Dakoda Armstrong

Dakoda Armstrong

Armstrong at Road America in 2016
Born (1991-07-16) July 16, 1991
New Castle, Indiana
Achievements 1998 WKA National champion
2000, 2001 Nascart champion
2004 USAC Kenyon Midget champion
Awards 2010 ARCA Racing Series Rookie of the Year
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
106 races run over 5 years
Car no., team No. 28 (JGL Racing)
No. 18 (Joe Gibbs Racing)
2016 position 13th
Best finish 13th (2014, 2015, 2016)
First race 2012 Ford EcoBoost 300 (Homestead)
Last race 2016 Ford EcoBoost 300 (Homestead)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 5 1
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career
44 races run over 3 years
2013 position 12th
Best finish 12th (2013)
First race 2011 Coca-Cola 200 (Iowa)
Last race 2013 Ford EcoBoost 200 (Homestead)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 5 0
Statistics current as of November 19, 2016.

Dakoda Armstrong (born July 16, 1991) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He currently competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 28 Toyota Camry for JGL Racing.

Early career

Armstrong's 2008 USAC Midget car

Armstrong started his racing career racing go-karts at the age of six, winning the 1998 World Karting Association championship in his first year in racing. At age 13, he became the youngest driver to win a USAC national championship when he won the 2004 USAC Mel Kenyon Midget Series. He has won over 200 races while competing in Go-Karts, Quarter Midgets, Bandoleros, Micro/Mini Sprints, Kenyon Midgets, 410 Non-Wing Sprint Cars, and Midgets.[1]

ARCA Racing Series

Armstrong signed a driver development deal with Penske Racing. As part of the deal, he would drive for Cunningham Motorsports in the ARCA Racing Series for seven races in 2009. He posted a best finish of 3rd along with two other top ten finishes and a 26th-place finish in the standings.

Armstrong returned to Cunningham Motorsports to drive the No. 22 Dodge full-time in 2010. He got his first win in just his 12th start at Talladega Superspeedway. He followed that with another win at Salem Speedway, finishing the season 7th in the standings with two wins, five top fives, 12 top tens, and one pole.

In 2011, Armstrong cut back on his ARCA schedule as he began focusing on his jump to NASCAR. He would run six races, posting one win at Winchester Speedway, two top fives, four top tens, and a 25th-place finish in the standings.

NASCAR

Armstrong's 2012 truck

Camping World Truck Series

In 2011, Armstrong signed on with ThorSport Racing and ran 7 races with the team with crew chief Dan Stillman. He made his Camping World Truck Series debut July 17 at Iowa Speedway, finishing 21st. He posted his first top ten October 1 at Kentucky Speedway. Armstrong attempted to run full-time with ThorSport with sponsorship from EverFi in the Truck Series in 2012. He was released from the team before the race at Iowa Speedway in September due to poor performance.[2]

In February 2013 it was announced that Armstrong would be driving for Turn One Racing for the full Truck Series season, and that he would also be running five races in the Nationwide Series for Richard Childress Racing in the No. 33 and No. 21 cars.[3] He ran the No. 19 for TriStar Motorsports at Homestead-Miami. WinField sponsored all his races.

Xfinity Series

Armstrong racing at Road America in 2014
Armstrong's #28 JGL Racing car in 2016

On December 4, 2013, it was announced that Armstrong had been signed by Richard Petty Motorsports to compete full-time in the 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series, driving the No. 43 Ford Mustang.[4] At Daytona, Armstrong had his first career pole for the Subway Firecracker 250 at Daytona after qualifying was cancelled due to a rainshower. He would finish 13th in the points standings in 2014.

He returned to Richard Petty Motorsports in 2015, with new chief Frank Kerr. He finished with a career best of 6th-place at Daytona after avoiding 2 Big Ones. On November 23, it was announced that he and RPM had parted ways due to poor performance.[5]

Armstrong joined JGL Racing in 2016, driving the No. 28 Toyota Camry. He would then return to JGL Racing in 2017.[6]

Personal life

Beyond the racetrack, Armstrong’s Indiana family corn and grain farming operation produces 1.9 million gallons of ethanol fuel per year for various energy programs. While growing up on the farm, he worked on his own racecars in the facilities on his family’s property. Aside from racing, Armstrong enjoys getting back to his roots and attends open wheel events whenever he can, especially if he can be at the track to mentor his younger siblings when they’re racing. His hobbies also include working out, racing his friends in iRacing and watching football.[1]

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Xfinity Series

Camping World Truck Series

* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points

References

  1. 1 2 "Career Highlights". DakodaArmstrong.com. Retrieved 2011-11-18.
  2. ↑ Adamczyk, Jay (September 7, 2012). "Armstrong & ThorSport Racing part ways". Jayski's Silly Season Site. ESPN. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
  3. ↑ "Armstrong Will Drive Limited Schedule For RCR". SPEED Channel. Fox Sports. February 8, 2012. Retrieved 2013-02-08.
  4. ↑ Jensen, Tom (December 4, 2013). "'The King' makes a hire: Armstrong to run NNS for RPM". Fox Sports. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  5. ↑ Spencer, Lee (November 24, 2015). "Armstrong and Richard Petty Motorsports split". Motorsport.com. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
  6. ↑ Spencer, Lee (January 9, 2016). "Armstrong finds new home for 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series season". Motorsport.com. Retrieved January 9, 2016.

External links

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