Deep down, Joey Clanton is a short-tracker at heart. When he’s not driving the No. 09 Zaxby’s Ford in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, he’s usually at a little short track with his Late Model stock car.

The Bristol Motor Speedway, home of Wednesday night’s O’Reilly 200, is the Taj Mahal of short tracks. The .533-mile oval and 36-degree banking make for one of the wildest races of the season. For Clanton, sometimes it’s too wild.

While Wednesday night’s race will be the first in a Wood Brothers/JTG Racing-prepared Ford F-150, it’s not the first time Clanton’s been to Thunder Valley. He made a Busch Series start there in 2003, starting 28th and finishing 31st after crashing.

Accidents are common at Bristol because the speeds are so high and there’s very little room for escape. One slip usually turns into a multi-truck accident. While that kind of action is exciting for the fans, it’s not what Clanton is looking for in his return.

WHAT THE TEAM HAS TO SAY

Joey Clanton, driver of the No. 09 Zaxby’s Ford F-150:
“Any short track racer dreams about racing at Bristol,” he said. “I remember the first time I went there, it was overwhelming. You learn very quickly that things happen fast there. When you’re running 20-second laps, it takes a tremendous amount of luck to stay out of everyone else’s problems. This time around, I want a little less excitement. I know the fans love the sparks and the smoke. I want a boring race – although there’s nothing boring about 125 mph laps on a half-mile track.

“Oddly enough, I’ve got a unique track record this year. We’ve run really good at tracks where I’ve had problems in the past. Let’s hope this continues the trend.”

Gary Cogswell, Crew Chief of the No. 09 Zaxby’s Ford F-150:
“Bristol is tough on the driver, tough on the team and really, really tough on our Zaxby’s Ford,” he said. “The reality is, there’s going to be a lot of beating and banging. The best truck will end up with dented fenders. What you hope for is to not be the one who starts an accident and to be lucky enough to avoid somebody else’s problem. If we do that, we’ll be all right.”

FAST & FUN FACTS:

-Joey Clanton will be making his 12th career start in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. His sixth-place finish at the season-opening race at Daytona Beach, Fla., was a career-best. He also has 18 career starts in the NASCAR Busch Series with a career-best fifth place finish in 2003.
-Clanton also has 18 career victories in the American Speed Association series.
-Clanton owns two Zaxby’s franchises. One is in Fairburn, Ga., the other in Atlanta.

RACE INFORMATION:

What – O’Reilly 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race
When – Wednesday, Aug. 22; 8 p.m. ET
Where – Bristol Motor Speedway
Network – Speed; Sirius Satellite Radio 128