Jesse Little Plans NASCAR Top Series Debut at Kentucky Speedway

“I’m very humbled by this opportunity to make my Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut this weekend at Kentucky,” Little said in a press release from Premium Motorsports. “There’s no expectations for Saturday night’s race other than to take the green flag and see the checkered flag. I would like to thank Jay Robinson [team owner] for giving me the opportunity to gain valuable experience behind the wheel.”

The deal that puts Little in the No. 7 Chevrolet for the Kentucky race is only a one-race deal for the driver who competes part-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The Truck Series is slated to race at Kentucky Speedway on Thursday night, but Little is not entered in that race.

“As for Kentucky, it’s an opportunity for me to gain experience and seat time in the Cup Series, and I’m looking forward to driving for Premium and working with crew chief Todd Parrott,” Little said.

Little has 18-career NASCAR national-level starts, all coming in the Camping World Truck Series. His best finish, to date, was a sixth-place finish at Iowa Speedway in Newton in June.

Premium Motorsports has 31 starts in the first 18 races of the 2018 Cup Series season, typically, entering two cars per race. Ross Chastain, who has made 16 starts for Premium Motorsports, so far, this season, will be Little’s teammate in the Kentucky race.

The team has yet to post a top-10 finish this year. It’s lone top-10 came last year with Michael Waltrip finishing eighth in the Daytona 500, his final race before retirement.

Only 39 cars are on the entry list for Saturday night’s race, so Little will garner a starting spot, regardless of his lap time in Friday’s qualifying session.