The NASCAR world got a bit greener today. G-Oil, America’s first and only API and USDA certified bio-based full synthetic motor oil, announced that it will sponsor driver Tayler Malsam and the TriStar Motorsports Toyota Camry team for the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series.

“G-Oil wants to demonstrate to consumers that our American-made green racing oil can stand up to the rigors of NASCAR competition,” said Jeffrey Loch, President and CMO of Green Earth Technologies, Inc. “Remember, ‘G-Oil’ is not just on the car– it is IN the car,” said Loch.

Seattle area native Tayler Malsam, 22, got his first laps aboard the No.19 G-Oil Toyota during a day-long recent test at the Walt Disney World Speedway in Orlando. “There is already an energy and excitement building around the G-Oil TriStar Toyota team,” said Malsam.

“We want to prove that G-Oil works on the track and help tell the story to race fans and non-race fans alike,” said Malsam.

Malsam finished ninth in the 2008 ARCA Series championship as a 19-year-old rookie. He was runner-up to NASCAR veteran Johnny Sauter for Rookie of the Year honors in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2009, scoring 10 top-ten finishes.

Kyle Busch selected Malsam as his teammate for the inaugural season of Busch’s truck series team in 2010, but agreed to let Malsam move to the Nationwide Series with Braun Racing. Malsam has driven partial seasons in the NASCAR Truck and Nationwide Series the past two seasons.

“Tayler Malsam is a rising young star in NASCAR and he will help us tell the G-Oil story of clean, American-made, environmentally preferred motor oil not only to NASCAR fans but to everyone who cares about performance, the environment, and American energy independence,” said Loch.

TriStar Motorsports team owner Mark Smith, a 30-year NASCAR veteran, is a key part of the G-Oil program. In addition to his three-car NASCAR Nationwide team, Smith is the owner of Pro Motor Engines (PME) a leading builder of race engines for all three NASCAR series. Smith’s engines have won three NASCAR Truck Series championships (2003, 2004, and 2009). Smith received the prestigious MAHLE Clevite Engine Builder of the Year award in both 2008 and 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competition.

“PME and the TriStar team are really looking forward to working with Tayler, and the G-Oil Toyota Camry team to help prove the G-Oil story and tell it to a very big audience,” said Smith.

Malsam and the No. 19 G-Oil Toyota Camry will debut at the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series season opening Daytona 300 at the Daytona Motor Speedway, February 25, 2012.

Reports are that Randy Moss Motorsports has shut down its #25 truck program, effective immediately. Malsam, of course, drove the #25 truck in the first three events this season.

The start of the 2011 season didn’t bode well for Malsam, as he failed to qualify for the first two races and blew an engine in the most recent event at Darlington.

Malsam drove for Moss’s team in 2009, before leaving RMM for the newly-created Kyle Busch Motorsports in 2010. Malsam drove the first seven events for KBR, nearly winning in Atlanta before a late caution hampered his efforts. Busch shut Malsam’s #56 team down after the event at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Malsam sat 11th in the standings at that time.

Malsam also drove 11 Nationwide Series races for Braun Racing in 2010. He posted his best finish(11th) in his debut race at Nashville, and had four runs of 15th or better. However, accidents(often not of his own making) hampered his efforts. And when Steve Turner bought Braun’s team late in the year, Malsam, along with then-teammate Brian Scott, got the short end of the stick.

Now after just three races, he is apparently out of a ride again.

Malsam’s career stats don’t exactly jump out at you. In 39 starts in the Camping World Truck Series, Malsam has one top 5 and 11 top 10 finishes. He did challenge for some wins, particularly during his rookie season, but never found Victory Lane. His average finish is 16th.

Not great, but not too shabby either when you consider Malsam really only has one full year of competition under his belt, or that he’s been bounced around from team to team.

Malsam also carries sponsorship with him in One Eighty and Iron Horse Jeans, so whoever he ends up with will have a capable driver with loads of potential, as well as some solid sponsorship backing.

Hopefully Malsam will be able to land on his feet in either the Camping World Truck Series or the Nationwide Series. He certainly has what it takes; he just needs a solid ride.

And a team that won’t close up shop on him.