Northern Tool and Equipment employees in Pequot Lakes were decked out in their NASCAR T-shirts last Wednesday to welcome the company's Craftsman Truck Series driver to town.
Erik Darnell, No. 99, and his crew spent a few hours at the Pequot Lakes Industrial Park business Wednesday, April 30. Northern Tool sponsors the NASCAR team.
Darnell, 25, signed autographs while employees admired his Ford F-150 truck and even got to climb into the driver's seat.
The truck, now retired from racing, is the team's show truck. The team has eight other trucks for racing.
Originally from northeastern Illinois, Darnell has raced at Brainerd International Raceway. He is now based in Concord, N.C., with Roush Fenway Racing.
Darnell ventured to Minnesota after racing the previous weekend in the O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., where he was the defending champion. Darnell finished 28th after being involved in a crash early in the race.
The Craftsman Truck Series races next at Lowes Motor Speedway on Friday, May 16.
