Getty Sage Karam will make his 2022 Xfinity Series debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Sage Karam will make his 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series debut on March 19 when he takes over the No. 44 Alpha Prime Racing Chevrolet Camaro. He will take on the new version of Atlanta Motor Speedway while debuting a new partner in The Driveway Company.
APR announced the news on March 14 and provided the first look at the No. 44 Chevrolet with its red and white scheme. Peachwood Floor Coverings and FranBridge Consulting will also join the No. 44 as associate partners during the trip to Atlanta Motor Speedway.
It’s race week! Excited to share with you all the beautiful @TeamAlphaPrime @DrivewayAtlanta @TeamChevy #44 Camaro for this weekend. Big thanks to everyone who is onboard. Excited to get my 2022 started! Read more here t.co/OX9OBvBMpU
“I’m absolutely thrilled to have The Driveway Company onboard the [No. 44] Chevy Camaro for my 2022 debut in Atlanta,” Karam said in a press release from his new partner. “I’ve come to appreciate the hustle and hard work it takes to make it in NASCAR, and The Driveway Company embodies similar values in their entrepreneurial franchise model. I really look forward to getting to know them on a professional and personal level, and appreciate them trusting me with representing their brand.”
Karam will showcase his new part at multiple points of time during the weekend. He will begin his weekend with a brief practice session on Friday, March 18 (4 p.m. ET, FS1). Karam will return to the track on March 19 for qualifying (11:30 a.m. ET, FS1) before taking on the Nalley Cars 250 on the evening of March 19 (5 p.m. ET, FS1).
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Karam Will Replace a Driver With 2 Strong Performances
When Karam climbs into the No. 44 Chevrolet, he will face the difficult task of following up strong performances. He will take over for Ryan Ellis, who drove the entry at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Phoenix Raceway while finishing 13th and 16th, respectively.
Karam only has four Xfinity Series starts on his resume, all with Jordan Anderson Racing during the 2021 season. He made his series debut at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and qualified inside the top 20. However, an electrical issue relegated him to a 26th-place finish.
Karam’s season continued with stops at Bristol Motor Speedway, the Charlotte Roval, and Phoenix Raceway while posting a season-best finish of 16th overall at the Tennessee short track. Now he will take over for a team that has “surprised” team GM Tommy Joe Martins with its speed.
“Sage is a phenomenal talent. We’re really happy to have him as part of our team and grateful for the support of The Driveway Company. Atlanta will be an exciting race for everyone in the industry with the changes to the speedway and we know that we’ll have a great race to kick off our relationship with The Driveway Company and Sage,” Martins said in a statement.
Karam Contended for a Championship During the Offseason
While other drivers finished out the 2021 season and embraced some time off during the offseason, Karam took on a different challenge. He suited up for the full Nitro Rallycross Next season and contended for a championship.
The Pennsylvania native faced a learning curve when he climbed into the specially-built rally machine, but he adjusted and began turning heads with his performance. He won five races during the season, including a weekend sweep in Phoenix. He ultimately finished second in the championship standings behind Casper Jansson, who accumulated 395 points to Karam’s 385.
While Karam focused on trying to secure wins on the specially-built rallycross courses, he expressed hope that he would return to a national NASCAR series for more starts. He fulfilled this dream when he signed with Alpha Prime Racing, and now he will strive to turn in a strong performance at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
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