Cole Whitt

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Cole Whitt

Whitt at Road America in 2012
Born (1991-06-22) June 22, 1991
Alpine, California, U.S.
Achievements 2008 USAC National Midget Champion
Awards 2006 Hoosier Sprint Car Rookie of The Year
2010 USAC Super License Award
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career
14 race(s) run over 3 year(s)
Car no., team No. 26 (Swan Racing Company)
2013 position 65th
Best finish 60th (2011)
First race 2011 Kobalt Tools 500 (Phoenix)
Last race 2013 AdvoCare 500 (Phoenix)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
NASCAR Nationwide Series career
51 race(s) run over 4 year(s)
2013 position 21st
Best finish 7th (2012)
First race 2010 WYPALL 200 (Phoenix)
Last race 2013 Ford EcoBoost 300 (Homestead)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 18 0
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career
27 race(s) run over 3 year(s)
Best finish 9th (2011)
First race 2010 Ford 200 (Homestead)
Last race 2012 Fred's 250 (Talladega)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 11 1
Statistics current as of November 17, 2013.

Cole Whitt (born June 22, 1991 in Alpine, California) is an American stock car driver. After advancing his way through Kart racing, Whitt moved up to sprint cars and became a development driver for Red Bull. After running in the Camping World Series East, Whitt made his NASCAR debut in 2010. The younger cousin of Brandon Whitt, he is a candidate for Rookie of the Year in the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, driving the No. 26 Toyota Camry for Swan Racing.

History

USAC

Whitt's 2007 midget car

Cole Whitt, born to Tobin and Kim Whitt, was inspired to race when he saw one of his cousins with a go-kart. After winning championships in go-karts, Whitt moved up to sprint cars in 2004. Whitt was quickly noticed by Red Bull and was in the semifinals for Red Bull's driver development search. After winning the Hoosier Sprint Rookie of the Year award in 2006, Cole traveled around the United States the next year, running 60 races and gaining top tens in 34 of those starts. To continue his racing career, Whitt and his mother moved to Lebanon, Indiana. In 2008 Whitt became the youngest winner of the USAC National Midget Championship, while winning the Hut Hundred. The next year Whitt raced in Silver Crown, Sprints, and Midgets, earning 17 wins driving for Keith Kunz.

NASCAR

Whitt moved up to stock cars in 2010, the same year he won the Super License award for USAC. Whitt ran for the Camping World East Series championship, where he impressed by winning the pole in his first start at Greenville-Pickens Speedway. Whitt eventually finished fourth in points. Whitt was rewarded with making his Nationwide Series debut at Phoenix International Raceway, where he made the race and finished 15th. The next week, Whitt ran both the Nationwide and Truck Series events at Homestead-Miami Speedway, finishing 17th and 28th respectively, running the Truck race for Turn One Racing. Whitt will drive for Turn One in 2011 and will contend for Rookie of the Year. After DNQing the 60 truck at Daytona, Whitt drove the #93 for Sieg Racing before returning to Turn One. Whitt won the pole at Darlington, and became the first rookie to lead the Truck Series points after Charlotte, winding up ninth in points at the end of the season.[1] He also drove a third Red Bull Racing Team entry in the Sprint Cup Series in the final two races of the season at Phoenix International Raceway and Homestead-Miami Speedway. But ended Homestead with a DNF near the finish of the race.[2]

Whitt in 2012 at Road America

With the closing of Red Bull's racing program after the 2011 season, Whitt signed a contract with JR Motorsports to drive that team's #88 Chevrolet in the Nationwide Series in 2012,[3] competing for Rookie of the Year honors. He also competed on a start and park basis in the Sprint Cup Series in selected races for Turn One Racing and Circle Sport. At the October Talladega race, Whitt was running in the top 15 before a crash involving Carl Edwards and Joey Logano took out Whitt on lap 17.

In 2013, Whitt and JR Motorsports parted ways with the team citing lack of sponsorship. He has since joined forces with Tri-Star Motorsports, driving their 44 Nationwide entry from Dover onward. He earned his first top-ten of the year with an eighth-place finish at Road America. Late in the season, he ran seven Sprint Cup races with Swan Racing Company as a replacement for David Stremme. The team then hired him for the full 2014 season,[4] placing him in their new second team, the 26.[5]

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold - Pole position awarded by time. Italics - Pole position earned by points standings. * – Most laps led.)

Sprint Cup Series

Nationwide Series

Camping World Truck Series

* Season in progress
1 Ineligible for series points

References

  1. ↑ Fryer, Brit (November 19, 2011). "Cole Whitt 22nd in NASCAR Truck Series season finale at Homestead". Red Bull USA. Retrieved 2012-01-04. 
  2. ↑ "Kangaroo Express Sponsors NASCAR’s No. 84 Cole Whitt". Convenience Store Decisions. Rocky River, Ohio: Harbor Communications. November 21, 2011. Retrieved 2012-01-04. 
  3. ↑ Spencer, Lee (January 4, 2012). "Whitt joins JR Motorsports in Nationwide". Fox Sports. Retrieved 2012-01-04. 
  4. ↑ "Whitt, Kligerman to drive for Swan Racing in 2013". NASCAR.com. December 3, 2013. Retrieved December 3, 2013. 
  5. ↑ Swan Racing (January 7, 2014). "Swan Racing Announces 2014 Season Updates". Retrieved January 7, 2014. 

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