MOORESVILLE, N.C. – StarCom Racing officials confirmed Monday that the team will employ Jeffrey Earnhardt as the driver of the No. 00 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series’ season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 18.
The driver announcement comes after StarCom announced the acquisition of a NASCAR charter last Thursday, leasing a charter from Richard Childress Racing and guaranteeing the team a starting spot in every Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series points-paying race this year.
With Earnhardt – the grandson of seven-time Cup champion Dale Earnhardt Sr. and the nephew of Dale Earnhardt Jr. – set to compete in the 60th running of ‘The Great American Race’, the Earnhardt name will appear in the Daytona 500 for the 40th-straight season.
The car will carry sponsorship from VRX Simulators, with crew chief Tony Furr calling the shots from the pit box and 1990 Daytona 500 champion Derrike Cope continuing in his role as team manager.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jeffrey and VRX to the StarCom Racing team,” said Mike Kohler, president of StarCom Racing. “The duo of Cope and Earnhardt bring experience and excitement for the No. 00 in 2018.”
“I am so appreciative of everyone at StarCom Racing and VRX for having confidence in me and thinking this is a reality,” said Earnhardt. “There’s been an Earnhardt driving in the 500 for 39 years, so to be able to keep that streak going for a 40th year means a lot to me and I’m sure a lot of Earnhardt fans are going to be happy to hear this news.”
StarCom Racing hit the track twice last season, with Cope driving at both Kansas Speedway and Phoenix (now ISM) Raceway during the playoffs.
“It was imperative for our young team to have a sponsored driver for our start-up year, and we did have several options, but we felt that Jeffrey was the best fit for our team,” said Cope. “VRX has already shown the type of enthusiasm and commitment that StarCom Racing has both for Jeffrey and for the sport. It will be a very exciting year for us.”
Canadian-based VRX Simulators integrate software and hardware to create the world’s most advanced racing and flight simulators for home and business uses. Daytona will mark the first race as a primary sponsor for VRX in the Cup Series as part of its brand new VRX Motorsports program.
“[We’re] very proud to partner with Jeffrey Earnhardt and StarCom Racing. We’re here to change NASCAR forever. We’re bringing the most powerful technology companies on the planet to do this,” said Robert Stanners, founder of VRX Simulators. “We have been working on this for seven years, and it’s finally go time. We are proud to continue Earnhardt Nation and its legacy for the 40th year in the 60th running of the Daytona 500, with VRX Simulators on board the No. 00 Chevrolet.”
StarCom Racing contributed to this story.
