NASCAR Camping World Trucks Series
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TRUCKS: NASCAR Approves Ex-F1 Champ Raikkonen For Charlotte
Kimi Raikkonen plans to enter the Camping World Truck Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May...
Bob Pockrass  | http://www.scenedaily.com  |  Posted March 31, 2011   Charlotte, NC
A former F1 driver, Kimi Raikkonen won the World Championship in 2007. (Photo: LAT Photographic)
Kimi Raikkonen, the 2007 Formula One champion, has been approved to run the Camping World Truck Series race in May at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The 31-year-old driver, who has the nickname “Iceman” and now competes in the World Rally Championship, told a Finnish newspaper last week that he plans to enter NASCAR with his ICE1 Racing team. He said Foster Gillett, the son of George Gillett who ran the day-to-day operations of Richard Petty Motorsports for the last couple of years, is a partner in the NASCAR venture.

Raikkonen won the Formula One title driving for Ferrari. He is a Red Bull-sponsored athlete.

NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said Raikkonen had applied for and been approved to run the truck race at Charlotte, a 1.5-mile track. NASCAR must approve new drivers to NASCAR, although it’s approval of a Formula One champion likely is just a formality.

Raikkonen spent nine years in Formula One, with one season at Sauber, five at McLaren and then three at Ferrari. He has 18 career Formula One victories.

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