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Mexico’s Quiroga Hopes to Win Twice This Year in Las Vegas

Mexico’s German Quiroga never has raced at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but he’s been tabbed as a potential first-time series winner in the Sept. 28 Smith’s 350 for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. 

But the 33-year-old Mexico City native would like nothing more than to win twice in Las Vegas. Quiroga, a regular CrossFit participant, also has accepted sponsor OtterBox’s challenge and has entered the Nov. 17 Las Vegas Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon.

That’s a pretty tall order for a racer who never has driven on the LVMS superspeedway and also is a rookie entrant in the nighttime 26.2-mile foot race.

“I was there for the Smith’s 350 last year but I wasn’t a participant,” said Quiroga. “I watched the race from the outside. I will remember more about the track once I get there. We are fast on the 1.5-mile program, so hopefully everything comes together for our OtterBox Toyota Tundra and we can collect another top-10 finish.”

Quiroga has earned two top-five finishes and four top-10s in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competition in 2013.

His Hispanic heritage also has earned a couple of noteworthy places in the Truck Series media guides: He became the first Mexican-born driver to earn a pole position in any of the three premier series of NASCAR (July 13, 2013 at Iowa Speedway) and captured a third-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway (June 7, 2013) marking the highest finishing position for a Mexican in a national division of NASCAR.

While Quiroga is not yet an instantly-recognizable celebrity in the U.S., he’s made quite a name for himself in his home country. He began racing at age 15 in the Reto Neon Series in Mexico and later won the Formula Renault 2000 championship in 2005.

In 70 NASCAR Mexico starts, he’s earned 16 wins, 50 top-five and 60 top-10 finishes. After finishing second overall in the NASCAR Mexico Series in 2007 and 2008, he won three consecutive championships (2009-2011) and is the only driver in history to earn three straight titles.
Quiroga also is excited about running the streets of Las Vegas at night in the unique marathon.

“I’m excited. I want to see what it (the course) is going to look like. How flat it is going to be. And to see if I need to change my training routes now with what I am doing. I’m lucky I am going to be able to see what it will look like before I am there.”

Tickets for the Sept. 28 Smith’s 350 are on sale and may be purchased by calling LVMS at (702) 644-4444 or online at www.LVMS.com . Each ticket purchase also includes a free pass to the  fabulous Neon Garage fan experience on race day. The race is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m.