MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Cherryfield native Andy Santerre will drive in eight to 15 NASCAR Busch Series races this season in Chevrolet Monte Carlos from Santerre-Reece Motorsports, his race team announced Monday.

Santerre co-owns the team with North Carolina businessman Mike Reece and they plan to have Santerre behind the wheel at Rockingham (N.C), Bristol (Tenn.), Nashville, Richmond (Va.), Loudon, (N.H.), Milwaukee, Watkins Glen (N.Y.) and Pikes Peak (Colo.).

“I’m more excited about this year than I have ever been,” said Santerre, a former Busch Series rookie of the year. “We have a great shop in Mooresville, I have hired a great core group of guys, I am working in the shop every day, working on cars and enjoying myself more than ever.”

His first race is Feb. 24 at North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham.

The race team also announced that it has signed a major associate sponsor and hopes to release that information as well as information on a primary sponsor in the upcoming months.

Santerre and Reece have hired Maine native Stan Meserve as crew chief for the new race team. Meserve was a successful Maine driver before retiring in 1998 and owned Distance Racing Products for 15 years when he built chassis and sold retail parts.

“I have know Stan for over 10 years. I have wanted the chance to work with him for a long time,” Santerre said. “He and I think alike when it comes to the race car and he has an open mind when it comes to trying things.”

Meserve feels the new team will be successful.

“Andy has all the qualities to succeed at this just as he has at everything else in his life,” Meserve said.

Santerre also announced that Tom Carey Jr., from Orange, Mass., has joined the team and will drive in four NASCAR Busch North Series events this season. Other veteran crew members include Wayne Severance, Kenneth Jackson and David Button.

Carey is a former New England Pro Stock driver with more than 40 career victories. He has raced for three seasons on the Busch North circuit with four wins and nine pole-position starts.