas, and believes the team is on a steady improvement track. “I’m excited to see what we can do at Lowe’s Motor Speedway,” Howard said. “It’s fast and furious there, and always an electric atmosphere. It’s great racing. This team continues to improve, the chemistry keeps getting better, and I really feel like we’re ready to turn the corner. I’d like nothing better than to get that first top-10 finish of the season at Charlotte. It would be a tremendous spark for us, and the guys deserve it. They’ve been working so hard for me, and I appreciate it.” Howard knows, however, that a top-10 finish in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, especially at frenetic Lowe’s Motor Speedway, never comes easy. “This series is so competitive, you have to bring your best every time out, have to be consistent, and that’s our priority,” said Howard. “Everybody has to be on the same page, to share the same intense focus, and I feel like we have that. It’s just a matter of putting all of the pieces together, to build the consistency we need. Hopefully, we can come out with a strong finish at Lowe’s Motor Speedway and get that ball rolling.”
04-23-08 Howard Hopes Previous Success Provides Spark at Kansas Shelby Howard believes his previous success at Kansas Speedway can provide a necessary spark for the driver of the No. 13 ThorSport Racing Silverado in Saturday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series O’Reilly Auto Parts 250. Howard is glad to be back on the track following a lengthy break in the NCTS schedule. “I’m ready to get going again,” he said. “Things are coming together with the No. 13 team…we’re finding our places with each other. We had the truck in the wind tunnel earlier this week, and it was much improved. Chris Rice is settling in as crew chief (Rice replaced former chief Lance Hooper at Martinsville), and there’s a lot of positive energy around this team. Hopefully that will translate to a strong finish on Saturday.”
03-06-08 ThorSport's Howard Confident in Return to Atlanta Shelby Howard enters Friday night’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series American Commercial Lines 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway confident that the No. 13 ThorSport Racing crew is on a fast-track to consistent strong finishes. “We’ve got a great group of guys on this team, and everybody works well together and continues to grow together,” Howard said. “I feel it’s only a short matter of time until we’re running in the top-10 each week." In his return to the knock-down, drag-out competition for which the NCTS is known, Howard possesses the cool demeanor necessary for success. “I’m learning each week, finding out pretty quickly about these trucks and what it takes to make them better,” he said. “I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do at Atlanta. I have a lot of ‘seat time’ at AMS. I’ve run several ARCA races and a Nationwide Series race there, and done a lot of testing. I’m real comfortable with the track. I like the top side thru turns 1 & 2, and the bottom thru 3 & 4. But you can hold it wide-open, and run pretty much anywhere on the track. Once the race gets going, I’ll find out where the truck responds best." Howard relishes the intensity of week-to-week racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. “The competition in this series is so intense, you have to be on the mark each time out,” he said. “It’s exciting. The margin for error is so slim. You have to constantly be improving, finding the best ways to do things. I’d love to come out of Atlanta with a strong finish and build early-season momentum.”
02-22-08 Howard to Make NCTS Debut at California Shelby Howard enters Saturday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series San Bernardino County 200 at California Speedway on Saturday hoping to build on a 15th place finish in last week’s opener at Daytona. “Considering how unpredictable and wild things can be during the race at Daytona, we felt fortunate to come out of there with the finish we did, and with our truck in one piece,” Howard said. “All of the buildup to Daytona, all of the excitement and anticipation, was incredible, but it’s nice to put it behind me and hopefully settle into a rhythm beginning at California.” Saturday’s race will be Howard’s first at California. “I’m not real familiar with the track, but I know there’s lots of room to race,” said the driver of the No. 13 ThorSport Racing Silverado. “Matt (teammate Crafton) will be helpful to me in that regard, as far as advice. He knows the track well, and knows these trucks and what we need out here to be successful. It’s a huge help to be able to turn to him for his input. All of our guys worked really well together last week, and it will only continue to get better. I know the NCTS always puts on a great show at California, and I know the fans are great out here. I'm excited to be a part of it. Hopefully, we can come out with a top-10 finish and really get things rolling." 02-12-08 ThorSport's Howard Ready for Daytona Shelby Howard begins his first season as a fulltime driver in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in the Chevrolet Silverado 250 at Daytona on Friday, and the Greenwood, Indiana native knows a strong finish at DIS would be a huge early-season confidence-builder. “I’m thrilled to be back in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do at Daytona,” said the driver of the No. 13 ThorSport Racing Silverado. “It would be great to come out of Daytona with a solid finish and get the season started the right way. The caliber of drivers in this series is outstanding, and you have to earn everything you get each time out. I can’t wait to get started.” Howard knows good fortune is key to success at Daytona. “Things can get crazy here,” he said. “You set the truck up the best you can, so that it maneuvers right in traffic, and hope that luck is on your side when the wrecks happen.’ Howard isn’t unfamiliar with Daytona. At age sixteen, he ran an ARCA Series race at DIS. “I’m comfortable here,” he said. “I enjoy coming to Daytona. The lead-up to this race is unbelievable, with all that’s happening during Speedweeks, and the race itself is always exciting, especially racing at night.” Howard will be driving a race truck rich in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and ThorSport Racing lore. Affectionately known in NCTS circles as “Piggy”, the truck has been a part of every NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Daytona, finishing 4th in the inaugural truck-series race at Daytona in ’00. “Piggy” also stormed to a 6th place finish at Talladega last fall. In a sport rife with rapid-fire changes to rules and technology, in an era where teams and drivers come and go, ThorSport’s “Piggy” has been a model of endurance, exemplifying the organization’s ‘never say die’ attitude. “This truck has a lot of history within our Series and with ThorSport, and I’m hoping it’ll be somewhat of a good-luck charm for me at Daytona,” Howard said.
01-11-08 Thorsport Racing Tabs Howard To Drive In ‘08 ThorSport Racing has named Shelby Howard as a driver for the team in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in ‘08, the organization announced on Thursday. Howard, 22, hails from Greenwood, Indiana, a short-track lap from the hallowed ground of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He burst onto the big-time racing scene in ’02 as the youngest driver to lead laps in an ARCA Series race, and became the youngest winner of an ARCA superspeedway race when he triumphed at Kansas the following year. Howard has also tasted NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and Busch Series competition. “I’m thrilled to be a part of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and thankful for the opportunity,” Howard said. “I’m excited about the pieces that are already in place with this team, and look forward to getting started at Daytona. This series is more competitive than it’s ever been, and we have a team that's committed to winning, and you can't ask for any more than that. It’s a great group of guys, and I can’t wait to see what we can do.” Related sponsor announcements will be forthcoming.
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