Gaughan joins Rusty Wallace's Nationwide team

Rusty Wallace Racing announced Monday that Brendan Gaughan will be joining the NASCAR Nationwide Series team for the 2009 season. Gaughan, a Camping World Truck Series veteran who most recently drove for Circle Bar Racing in 2008, will drive the No. 62 (formerly No. 64) Chevrolet for RWR and run for rookie of the year honors. Gaughan's Truck Series crew chief, Brian Berry, will join him at RWR and Las Vegas-based South Point Hotel, Casino and Spa (owned by Brendan's father Michael) will be the primary sponsor for an undisclosed number of races. 

Gaughan has history with both the No. 62 and Wallace. In 2004, Gaughan and Wallace were teammates in Sprint Cup at Penske Racing. Gaughan ran the No. 62 for several seasons in the Truck Series when he drove for his family-owned Orleans Racing team. Gaughan won eight Truck races in the No. 62 entry, including four consecutive victories at Texas Motor Speedway.

"It's going to be very exciting for me to drive the No. 62 again," Gaughan said in a release. "That number has a lot of meaning to my family that not many people know about. My big brother John's football number was 62 and my two big brothers have always been my heroes in life. My father has always been into numbers as well; when we first came up with the number back in 2001, he loved to remind me that his lucky number has always been eight and that 'six plus two equals eight.' He would always remind me as if couldn't figure that out!"

Read more here.

-Michele Vincze