CONCORD, N.C. -- Home is where the heart is.
And Michigan is home to the man behind the wheel of the No. 88 Nationwide 80,000-pound hauler, Andy Quillan.
Quillan, born and raised in Orleans, Michigan, two hours from this weekend’s race at Michigan International Speedway, is looking forward to visiting his stomping ground and home track.
“Michigan International Speedway is a cool place to go,” Quillan said. “At Michigan, you feel out in the country. It’s wide out in the open and you can get three-wide racing throughout the whole race.”
The hauler driver had a passion for motor sports since he was young when he watched a NASCAR race at his home track.
“I remember sitting in the entrance near pit road, up in the stands and my dad saying, ‘Man, it would be cool to be down there in the infield.’ And I said, ‘I will be down there one day,’” reminisced the Michigan native.
His dream came true when he started to work as a car chief in the ARCA series 10 years ago before starting his career at Hendrick Motorsports.
Now, Quillan drives the No. 88 hauler, hauling Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Chevrolets during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season to and from racetracks all over the United States.
And driving the hauler is not his only responsibility.
“I’m responsible for the hauler being stocked, loaded and cleaned. When we park in the garage at the tracks, I’ll set the tool box up and set the trailer including the observation deck that the crew chiefs stand on,” Quillan explained. “There is a lot of work to be done at the track and a lot of people don’t see that behind the scenes. There is always something to do.”
His favorite part of the job? Traveling.
“I enjoy traveling the open road and being responsible for getting the cars to the track,” he said.
“I have pride in driving for Hendrick Motorsports.”
