New Ford Team

[DeeDee]

[ARTICLE=Veteran NASCAR Crew Chief Richie Wauters Takes the Leap into Team Ownership with Rookie Paulie Harraka]For Immediate Release

Mooresville, NC (January 25, 2012)-Veteran NASCAR crew chief Richie Wauters takes the leap into NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team ownership forming Wauters Motorsports which in 2012 will be driven by Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Paulie Harraka.

Wauters' career began at tracks around his hometown Green Bay, Wis. and quickly moved into the NASCAR Touring Series. Wauters crewed successful NASCAR Sprint Cup teams with drivers Kenny Wallace, Elliott Sadler, Robert Pressley and Jeff Green.

Wauters, in his tenure as a crew chief in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, led teams to 18 victories from 2004-2010 with drivers Shane Hmiel, Kyle Busch and Aric Almirola.

"It is something I thought about for awhile," Richie Wauters said of his decision to become a team owner. "I had the opportunity to buy some trucks and have a great driver headlining the team. It hasn't been a difficult transition so far and we are really excited about the season. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is very competitive and I'm certain Paulie and the guys on this team will be right in the thick of that competition."

Former NASCAR Drive for Diversity driver Harraka will take the wheel of the Ford F150 Camping World truck. Most recently, Harraka posted three victories in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. Harraka, a senior at Duke University, has also scored the Championship in NASCAR's Whelen All-American Series, and posted two different NASCAR Rookie of the Year titles: NASCAR Whelen All American Series and NASCAR Camping World Series West (Now K&N Pro Series West).

Harraka is finishing up his final semester at Duke University, and his graduation will make him part of a very small group of NASCAR drivers with their college degrees. Harraka has focused his education on "anything that can help me in racing; engineering, leadership, finance, you name it. I've challenged myself at Duke to become a completely differentiated NASCAR driver." Harraka said.

"Having the opportunity to jump into the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is an opportunity I've worked for since I was 7 years old," Harraka said. "I am fortunate to see it coming to fruition. To be doing so with a championship crew chief like Richie Wauters and with the team he's assembled is exciting. I'm the kind of driver that will put in whatever time, effort or work that is needed to win races, and I know that Richie is the same kind of crew chief. Together, we'll hold nothing back, and that makes me confident that we'll find the winner's circle in short order."

The Wauters Motorsports F150 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will be utilizing Doug Yates and Roush Racing Engines in their debut at Daytona International Speedway for the running of the NEXTERA Energy Resources 250, Friday, Feb. 24th.

Source:http://paulieharraka.net/news/press-...e-harraka.aspx[/ARTICLE]
The first time I heard the name Paulie Harraka was back in 2006 when Ricky Rudd took the season off. Ricky did a go cart race that year, the Robo Pong.com 200 and was team-mates with Paulie. They WON the race.

[JiggaStyles09]

are they gunna be full time? the last time i looked at jaski it didn't have any listed full time ford teams.

[DeeDee]

^I'm not really sure but according to the article it said .... Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender, so I have to think it's full time?.

[TeamBlueOval]

Pauline was on Sirius this morning. He said that they will race full time and the goal is top 5 in points. Thinks they will be very strong. Still looking for additional sponsorship but said they have enough to race all season.

Good luck to them! Would like to see a Ford truck win!

[JiggaStyles09]

Cool, hope they can achieve that goal.

[blueblood]

Hey maybe i'll start watching the truck series again....

[DeeDee]

[ARTICLE=UPDATE: Truck #5:]Veteran crew chief Wauters turns team owner with Rookie Harraka: UPDATE: Truck #5: Veteran NASCAR crew chief Richie Wauters takes the leap into NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team ownership forming Wauters Motorsports which in 2012 will be driven by Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Paulie Harraka. Wauters' career began at tracks around his hometown Green Bay, Wis. and quickly moved into the NASCAR Touring Series. Wauters crewed successful NASCAR Sprint Cup teams with drivers Kenny Wallace, Elliott Sadler, Robert Pressley and Jeff Green. Wauters, in his tenure as a crew chief in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, led teams to 18 victories from 2004-2010 with drivers Shane Hmiel, Kyle Busch and Aric Almirola. Former NASCAR Drive for Diversity driver Harraka will take the wheel of the Ford F150 Camping World truck. Most recently, Harraka posted three victories in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. Harraka, a senior at Duke University, has also scored the Championship in NASCAR's Whelen All-American Series, and posted two different NASCAR Rookie of the Year titles: NASCAR Whelen All American Series and NASCAR Camping World Series West (Now K&N Pro Series West). The Wauters Motorsports F150 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series truck will be utilizing Doug Yates and Roush Racing Engines in their debut at Daytona International Speedway for the running of the NEXTERA Energy Resources 250, Friday, Feb. 24th.(Wauters Motorsports PR)(1-26-2012)
UPDATE: Paul Harraka will drive the #5 Wauters Motorsports Ford F-150 in the 2012 NCWTS. Owner Richie Wauters has a long history with the number having all his race cars bearing the #5 for 25+ years.(FB-Wauters Motorsports)(2-7-2012)[/ARTICLE]

[yatesracing]

Which is it??????????????? --this is the third article this morning I read the same thing****************


NASCAR Driver and Duke Student, Paulie Harraka Teams with Venturini Motorsports for Daytona ARCA Race
Press Release
Comments February 6, 2012 – 10:38 am | Print |
February 6, 2012 – 10:38 am


Paulie Harraka
Paulie Harraka
CONCORD, N.C. (February 6, 2012) — Duke University honor student and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver, Paulie Harraka will join Venturini Motorsports for a single race effort in the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season opener at Daytona International Speedway on February 18th, 2012.

“I’m excited to be competing in the ARCA race at Daytona with Venturini Motorsports. Daytona international Speedway is certainly the hallowed grounds of motorsports, and I’ve looked at the high banks there in awe for years. To have the opportunity to compete for the first time on those high banks, and to be doing it with this team, is extremely exciting for me.” Paulie Harraka.

Harraka, a former NASCAR Drive for Diversity driver will be a part of Venturini’s 5-team effort at Daytona piloting the No.55 Venturini Motorsports Toyota.

[TeamBlueOval]

He will drive the ARCA race for Venturini. He will drive the FULL truck season in a FORD. This is just a one race ARCA deal in a Toyota.

[DeeDee]

He's likely only doing the ARCA race so NASCAR will allow him to run at Daytona. Smart move

[DeeDee]

[ARTICLE=Wauters Motorsports & Harraka debut at Daytona season opener:]Wauters Motorsports, with veteran crew chief turned team owner Richie Wauters, head to the historic Daytona International Speedway with Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Paulie Harraka for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season opener on Friday, February 24, 2012.Paulie Harraka, a Duke University senior and former champion in NASCAR's Whelen All-American Series, will make his first start in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Daytona International Speedway piloting the #5 Ford F-150 in the NEXTERA Energy Resources 250. Harraka made his first start on the 2.5-mile superspeedway in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards on February 18th (start 36 finish 26). Harraka was running in the eighth-place position with five-laps remaining and was spun, but recovered to finish the race. Harraka competed on the road course at Daytona in go-karts, winning twice in 2004. Although this is the first race for the #5 Wauters Motorsports team, owner Richie Wauters, has a vast amount of experience at the famed Daytona International Speedway in his tenure as a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series crew chief. Wauters has six previous crew chief starts on the superspeedway with a best finish of second place in 2008 with Kyle Busch, as well as, three top-15 finishes and one start from the pole-position, Kerry Earnhardt, 2005. Harraka has been awarded the rookie of the year title in two NASCAR Series: NASCAR Whelen All American Series and NASCAR Camping World Series West (Now K&N Pro Series West) and hopes to continue the tradition with the 2012 Sonoco Rookie of the Year honors.(Wauters Motorsports PR)(2-21-2012)[/ARTICLE]
He did decent in the ARCA race. I'm looking forward to following him this season. Good luck Paulie!!