Justin Lofton signs with Championship truck team

Lofton Joins Germain Racing for 2011 Season

January 7th, 2011

After a solid rookie season in 2010, 24-year-old Justin Lofton willjoin Germain Racing for his sophomore effort in 2011, racing a Germainentered No. 77 Toyota Tundra full time in the NASCAR Camping WorldTruck Series.

“I am very excited to be teaming up with GermainRacing. Fresh off of their 2010 championship, it was clear to me thatGermain was the best place for me,” Lofton said.

“Todd Bodine(2010 Camping World Truck Series Champion) served as a mentor to methrough my rookie season and really helped me learn the ropes of theCamping World Truck Series. To have him, Max (Papis) and Brendan(Gaughan) as teammates, I am really excited about the upcoming season.”

Lofton, who hails from Southern California, earned the 2009 ARCA RacingSeries championship after winning six of the 21 races. He moved fulltime to NASCAR last year, notching four top-five and eight top-10finishes with a best finish of third, giving him a solid 12th placefinish in the driver point standings.

“I’m really excitedabout having Justin as a teammate at Germain Racing as we’ve becomefriends over the last season. He’s a real good kid and I think he’s gotreal potential as a race car driver,” said Bodine, who thinks Loftonwill play a key role in the expansion of Germain Racing’s Tundra fleet.“I’m looking forward to Justin’s input and seeing him grow as a driver.”

Germain Racing entered truck competition in 2004 and has sinceaccumulated 22 race victories, nine pole awards and two divisionchampionships. Germain Racing earned Toyota’s first Truck Series titlein 2006, repeated the feat in 2010, earning the No. 30 Tundra team thenod as the most dominant Tundra team in active competition.

“Germain Racing takes a lot of pride in the championships we’ve won forToyota and our record of having the leading Tundra team. We’ve gottento where we are having a team that’s been a blend of youthful ambitionand veteran skills. Adding Justin Lofton to our Tundra lineup gives ourTruck Series program a fresh, young driver who can bring Germain Racingmore wins and more championships for many years to come,” said generalmanager Mike Hillman Sr.

At 24, Lofton will be the youngest driver in the Germain Racing stable.

“I wish the season started sooner because I am very excited to goracing with the Germain team. They have established themselves as theteam to beat in the Truck Series,” Lofton added.