Kimi Raikkonen's NASCAR debut

It has been a trend for ex-Formula One racers to switch to competing in other motorsports. As far as NASCAR is concerned, the shift to the sport was made popular by ex-McLaren racer Juan Pablo Montoya who shifted to the Stock Car Auto Racing Championship in 2006.

Kimi Raikkonen, ex-Ferrari racer of Formula One made his debut in NASCAR on Friday driving the Perky Jerky Toyota Tundra competing in the Camping World Truck Series NC Education Lottery 200. The Finnish racer started in 31st position and worked his way up to sevent but had to settle for a final 15th place as the chequered flag waved. His fall in position from seventh was the result of a missed crucial pit-stop.

Kimi Raikkonen in his Toyota Tundra

During the course of the race, Raikkonen survived several multi-car crashes but he managed to find his way past the chaos amidst the debris and make for a good debut.

Before his actual participation in NASCAR the 2007 Formula One Champion said, “Since I stopped in Formula One, my interests have always been in many different motorsports, I want to try different things.”

In the 36 car field Raikkonen did not have a completely smooth first appearance; he brushed the wall on a couple of occasions but escaped any major damage. Now, one would come to think that life might just become a wee bit difficult with the Finn competing in the WRC as well as NAScar especially for the fact that the two championships coincide coming weekend with the Argentine Rally as well as the next race of Nascar scheduled for the same date. But luckily for Raikkonen he isn’t scheduled to race in NASCAR for that weekend.

The Finnish racers debut surely was impressive and even Crew Chief Ren Rick believed so, but he is yet to reveal his future plans about motorsport racing. But as of now he’s having fun competing at NASCAR, in fact “Actually, it was more fun than I expected,” he said.