Brett Moffitt may have hit the jackpot before he even arrives in Las Vegas.
Moffitt, the Michael Waltrip Racing development driver is expected to drive the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford in Sunday’s Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway, sources tell CATCHFENCE.com
An announcement is expected as early as Wednesday. Moffitt will fill-in for David Ragan whose subbing in the No. 18 Toyota Camry at Joe Gibbs Racing for the injured Kyle Busch.
Sources close to the situation say that Moffitt’s contract with Michael Waltrip Racing does not forbid him from driving for another manufacturer, despite MWR’s tight relationship with Toyota.
Undoubtedly, the opportunity with FRM arrives on the heels’ of the West Grimes, Iowa native’s stout eighth place performance for the sidelined Brian Vickers last Sunday afternoon at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway. Despite sitting out the season-opening Daytona 500, Moffitt sits 24th in the championship standings ahead of several of the sports’ superstars including: Kyle Larson, Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon.
After starting mid-pack, Moffitt in the No. 55 Aarons Toyota Camry cleverly crafted his way to the front and earned his first top-10 finish in eight career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts.
Vickers returns to the No. 55 Toyota this weekend since corrective heart surgery in December. He missed the first two Cup Series race of the season with co-team owner Michael Waltrip driving at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on February 22 and Moffitt in last weekend’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500.
Unlike last week, Moffitt must qualify the No. 34 Shaw’s Southern Belle Seafood Ford on time with the third Front Row Motorsports entry listed 48th in owner points from 2014. This is the final weekend where teams will rely on their owner points from last season before shifting to their 2015 standings next weekend at Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway.
Joe Nemechek who drove the team’s No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford at Atlanta is not entered for the third race of the season.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
