Chaffin returns to No. 40 Chevy for Key at Memphis

Veteran NASCAR driver Chad Chaffin is returning to the Craftsman Truck Series and to Key Motorsports as team owner Curtis W. Key, Sr. announced Friday that Chaffin will return to his team to drive the No. 40 Chevrolet next weekend in Memphis.

Chaffin started the 2006 NCTS campaign as the full-time driver for the team and attempted to qualify for the first six races. Though he only qualified for two of those events, Chaffin is excited to return to the Mooresville, North Carolina-based organization.

"Even though we had some rough times early last year in trying to get into races and compete, I still enjoyed my relationship with Curtis and the team," Chaffin said. "The race team was a young one last year and worked through motor and personnel issues before finally righting their ship and actually qualified for and raced in the final 17 races.

"Now the No. 40 is solidly in the group of trucks racing every weekend in 2007, and some new people now in place on the competition side, I'm looking forward to getting back in the truck and finally making something good happen for them."

Chaffin, who won two NCTS races in 2004 en route to a 10th-place finish in points, hasn't raced in the Series since the latter part of the 2006 season but he has been behind the wheel of a racecar recently and that has helped sharpen his skills and create some motivation.

"I had the chance to practice the No. 1 Chevrolet for James Finch's Busch Series team the last two races [at Nashville and Kentucky] and I really enjoyed it," Chaffin said. "I turned in some really good laps and provided some good feedback, and it helped J.J. [Yeley] to have two good runs.

"They [Phoenix Racing] may be asking me to do some Cup testing and driving for them later in the year, but my first job is to finish the job I started with Key Motorsports last year."

Chaffin will be the fourth driver in the No. 40 this year, joining the list that includes Mike Bliss, Clay Rogers and Shane Huffman. Bliss raced in the first four races after which Rogers ran four times and Huffman twice, although Huffman is driving Friday in the Toyota Tundra 200 at The Milwaukee Mile in West Allis, Wis.

"Since we do have a full-season sponsor, I'm free to put different drivers in my trucks to see who can get the job done for us and who can't," Key stated. "Mike, Clay and Shane all did well, even though we could have had better luck and better finishes in some of the races. But bringing Chad back to race with us on tracks that he is very familiar with should help us be more competitive in those races.

"I'm looking forward to seeing how he does with a different team this time around."

Bliss and Rogers are not scheduled to run for Key Motorsports in any races over the foreseeable future, but plans have been set for Huffman to continue to run races for the team when they do not conflict with his Busch Series responsibilities for JR Motorsports. Chaffin is thus a candidate to drive beyond Memphis, although Key has not yet made that commitment.

"We'll see what happens at Memphis and make plans from there for the rest of the races," Key said. "I just want Chad to see how improved this race team is and how much better our equipment is since the last time he drove for us. I'm happy to have him back."