Mike Bliss will return to the seat of the #40 Key Motorsports Chevrolet to kick off the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series season, Key Motorsports officials announced today. Bliss is locked in the seat of the #40 for the first three events of the Nationwide Series schedule, the Camping World 300 at Daytona February 13th, the Stater Brothers 300 at Auto Club Speedway February 20th and the Sam's Town 300 at Las Vegas on February 27th. Both Key Motorsports and Bliss are hopeful sponsorship will allow for Bliss to remain in the car for the full 35 race schedule.

The 2002 NASCAR Truck Series champion is no stranger to Key Motorsports equipment, having driven for the team in three of the past four seasons in both the Truck Series as well as the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

"I will be in the #40 for the first three Nationwide Series races, Daytona, California and Las Vegas," said Bliss. "Depending on sponsorship, I could be in the car all year and we are working for that to happen. Key Motorsports is a solid organization, they have a solid team, they have good people and equipment. I am looking forward to having a good year with them."

Key Motorsports team owner Curtis Key is happy Mike Bliss will be returning to the seat of the #40 Chevrolet for 2010.

"We are excited to have Mike Bliss back behind the wheel of the Key Motorsports Chevrolet," said Curtis Key. "Hopefully this will work out to be a year-long deal with Mike. He is a great driver with the talent and ability to make things happen on the race track and at the end of the day, our primary goal at Key Motorsports is to provide him the equipment he needs to be in the top-15 every week."

Key Motorsports originally began fielding cars in the former NASCAR Busch Series in the early 1990's, moving to the Truck Series for several seasons before starting their Nationwide Series program from scratch in January 2009. Key Motorsports completed the 2009 season 21st in owner points and will be locked into the first five races of 2010.

"When we started back in the Nationwide Series at the beginning of 2009, we had a goal to be a top-20 team," Curtis Key explained. "Our goal in 2010 is to be a top-15 team and we feel we have the equipment and personnel to accomplish that."

Bliss drove several cars, including the #40, on his way to a fifth place finish in the 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series point standings and believes he can continue his consistent performances with the Key Motorsports team.

"Key Motorsports is a capable team," Bliss continued. "There is no reason I can think of that this team can't run in the top-10 consistently."

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