BUFFALO, N Y -- John Salemi and Troy Williams Racing have again teamed up for a big NASCAR Camping World Series race. The Nashua, New Hampshire driver will be behind the wheel of Williams' No. 28 Williams Online Printing Dodge Charger in this weekend's NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown which will be held at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale (California) and aired live both Friday and Saturday nights on SpeedTV.
The pair made their debut in the next-to-last race of the NASCAR Camping World East Series season, held in September at Dover International Speedway. Salemi showed speed in Williams' car but was an accident victim late in the race. But the two saw the potential for working together again and that has culminated in Salemi's being invited to team up with Williams' other driver, NASCAR Mexico Series champion Antonio Perez.
"I've spent some time at Troy's shop," Salemi said, "and I've seen what they're bringing for both me and Antonio. I'm confident that we're bringing two cars that could win this race. I got fitted in the car and it's very comfortable, and everybody in that shop was excited about our chances at Irwindale. There's a good feeling through the whole team about the Showdown."
The car that Salemi will drive is a short-track car that's been gone through front to rear since the East Series season ended in September. Salemi praised the team's work in preparing not one, but two cars that he feels can be very competitive against some stout racers from across the country.
"I don't see why we can't unload at Irwindale and have two top ten cars right off the truck," Salemi said.
In last year's Showdown, Salemi qualified 33rd in a forty-car field but spent the 250-lap race distance working traffic on his way to finishing ninth. He knows that a better qualifying effort will yield a better race result, and that Williams can provide a car that will help the overall effort.
"I have confidence in the car as a driver," Salemi said, "and the team has confidence in me as well. This is a great team to be a part of and I can't wait to get that car on the track and prove how good Troy's crew is at putting together a competitive car."
The Toyota All-Star Showdown brings together the best racers from NASCAR's developmental series to L.A.'s half-mile superspeedway, Toyota Speedway at Irwindale. As many as seventy drivers from Camping World East, Camping World West, Camping World Truck, Whelen Modified Tour, Whelen Southern Modified Tour, and Whelen All-American Series will try their hand at a starting spot in the forty-car field. Qualifying will be held through a combination of time trials and a last-chance race on Friday night (aired on SpeedTV starting at 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time), with the 250-lap feature held Saturday night (also airing at 10:00 p.m. Eastern).
For more information, visit TroyWilliamsRacing.com and JohnSalemiRacing.com.
