Raikkonen Will Make Truck Series Debut in May

As soon as Kimi Raikkonen confirmed his intention to join the NASCAR running from as early as this summer, several reports started guessing on the Finn's exact debut in the stock car racing series.

And that wait is finally over, as NASCAR has confirmed via Twitter that Raikkonen's request to attend this year's N.C. Education lottery 200, a Truck Series event scheduled at the Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 20, has been successful.

Now that we have a debut date for Raikkonen, the next info everybody will seek in the days or weeks to come will be the make that the Flying Finn will use in his first ever NASCAR outing. So far, we know that his participation in the series will take place under the ICE1 Racing, while backing will be provided by Foster Gillett.

From May onwards, Raikkonen's programme in the Truck Series – a competition in which the field is mainly comprised by rookies, as it sets the stage for young drivers to make it all the way into the Sprint Cup Series – will be set in coordination with his existing commitment in the World Rally Championship.

The 2007 Formula 1 champion has already committed to a 10-round schedule in the 2011 WRC under the same ICE1 Racing entrant, at the wheel of a Citroen DS3 WRC, having competed in two of them – Sweden and Portugal – by now.

In addition to his outings in the Truck Series, Raikkonen is also expected to make a few appearances in the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series, if not this year that in the seasons to come. A full transition from WRC to NASCAR is yet to be announced by his management.