Meijer 300 - Brad Coleman Notes

Coleman Eyes Kentucky for Repeat Victory Bow

Youngest NBS Driver Returns to Site of First Major Stock Car Win

The last time 19-year-old NASCAR Busch Series Rookie Brad Coleman was at Kentucky Speedway he claimed his first major stock car win and created the "Brad Coleman Bow".

In celebration of holding off eight-time ARCA/RE-MAX Series Champion Frank Kimmel in an exciting double green-white-checkered restart, then 18-year-old Coleman honored the fans by adding his own twist to a victory burnout. With his tires still smoking, the youngster hopped out of his car, allowed the smoke to clear, and bowed three times to the different sections of fans who had sat through the rain-delayed WLWT Channel 5-150 race last July.

The accomplished Joe Gibbs Racing rookie hopes to bring the "Brad Coleman Bow" back to the spot where he created it, but this time at the conclusion of the Meijer 300 presented by Oreo. His team believes he has the skills and experience to accomplish a repeat performance. Through only six races this year Coleman has recorded a Pole and Top Ten at Talladega and three Top 20's among fields saturated with NEXTEL Cup drivers.

Crew Chief for the No. 18 Carino's Italian Grill Chevrolet, Jason Ratcliff, is confident in Brad's abilities and proven record at Kentucky Speedway, "Our team knows Brad is capable of putting together a winning effort. He is a special young talent and he is here to win and we know it won't be long before he does."

This just might be the weekend as the number of NEXTEL Cup drivers will be significantly reduced due to split venues and Kentucky Speedway has the reputation of being a driver's track which favors Coleman.

"Tracks like Kentucky create great races because of the wide surface and side-by-side passing we are able to do," said the teenager. "You can race multiple grooves on this track and the combination of speed and smoothness really pays off here. I am looking forward to the opportunity of putting the Carino's Italian Grill Chevrolet in victory lane this weekend."

The JGR/Carino's Italian Grill Team will be taking a brand new race car, Chassis No. 1861, to Kentucky Speedway for the race. Coleman sees that as a vote of confidence.

"I am not concerned one bit about taking a brand new car to Kentucky," commented Coleman. "Throughout my career I have cross-trained and raced in multiple series at the same time, stock cars, open-wheel and sports cars, and am used to jumping into a new car and peeling off hot laps. I appreciate the confidence the team has placed in me by bringing a brand new race car that the guys worked so hard to build and putting a rookie in to go try and win the race."

His team hopes to help him finish the race exactly where he did last July, making the "Brad Coleman Bow" a summer staple in the Blue Grass State.

"I would like to see him win for a number of reasons, and one of them is because I want to see how he jumps out of the car before the smoke clears to do that bow thing he does," smiled Ratcliff.