After losing his ride at McAnally-Hilgemann Racing, Derek Kraus has found a new home at Young’s Motorsports, even if for just one race, as he will pilot the #20 Chevrolet Silverado RST in the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway on 17 February.
“I am very excited about joining Young’s Motorsports for Daytona,” Kraus stated. “Over the years, Young’s Motorsports have shown on the superspeedways that they build very fast Chevrolet Silverados and I am excited to be able to drive one of them next month at Daytona.
“Young’s Motorsports has two victories at Talladega Superspeedway in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, but I sure would love the opportunity to deliver not only my first Truck Series win but the teams at a historical venue like Daytona.”
Kraus spent his entire NASCAR career with McAnally including the 2020 through 2022 Truck seasons as a full-time Truck driver. He recorded four poles and a combined twenty-four top tens during this stretch, but missed the playoffs all three years. He was replaced in the #19 by Christian Eckes for the 2023 season.
Prior to moving up to Trucks, he won the 2019 championship in what is now the ARCA Menards Series West for McAnally. Kraus has a combined twelve wins across the ARCA East and West divisions. His Truck début came in 2018 where he finished eighth at Phoenix.
“I am so excited to welcome Derek to the Young’s Motorsports family,” commented team principal Tyler Young. “I have watched Derek blossom over the past three Truck Series seasons and now to him racing for us rather than racing against him is a true blessing. With Derek’s ability and clever craft behind the wheel, I know we’re in good hands.
“There is a lot of passion, focus and motivation that can be felt not only in the race shop but all around the Young’s Motorsports campus. We’ve proven to be winners in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and we are determined to get back to Victory Lane again and it would be incredibly special to pull that off in the season-opener at Daytona.
“I look forward to seeing what our team can accomplish not only next month at Daytona but throughout the 2023 season.”
Spencer Boyd, responsible for the first of Young’s two wins, will partner Kraus in the #12. Young’s #20 finished twenty-ninth in the 2022 owner points with fourteen different drivers.
