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NASCAR Camping World Trucks Series
TRUCKS: Sharp Banking On KHI Purchase
Eddie Sharp hoping purchase of KHI assets takes organization to next level...
Bob Pockrass  | http://www.scenedaily.com  |  Posted January 01, 2012   Charlotte, NC
Justin Lofton will be one of three drivers in the Eddie Sharp racing stable competing in the NASCAR Camping World Series. (Photo: LAT Photographic)
When he moved his organization from ARCA to NASCAR's Camping World Truck Series in 2010, Eddie Sharp envisioned a three-truck operation.

What he didn’t envision was perhaps a three-truck operation as soon as 2012.

But when team owners Kevin and DeLana Harvick opted to sell their organization’s equipment in June 2011, Sharp accelerated his plan, and as a result, Eddie Sharp Racing will field three trucks starting with the season-opening race in February.

“This is a huge jump and I have a tremendous amount of respect for that,” Sharp said after buying the assets to two KHI trucks in September. “But all of the lessons I’ve learned over the eight or nine years has been preparing me for this opportunity.

“This is an opportunity to do something positive, keep people working and put ourselves on the map where we need to be, where I fully intend to be. I’m not here just to be here. I want to make this a very successful, thriving team. I want to put ESR on the map and to utilize what KHI built is almost a no-brainer.”

Sharp hopes that his Eddie Sharp Racing will be talked about in the same conversations that included KHI and the likes of Kyle Busch Motorsports as far as the teams to beat in the trucks.

He will field three trucks in 2012 with Justin Lofton, Cale Gale and one other driver. Lofton won the 2009 ARCA title for Sharp and ended the 2011 season driving for Sharp after breaking away from Germain Racing.

“We’re here to compete for wins and compete for championships,” Sharp said. “I could have not made this big of a leap and we could have slowed everything down – and it would have been much more expensive and a much longer time frame to get where we want to be.”

Some might think Sharp is crazy for trying to expand in these economic times. Sharp said he believes Harvick when Harvick said he wanted to divest himself of his team so he could have more personal time and focus on his Cup program. Truck series teams can be viable, especially with young drivers who might have some funding in addition to what the team is able to secure.

It’s the perfect time to invest, Sharp said.

“This country is not going to continue to go backwards,” he said. “Neither is the sport. I want to be the guy standing when it turns.”

Sharp, who does not have other businesses, has an alliance with Richard Childress Racing to help with the organization’s performance. The operation is housed in a 40,000 square-foot facility in Denver, N.C.

In addition to leading Lofton to the ARCA title in his fourth year of competition on that circuit, Sharp also became a go-to ARCA owner for Cup teams looking to get drivers experience. Scott Speed drove for Sharp in 2008 to get prepared for Cup and nearly won the ARCA title.
Eddie Sharp racing has taken over the KHI racing teams assets for the 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. (Photo: Eddie Sharp Racing)

Those relationships have helped earn Sharp respect in his first couple of years in trucks, where the transition has not been an easy one. He was 21st in the series owner standings in 2010 and 16th in 2011.

“The first thing you do is make this the place people want to be,” Sharp said. We showed people we are serious. … This has been a long time going. I’ve been very busy building the foundation.”

And he hopes to build with young drivers.

“I have a ton of respect for the Todd Bodines and the Ron Hornadays, but I am just a guy that loves to give the young talent an opportunity,” Sharp said. “It’s about the future. I hope I’m in the right place at the right time.”

SceneDaily.com • Greg Biffle honored with NMPA quarterly Spirit award
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Bob Pockrass

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