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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – HScott Motorsports driver Michael Annett is guaranteed a starting spot in each NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points race this season under an arrangement between HSM and Premium Motorsports.
Officials with HScott announced Friday that the organization had reached an agreement with Premium for use of the team’s Charter for 2016. The Charter, which guarantees a team one of 36 starting positions in the field each week, will be used for the team’s No. 46 Chevrolet.
HScott fields two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams, the No. 15 with driver Clint Bowyer and the No. 46 of Annett. Bowyer’s team, formerly the No. 51, was one of the 36 teams awarded a Charter; the No. 46, which came into being just last season, was not eligible.
“I want to thank Jay Robinson, owner of Premium Motorsports, for his collaborative approach and belief in HScott Motorsports,” team owner Harry Scott said in a release announcing the exchange.
Premium Motorsports was awarded a Charter for its No. 62 team. It will field the No. 98 with driver Cole Whitt in an attempt to qualify for next week’s season-opening event, the 58th annual running of the Daytona 500 here at Daytona International Speedway.
Because it has “leased” its Charter to HScott, Whitt will have to earn one of the four qualifying positions available to Open teams.
Under the nine-year Charter agreement, announced earlier this week, teams are allowed a one-time transfer of their charter(s) during the initial five-year period.
The exchange has been approved by NASCAR as required, according to HScott officials.