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  • Oliver Webb To Drive For Sam Schmidt Motorsports in Firestone Indy Lights

    Sam Schmidt Motorsports (SSM) announced that Oliver Webb will run the entire Indy Lights schedule in 2012 for the team.

    “The decision to move to the U.S. for Indy Lights was a tough one to make,” Webb said. “However, the efforts of Sam Schmidt and the team made it much easier. We have been in contact with Sam for a couple of years now, and after securing a podium in my Indy Lights debut, I was keen to have a full test program with Sam and the guys. I completed a two-day test and very quickly decided it was the right move for my career toward the top end of motorsport. I look forward to challenging for the 2012 title with SSM.”

    The twenty-year-old comes from Knutsford, England after competing in the World Series by Renault in 2011 for Pons Racing. He made four Firestone Indy Lights starts in 2011 with Jensen MotorSport, scoring his first podium in Edmonton when he finished third.

    SSM had a successful 2011 season as they won the championship with Josef Newgarden. For 2012, Newgarden will be competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series for Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing. The championship last season with Newgarden marked their fourth driver’s championship in six seasons.

    “I have been waiting for this day for quite some time,” Schmidt said. “I invited Oli and his father to the Toronto race in 2009 and have been trying to get him into the series ever since. He is extremely dedicated, focused and has raced in some very competitive European series. He proved he can drive an Indy Lights car when he finished third in his first outing this past season. With his four Indy Lights starts in 2011, we look for him to be at the front of the grid in St. Pete and a championship contender all season.”

    Webb will join the multi-car lineup that has 2011 Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear champion Tristan Vautier behind the wheel.

  • Simon Pagenaud To Drive For Sam Schmidt Motorsports in 2012

    On December 8th, Sam Schmidt announced that Simon Pagenaud would drive the Honda-powered Dallara for Sam Schmidt Motorsports in 2012.

    “I am delighted to be joining the IZOD Indy Car Series full time with Sam Schmidt Motorsports and Honda,” Pagenaud said. “The series represents the most competitive racing in the world right now, and I am really looking forward to the challenge of racing in a single-seater again. I have to thank Sam Schmidt Motorsports for giving me the opportunity and to continue with the Honda engineers at HPD. It is the best situation I could wish for.”

    The 27-year-old frenchman has driven a variety of cars throughout his career. In 2011, he finished second in both the 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of Le Mans. He also raced V8 Supercars, Rally cars and made three IndyCar starts in 2011, filling in for injured drivers.

    “We are very fortunate to land a driver of Simon’s caliber for the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series season,” Schmidt said. “As all the teams work to develop the new cars and engines, his diverse experience will be invaluable to us. Simon has a strong relationship with Honda and its engineers, which is also a huge asset. This is a big day for Sam Schmidt Motorsports.”

    Pagenaud got his start racing go-karts and began moving his way up through the ranks throughout Europe from 1994 and 2005. In 2006, he made the move to Indianapolis and has since driven a variety of cars.

    “America has been a lucky charm to me, really,” Pagenaud said. “The start of it was 2006, when I won the Champ Car Atlantic Championship with Walker Racing, which allowed me to enter the Champ Car Series in 2007.”

    In his rookie season in 2007, he finished eighth in the standings.

    In 2008 and 2009, Pagenaud won five American Le Mans Series LMP1 races, seven poles and several podium finishes. In 2010, he won the American Le Mans Series LMP1 championship with four wins and three poles.

    Pagenaud’s car number and sponsorship package will be announced at a later date. The focus right now is on getting ready for 2012 with the new chassis that IndyCar is debuting.

    “I know 2012 will be a big challenge with the new Dallara chassis and being on a new team but, quite frankly, that is what is so interesting,” Pagenaud said. “To fulfill a lifelong dream to race an Indy car and to compete in the Indianapolis 500 is a special time in my life. I can’t wait for the start of the season in St Petersburg. I also want to especially thank Sam Schmidt for giving me the opportunity to drive for his team and for my friends at HPD.”

  • The 2011 Nationwide Series Year in Quotes Review

    The 2011 Nationwide Series Year in Quotes Review

    Daytona: “You just know. After 30 years of doing this, I know.” — Tony Stewart

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”227″][/media-credit]The season started with a photo finish between Clint Bowyer and Tony Stewart with the margin of victory being 0.007 seconds. But Stewart says he knew that he had won before NASCAR relayed the official timing. The victory was the fourth straight for Stewart in the event.

    Phoenix: “I think from last year I owe Kyle one little bump and I thought about taking it but it’s a new year and I thought I could get by him clean.” — Carl Edwards

    The two dominant drivers in the NNS have to be Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch. At Phoenix Busch led all 200 laps on his way to victory as Edwards did his best to steal it at the end. While he says he owed Busch one from 2010, Busch said in victory lane he didn’t know what Edwards was talking about.

    Las Vegas: “I just decided I wasn’t going to run out of gas.” — Mark Martin

    Mark Martin wasn’t supposed to be in victory lane at Vegas but the wheel hit the No. 32. Martin stole the win as Brad Keselowski hit the wall on the final lap. The win helped Martin stay ahead of Kyle Busch as the all-time wins leader before Busch tied and broke the record later in the season.

    Bristol: “I feel like God has given me the opportunity to race in NASCAR and I owe it to the fans, sponsors, that I am not a start and park driver. I’m here to race.” — Jennifer Jo Cobb

    The green flag hadn’t even fallen at Bristol before there was drama. The short-track in Tennessee plays host to the best of rivalries but it’s rare for it to between driver and owner. Cobb stepped out of the car before the start of the race when told by the owner that she needed to start and park.

    Fontana: “We stole this one, it wasn’t ours.” — Kyle Busch

    The day that Busch doesn’t dominate a NNS race and win is surprising but that was the case in California. Kevin Harvick and Carl Edwards had the field covered and separated themselves for much of the day. That was until the No. 18 team used pit strategy to get Busch out front and pick up another win.

    Texas: “The crowd at Texas it a little bit wild.” — Carl Edwards

    No longer are backflips enough for Edwards when he wins a race. At the end of 2010 he started going into the grandstands to get up close and personal with the fans. In Texas he discovered that going into the stands was a lot easier then coming back out.

    Talladega: “What a day. We just have a small crew; just a small team, trying to do what we can do week by week and we gave ‘em a run for their money today. I wish it would have ended under green.” —- Joe Nemechek

    The plate tracks of Daytona and Talladega provide a great chance for a driver to shock the NASCAR world. Trevor Bayne did as much in the Daytona 500 in the Sprint Cup Series in 2011. Here though, Nemechek didn’t get the win but thought he could have for his self-owned, underfunded team had the race gone to completion.

    Nashville: “Them Roush cars are just so dang fast, all of them.” — Brad Keselowski

    A common theme in 2011 was the resurgence of Roush Fenway Racing and Ford. Both Keselowski and Kyle Busch found it hard to beat them and said they had an advantage. At Nashville Keselowski finished third behind Edwards and Busch.

    Richmond: “Well, I guess NASCAR decided that we should be the tail end of the one lap down cars, I’m not really sure how they decided that … They’re gonna have to explain that to me” — Aric Almirola

    Following a pit road speeding penalty NASCAR placed Almirola at the rear of the field. After contesting that NASCAR had made a mistake he fought back to finish 14th but still wasn’t happy about what had happened. A few weeks later Reed Sorenson would line up incorrectly on a restart, which NASCAR did not correct.

    Darlington: “That seems to be my best style here at Darlington, beat ‘em up as much as you can and see if you can win with it.” — Kyle Busch

    It wasn’t pretty and he certainly didn’t have the best looking car, but Busch always finds a way to win. At Darlington the track ‘Too Tough to Tame’ reached out and abused his car a few times but it didn’t help the competition stop him from winning again.

    Dover: “That was pretty wild man, I thought I was going over the wall.” — Clint Bowyer

    The fireworks that normally appear at Daytona and Talladega when it comes to spectacular but scary wrecks appeared in Dover this year. On the final lap coming off turn four Joey Logano got loose while racing Carl Edwards. He bounced off the wall and came down the track where Bowyer hit him and flipped on his side down the frontstretch.

    Iowa: “I couldn’t think of a better place to win.” — Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

    The 2011 season was that of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. From wrecking, being benched and fighting for his job in 2010, Stenhouse came back with a vengeance. He gave the Cup drivers a run for their money every week and finally broke through for his first win at Iowa – where he had wrecked in 2010 – by holding off teammate Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski.

    Charlotte: “Once I cleared Carl I waved to him like, ‘OK we got ‘em’ but then he passed me back and I felt pretty stupid.” — Matt Kenseth

    With an ill Trevor Bayne sidelined it was 2003 Cup champion Matt Kenseth getting a chance at the No. 16. In a one-race deal Kenseth came in and won after putting on a great battle with teammate Carl Edwards after he nearly gave it away.

    Chicago: “I got a big grin on my face from ear to ear and turned left and as soon as I got even with him, I ran out of fuel.” — Justin Allgaier

    There are many arguments for and against fuel mileage races but in Chicago it couldn’t have been more exciting. Allgaier and Carl Edwards battled each other and their fuel gauges with little laps left. On the final lap Edwards ran out going down the backstretch and Allgaier ran out shortly after. Both drivers coasted all the way around to the checkered flag.

    Michigan: “This track definitely needs a motor and we have it.” — Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

    Leading the race with less than 10 laps to go it looked like Stenhouse Jr. was about to pick up his second career win. But teammate Carl Edwards wasn’t about to let Stenhouse have it as he took it away as Stenhouse’s car got too tight at the end. In Detroit’s backyard Edwards and Stenhouse powered Ford to a one-two finish.

    Road America: “That is why [Jacques Villeneuve] should quit driving NASCAR no sense. I hope Max Papis punches his dumbass in the mouth.” — Kevin Harvick

    Road course ringers are supposed to be the professionals who whip on the NNS regulars. But Jacques Villeneuve didn’t give them a good name in 2011, as he was involved in numerous incidents that prevented himself and others a chance to win. When he took out Max Papis at Road America it was the team owner of the car Papis was driving that let loose on his Twitter page.

    Daytona: “Kept it straight, kept my foot in it too. I know that’s probably not the right thing to do when there’s a crash but I was going for broke in the GoDaddy car.” — Danica Patrick

    Again running a limited schedule for JR Motorsports, Danica Patrick nearly won at Daytona and it wouldn’t have been a fluke. Drafting with teammate Aric Almirola and now Sprint Cup team owner Tony Stewart, Patrick led a majority of the race and was in content heading to the finish. A last lap wreck kept her from a top five finish.

    Kentucky: “He’s just got to make up his damn mind up on the box.” — Kevin Harvick

    Never one to hold his tongue, Harvick makes sure others know where they stand with him. That includes his team on pit road and his crew chief, who he ripped on after Kentucky following pit calls he didn’t agree with.

    Loudon: “I hope some day we get to 200.” —- Kyle Busch

    It took longer than he expected but Busch finally broke Martin’s record. It was his 49th career win in the NNS and his 100th across all three series. Busch hasn’t hidden the fact that he wants to win 200 races to join Richard Petty in the record books.

    Nashville: “Heavenly father we thank you tonight for all your blessings. We want to thank you tonight for these mighty machines that you’ve brought before us. Thank you for the Dodges and the Toyotas, thank you for the Fords and most of all we thank you for you the Roush and Yates partnering to bring us the power we see before us tonight. Thank you GM Performance technology and R07 engines. Thank you for Sunoco racing fuel and Goodyear tires that bring performance and power to the track. Lord I want to thank you for my smoking hot wife tonight, Lisa. And my two children Eli and Emma, or as we like to call ’em, the little E’s. Lord I pray that you’ll bless the drivers and use them tonight, may they put on worthy of this great track. In Jesus name, boogity, boogity, boogity, amen!” — Pastor Joe Nelms

    Quote of the year, ’nuff said. No one remembers the race after that.

    Indianapolis: “Ricky really deserved to win this race with the car he had but things kind of fell our way tonight.” — Brad Keselowski

    The fastest car doesn’t always win and Keselowski made sure of that in Indy. When a late race caution and subsequent readjusting of the lineup put Keselowski near the front he engaged in a hard battle with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. He used up the No. 6 just enough to get by him to lead the final seven laps and took the win after Stenhouse had nearly the entire race.

    Iowa: “I was aggressive there at the end, you gotta do what you gotta do to win. I wasn’t going to let another one slip by us.” — Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

    A week later Stenhouse made sure that he ended up in victory lane when he again spanked the field at Iowa. He battled hard with teammate Edwards and traded paint with him when he felt needed. The two traded barbs afterwards but Stenhouse went home with the trophy.

    Watkins Glen: “It was one of those feelings like, we’re going to see this race on ESPN Classic if we could have gotten to duel it out at the end.” — Kurt Busch

    When Brad Keselowski broke his ankle testing he asked Cup teammate Kurt Busch to sub for him at The Glen. Busch won the pole and dominated the race, battling with his younger brother Kyle during parts of the event. A fuel mileage race ended the possibility of the two fighting for the win late in the race.

    Montreal: “Only girls pull hair.” — Steve Wallace

    Another recurring theme in 2011 was that of Steven Wallace being involved in accidents. The No. 66 was constantly being torn up and in Montreal he wrecked Patrick Carpentier, who was racing in his final NASCAR race. After the race Carpentier’s crew chief got a handful of Wallace when expressing his displeasure with the move.

    Bristol: “Wish I was the one in victory lane right now and not sitting over here in second by three inches.”—- Joey Logano

    Never the bride, always the bridesmaid, at least that’s what some viewed Logano as in 2011. Coming up short in Bristol to his teammate in a photo finish Logano said he did everything he could to win besides wrecking Busch.

    Atlanta: “I will tell you one thing: I’ll find him after the race and it’ll be between me and him.” — Reed Sorenson

    When teammates wreck each other it’s never good, except for outsiders who get to watch what happens next. When Justin Allgaier wrecked Sorenson in Atlanta when Sorenson was battling for the championship, he vowed to find him after the race and settle it.

    Richmond: “One of those deals and hate the way it all turned out but all in all, it’s short track racing I guess.” — Kevin Harvick

    At first Harvick tried to calm that his intentional wrecking of Trevor Bayne was caused because he got loose. Afterwards though he admitted to racing hard with Jason Leffler and then Bayne who got into the back of him and was then retaliated upon.

    Chicago: “I’m going to take every one of those freakin’ lapped cars and wreck ‘em.” — Brad Keselowski

    Trying to make his way through the slower traffic in front of him, Brad Keselowski lost the lead to Carl Edwards midway through the race. He vented on the radio to his team but after he regrouped was able to hold off Edwards for the win.

    Dover: “Fun, fun day. Just got beat, got beat up all day by Carl.” — Clint Bowyer

    Unlike the first race at Dover where Bowyer was sliding on his door over the finish line as Edwards won, Bowyer was able to battle to the finish in September. Unfortunately he came up short to a very fast Roush Fenway Ford.

    Kansas: “He races way over his head and he’s very fortunate that his dad has a lot of money and spends a lot of money on his racing and that’s a big factor in what he’s got going on.” — Aric Almirola

    There were many highlight moments between Almirola and Brian Scott in 2011 and at Kansas the two traded more than paint. Scott accused Almirola of racing him too hard and blocking him from getting in the pits. Almirola came back and said that Scott was overreacting as always.

    Charlotte: “I may give that car a kiss before I go to bed tonight.” — Jack Roush

    Even after pancaking the right side of his car, Carl Edwards went on to win at Charlotte for his eighth win of the year. Team owner Jack Roush said afterwards that he couldn’t be prouder of his organization for building great racecars and rebounding for a horrible 2010.

    Texas: “I don’t know if you could script a story like the year I’ve had.” — Trevor Bayne

    He started the year by wining the Daytona 500 just a day after he turned 20 years and in his second career Cup start. But a few weeks later Bayne was sidelined from running for the NNS championship when he fell ill. Then in November he finally won his first NNS race after beating teammate Carl Edwards.

    Phoenix: “Every 10 years, I guess, I get to come to victory lane here for the first time in a different kind of car, so it’s pretty special.” — Sam Hornish Jr.

    It’s been a tough road in NASCAR for Sam Hornish Jr., who lost his Cup ride following sponsorship woes and bad performances. Not one to give up he decided to stay in stock cars and give it more time, running a limited schedule in 2011. At Phoenix he shocked everyone when he won his first race after dominating the final 100 laps of the race.

    Homestead-Miami: “This is a dream come true.” — Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

    The story of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will be told for many years to come. In 2010 he wrecked more than he raced, was then benched by owner Jack Roush before getting a second chance in the second half of the season. He came back to win Rookie of the Year honors before embarking on a championship tour in 2011. Stenhouse won two races and looked like a completely different driver than who was on track a year ago.

  • Defying the Odds: Timmy Hill Wins Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year

    Defying the Odds: Timmy Hill Wins Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year

    For much of the season, the focus was on the big teams – Roush-Fenway Racing, Kevin Harvick Incorporated, Turner Motorsports and others. Though at the other end, there were teams out there fighting to run strong week-in-and-week-out to accomplish their goals.

    [media-credit name=”timmyhill15.com” align=”alignright” width=”237″][/media-credit]Rick Ware Racing was one of those teams and at the end of the year, they accomplished their main goal. They ended the season with Timmy Hill winning Nationwide Rookie of the Year.

    “I can’t thank this team enough,” Hill said. “When it was crunch time, they pulled through. They have done it all year with our back against the wall!”

    It was a season full of hurdles with lots of lessons being learned along the way.

    “Previously before Nationwide, I’ve run short races at local half mile tracks,” the 18-year-old said in a phone interview. “In the NASCAR Nationwide Series, most of the races are about 300 miles long so I had to learn to pace myself throughout a race, knowing that the race was long and you got to be there at the finish to get those good finishes. So I’ve learned I’ve got to pace myself and be there at the end.”

    The driver of the No. 15 Poynt Ford had his fair share of struggles, though also had times during the season that stood out. An 11th place finish at Road American would mark Hill’s best finish of the season.

    Competing against the veterans of the Nationwide Series would be enough to intimidate a new driver. Though on top of that, there are some Sprint Cup Series regulars who would come run some Nationwide Series races.

    “I feel like with those guys, it gives you something to shoot for,” Hill said of the cup drivers. “At the same time, it makes it kind of tough because it’s hard for the new guys, like myself, to try and shine when these superstars come down to the Nationwide Series and take all the spotlight.”

    One of those Sprint Cup regulars who run the Nationwide Series, Carl Edwards, is whom Hill considers his racing hero.

    “One thing that stood out to me is he’s always a nice guy,” Hill said. “He always the guy that I wanted to attire myself after because he’s always clean on the race track, good driver, good with the fans; that’s the guy that I always try to patter myself after.”

    Hill began racing at the age of nine in go-karts.

    “Previously, my dad used to race through the 90s and the early 2000s,” he said. “I always wanted to do it growing up ever since I was a little kid. I kept bugging my dad over and over again. He finally let me drive a go-kart and I just got hooked right away.”

    Racing in go-karts in 2005, Hill won over 80 races and multiple championships, including two World Karting Association (WKA) championships. Hill then began the moving his way up the ladder from the Bandoleros to Legends to Allison Legacy Series to the ARCA Racing Series, and lastly the K&N Pro Series in 2010.

    The transition from the Allison Legacy Series to NASCAR Nationwide Series racing marked a big step for the young driver.

    “The Allison Legacy Cars and the smaller cars, they race on the half-mile tracks, like Bristol,” he said. “You go to a mile-and-a-half and these faster tracks, it’s a whole different ball game and it’s like starting over, so to speak. You have to learn everything over. Basically what comes into play is all the aerodynamics and you got to pay attention to what’s going on as you see a lot of different things than the short tracks.”

    To go with the races being longer as you move up, Hill stresses the element to drivers trying to get into the higher ranks.

    “A lot of times you see the guys that they only have a couple races that they get to run,” he said. “They go out, try too hard and end up taking them self early so they don’t get time to learn or time to shine. “So the biggest thing is these races are long, pace yourself and be there at the end.”

    Hill says for next year, he is looking to consistently get good finishes to finish top-10 in points.

    “At the beginning of this year, I had to learn all the tracks and the ins-and-outs of the series and it took me awhile to get going,” he said. “Next season, our main goal is to go out and get good finishes; top-15 finishes are what we’re looking for every week and to be there. Our goal for the points is to finish in the top 10 in driver’s points and top 10 in owner’s points.”

  • Countdown to Daytona: 80

    Countdown to Daytona: 80

    In the countdown to Daytona, there are just 80 more days until the green flag waves. While there have been many drivers in the No. 80 car, including Dave Blaney, Joe Ruttman, Mike Bliss, Randy LaJoie, Carl Long, Ted Christopher, Mario Gosselin, Andy Hillenburg and Aric Almirola, the driver with the most time behind the wheel of that car number was without a doubt Jimmy Horton.

    [media-credit name=”Photo Credit: Curtis Palmer/Wikipedia” align=”alignright” width=”266″][/media-credit]Horton, a driver born and bred in New Jersey, raced in 48 NASCAR Cup races in eight seasons. He was behind the wheel of the No. 80 for 22 races, ranging from 1984 to 1994.

    “It was a good deal,” Horton said of his ride in the No. 80 car. “We started out in the No. 85 and then turned it over to the No. 80 because we couldn’t have No. 85 when we ran Cup.”

    “We started out running Cup with it but backed off a little bit to learn a little more,” Horton continued. “Then we went ARCA racing and we did real well. We won a total of eight ARCA races, five in a row.”

    As with many race car drivers, Horton started racing on dirt tracks close to home. He first started racing in 1974 in Middletown, New Jersey on Saturday nights and at Nazareth, Pennsylvania on Sundays, winning track championships at both tracks.

    Horton’s first asphalt race was at Daytona, which was also his first time ever in the draft.

    “I ran a Busch car in 1985 at Daytona,” Horton said. “We qualified 19th and ended up breaking a motor early. But that was my first real asphalt race that I ran and my first time in the draft.”

    “Bobby Allison helped us,” Horton continued. “At the time there were short fields in the Cup cars. Our first car was a Ford Thunderbird.”

    Horton also ran Dover and Pocono in the Cup series and then went ARCA racing. His first race in ARCA was again at Daytona, where he took the checkered flag.

    Yet in spite of his ARCA success, Horton was unable to return to the Cup Series on a full-time basis. As he described it, he was caught in the ‘middle generation’ of NASCAR drivers.

    “I had my foot in the door with the Cup deal and it was going to take off,” Horton said. “But when I was trying to get in, all the owners wanted older, experienced drivers.”

    “I was 33 years old when Jeff Gordon comes in at 20 years old,” Horton continued. “And everyone jumped over that whole one crop.”

    “I wasn’t alone but they jumped over that whole group and went to the younger drivers,” Horton said. “That middle generation got skipped.”

    In addition to running the No. 80 car, Horton is also known for two other reasons. First, many fans may recognize that he subbed for an injured Darrell Waltrip. The other reason for Horton’s notoriety is for two major crashes in which he was involved, one where he flew off the track at Talladega and the other a major wreck at Atlanta.

    “I drove for Darrell (Waltrip) when he got hurt and I ran real good,” Horton said. “I ran three races and Greg Sacks drove the car until Darrell was able to get back in it.”

    “I’ve had my share of crashes,” Horton said. “I was conscious for that whole time at Talladega when I crashed right off the race track.”

    “I started to get out, but the State trooper put his hand on my helmet and told me I better sit there a minute,” Horton continued. “I told him I’d had about all I could stand and I was getting out.”

    “Two years later, I wrecked at Atlanta and that one hurt me pretty good,” Horton aid. “I had a cracked skull, two broken shoulder blades, and a broken wrist. That one hurt me.”

    “But we mended good and went racing again.”

    At age 55 years, Horton is still honing his craft. For the 2011 season he ran close to 60 races, at his regular dirt track on Saturday nights and some select special races, winning one race and finishing fifth in points.

    “I’ve always said when I don’t win a race in a year, I’ll retire,” Horton said. “I’ve been lucky the past two years that I’ve won a race a year, so I’ll keep going.”

    “Next year, we’re just going to run selected races and I’m looking for a ride to run a full schedule,” Horton continued. “Right now I work building racing radiators and all parts for the race cars.”

    But for Horton, sitting behind the wheel of the No. 80 car was one of the most special times in his life.

    “The 80 car was a real good deal,” Horton said. “The 80 number has been good to me.”

  • NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: THE TEAMING OF PENSKE AND BUSCH WAS EVEN MORE DRAMATIC THAN THEIR SEPARATION

    The recent announcement from Penske Racing that said that Kurt Busch would no longer be the driver of their #22 Dodge, in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, effective immediately caught many observers a little off guard. Described in an official press release as “a mutual parting of the ways”, both team owner Roger Penske and driver Kurt Busch both insisted that the dissolving of their racing partnership was mutual and amicable despite reports that said Busch was fired from the team due to inappropriate behavior displayed during the final race of the season.

    [media-credit id=41 align=”alignright” width=”290″][/media-credit]After leaving the race on the third lap due to a broken transmission, Busch waved a middle finger at a live ESPN Network television camera while driving through the garage area. This was followed by extreme vulgar language aimed at a television reporter because Busch felt he had been kept waiting too long for a live interview.

    This incident was the latest round of a season’s worth of tirades from Busch both on and off the track. NASCAR officials finally decided they had seen and heard enough and levied a $50,000 fine against the driver. Now it appears that Penske Racing and their primary sponsor, Shell/Pennzoil, has also decided that they had enough.

    As dramatic as Busch’s latest tirade has become, it pales in comparison to the circumstances that led to his racing partnership with Penske to begin with. The pairing dates back to August of 2005 and involves two Sprint team owners who found themselves having to line up replacements for two retiring race drivers.

    Jack Roush, the owner and founder of what is now known as Roush Fenway Racing, was looking at prospects to replace Mark Martin who was planning on retiring at the end of 2005. He was also having to deal with occasional outbursts from a young Kurt Busch. At the time Roush found a way to live with those outbursts because Busch, the year before, had delivered the organization’s first ever NASCAR championship.

    Meanwhile Penske South Racing was looking at prospects to replace Rusty Wallace who was also retiring at the end of the 2005 season. Penske was interested in placing Busch in his car. Roush was interested in acquiring the services of Jamie McMurray who at the time was under contract with Chip Ganassi Racing. The problem was both drivers were under contract with their respective teams through the end of 2006. The result was one of the most amazing contract negotiations in NASCAR history.

    On August 9, 2005 Penske Racing South announced that they had signed Busch as the driver of their #2 Miller Lite Dodge beginning with the 2007 season. This announcement followed a meeting between Busch and Roush where the driver assured his owner that he was fully committed to defending his Sprint Cup championship as well as the remainder of his contract. It was at this point where Busch informed Roush of his intent to leave his organization at the end of the 2006 season. There was also discussion regarding the possibility of Busch being released from his contract early so he could join Penske Racing in 2006 but it was clear that the decision was completely up to Roush.

    This was followed by speculation that said souvenir sales was a major catalyst in Busch’s decision to sign with Penske. It was pointed out that Roush controls most of his driver’s souvenir sales and driver personal services contracts must also be funneled through him. Under normal circumstances drivers can make as much as $2 million per year, beyond their regular salary, from their share of these souvenirs.

    In mid August of 2005 Roush stated that he was still “on the fence” regarding granting Busch an early release while, at the same time, continued to negotiate with Chip Ganassi regarding acquiring the services of McMurray. However, a month later it appeared that the three team owners were reported to be close to a deal. It was Rusty Wallace who let it slip out that the attorneys were close to working out a contract agreement.

    In early November of 2005 an official announcement came from Roush that said Busch had been released from his contract and was now free to join Penske for the 2006 season. A similar announcement came from Ganassi which said he had released McMurray which cleared the way for the driver to join Roush. No specific details were released but it was widely believed that a lot of money exchanged hands. Penske was reported to have financially compensated Roush to get Busch while Roush in turn compensated Ganassi for McMurray.

    At this point it seemed that everyone was happy and ready to get busy with preparations for the upcoming 2006 NASCAR season. However, for Penske Racing that euphoria quickly turned into a public relations nightmare a mere four days later. That’s when Kurt Busch hit the national headlines following his November 11, 2005 arrest near Phoenix-Arizona.

    According to reports from the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department, Busch was clocked at 60 MPH in a 45 zone in the vicinity of the Phoenix International Raceway. At first Busch didn’t stop his car and fled the scene where it was reported that he ran a stop sign and was driving erratically. Once he pulled over, he was reported to be belligerent and uncooperative. He was given a field sobriety test which he easily passed with a blood alcohol count of .017 well below the legal intoxication level of 08. But it was his attitude that led to the decision to transport him to the Sheriff’s Command Post located at the race track where he was issued a citation and released.

    In the aftermath Roush Fenway Racing suspended Busch from participation in the final two races of the 2005 season and said his public behavior was in violation of contract obligations with his, then, primary sponsor Crown Royal. An angry Geoff Smith, President of Roush Fenway Racing, declared that “we are tired of apologizing for Kurt Busch.”

    Meanwhile Roger Penske issued a statement that said he “stands behind Kurt Busch.” The statement also said Penske had spoken with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department about “doing something with the community and working things out.” At the time this statement was somewhat puzzling because its meaning wasn’t exactly clear.

    Following some delays, often associated with court cases, the legal matter was resolved in February of 2006. Busch was fined $580 and ordered to complete 50 hours of community service. The following April of that year Busch performed his obligations participating in a safe driving public service announcement, with Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, that aired on Arizona television stations. At the time of the production Arpaio said he was “pleasantly surprised how gracious this man was despite the controversy.”

    The last surprise from this story came in November of 2006, nearly one year after the arrest, when Busch once again appeared in Sheriff Arpaio’s office. This time he was given a badge and officially became an honorary deputy.

    In March of 2006 Penske’s faith in Busch was confirmed when the team won the race at Bristol. It was Busch’s first win for his new team and the first Cup win for Penske Racing since 2004.

    That’s pretty much the story of how Roger Penske took a ride on the Kurt Busch crazy train. During the course of his six year tenure with Penske there were frequent tirades from this driver. The majority of them were often ignored because, frankly, Kurt Busch is a highly talented race driver who often produced positive results. Those results included 16 wins.

    However during the 2011 season it seemed that Busch had amped up the intensity of his dramatic tirades. This was especially true of the in car radio transmissions during a race. The verbal abuse that Busch aimed at his team  was often brutal. It didn’t seem to matter that Roger Penske himself was listening in on a team radio. There was a famous moment during a race this year when Penske actually came over the radio and said “Kurt, just shut up and drive the car.”

    In a situation like this, the good performance stats of a driver can only be stretched so far before that proverbial line is crossed. The crossing of the line came at the Homestead Miami season finale race last month. Busch’s middle finger performance entering the garage area was bad enough. But it was the profane language aimed at ESPN pit reporter Dr. Jerry Punch that ultimately turned the tide against Busch. While this particular tirade never actually made it to live television, it was recorded by someone standing in the crowd. In a matter of minutes the entire episode went viral on “You Tube” and by that evening was seen by thousands of race fans.

    It was at this point when even Roger Penske, often described as one of the most patient men in motorsports, decided enough was enough. Although a press statement said Busch’s departure from the team was by mutual agreement, it’s widely believed that his sponsors, Shell/Pennzoil were extremely angry and wanted no further embarrassment from this driver.

    Needless to say the official press statements were carefully worded works of art authored by some well trained corporate spin doctors. The Roger Penske statement said: “I appreciate the victories that Kurt Busch has brought Penske Racing and our sponsors over the past six years. While I am disappointed that Kurt will not be racing for our team in the future, both Kurt and I felt that separating at this time was best for all parties, including our team and our sponsors. I wish Kurt the best in his future racing endeavors.”

    The Kurt Busch statement said: “I am grateful to Penske Racing for six very productive years. Together we won a lot of races-16 in all. Leaving a great organization and a lucrative contract is not easy, but it’s an important step for me and allows me to take a deep breath to work on things that can make me a better driver and a better person. I want to personally thank Roger for the opportunity that he has given me.”

    Somehow, both statements remind me of an old advertising logo for Seven Up: “crisp and clean and no caffeine.”

  • Countdown to Daytona: 83

    Countdown to Daytona: 83

    [media-credit name=”Getty Images for NASCAR” align=”aligncenter” width=”300″][/media-credit]Only 83 days remain until the green flag waves at Daytona. The number 83 has seen spans of usage surrounded by long gaps of time where the number was used rarely, if ever. That statement holds true especially in NASCAR’s modern era. In total, the number 83 has been used in 436 races.

    Tommy Thompson led things off in 1951 at the season opening race on the Beach & Road course in Daytona. Thompson finished 12th in his ’47 Chrysler and earned a whopping $50.

    Several NASCAR legends used the number a handful (or fewer) times. Red Byron, NASCAR’s first champion used the number 83 in his final three starts. Cotton Owens made one appearance in the number in 1954. 1952 champion Tim Flock used the number once in 1961. “The Clown Prince”, Joe Weatherly also made one start using number 83.

    Curtis ‘Crawfish’ Crider ran the number in the 1960 season. Crider reportedly earned the nickname Crawfish after his car landed in a lake. Crider never won, but did rack up 70 top-ten finishes, although only two came in car number 83. The only other driver to run a full season in the number 83 between 1960 and 1974 was Worth McMillion.

    Ramo Stott ,one of several big names in racing to come out of Keokuk, Iowa used the number from 1974-1976 while driving for Norris Reed. Stott finished third in the ’74 running of the Daytona 500, but perhaps his biggest moment came when Stott won the pole for the 1976 Daytona 500. Darrell Waltrip, A.J. Foyt, and Dave Marcis were all disqualified, leaving Stott to sit on the pole. Stott would go on to finish 26th after engine failure sidelined him. Stott’s son Corrie campaigns part-time in the Nationwide Series.

    Kenny Brightbill made one start for Reed at Dover in 1974, finish eighth. Brightbill still races today; he finished sixth in points driving a Big Block Modified at Delaware International Raceway in 2011 at the age of 63.

    Three time Indianapolis 500 champion Johnny Rutherford drove three races for Reed in 1975, but could finish no better than 32nd. 1970 Sprint Cup Champion Bobby Isaac made one of his final career starts driving for Reed and using the number 83.

    Ron Hutcherson, also from Keokuk made the final start for Reed in the 1977 Daytona 500. Hutcherson finished 32nd after transmission failure sidelined him. Ron was the younger brother of Dick Hutcherson, a 14-time winner in the Sprint Cup Series. Reed’s team shuttered after the ’77 500 and the number 83 would fall out of use for six years.

    Summer McKnight, a driver on NASCAR’s west circuit entered five races at Riverside between 1983-1985. His best finish was a 14th in the 1985 Budweiser 400. Following this race, the number would again go unused until 1987.

    Lake Speed, a veteran by this point had driven his own cars in the 1980 and 1981 seasons. After stints with Roger Hamby, Hoss Ellington, and Rahmoc, Speed became his own boss again at the start of the 1987 season. Speed’s Oldsmobiles were instantly recognizable with their purple paint scheme thanks to primary sponsor Wynn’s. Speed’s best finish in a limited 1987 schedule was a third in the Coca Cola 600. Speed, however, would achieve greatness the following season, when he won his first (and only) career race. Speed was also the first to win in car number 83, scoring a very popular victory in the 1988 Transouth 500 at Darlington, earning the win in dominating fashion.

    Speed led 178 laps en route to his only career win. At the time, Speed said “”It’s a big, big relief for me to finally do it after being so close,” said Speed. “A lot of people made this happen. And for me personally, a lot of faith in the Lord brought me through.” Later that season, Speed, along with Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Hillin Jr. began what became Motor Racing Outreach, the non-denominational Christian organization that serves the NASCAR community.

    Speed used the number from 1987-1993, fielding cars primarily for himself. After a hard crash at Pocono in 1989, Joe Ruttman, Eddie Bierschwale, and Joe Ruttman filled in for Speed. Speed also fielded a car in one race for Tommy Ellis and Phil Parsons the following year. Following the 1993 Diehard 500, Speed drove a few races for Robert Yates; then moved to Bud Moore’s team the following season. Speed never used the number 83 again.

    The number would again sit dormant for nine years, when Ron Hornaday used the number in a one-off effort at Phoenix in 2002. Hornaday finished 36th in that race, driving for Terry Bradshaw and Armando Fitz in their only Cup race. Bradshaw and Fitz would continue their association in the Nationwide Series until 2005, when Bradshaw left the sport.

    Following Phoenix, the number would be idle until 2007, when Red Bull Racing began to use the number with Brian Vickers. Red Bull’s first season was also Toyota’s first season and they struggled mightily, leading many to question Vickers’ decision to join an upstart team. There were flashes of promise, including a fifth place effort at the Coca Cola 600.

    Vickers scored six top-ten finished in 2008, leading to a 19th place finish in the final standings. Vickers’ best season came the following year in 2009, when he won six poles, the August race at Michigan, and a berth in the Chase. Vickers would finish the year 12th in points, his career best.

    Vickers hoped to capitalize on that performance in 2010, but his season was cut short when he was diagnosed with blood clots. Casey Mears, Reed Sorenson, Mattias Ekstrom, and Boris Said all filled in for Vickers, but under the difficult circumstances, they could do no better than eighth; that finish coming at Daytona with Sorenson. At Martinsville, the team’s fortunes began to change when Kasey Kahne became the driver.

    Although Kahne signed to drive for Rick Hendrick beginning in 2012, he didn’t have a ride for 2011, due to NASCAR’s team limit. Red Bull happily snagged Kahne up for 2011; but Kahne would enter the car sooner than that. After his brakes failed and he crashed in the fall Dover race, Kahne refused to get back into the car after repairs were made, leading to his termination later that week. Kahne won the pole at the season-ending race at Homestead and finished sixth. Kahne moved to Red Bull’s other car at the end of the season when it was determined Vickers was healthy enough to return. Vickers earned seven top-ten finishes in his return in 2011. The future of the 83 car and Red Bull Racing is in doubt, as Red Bull is leaving the team and has yet to find a buyer.

    In 436 races, the no. 83 has earned two wins, 22 top-five finishes, 91 top-tens and nine poles.

  • Chase Elliott’s Sweet Sixteen Birthday Wish Comes True with Snowball Derby Win

    Chase Elliott’s Sweet Sixteen Birthday Wish Comes True with Snowball Derby Win

    As Chase Elliott blew out the candles on his birthday cake during his surprise party for his 16th birthday, he had just one wish in mind. He wished he could win the 44th running of the prestigious Snowball Derby.

    [media-credit name=”Photo Credit: Speed51.com” align=”alignright” width=”226″][/media-credit]“I know you’re not supposed to tell anybody what you wished for but that’s what was my wish, to win the Snowball Derby,” Elliott said. “It was an amazing birthday week to go down to Pensacola and have an unbelievable weekend.”

    “To have two top fives this weekend was unreal,” Elliott continued. “And winning the Snowball Derby, that’s a heck of a birthday present. It was an unbelievable week and all of our team enjoyed it.”

    Elliott made his birthday wish at a special surprise party that his family had organized prior to the race weekend event.

    “It was a pretty big deal,” Elliott said. “We got back from the Georgia game on Saturday night and there everybody was. I had no idea. It was pretty cool.”

    Elliott’s win, however, was not as easy as blowing out the candles on his birthday cake. He and his No. 9 Aaron’s Dream Machine had to overcome adversity in the preliminary race, the Snowflake 100, as well as during the Snowball Derby itself.

    On Saturday, Elliott started 27th in the Snowflake and had worked his way through the field to 16th before being collected in a crash, where his team had to replace a radiator. In spite of that challenge, the young driver was able to rally back and score a top-five finish.

    In the Snowball Derby on Sunday, Elliott again faced adversity, when on Lap 141, the leaders of the race started spinning and another driver Augie Grill, hit Elliott from behind, again damaging the car. Elliott’s team rallied once more, repairing the damage and sending him back out on track.

    “It broke the back bumper brace bar and we had to bear bond it back together because there was no time to weld it,” Ricky Turner, Elliott’s crew chief, said. “We came back into the pits three times during the caution to maintain our lead lap position.”

    The young driver’s final brush with adversity came in the waning laps when a wreck brought out a red flag, leaving just five laps to go. When the green flag finally flew, Elliott raced door to door with D.J. VanderLey, pulling ahead on the last lap to win by just 0.229 seconds.

    “There was a long red flag right before those last five laps,” Elliott said. “And we were very fortunate that those last five laps went green because in the past that hadn’t happened very often.”

    “You’re sitting there in that red flag and you’re thinking of the mistakes I’ve made this year,” Elliott continued. “I’ve lost races on restarts like that this year and I definitely didn’t want that to happen again.”

    “You think about that stuff but at the same time you’re thinking this is your race and it’s time to move on and do things right,” Elliott continued. “You have to think about the positives and know that you’re the leader.”

    “Everybody played a part in this weekend, both on Saturday night to have a problem with getting in a wreck, having to replace a radiator on pit road and not losing a lap and then to come back and finish fifth and then to do the same thing Sunday and win the race,” Elliott said. “It was unreal.”

    “It’s the quality of guys that we have on our race team, in the shop, and also the guys that came in from Hendrick Motorsports to help us do our pit stops that led to this success.”

    The young Elliott also credits one more significant person in his life for the race win, the person that goes by the moniker ‘Awesome Bill from Dawsonville.’ And although Chase’s dad has not won the Snowball Derby himself from behind the wheel, Chase credits his father just as much for being such an integral part of the race team.

    “Our victory there was definitely a victory for me but it was also a victory for him,” Chase said of his father Bill. “He is as big a part of this race team as me or anybody that plays a part in our weekend.”

    “It was a win for all of us and not just me,” Elliott continued. “There’s a lot of guys who don’t get to run and I’m just thankful to him and to Aaron’s to even be able to go down there and run.”

    Chase Elliott also has been following in his father’s footsteps in another important way. Much like his dad, the young up and coming driver was just voted as the ‘Most Popular Driver’ in the K&N Pro Series East, in which he has been competing this year.

    “It’s really cool,” Elliott said of the honor. “Honestly, I know that a lot of my dad’s fans helped out in the voting for sure and I really appreciate their support.”

    “I really hope and my goal is to make my dad’s fans mine as well,” Elliott continued. “I want to earn that on my own. And I hope to earn a lot more in the future.”

    As far as his future, Elliott is now taking a well-earned break having run and won his last race of the 2011 season.

    “We are done for 2011,” Elliott said. “My next race is planned to be Speedfest at Lanier at the end of January.”

    “I have about a month and a half off to get gathered up and go racing again,” Elliott continued. “I’m going to get through the next couple of weeks of school and then enjoy Christmas and New Year’s with my family and just have a good time.”

    Yet the young driver cannot help but continue to marvel at his historic Snowball Derby win, especially as the youngest winner in the history of the event.

    “It’s the Snowball Derby,” Elliott said. “It sounds so simple but it’s so true.”

    “There’s so much history behind this race,” Elliott continued. “Any short track racer’s dream is to win the Snowball Derby, no matter who you are, where you come from or who you’re trying to be.”

    “I wished to win the Snowball Derby,” Elliott said. “This is my wish come true.”

  • Kurt Busch Out at Penske, Who Will Replace Him?

    Kurt Busch Out at Penske, Who Will Replace Him?

    Kurt Busch is no longer the driver of the No. 22 Dodge. The dismissal was immediately and leaves the Penske organization without a driver for their highly sponsored stock car. Busch had been in hot water since the last race of the season when an independent photographer recorded the profanity-laced tirade directed at ESPN pit reporter Dr. Jerry Punch at Miami-Homestead Speedway.

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”249″][/media-credit]Busch had fallen out of the season’s final race with transmission problems and the incident took place in the garage area of the racetrack. Earlier, Busch had directed an obscene gesture at a NASCAR official. NASCAR fined Busch $50,000 last week for the incident, but Penske officials commented that they were still evaluating what action would be taken against Busch. A Penske official reiterated that stance today when asked if Busch would be the driver of the Shell Dodge in 2012.

    One of the factors involved might have been the exit of crew chief Steve Addington after the season. Addington abruptly left Penske for greener pastures at Stewart-Haas Racing. There had been rumors that Addington was unhappy with Busch’s attitude. It also left Penske without one of the top crew chiefs in the sport.

    It’s not the first time Busch has been in trouble and been fired. After winning the 2004 Sprint Cup championship for Roush-Fenway Racing, a traffic incident in Avondale, Arizona which involved alcohol consumption was the last straw for Jack Roush. Busch had already told Roush that he was leaving his ride for a similar ride at Penske Racing earlier. His dismissal meant he missed the last two races of the season. Roush had already lined up Jamie McMurray to replace Busch, but not until the beginning of the 2006 season. It’s going to be a lot tougher for Roger Penske.

    Looking at the pool of top drivers available, only David Ragan, Brian Vickers, and David Reutimann remain, and all have their negatives. Ragan and Vickers have only one victory apiece and Reutimann only shows two wins in his career. It gets tougher for Busch. With his reputation tainted, there doesn’t appear to be any rides comparable available for him in Sprint Cup. It is very possible that he might be without a ride for 2012.

    Then again, it may be the start of another silly season as Penske looks for a driver to replace Busch. The No. 22 ride is considered one of the best in Sprint Cup and those wanting to compete in the car should be many. One thing is certain. Kurt Busch just might have burned his last bridge in the sport where he reigned as champion only six years ago.

  • Countdown to Daytona: 84

    Countdown to Daytona: 84

    [media-credit name=”Jim Mullis Collection” align=”aligncenter” width=”500″][/media-credit]
    84 days remain until the green flag drops on the Daytona 500 and that’s the number that’s the focus of today’s article. The number has seen relatively little use in NASCAR’s 62 year history; totaling only 220 starts.

    The first driver in car 84 was Robert Caswell in 1951. Caswell finished runner-up to Marvin Burke who made his only career start in a race at Oakland Stadium in Oakland, California. Caswell would make a total of seven starts; six of them in California, all using the number 84. Caswell also participated in the only Sprint Cup race in South Dakota in 1953, but car numbers were not available outside the top five finishers.

    Between 1955 and 1982, the car only made 90 starts. Notable drivers making starts in this time period included Bob “Bluebird” Senneker, making his first career start; the late Elmo Langley, known for driving the pace car in the 1980s and 1990s, David Pearson, Johnny Benson Sr., and current Nationwide competitor Morgan Shepherd.

    Jody Ridley began using the number 84 in 1983 after leaving Junie Donlavey. In a part-time effort backed by Cumberland Mills and car owner Robert McEntyre, Ridley netted three top-ten finishes in just 10 races. Ridley raced 14 times the next season, again, earning three-top tens. While Ridley and McEntyre ran only races at the larger tracks, it is worth nothing that Ridley participated in the final Sprint Cup race at Nashville International raceway, finishing 28th after engine failure sidelined him.

    In 1985, a new team owned by the Sims Brothers began using the number. Mike Alexander was the 1978 track champion at Nashville and had won the NASCAR All-American Challenge Series title the previous two years. The team only lasted midway through the 1985 season.

    Following Bobby Allison’s tragic crash at Pocono in 1988, Alexander was tabbed to replace him for the remainder of the 1988 season. Alexander was set to drive the car in 1989 (now numbered 84), but only ran the Daytona 500. Alexander had sustained a severe concussion the previous year in the Snowball Derby in Pensacola, Florida. Alexander gave way to Dick Trickle.

    Trickle was the 1984 and 1985 ASA champion and later earned the title of “America’s Winningest Driver”, due to the fact Trickle is thought to have won over 1200 races throughout the United States and Canada.

    Trickle had dabbled in NASCAR since 1970, but never ran a full season until 1989. Trickle earned six top-five finishes along with three others in the top-ten to become the oldest Rookie of the Year in NASCAR at age 48.

    [media-credit name=”Mike Traverse” align=”alignright” width=”290″][/media-credit]When Miller Brewing left the Stavola Bros. after the 1989 season in favor of Rusty Wallace, Trickle moved to Cale Yarborough’s team and the number fell out of use for the next 12 years.

    Shawna Robinson used the number in her debut at Michigan in 2001, driving a car sponsored by Aaron’s and owned by Michael Kranefuss. Robinson finished 34th after a late spin.

    In preparation for his 2005 rookie campaign, Hendrick Motorsports entered Kyle Busch in a car sponsored by Carquest and numbered 84 in six select races in 2004. Busch would finish no better than 24th in this car. Busch moved to the no. 5 car vacated by Terry Labonte. Labonte, in turn, ran a part-time schedule, but used the number 44.

    In 2007, Red Bull used the number for their second car driven by rookie A.J. Allmendinger.

    [media-credit name=”Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR” align=”alignleft” width=”225″][/media-credit]2007 was a struggle for the entire Red Bull team and Allmendinger failed to qualify a staggering 19 times, mainly due to NASCAR’s Top 35 rule. Mike Skinner replaced Allmendinger early in the 2008 season before Allmendinger returned. Following the 2008 season, Allmendinger was released in favor of Scott Speed. The team changed to car no. 82.

    The no. 84 saw a brief reprieve in 2011, when Red Bull Developmental Driver Cole Whitt ran the fall race at Phoenix and the season-ending race at Homestead.

    Car no. 84 has yet to win a race or pole and only has 35 top-ten finishes.