Kerry Earnhardt
2006

5/30
Earnhardt Finishes 27th At Mansfield

Kerry Earnhardt's hopes for a solid finish in the City of Mansfield 250 at Mansfield Motorsports Speedway were dashed early in the race when the No. 13 National Pork Board Chevy Silverado made contact with the No. 02 truck, damaging the steering system on Earnhardt's truck and relegating him to a 27th place finish in Saturday's race.
Earnhardt fought a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series record 18 cautions totaling 85 laps and the resultant handling issues on his truck all afternoon, and would've salvaged a lead-lap finish if not for a spinout on the last lap caused by contact from the No. 22 truck. "I was excited about our chances, and was looking forward to seeing what we could do over the course of the race," Earnhardt said. "Unfortunately, we never got the chance. We kinda got behind the eight ball early, and fought the steering problems all afternoon. I'm proud of the way our guys kept working hard, like they always do. There's nothing we can do about it. We'll move on and be ready for Dover."
The finish dropped Earnhardt to 24th place in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings and into 7th place in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series action continues with the AAA Insurance 200 at Dover International Speedway at 4:45pm EST on Friday. Speed Channel will air the race via tape-delay at 8pm. MRN Radio will carry the event live.
Earnhardt will make his first career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start at the Monster Mile. He started four NASCAR Busch Series races there.

5/23
Earnhardt 20th At Charlotte, Ready For First Start at Mansfield

Kerry Earnhardt fell a lap down midway through the Quaker Steak & Lube 200 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte on Friday, but Earnhardt fought back to finish on the lead lap and in 20th place in the No. 13 National Pork Board Chevrolet Silverado.

Earnhardt qualified 11th for the race, his best qualifying effort this season. Earnhardt and the No. 13 crew dealt with sway bar issues early on and made constant adjustments during the race to keep the National Pork Board Chevrolet on track.

“Lance (crew chief Hooper) and the guys kept working hard and making adjustments to try to get the National Pork Board truck dialed-in,” Earnhardt said. “We were able to do what we needed to do to stay out there and compete, and were fortunate to receive the Lucky Dog award and get our lap back there. We just could never get the truck quite to where we wanted it to be, but at the same time we avoided any real trouble and were able to bring the truck home in one piece. With all the concerns before the race about the new tire and the track resurfacing and how it all might play out, I’m happy with the way we finished.”

Earnhardt moved to 21st in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings, and the No. 13 moved from 29th to 26th in the owner’s point standings.

Earnhardt will make his first visit to Mansfield Motorsports Speedway for the City of Mansfield 250 on Saturday. “It’s ThorSport Racing’s home track, and I’m excited to race there,” said Earnhardt. “It’s the kind of track we’ve all driven on over the years, a short track with lots of beatin’ and bangin’ going on. I know the fans are great there. It’s a new track for me, but that can be a positive thing sometimes. I feel like the No. 13 team is headed in the right direction, and I feel like we’ve got a good shot to finish in the top 10 at Mansfield.

5/17
Earnhardt Optimistic About Return To Charlotte

Earnhardt. Charlotte. The words pack a punch as powerful as any in the NASCAR lexicon, and they'll come together this weekend as Kerry Earnhardt (No. 13 ThorSport Racing Chevy) visits Lowe's Motor Speedway for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Quaker Steak & Lube 200 on Friday evening.
Earnhardt is eager to rebound from a slow start that has him mired in 22nd place in the standings after the first five races of the season, and says there's nowhere more special than Charlotte to serve as a springboard back into contention. "Charlotte is a really special place in the history of NASCAR, and I think any driver gets an extra adrenaline rush when they race here," Earnhardt said. "You want to do well anywhere you go, but it means a great deal to run well here, with all of the history and the great fans. It's just a tremendous environment." Earnhardt and the 1.5 mile superspeedway know each other well. Earnhardt started 3 races in the NASCAR Busch Series at Charlotte, and owns an '01 ARCA Series win there. Friday will mark his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start at the track, but he believes his familiarity with the 1.5 mile oval will pay dividends.
"I raced at Lowe's in the Busch Series and won an ARCA race there, so I've got some experience with the track and hopefully that can be an advantage to me," Earnhardt said. "Like everyone else, it'll be a learning curve for me as far as the new surface is concerned, and we'll have to see how it plays out with the new tire we'll be running there."
Effective communication is key to success in NASCAR, especially at Charlotte. "Communication is real important there," Earnhardt said. "I feel like (crew chief Hooper) Lance and I are making nice strides as far as our communication is concerned, and we'll keep getting better."
Earnhardt's optimism is apparent as he heads to Charlotte. "It's important to find the balance between running competitively and staying out of trouble at Lowe's, and I'm confident we can find that balance in this race," said Earnhardt. "I've got great support from our guys, and I'm anxious to to get going again after all these off weeks. I see good things on the horizon for the No. 13 ThorSport Chevy."

5/2
Earnhardt Involved in Accient, Finishes 27th at Gateway

Kerry Earnhardt was involved in a late-race accident and stumbled to a 27 th place finish in the caution-filled Missouri-Dodge Dealers Ram Tough 200 at Gateway International Speedway on Friday evening.

Rain wiped out qualifying for the race, relegating Earnhardt to a 26 th place starting spot.  Earnhardt was caught in an accident on lap 104, returned to the track briefly, then was forced to drive the battered No. 13 ThorSport Racing Chevrolet Silverado to the garage for the duration.  The race was marred by a track-record 13 cautions, which consumed 50 laps and resulted in the slowest ever NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at the track.

“I’m disappointed with the way things happened, but all you can do is learn from it and get better and move on,” Earnhardt said.  “It was unfortunate.  It was a tough weekend all the way around with the weather and lack of practice time and all the cautions.  But that’s racing, and that’s the way it goes sometimes.  We’ll keep working like we have been, and our guys will be ready to go at Charlotte.”

Despite the poor finish, Earnhardt remains in 22 nd place in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings.  He is tied for sixth place in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year race, twenty seven points behind leader Erik Darnell.  Earnhardt will return to action at the Quaker Steak and Lube 200 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte on May 19.