STATESVILLE, N.C. — Logan Bearden will return to AM Racing and compete in Saturday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Circuit of the Americas, the team announced Monday.
Bearden, an Austin, Texas native, will pilot the No. 22 Ford F-150 in the XPEL 225 at the 3.41-mile road course.
In addition to COTA, Bearden, 27, is expected to climb aboard the No. 22 in select Truck Series races this season.
During the week, Bearden serves as a mechanic at the team’s Statesville, N.C.-based shop assisting the team’s ARCA Menards Series and Truck Series programs, respectively.
“I am excited to return to AM Racing this weekend at COTA,” said Bearden. “I learned a lot in my NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut last year – even though we experienced mechanical hiccups early in the race.
“The team worked diligently to fix the truck so I could get as many laps as I could under my belt. Without a doubt, I believe that seat time will pay off this weekend and hopefully, I can contend for a top-15 finish in our No. 22 Bearden Automotive | Parker Electric Ford F-150.”
Outside of his responsibilities at the AM Racing shop and competing for the team in NASCAR, Bearden will also continue driving his family-owned No. 66 super late model in various events in the JEGS/CRA Tour this spring and summer.
Bearden will be the third Truck Series driver for the AM Racing organization this season. In addition to Bearden, Josh Reaume and Max Gutiérrez have also piloted the team’s No. 22 Ford F-150 in the opening three races of the season.
AM Racing team principal Kevin Cywinski believes Bearden has the talent and capabilities of earning the team their first top-10 finish of the season on Saturday afternoon.
“Logan is a very methodical and talented race car driver and he is an important asset to AM Racing,” said Cywinski. “He did not get a fair shot last year. He qualified on speed and was competitive in the opening laps of the race but unfortunately experienced mechanical gremlins early in the race.
“We are glad everything worked out where he has another opportunity to not only showcase his craft but race in front of friends and family under the AM Racing banner.
“We believe Logan will surprise a lot of people this weekend.”
Truck Series winning crew chief Ryan “Pickle” London will call the shots for Bearden in the 42-lap race.