Sherrills Ford, NC (November 18, 2015) – Returning to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) circuit for the season finale at Homestead-Miami (Fl.) Speedway (HMS), NASCAR Next driver, Jesse Little, is ready to climb behind the wheel of his No. 97 Protect The Harvest Toyota Tundra for the fourth and final time in 2015 for Friday night’s 134-lap event at the 1.5-mile oval.
Little, who fell victim to misfortune in his first two NCWTS starts, made major strides throughout his time on track. After qualifying 10th for his NCWTS debut at Dover (Del.) International Speedway in May, the Sherrils Ford, N.C. native was caught up in an early accident, leaving him with a 30th-place finish.
Making his second start at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, rain relinquished Little to a 15th-place starting position, based on practice speeds, for the American Ethanol 225. Racing his way through the pack, Little made his way within the top-10 before a mechanical issue ended his day early, with a 30th-place finish.
Coming off his career best NCWTS finish at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Little once again showed skill behind the wheel. Qualifying 16th for the WinStar World Casino 350k, the third-generation driver held his own as he completed the 147-lap event with a solid 15th-place finish, his first career top-15 finish.
Little, who has logged laps on two different mile-and-a-half tracks in his short NCWTS career, is optimistic for his chances Friday night at the 1.5-mile Homestead-Miami Speedway. More than ready to put his early season misfortune behind him and continue his learning curve, Little is looking for his first top-10 finish in just his fourth NCWTS start Friday night.
News & Notes:
- 2015 Chassis Chatter… The No. 97 Protect the Harvest team will utilize chassis No. 33 for Friday night’s NCWTS 200 at Homestead-MIami Speedway. This particular chassis was seen three previous times this season at Dover International Speedway (30th), Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet (30th), and in the fall at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth (15th).
- Miami Minute… Little will make his fourth NCWTS start of the 2015 season at Homestead-Miami Speedway Friday night. It will be his first trip to the 1.5-mile oval.
- Calling the Shots… Bud Haefele will be the crew chief for Little in his fourth NCWTS start at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Haefele has 179 starts to his resume since 2004, including six poles, two wins, 42 top-five and 96 top-10 finishes. The veteran crew chief was Matt Crafton’s crew chief from 2005-2011, and has called the shots for seven NCWTS races at Homestead. His success includes one top-five and three top-10 finishes with Crafton.
- Back on Board… Protect The Harvest was created to defend and preserve the freedoms of American consumers, farmers, ranchers, outdoor enthusiasts, and animal owners. For more information visit: ProtectTheHarvest.com
Little’s NCWTS Stats:
- 3 starts in 2015
- First start: Dover International Speedway
- Best start: 9th (Dover, 2015)
- Best finish: 15th (Texas, 2015)
- Has completed 191 of 497 laps attempted (38.4%)
Race Information:
Date: Friday, November 20, 2015
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1
Track Details: 1.5-mile oval
Distance: 134 laps/201 miles