NAPA Racing’s Robert “Rocky” Boggs Places Second in Freightliner Run Smart Challenge

Cornelius, N.C. – Robert “Rocky” Boggs, transporter driver for Michael Waltrip's No. 55 NAPA AUTO PARTS transporter, outlasted more than 30 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team transporter drivers to place second in the Freightliner Run Smart Challenge finals. The event took place on Friday at Lowe’s Motor Speedway with the results announced during Saturday night’s NASCAR pre-race festivities.

The competition, which kicked off at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on February 27, was open to all NASCAR Sprint Cup Series transporter drivers at the season’s kick-off event. Elimination rounds followed at Lowe's Motor Speedway, Chicago Superspeedway and Kansas Speedway that pared the field down to four competitors for Friday’s finale at Lowe's.

A timed-skills competition, the Freightliner Run Smart Challenge, featured specially-designed courses that tested drivers with tight turns, backing drills and other cone-and-barrel obstacles. Boggs’ mastery of the course earned him the runner-up prize of $15,000. Winning the challenge by just 10 points was Bill “Stump” Lewis of Penske Racing.

“Freightliner is the most reliable truck on the road which allows us to do what we do best and that is deliver our NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota and equipment to and from the track on time, all season long,” said Boggs, who has been a NASCAR transport driver for 15 years -- four of which have been with Waltrip. “I want to thank Freightliner for putting on this competition because it allowed us to not only sharpen our skills, but promote safety in the spirit of competition. Freightliner has been extremely generous by awarding us for our abilities and to end in Charlotte with our families in attendance meant a lot to us.”

"The Freightliner Hauler Challenge solidifies our commitment to NASCAR as well as the individual race teams." said Melissa Clausen Director Product Marketing for Freightliner Trucks. "The hauler drivers in this sport are the best of the best and we are proud to have them driving Freightliner tractors. The hauler drivers represent Freightliner, our products and their team every weekend as they drive from one race track to the next. Freightliner is the Official Heavy Truck Hauler of NASCAR, and a proud sponsor of the Michael Waltrip Racing. We want to congratulate Rocky for his participation and dedication to our program.”

About Freightliner – Freightliner Trucks is a division of Daimler Trucks North America LLC, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, and is the leading heavy-duty truck manufacturer in North America. Daimler Trucks North America produces and markets Class 4-8 trucks and is a Daimler company, the world's leading commercial vehicle manufacturer. Freightliner Trucks received the highest overall ranking for vocational products in the 2009 J.D. Power and Associates Heavy Duty Truck Customer Satisfaction Study CSM.

About Michael Waltrip Racing

Over a decade ago, Michael Waltrip established a modest family-owned NASCAR Nationwide Series team in Sherrills Ford, N.C., called Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR). In 2007 when TRD, U.S.A. (Toyota Racing Development) entered competition in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series, Waltrip developed a strong partnership with Toyota to field three full-time Toyota Camrys at the pinnacle of the sport while maintaining the integrity of his championship caliber Nationwide team. In the midst of building three NASCAR Sprint Cup teams from the ground floor, Waltrip commenced the construction of a 140,000 sq. ft shop in which his two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams and Nationwide Series team are housed today along with JTG-Daugherty’s No. 47 Toyota Camry.