BRISTOL, TN – After a three-week break, the NASCAR Nationwide Series resumes its 2009 schedule this Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway. The familiar red and white #81 Dodge will be at the race track but series regular DJ Kennington will not be behind the wheel. “I really wanted to race Bristol,” exclaims the St. Thomas Ontario driver, “but it’s a dollars and cents thing right now.” The current economic down turn has forced many NASCAR Nationwide Teams to resort to unique partnerships to keep the wheels turning. Kevin Hamlin, who is without a ride in 2009, will pilot the D.H. Griffin/Northern Provincial Pipelines #81 Dodge this weekend and the next scheduled race event in Texas on April 4th.

Hamlin was a NASCAR Nationwide Series regular in 2007 driving for Chip Ganassi Racing. Hamlin was called upon twice last season to fill in for Kennington. Most recently, Hamlin has been a race spotter for NASCAR’s John Andretti, so he is looking forward to getting behind the wheel again. “We had two good runs last year with MacDonald Motorsports (#81) at Dover and California,” says Hamlin, “I hope we can build on that success this year and bring home a solid top-15 finish.” Kennington is looking forward to his next Nationwide Series race in Phoenix. “We have a great team and we are doing what needs to be done to get this car to the track.”

SCOTTS TURF BUILDER 300 (300 laps/160 miles)
> Friday, March 20th
Kevin Hamlin was 46th and 42nd fastest (out of 51 cars) in two separate practice sessions in the DH Griffin/Northern Provincial Pipelines Ltd. #81 Dodge at Bristol Motor Speedway on Friday.

>Saturday, March 21st
Kevin Hamlin Qualified the DH Griffin/ Northern Provincial Pipelines Ltd. #81 Dodge in 39th Saturday.

UPDATE – Kevin Hamlin finished 33rd in the Scotts Turf Builder 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series event on Saturday. Kevin Harvick was the winner at Bristol Motor Speedway.