Truck Series awards handed out
Several competitors in the NASCAR Camping World Series were honored on Monday at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel in Miami in a joint Nationwide Series/Camping World Truck Series awards banquet.
Two different Truck Series champions were honored. Austin Dillon was crowned the champion driver, making him the youngest-ever champion in series history. Kevin Harvick Inc.’s No. 2 team claimed the owner title. The No. 2 truck was driven by several drivers throughout 2011, including truck owner Kevin Harvick, KHI Nationwide Series regular Elliott Sadler, Ron Hornaday and Sprint Cup Series driver Clint Bowyer.
The 2011 Camping World Truck Series owner championship was the third for KHI in its final year of competition. Assets of the team were sold to Eddie Sharp Racing.
The other four drivers who finished out 2011 in the top-five in points were also recognized. They include Johnny Sauter (second), James Buescher (third), Ron Hornaday (fourth) and Timothy Peters (fifth).
Dillon was also announced as the series’ Most Popular Driver. The most popular driver honoree was determined by online voting at NASCAR.com. It was the first popular driver award for Dillon.
Dillon’s Richard Childress Racing teammate, Joey Coulter, was named Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year. It was the second time the same organization produced the driver champion and top rookie in the same season.
The awards banquet will be televised on SPEED at 7 p.m. ET Dec. 2 as a lead in to the live broadcast of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series banquet.
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Photo of Austin Dillon courtesy of NASCAR Media
