Wilson signs on with Ware in Truck Series

CONCORD, N.C. -- Look for a fresh face when the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series heads to Martinsville Speedway next week.

Angie Wilson, 27, has announced that she will drive the No. 81 Dodge for owner Rick Ware of Ware Racing Enterprises. She is a former Late Model and Goody’s Dash Series competitor and has signed an agreement for the rest of this season that could go into 2003 and 2005.

Dodge Motorsports has extended its factory program to Wilson for her rookie campaign, as well.

“Tom Granelli from Inside Track Motorsports Marketing had been in contact with me,” Wilson said. “Rick and Tom had been talking and they brought me into the picture and decided to put me in the third Ware Racing truck.

“I tested in a truck for Ultra Motorsports last year and was going to go Winston West racing with them and Dodge. But, for some economic reasons on Dodge’s part it fell through.

“I kept in touch with them and they were helpful in getting me in this ride.”

Wilson will be the second female to compete in the Craftsman Truck Series since Tammy Jo Kirk entered 32 races in 1997 and 1998. She will also be the second female to compete in NASCAR this season with Shawna Robinson driving in the Winston Cup Series.

Wilson began racing karts in 1989 before moving to Late Models at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway. Three years ago, she began competing in the Dash Series. In 1999, she finished 12th in points and was seventh the following year. Her best race finish was a third at Hickory.

Last year, she drove a limited schedule of seven races with top finishes of fifth, at Bristol, and a sixth at Darlington.

Sponsorship will come from a few sources that will appear on the side of Wilson’s Truck. SubscriberBase, an email marketing company, will join a new line of women’s race wear called TotalRaceBabe.com in the sponsorship effort.

An all-natural chewable vitamin called Nutritional Pit Stop features vitamins for kids shaped like race cars. Joining them as sponsors will be a line of tanning supplies and products called Hoss Sauce.

Although Wilson claims Hickory as her home track, she competed in Late Models and the Dash Series at various other tracks, as well. She hopes the feel of a truck will be more like a Late Model than a Dash car.

“I’m really looking forward to driving the truck because it is much more like the Late Model than the smaller Dash cars were,” Wilson said. “I know Martinsville is a tough place to start, but most of my experience is on short tracks anyhow. Hopefully, that will be to my advantage.

“Right now, my realistic goal is to qualify for the race on time, have a good run and stay out of trouble. We can build from there for the rest of the season.

“I know it’s going to take time to learn everything.”