Key Motorsports cutting back schedule with Bliss

MOORESVILLE, N.C. -- Curtis Key, owner of Key Motorsports, announced Monday he has cancelled his team's full-time championship effort in the Camping World Truck Series, and will pursue only a limited schedule with Mike Bliss behind the wheel for the remainder of the 2009 season.

Key cites lack of sponsorship and his desire to focus on the team's first full-time Nationwide Series entry as his reasons for discontinuing the full-time Truck program.

Bliss

The No. 40 Key Motorsports Chevy Silverado will not appear on the entry list for this weekend's race at Kansas Speedway, despite Key's original intention to field a full-time Truck entry. The No. 40 will next hit the track for the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Former Camping World Truck Series champion Bliss has piloted the Key Motorsports Chevy in the first four Truck Series races of the season, scoring a season-best finish of eighth and securing an 18th-place standing in the 2009 Truck owners' points. Bliss will continue to drive the No. 40 in the remaining races Key Motorsports runs this season.

While the team's schedule for the remainder of the season has not yet been determined, Key plans to run his team for the Charlotte race, as well as seven upcoming races in which he has sponsorship commitments with Westerman Companies and Oakland Metal Buildings.

"It was a difficult decision to no longer pursue a full-time schedule in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, especially considering how well we've performed so far this year," Key said. "However, the economy continues to affect our sport, and it is my goal to focus on the Nationwide Series program we are building. I see great potential in our Nationwide program, which I believe is the future of Key Motorsports."

The team's Nationwide Series schedule continues this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway with driver Scott Wimmer behind the wheel of the No. 40 Chevy.