STATESVILLE, North Carolina -- Jerry Nadeau is making his return to NASCAR racing. Nadeau will be a consultant for the newly-formed Clay Andrews Racing and driver David Gilliland in the NASCAR Busch Series. Nadeau begins immediately as the team prepares for their 2006 season debut at the California Speedway in the Stater Bros. 300.
“I’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to make a return to the sport I love,” said Nadeau. “I feel that this is it. Clay (Andrews) and general manager, Rich Gautreau, have put together a winning team in a very short time.
“I really want to help this team grow. This is also a great chance to work with a very promising driver,” explained Nadeau. “David (Gilliland) is a very mature driver with a lot of talent. Hopefully I can give him that extra guidance to run up front.”
Nadeau is a seven year veteran of the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series with over 170 Cup starts. He was a consistent threat before a practice crash in May of 2003 put a halt to his driving career. Nadeau has one win, 19 top-ten and nine top-five finishes in his Nextel Cup career. The experience and wisdom of Nadeau will make an immediate impact on Raybestos rookie candidate Gilliland.
“This is pretty special for me,” said Gilliland. “I’m going to be a rookie this season, but I think a person of Jerry’s talents can really accelerate the learning curve. He is a winner, and has proven that in and out of a race car. I’m really looking forward to working with him.”
“This is another big step for us”, commented team owner Clay Andrews. “Having Jerry come on board is really going to elevate this program to the next level. We’re a young team, but signing a guy of Jerry’s caliber really proves our commitment to win.”
Clay Andrews Racing is looking to build a reputation as one of the fastest-growing teams in the Busch Series. They have acquired a 28,000 state-of-the-art race shop in Statesville, N.C., and owner, Clay Andrews, has already appointed winning personnel. Motorsports professional Rich Gautreau is the general manager and veteran crew chief Billy Wilburn will help lead Gilliland in 2006. The team plans to run a partial schedule in 2006 while securing sponsorship for the long-term future.
