Former Formula 1 World Champion and Ferrari driver Kimi Räikkönen had his first taste of North American style of racing on Monday when he drove first the first time a NASCAR Camping World pick-up truck.
Very little information was available from the test that saw Räikkönen take the wheel of one of Kyle Busch Motorsport pick-up trucks on the half-mile, 12-degree banked paved oval circuit of Gresham, Georgia.
“We will not have any photos, we don't have the right to use any photos of Kimi,” said Andy Gee, press relation manager at KBM.
Räikkönen is apparently not bringing sponsors to finance his move to NASCAR. It should be reminded that the private Citroen DS3 WRC the Finn drives in the World Rally Championship is also sponsor-less.
Montreal web site Ruefrontenac.com wrote that team owner "Kyle Busch has never met Kimi Räikkönen" but will "entrust one of his excellent trucks" to the Finn "in exchange for a US$100,000 cheque at every race".
The web site adds that Räikkönen's plan is to "pay for some truck races to raise interest and get a sponsorship budget for Nationwide and possibly the (premier) Sprint Cup".
His contract with Busch is reportedly for three to five races. "Räikkönen shopped around for a drive with a number of teams and we won the war," Busch is quoted as saying.
Source: Auto123
