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BUSCH: Memphis: Brad Coleman preview

Coleman and Carino's Back on Track at Memphis Joe Gibbs Racing Teenager Ends Month-Long Layoff Charlotte, NC (October 23, 2007) -- The last time 19 year-old Brad Coleman was in a race car the leaves were still green and fall was only a future ...

Edited: Apr 16, 2008, 12:40 AM

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Coleman and Carino's Back on Track at Memphis
Joe Gibbs Racing Teenager Ends Month-Long Layoff

Charlotte, NC (October 23, 2007) -- The last time 19 year-old Brad Coleman was in a race car the leaves were still green and fall was only a future prospect. That will all change this weekend when the successful NASCAR Busch Series rookie will be back in the well-known black No. 18 Carino's Italian Grill Chevrolet in the Sam's Town 250 at Memphis Motorsports Park.

Coleman has never seen the Memphis track but is aware of its reputation.

"This is a bullring and there is a lot of high-speed bumping and banging going on," smiled Coleman. "I have talked to a lot of drivers about Memphis and am excited about the opportunity to race there."

It won't be the first time the young Texan is racing at a NASCAR Busch track he has never seen before. The Joe Gibbs Racing standout has raced a lot of tracks for the first time this season, but that has not prevented him from posting some impressive inaugural numbers. His first time at Milwaukee he posted a fourth, at Talladega a ninth, at Montreal an eighth, at Watkins Glen a fifth, a 16th at Texas, a 15th at Michigan and a 17th at Bristol, all tracks he had never seen before and running against a host of Nextel Cup drivers at each event.

The layoffs don't seem to bother him either. Coleman has not been in a race car since Dover a month ago, but the youngster has proven his innate ability to jump in behind the wheel after a layoff and bring home top finishes all season long. After his first schedule gap, he returned to post a Top 10 at Talladega. Following a six week layoff he turned in consecutive Top 5's with a 2nd at Kentucky and 4th at Milwaukee. After the next four week layoff he was running Top 10 at St. Louis prior to a late race incident, followed by a Top 10 at Montreal and Top 5 at Watkins Glen.

"I am really looking forward to being in the race car full time in 2008," stated Coleman. "We have been blessed to have great success throughout the 2007 season but not being in the car every week is tough. It is tough on the crew, tough on the driver, and tough on the media."

In addition to the race, Coleman also has a few pit-stops of his own to make on a public relations tour around Memphis.

NASCAR Busch Series Public Relations activated Coleman to play a key role in the special Memphis Race Advance that includes visits with the kids at St. Jude's Children's Hospital, a VIP tour of Graceland, and a driver appearance at Peabody Place, complete with show cars and an autograph session from 5 to 6:30 PM on Thursday. Coleman will be joined by NBS veterans Scott Wimmer and Jason Keller as well as fellow NBS rookies Bryan Clauson and Chase Austin for the day as they bring cheer to the young race fans and people of Memphis.

In just 15 races for JGR in 2007, the impressive youngster has posted three Top 5's, five Top 10's, seven Top 15's and nine Top 20's along with winning the Pole at Talladega and outside Pole at Bristol. Coleman's last scheduled race for Joe Gibbs Racing will be on November 10th at Phoenix.

-credit: jgr

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