“I by no means thought I had a full-time future in NASCAR,” Laster stated. “I at all times thought I would be a part-time workforce hopper. That is my fame. I am referred to as the low greenback man when a low greenback workforce wants a driver that will not tear up the automobile and (will) give them a very good end.”
The dearth of a constant experience has made for loads of fast turnarounds for Laster, who says that he would often have lower than every week in between being supplied a experience to the drop of the inexperienced flag.
“This 12 months, I bought a name on a Monday night time. They stated ‘hey, we’d like you in Phoenix Thursday night time’. It was a 30-hour drive. My girlfriend and I drove on the market. I needed to name in to work (that week).”
It was one among Laster’s residence tracks within the Indianapolis Raceway Park that he and Wayne Peterson first met. Little did Laster know on the time {that a} Nineteenth-place end at IRP on July 19 can be the catalyst for the large break he was looking for.
“We put a deal collectively for IRP and had a fantastic run,” Laster stated. “That subsequent Monday, I bought a name from Wayne saying ‘we’ll Salem (Speedway) this week. We do not have a driver for those who’re capable of come down.’ I stated, ‘give me an hour.’ I referred to as up all of my sponsors and we put the deal collectively in a pair hours. We went right down to Salem and bought Wayne his greatest end since 2021 and solely his eighth top-10 end since 1984. Our ninth-place end truly tied his greatest end since 1984.”
Laster says he took a pair weeks off earlier than calling Peterson about the potential of working your entire 2025 schedule.
Laster is conserving his expectations for the 2025 season “lifelike” — a product of the large hole between the highest groups within the ARCA Menards Collection and people on the decrease rungs of the ladder. Nonetheless, there’s quite a bit for Laster and the workforce to perform in 2025, which can formally be Laster’s rookie season within the collection.
“Prime 10 in factors, at the very least second in Rookie of the 12 months factors can be good,” Laster stated. “I believe realistically, a minimal of two or three top-10s, I believe if we bought 5 – 6 we would be ecstatic.”
On the finish of the day, Laster’s story reaches far past a store, a racetrack or a stat sheet. It is a story that serves as each his American and Hoosier dream.
After 13 lengthy years, all of Laster’s seat time and days within the store have paid off.
Now, he’ll comply with within the footsteps of fellow Hoosiers in Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon, who took their very own paths from Indiana to the best ranges of stock-car racing.
