Des Moines native Michael Annet is advancing in the NACAR ranks after playing a few seasons for the Waterloo Black Hawks ice hockey team. Annet, who is nearing his 22nd birthday, will race in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

His first competition at this new level will be at The Milwaukee Mile in June and he’ll be driving a Toyota Tundra. Annet has moved into a "driver development" program and will split racing dates with another driver. In a statement released by his new team, Annet said he’s "thrilled" to get a chance to test his skilsl against NASCAR’s "elite" drivers. Annet has been racing for nine years and he’s accumulated two wins, five top-five finishes and eight top-10 finishes.

As a teenager, Annet was a hockey player who eventually spent two years on the Waterloo Black Hawks. He was named the USHL’s "most improved hockey player" in 2004. Now, in 2008, he’s a NASCAR truck driver who makes his home in North Carolina.