May maybe well likely Landen Lewis be NASCAR’s next rising superstar?

Lewis, who hails from Ocean Isle Sea slide in southeastern North Carolina, has been living within the Mooresville condo for the past twelve months as he embarks on his stock vehicle racing occupation.

Beneath the tutelage of NASCAR Hall of Famer Ron Hornaday, Lewis received his first ARCA Menards Sequence flee at the age of 15 on the grime track of DuQuoin, the series’ 2d-youngest winner.

Now two years later, Lewis has a pair of victories within the ARCA West Sequence – on an oval and a avenue route – and within the intervening time leads the series standings after six of 13 races.

On Saturday, he’ll create his NASCAR Truck Sequence debut, riding the No. 04 Chevrolet for Roper Racing at Mid-Ohio Sports Automobile Course.

Whereas the realm of NASCAR races round him, Lewis tries to preserve a low-key technique.

“It’s suitable thrilling,” Lewis said Friday at Mid-Ohio. “In reality frigid for me to at final be in a blueprint to create my first Truck start. It’s with out a doubt a dream advance devoted for me.

“I can’t wait to win on the track and be taught the route and hopefully win a correct attain this weekend.”

Practical expectations 

Lewis’ dreams for the weekend are modest – he is plan more concerned with ending the flee than looking for to receive it.

“Supreme win a correct attain, attain your total laps, that’s suitable our major just,” he said. “I truly feel admire opportunities after that will advance. You suitable gotta abet the nose neat and suitable let everybody know that you flee neat round these newer guys.”

After witnessing Lewis’ fleet rise up the racing ladder and the success he’s enjoyed with it, Hornaday is aware of something is feasible for his protégé.

Nonetheless, he appreciates Lewis’ technique to NASCAR’s high series.

“I’m elated he’s feeling the technique he’s feeling,” Hornaday said on Friday. “He suitable needs to log laps, abet on the blacktop, and take a note at to be taught a runt little bit of bit. “It’s a fancy series suitable now. Somebody within the cease 30 can receive this flee.”

Hornaday is aware of firsthand the difficulty of setting up a NASCAR occupation – he didn’t create his first national series start until the age of 33, his first start within the veteran NASCAR Southwest Tour at 30.

Hornaday, from Palmdale, Calif., has also raced with the most efficient from one aspect of the country to the somewhat a few and the four-time Truck series champion and 51-time Truck winner indubitably can jam ability.

When Carson Hocevar suffered a broken foot final twelve months, it disrupted plans Hocevar needed to flee both the ARCA West and Truck races at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway. Industry veteran Bruce Cook dinner turned to Hornaday about the doable for Lewis riding his West entry in Hocevar’s situation.

“Went accessible and first two laps on the track, he’s 2d-expeditiously,” Hornaday said of Lewis’ first experience at Sonoma. “That roughly opened my eyes.”

Lewis qualified 2d, led seven laps within the flee and performed 14th after getting caught up in a slow-flee five-vehicle ruin.

“The baby has the desire, he’s got the ability, he’s got the ability. He’s working on something and all the pieces as long as it has to create with the nuts and bolts of flee automobiles,” Hornaday said. “He suitable needs to flee. He’s got the center.

“I’ve never needed to create it his technique with sims and in-vehicle (cameras) and your total stuff he’s performed. I modified into blind to some flee tracks we went to, nonetheless we had note back then. They don’t receive noteworthy note now. They’ve 20-minute intervals.”