Mooresville, NC (March 3, 2014) – When Paul Menard’s Chevrolet SS race car rolls off the hauler this Thursday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS), the Quaker State paint scheme will make its 2014 debut. For Menard, it will be the 27th time he has lined up for the start of a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) event with Quaker State colors.

LVMS is a track that suits Menard well, with top-10 finishes in each of the last two years. However, it might not be Menard behind the wheel this time.

“Las Vegas is great, it’s fast and it’s challenging to make your car work for the entire race,” said Menard. “We have so many intermediate tracks on the schedule, but after all the time spent with Daytona and then going to the shorter track at Phoenix, I always look forward to Las Vegas with the high speed and banking.”

Menard will have reigning NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion and good friend Matt Crafton on standby for the weekend, as Menard and his wife await the birth of their first child. For Crafton, being on alert to step in for Menard is almost as nerve-racking as the baby watch is for Menard.

“It’s tough, because you just don’t know when or even if it will happen, but kind of like that backup quarterback, you have to be ready at any time,” said Crafton. “Paul and I have been good friends going back to 2001. We’ve raced together and I actually spotted for him early in his career. For him to have the confidence in me to get the job done if he has to head back home – that’s awesome.”

Stay tuned this weekend to see who drives the Quaker State Chevrolet in Las Vegas as practice begins Friday.