Hillman Racing today on January 26th that 2002 Daytona 500 Champion Ward Burton will make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut behind the wheel of the No. 27 Hillman Racing Chevrolet with funding from State Waters Heaters in next month’s season-opening NextEra 250 at Daytona International Speedway. Hillman Racing is making its NASCAR debut this season, but the organization is anything but new to the sport.  Team owner Mike Hillman Sr. played a key role in the founding of Germain Racing and was the architect of the group’s two NASCAR championships in 2006 and 2010. Hillman acquired the championship-winning NASCAR Camping World Truck Series assets following the conclusion of the 2011 season and is set to embark as the owner and general manager of Hillman Racing for the 2012 season.

In 375 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts, Burton has posted fives wins, seven poles and 24 top-five and 82 top-10 finishes. Burton also has four NASCAR Nationwide Series victories, seven poles, 23 top-five and 50 top-10 finishes in 161 starts.

In addition to Burton, a driver development program is being established for Jeb Burton, the 19-year-old son of Ward. Since making his last NASCAR start, Burton has been using that time to focus on helping his son Jeb develop his racing career and his conservation efforts with The Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation. Being the son of NASCAR’s 2002 Daytona 500 winner, it would be natural to think that Jeb Burton would have the hope of someday becoming a professional race car driver like his dad. Jeb has been racing since he was a kid, starting in go- karts and racing his way through the ranks in ASA and the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, and now at 19, he is ready to step into one of NASCAR’s top tier racing series with Hillman Racing in No. 27 Chevrolet Silverado, sporting the same number that he has been racing in his Late Model division.

 Source: Hillman Press Release