The NASCAR Truck Series just got a fresh jolt of excitement a few days ago when Faction46 rolled out the red carpet for their latest recruit, Thad Moffitt. Moffitt isn’t just any new kid on the block; he’s royalty, being the grandson of racing legend “The King,” Richard Petty.

And that could be one of the reasons why the team has a lineup of heavy hitters backing them up: Clean Harbors, Safety-Kleen, Customers Bank, Pristine Auction, Joe Jurgielewicz & Son, famed for America’s tastiest duck, Induction Innovations, and Best Working Wipes. But Moffitt’s over the moon about teaming up with one of his grandfather’s partners. He couldn’t contain his excitement, spilling the beans in his latest Twitter post, indicating that the 2024 NASCAR Truck season is not just going to be about speed but rather continuing a legacy as well.

Thad Moffitt inherits a storied partnership with Safety-Kleen, courtesy of Grandpa Richard Petty

The bond between racing icon Richard Petty and Safety-Kleen is nothing short of legendary, dating back to the 1970s. It all began with Safety-Kleen rolling up their sleeves to provide parts washing services at the Petty family’s original automotive shop. Over the years, they’ve been a pillar in Petty’s ventures, even launching a range of Performance Plus lubricants in 2018.

Now, in a fortunate twist, Safety-Kleen is set to support Petty’s grandson, Thad Moffitt, as one of the main sponsors in his racing endeavors. Their enthusiasm was palpable in a recent Twitter post, where they announced their excitement about Moffitt joining the Craftsman Truck Series in 2024 with Team Faction46.

“We’ve always been big NASCAR fans and we were super excited to hear the news about @thadmoffitt competing full-time in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2024 with @TeamFaction46. We’ll be there, as always, providing our services to keep everything running smooth at the track,” the post read. Moffitt, in a heartwarming retweet, expressed his gratitude: “Grateful to continue the partnership between @SafetyKleen and the Petty family for years to come.”

Besides all the sponsorship deals, NASCAR veteran Doug George will be calling the shots as crew chief of the No. 46 Chevrolet Silverado. Working with such bigwigs would be a golden opportunity for Moffitt, especially since it’s been a long 16 years since a Petty was a regular fixture in any full-fledged NASCAR series. With Customers Bank as the primary sponsor and a technical alliance with seasoned Truck Series player Al Niece of Niece Motorsports, Moffitt’s set for a thrilling ride.

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Not to mention, this isn’t Moffitt’s first rodeo in the Truck Series. He’s already tested the waters in 2022, making his upcoming full-time debut all the more anticipated.

Faction46 driver’s 2022 NASCAR Truck Series debut and beyond

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Back in 2022, Thad Moffitt took his first spin in the NASCAR Truck Series, driving a No. 43 truck decked out in STP colors, a nod to his grandpa Petty’s iconic cars. Moffitt’s opening act in the series covered the first three races, where he made a splash with an eighteenth-place finish at Daytona. He teamed up with Reaume Brothers Racing in collaboration with GMS Racing, whose owner shares a track record with Petty in the Cup Series.

However, 2023 saw Moffitt shifting gears to focus on the Trans-Am Series, where he revved up in the TA2 class. Behind the wheel of a No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro for TeamSLR, Moffitt raced to a seventh-place finish in the points standings, peaking with a second-place finish at the Detroit Grand Prix’s second race and narrowly missing the TA2 rookie title.

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Interestingly, Moffitt’s racing roots run deep with the number 46, which was his go-to number in the ARCA Menards Series from 2017 to 2021. He was nearly an ever-present figure in the 2021 season, securing a fourth-place finish in the points tally. The car number choice is a sort of tradition of the Petty legacy, with great-grandfather Lee usually behind No. 42, Richard Petty, the legend himself, in No. 43, Moffitt’s granduncle Kyle switching between No. 42 and No. 44, and his late uncle Adam racing in No. 45, later adopted by Kyle.