Nashville, TN - Willie Allen's first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season may not have started the way he always dreamed, but that hasn't shaken the Rookie of the Year contender's confidence as the series heads to Atlanta. After getting two races under his belt, Allen is very optimistic about his chances to take the #13 National Pork Board Chevy Silverado to a good finish at the American Commercial Lines 200.
"My confidence is very high going into Atlanta," said Allen. "I feel that we gained a ton of knowledge during the California race. We were running very competitively near the end at California. The communication is improving 'big time' each race between me and our crew chief Lance Hooper. We are communicating better with one another about the things that I am feeling inside the truck and what changes are being made to make the truck better. I am really looking forward to Atlanta."
Atlanta Motor Speedway has proven to be a favorite track among drivers over the years. The 1.54 mile quad-oval is known for carrying speed all over the track which has made for very exciting racing. Although Allen has never been behind the wheel in Atlanta for a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race, the rookie has been using his time off to prepare in every possible way. "I've been watching some of the race tapes from the past several years to get a better aspect of the line around the track and how the trucks react in traffic. Also, I have been racing Atlanta online on my computer as much as I can. I think most of the drivers love the track mainly because it's a super fast multigrooved race track that you can race side-by-side on."
Chevrolet is no stranger to Atlanta Motor Speedway's Victory Lane. The manufacturer has won three of the last four Atlanta races. Allen and ThorSport hope the long hours and hard work will bring great results. "I know that all the Chevrolet teams are working very hard to make it back to victory lane and I think Atlanta will be a great track for the Silverado's to do it."
The American Commercial Lines 200 will be broadcast on SPEED March 16th at 8:30 pm EST.
