Nick Joanides won 16 stock car races, two track championships and a NASCAR Whelen All American California State championship racing at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale this year.
When he talks about how a top-20 finish in his next race would be a great day, it's a little surprising.
Joanides, a driver from Woodland Hills, will be making his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut today at Memphis Motorsports Park in Tennessee. He will be driving the No. 31 Chevrolet for Rick Ware Racing with engines from Richard Childress Racing and a champion crew chief calling the shots.
Joanides said it's like a dream come true to race at the Nationwide Series level, but he has no unrealistic expectations for the race. While his team has provided him with the resources for a productive race, Joanides said he would be happy to finish in the top 20.
"It should be competitive, anyway," Joanides said. "Paul Andrews is the crew chief, former Cup champion winning crew chief, so he's not a dumb guy. Those two things in place hopefully they'll help them improve from where they've been."
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Photo: Nick Joanides, the NASCAR Super Late Model and Late Model champion at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, will be making his Nationwide Series debut at Memphis Motorsports Park for Rick Ware Racing. (Russell LaBounty/Autostock)
