MOORESVILLE, N.C. — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series veteran Derek Kraus will join Young’s Motorsports for next month’s season-opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.
Kraus will pilot the team’s No. 20 Chevrolet Silverado RST with support from Jacksonville, Fla.-based Hardscape Construction.
His relationship with the team is currently a one-race agreement with a vision to increase his 2023 schedule.
Joining Hardscape Construction are Kraus’s seasoned partners Shockwave Seats and Kafka Granite.
The 21-year-old Kraus will serve as the organization’s second announced driver for the Feb. 17 NextEra Energy Resources 250, joining Spencer Boyd.
“I am very excited about joining Young’s Motorsports for Daytona,” said Kraus. “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, a native of Stratford, Wisc. has 73 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts to his resume, including four top-five and 24 top-10 finishes, including a career-best second-place finish at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway in 2020.
Before transitioning to Young’s Motorsports, Kraus spent the last three Truck Series seasons driving the No. 19 Chevrolet Silverado RST for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing.
“I am so excited to welcome Derek to the Young’s Motorsports family,” said Young’s Motorsports 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.”