With a respectable top-20 finish in the books in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series (NGROTS) return at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway last month, Diversified Motorsports Enterprises (DME) and driver Jesse Little trek to Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway for Saturday afternoon’s VetTix | Camping World 200 eager for more.
With no practice or qualifying in the Truck Series return from a two-month hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic, Little and his Bruce Cook-led team had to charge from a distant 35th place starting position to fight forward.
Working on the handling of their truck during the N.C. Education Lottery 200, Cook was able to adjust the team’s No. 97 Teletrac Navman Chevrolet that had Little turning his fastest laps when it counted most to earn a solid 20th place finish in one of the most competitive Truck Series races at Charlotte to date.
And while the finish was a step in the right direction for DME, the team is prepared to deliver more, a lot more in 134-laps Saturday afternoon.
Teletrac Navman, a leading software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider leveraging location-based technology and services for managing mobile assets will return as the team’s primary marketing partner for the fourth Truck Series race of the season.
I’m super excited to get back racing with my Diversified Motorsports Enterprises guys,” said Little.
“Charlotte was not kind to us but pointed us in the right direction to rebound this weekend at Atlanta. I’m confident that Bruce (Cook) and I know what we need to do in order to field a competitive truck and I’m very thankful to have Teletrac Navman supporting us again.”
When it comes to success at Atlanta, Little can relate.
In 2018, Little nearly pulled off an upset with a victory in the Truck Series race at the 1.54-mile oval. Unfortunately, a late race caution thwarted the team’s plan and with a chaotic late race restart, the Sherrills Ford, N.C. native was shuffled to an eighth-place finish.
On Saturday, Little hopes to have more of the same luck for his team owner Logan Puckett.
“I really appreciate being apart of this DME team,” added Little. “Logan has been great to work with. As a young Truck Series owner, he is ambitious and as a driver, I want to deliver for him.
“Hopefully, we can continue to make gains at Atlanta this weekend that will help us down the road.”
As for Atlanta, its abrasive surface provides opportunity for great racing and when asked why he enjoys racing there, Little was quick to respond.
“Atlanta is very fast but at the same time, its so worn out,” he said. “It gives you a sensation that no other track does. Forces you to be precise all day. At the end of the day though, I just hope we’re in a good position with our No. 97 Teletrac Navman Chevrolet Silverado for a strong finish.”
For Puckett, Atlanta wasn’t originally on DME’s schedule this season, but the opportunity presented itself and Puckett was determined to put the team in the race lineup.
“I’m really proud of this team,” offered Puckett. “We’re making gains. The Truck Series field is really stacked right now with a lot of talented teams and drivers. We’re doing our part and working hard behind the scenes to keep up.
“While we were thankful to come out of Charlotte with a reasonable finish, I think we can agree as a team we want more and are determined to do that moving forward. As long as we can continue to make gains with every race, I can’t ask for much more from my guys.
“I appreciate Teletrac Navman and all of our partners for their continued support and allowing Atlanta to happen.”
The VetTix | Camping World 200 (134 laps| 201 miles) is the fourth of 23 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series races on the 2020 schedule. The 40-truck field will take the green flag shortly after 1:00 p.m. with live coverage on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Satellite Radio, Channel 90). All times are local (Eastern).
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