Barrett's run at Vegas spoiled in 28th position
Stanton Barrett was poised for a top 20 finish in his #31 Zona Health Chevrolet when a crash in front of him took the veteran out of contention. Barrett started shotgun on the field and quickly moved into the 23rd position at 160 of the 200 scheduled lap race. Jeff Burton and Denny Hamlin got together and Barrett had no place to go.
"The car was tore up pretty good, but we finished all the laps and more importantly gained ground on the competition in the point standings", stated Barrett.
Stanton now sits in 36th position and looks to Bristol for redemption and a chance to move the #31 into the top 30 in points, with a guaranteed starting position.
Cope struggles to make field
Barrett fails to make Bristol
Stanton Barrett failed to make the NASCAR Nationwide Series event at Bristol Motor Speedway this past Saturday.
Sitting in the 35th position in points, the #31 will need to rebound after falling to 38th in Owner Points.
"We just missed the horsepower again. It has been a struggle for this team through the first four races but with some time off, we have every intention to get better motors", claimed Rick Ware.
The 31 will now look to climb into the top 30 at Texas Motor Speedway and back into racing mode once again.
Barrett's top 15 run sours with motor in 28th position
Stanton Barrett and his Interush/Phytter Chevrolet was just 20 laps from the finish. Firmly in the 16th position, Barrett came over the radio.
"I just lost a cyclinder, this is not good." Limping around for the remaining laps was hard to swallow for the Hollywood stuntman who finished the day in the 28th position.
"This is the best handling car I have had since my Roush-Fenway days and it saddens me that the powerplant went away", claimed Barrett.
The team will now head 3 hours east to Las Vegas Motor Speedway with new aspirations.
Cope makes field in 43rd
Rough start to Nationwide Season for RWR
High hopes for a Daytona glory with Stanton Barrett and Derrike Cope went up in smoke practically as soon as they entered the high banks of Daytona International Speedway.
Barrett in the #31 Zona Health Chevy ran just two laps of practice before the engine blew. Cope's #41 Metal Jeans car suffered the same fate after the first practice, losing a cyclinder.
Barrett in a backup engine missed the field by just two positions and teammate Cope missed the show by just three.
"We know what we have and sadly will have to wait til after the west coast to look at the power plants"
Barrett-Cope miss Daytona
RWR announces Nationwide Series campaign
February 2nd, 2009
Thomasville, NC
Rick Ware Racing is proud to announce their full time campaign in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for 2009. In addition to the Nationwide Series, Rick Ware Racing (RWR) will also compete in the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Division, AMA Arenacross and Motocross series and run limited action in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Camping World Truck Series during the 2009 season.
Dubbed the “Biggest Little Team in Motorsports”, Rick Ware Racing will field the #13 and #31 in the Nationwide Series. Stanton Barrett will compete in approximately 20 Nationwide Series races this season and former Daytona 500 winner Derrick Cope will be helping with driving duties as well. Tim Brown, the 7-time Track Champion at Bowman Gray Stadium will be competing once again in the Whelen Southern Modified Division, and will be making his Nationwide Series debut as part of the RWR developmental program this season.
Rick Ware Racing, the Two-Time Defending Champions of the AMA Arenacross have been busy since January, winning 9 events with riders Jeff Gibson and Josh Demuth on their Mahindra Tractors sponsored Hondas. Gibson currently holds the largest point lead thus far in AMA Arenacross history as RWR looks for its third consecutive championship. Teammate Josh Demuth, a two-time series champion, is in the hunt in 5th place at the time of this release.
Stanton Barrett will not only compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series but also run a full season in the Indy Racing League (IRL) for 3G Racing.
Barrett will attempt to be the first NASCAR Nationwide Series driver to race the Indianapolis 500 on the same weekend.
Rock band Sevendust pairs up Rick Ware Racing at Daytona
February 5th, 2009
Rick Ware Racing is proud to announce that the rock band Sevendust will be an associate sponsor and special guest of RWR’s #41 Nationwide Series car driven by Derrick Cope for the Camping World 300 at Daytona International Speedway on February 14th.
“We are really excited to be affiliated with Sevendust”, stated Dave Mitchell, Marketing Director at RWR. “With their hard hitting sound of Sevendust and the atmosphere of NASCAR it is a perfect combination and we look forward to working with them throughout the season.”
About Sevendust
More than a decade has passed from the moment Sevendust first got together under the name Crawlspace and bonded on their mutual love for heavy music and strong melodies. Three gold records, countless tour dates and seven albums later, the band has funneled all of its collective experience and musical acumen into Sevendust VII: Hope and Sorrow. From the surging guitars and stomping beats of “Enough” to the “haunting strumming and harrowing howls of “Lifeless,” from the staggered riff and marching beat of “Fear” to the yearning vocals and euphoric guitar chords of “Walk Away,” Sevendust have created a record that’s difficult to categorize and impossible to ignore. Sevendust is currently on tour with the Distrubed.
Rick Ware Racing goes METAL at Daytona
February 5th, 2009
Metal Jeans, the leader in “American Made American Worn” and the only company that manufactures denim apparel, shirts, outwear, casual foot wear and race gear has joined forces with Rick Ware Racing for the 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series. Metal Jeans will be the primary sponsor for the #41 car in the Camping World 300 at Daytona International Speedway on February 14th with driver Derrick Cope.
In addition to the primary sponsorship, Metal Jeans will also be METALizing RWR AMA Arenacross Championship team and Motorcross team respectively.
“We are really pumped to have a cutting edge company that stands up for American Soldiers like Metal Jeans. Their pursuit of excellence and honor for our Troops is something we should all represent and not to mention their gear is the best we have ever used”, stated car owner Rick Ware.
For more information visit www.metaljeans.com
Zona Health to be primary sponsor for Rick Ware Racing at Daytona
February 5th, 2009
Rick Ware Racing is proud to announce its newest sponsor, Zona Health, to its “Circle of Sponsors” for the 2009 season.
Zona Health, of Boise, Idaho is the manufacturer of the Zona Plus, a device that lowers blood pressure naturally, and will be represented on the #31 driven by Stanton Barrett.
The Zona Plus is a small handheld device that can lower your blood pressure without drugs or other supplements, and has no negative side effects, when used just 12 minutes a day.
Accidentally discovered from US Air Force research on pilot stress, the Zona Plus is the breakthrough product to lower blood pressure without drugs or negative side effects. The Zona Plus has seen positive reports published in a dozen medical journals, and is an amazing 93%+ effective in lowering blood pressure in clinical trials. Natural, safe and effective, the Zona Plus is considered a major breakthrough for hypertension sufferers, who want to control their blood pressure without the negative side effects of drugs.
“It is an honor to have Zona Health as a sponsor with us for the 2009 season. With the stress of today’s economy and other issues, it is refreshing to have a product like the Zona Plus, that will help control high blood pressure without the use of supplements or prescription drugs, and can save an average person over $1,000 a year.” stated car owner Rick Ware.
Zona Health will be the primary sponsor for the Camping World 300 at Daytona International Speedway on February 14th and the Sam’s Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on February 28th.
For more information visit www.zona.com
Rick Ware Racing partners with W.S.S.U. Motorsports Marketing program for 2009
February 7th, 2009
Thomasville, NC
Rick Ware Racing has joined forces with Winston-Salem State University and the Motorsports Management program for 2009. WSSU students will get a once in a lifetime experience working with Rick Ware Racing and their marketing program that includes, hospitality, press releases, sports management, appearances, scheduling, data acquisitions and sponsorship enhancement.
"We are very pleased to work with the students at Winston-Salem State University”, stated Dave Mitchell, Director of Marketing for RWR. The students are gaining valuable experience by understanding the day-to-day operations of marketing in motorsports and the amount of detail and importance that goes with sponsorship enhancement right from the source.”
WSSU students recently finished a sponsorship enhancement program at the Greensboro Coliseum with RWR in the AMA Arenacross Series, collecting sponsorship data and providing hospitality to over 80 sponsored guests.
“This event was a great success and the students are getting valuable field experience with this program”, claimed owner Rick Ware. “This program is quite unique and with the ability to work with a race team as diverse as ours (NASCAR and AMA) every weekend shows that W.S.S.U. is the future for young adults who have an interest Motorsports Marketing. It is more than a internship! it is a career builder and we look forward to working with these young professionals today and decades from now as well.”
“Our Motorsport Management program is very excited and proud to be partnering with RWR, it is our goal to collaborate with as many industry-related teams and organizations as possible to enhance our curriculum”, stated Dr. Travis Teague of WSSU, Motorsports Management.
Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) is the nation’s only Bachelor of Science degree program in Motorsport Management. Students are prepared for the business side of the sport and can choose from one of two academic concentration areas: Motorsport Operations-managing tracks, race shops, etc.; and Motorsport Marketing and Event Planning-managing the marketing and sponsorship needs of teams, tracks, and sanctioning bodies throughout the sport.
The program recently won two prestigious awards: The 2009 Workforce Diversity Award from the N.C. Motorsports Association and the 2009 NASCAR Diversity Educational Organization Recognition Award.
For more information about the program please visit the Winston-Salem State University website at www.wssu.edu/motorsports.
Rick Ware Racing hires Paul Andrews as Crew Chief of #31
February 8th, 2009
Rick Ware is please to announce that former Sprint Cup Champion Crew Chief, Paul Andrews will be calling the shots for the #31 RWR entry in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
“We are extremely happy to have Paul as Crew Chief for us here at RWR. With Paul’s knowledge and leadership, we look forward to progressing to a top caliber team in the Nationwide Series and beyond”, stated car owner Rick Ware.
Paul Andrews began his career in 1979 when he worked on Rusty Wallace’s USAC team. While working with Wallace, he moved into the ASA series in 1983 where the team won the championship that year.
Andrews’ Cup series career has been in full swing since 1988 when he was crew chief for the late Alan Kulwicki. Andrews and Kulwicki marched to a NASCAR championship and captured two wins and six poles in 1992. In 1993 Andrews went on to work with drivers such as Geoffrey Bodine and Jeremy Mayfield. In 1999, Andrews began working at Dale Earnhardt, Inc. with Steve Park and the No. 1 team garnering two wins.
Over the past 14 years, Andrews has accumulated 12 total Cup victories, 30 poles, 76 top-five and 149 top-10 finishes.
Rick Ware Racing signs Travis Kittleson for 2009
February 12th, 2009
Thomasville, NC
Rick Ware Racing (RWR) is proud to announce that the 40th Annual World Series of Asphalt of Stock Car Champion, Travis Kittleson has signed to drive for the organization for select events for the 2009 NASCAR Nationwide season.
“We are really excited to have Travis with us this season”, stated car owner Rick Ware. “Travis has a very impressive racing resume’ that includes being a Top 8 finalist in the Driver X program and completing 96.1% of the laps he has raced in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series.”
Kittleson will compete in a RWR car in a minimum of five races that will enhance his driving abilities and provide a solid background for his future and development
“I am really pumped to get a shot to run these 5 races with Rick Ware and hopefully more, if we can find some marketing partners to join in”, claimed Travis Kittleson. “I feel that we have a great opportunity to grow together and form a great competitive team on the track and marketing relationship for the business world. With Rick Ware’s history as a driver, he understands what my desires and goals are, and we look forward to making them come true this season.”
Bob Steele Chevrolet will be joining the RWR family along side Kittleson.
“Bob Steele is a family-owned and operated Chevrolet dealer, who has been in business for 33 years. They have a great reputation in Brevard County and surrounding areas. They have supported my racing aspirations for 10 years now. Bob Steele gave me my first job at the age of 13, washing every car they sold on the weekends. Kevin Steele, son of Bob Steele, gave me the job on the condition that I put 50% of every paycheck in an account that he helped me open, to help me understand the importance of investing. Bob Steele has a wonderful family with great values and we look forward to bring them to the RWR family”, stated Travis.
EPH Tools joins RWR as associate sponsor for 2009
February 15th, 2009
Rick Ware Racing (RWR) is proud to announce that EPH Tools & Machining LTD. Has joined the organization as an associate sponsor for the 2009 season.
EPH TOOLS & MACHINING LTD. Is a family owned Automotive Production Equipment Supplier mainly involved in the tube bending industry. EPH Tools was originally established in 1987 by present owners Ted & Phyllis Hayes and is located in Lion’s Head, Ontario, Canada. The company has grown from a two-person operation to its current fifty-employee base and is the largest employer in this unique area of Rural Northern Ontario, Canada. EPH Tools is very well known in the Automotive Tube Bending Industry throughout North America, Mexico, and also does machines for Australia and other Global Markets as well.
“EPH has been involved in racing since 2002 and on behalf of all of us at EPH Tools; we wish Ware Racing a very safe and successful year in the NASCAR Nationwide Series”, stated Ted Hayes.
Jeffrey & Kerry Earnhardt join RWR
March 24th, 2009
Seems like old times – with a touch of the future thrown in.
Kerry and Jeffrey Earnhardt have joined Rick Ware Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Kerry will debut with the organization April 4 at Texas Motor Speedway in the No 31 Chevrolet. His son Jeffrey, 19, is scheduled to make his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at Dover International Speedway May 30.
Kerry, son of the legendary seven-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt, has 70 career starts in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and has three top fives and six top-10 finishes. He competed full-time in the series in 2002, finishing 22nd in the standings. He last raced in the series in 2008.
Jeffery has experience in the NASCAR Camping World Series East where he was fifth in the standings as a rookie in 2007 and finished 15th in the rankings last year.
Both father and son will be paired with former NASCAR champion crew chief Paul Andrews until they do battle at Atlanta Motor Speedway this fall. At that juncture, Clyde McCloud will serve as crew chief for the younger Earnhardt.
Atlanta also will highlight three Earnhardts in series competition. Jeffrey’s uncle, Dale Earnhardt Jr., a two-time series champion, also is slated to compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race there.
Jeffrey will race a progressive schedule this year, running in seven events from a 1-mile track to a 2-mile oval as he prepares for the 2010 season and a Raybestos Rookie of the Year campaign.
He also will compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series event at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, becoming the first Earnhardt to race in a NASCAR-sanctioned event in Canada.
The Earnhardts will be driving in events when Stanton Barrett will be competing in IRL races. The No. 31 will be the organization’s primary car and the No. 41 Chevrolet will be the second car for races in which Barrett, Tim Andrews, Travis Kittleson, Tim Brown (a seven-time track champion at Bowman-Gray Stadium in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Division) or Jeffrey compete.
Kerry Earnhardt debuts at Texas
April 4, 2009
Kerry Earnhardt stepped into the RWR #31 Circle K Thirstbuster car at Texas Motor Speedway. It has been a long time since the oldest son of Dale Earnhardt has hit a oval that was not a restrictor plate race.
Earnhardt experienced mechanical issues during both practices, limiting his track time due to a bad vibration. Moments before qualifying, the crew fixed the issue but had no idea how the car would handle at that point.
Kerry took the green flag for his qualifying run and the car felt good on lap number one. The veteran had just one lap to put everything he had into a chance to get into perhaps one of the toughest fields all season. Earnhardt came up short and RWR missed the Texas field by four tenths.
"Its been tough this season but we feel the engine is good and the cars are as well. With these veterans we know we can a run at it if we can just get past the little things in practice", stated Ware.
The team will now focus on Nashville with driver Tim Andrews, the son of Crew Chief Paul Andrews.
Tim Andrews prepares for Nashville
April 6, 2009
Many fathers have been at their sons side for racing. From go-karts to midgets to late models, the Father-Son, Crew Chief-Driver is a common occurance. At Nashville Superspeedway, the tradition continues. Paul Andrews will be calling the shots atop the pitbox for a new driver at RWR, his son, Tim Andrews.
Tim and Paul will be one of the few if not only Father-Son, Crew Chief-Driver combos in NASCAR's Top Three Series, continuing the "Family Tradition" at Rick Ware Racing. Rick Ware, owner of RWR, has his father John, racing for him in the Rolex Legends Series. Kerry Earnhardt joins his son Jeffrey at Rick Ware Racing. Stanton Barrett will be celebrating his father, Stan's, 30th Anniversary of breaking the Land Speed Record as a honorary member of RWR at Talladega.
"We are excited to have Tim behind the wheel. He has great talent with impressive wins and we look forward to seeing him run near the front at Nashville", stated Ware.
Andrews captured an impressive win at Dover in the NASCAR Camping World East over Cup veteran Steve Park in 2007. Since then, Tim has been a test driver for Petty Enterprises and Gillette-Evernham Motorsports.
Andrews shows promise at Nashville in series debut
April 11, 2009
Tim Andrews battled through adversity in his series debut at Nashville Superspeedway this weekend. After running great laps in practice, Andrews set upf ro a "mock qualifying run" in the following moments of the last practice. Andrews took the #31 Zona Health Chevy into turn one when the car broke loose and hit the wall in turn two.
The team worked feverishly to fiz the car. Tim took the qualifying to heart and put the Zona.com car in the 27th starting position. At the drop of the green flag, Andrews picked his battles, moving into the 22nd position. After a long green flag run, Andrews was sittting nicely with a lap down but very competitive when trouble broke out infront of him. A wreck occured and Andrews was pushed into it, causing damae to the rear and front of the car.
Tim battled the rest of the day to remain positive and bring home a 33rd place finish. Though this was not the finished desired, Andrews impressed emough to start planning more races immediately with Rick Ware Racing.
Daryl Harr ready for Nationwide Series debut
April 12, 2009
Daryl Harr of Alberta, Canada is ready to show the USA his talent. The 2004 Sportsman of the Year in the NASCAR Winston West Series and former CASCAR (Canadian Tire Series), Rookie of the Year will be making his series debut at the Phoenix International Raceway this weekend.
Driving the Circle K Thirstbuster Chevy, RWR is exciting to have Harr on board. "Daryl is a young professional that many will know soon", claims Rick Ware. Harr has an impressive resume' and the talent to move into racings top three series and he will get that opportunity this weekend.
Engine sours at PIR but Harr still Impressive
April 18, 2009
Daryl Harr impressed many during qualifying on Friday afternoon, ripping the 27th spot on the grid for the Bashas 300. After a miss communication, Harr was forced to the rear after missing the drivers meeting but qucikly recovered, moving into the 30th position on lap 45 just one lap down.
The Thirstbuster Chevy got a break with a caution and Harr was the "Lucky Dog". A rookie mistake cost him when he passed the pace car just moments for Officials announced it, holding him for a one lap penalty. In just 20 laps, Harr gained one lap back and was sitting comfrontable in the 32nd position when the Hendrick power started to lose steam. The engine failure regulated Harr to 37th on the evening but the Canadian opened alot of eyes in the stands and his team.
Stan Barrett/Kerry Earnhardts Big Dega Weekend
April 19, 2009
Rick Ware Racing is preparing for perhaps it's biggest weekend of the year. Stan Barrett, father of RWR driver Stanton Barrett will be joining the RWR team this weekend at Talladega. Though more than capable of handling a Nationwide Series car at the high banks, Stan will be featured at Talladega all weekend.
The RWR Legend, will be signing autographs in honor of his 30th Anniversary of setting the Land Speed Record in the Budweiser Rocket car at 739.666 mph or Mach 1.1 at the Motorsports Hall of Fame at the speedway. Barrett will also be on stage during the driver introductions as well as the Hall of Fame dinner on Friday night.
Kerry Earnhardt is ready to pounce on his competitors after endless hours on the restrictor plate car. With the new engine and new car, Earnhardt looks to show his strength of plate racing and move the RWR 31 team into the top 30.
Kerry finishes 12th in big Dega weekend-Legend Stan Barrett in attendance
April 27, 2009
Rick Ware Racing's Kerry Earnhardt put on a show at Talladega this weekend, posting the 20th position in qualifying. After moving to the front five, Kerry would look for drafting partners by moving to the rear and coming through the field several times. With 22 laps to go Earnhardt entered the pits in 5th but a pit road penalty moved him to 26th. In just 2.5 laps, Earnhardt showed his talent and moved into 6th. On the final lap, Kerry got shuffled in the melay and finished 12th, the best finish for RWR in the Nationwide Series this year.
Legend Stan Barrett entered the weekend festivities by signing autographs with his teammate Kerry. Barrett is celebrating the 30th Anniversary of breaking the Land Speed Record at 739.666mph. Stan is the father of Stanton Barrett, also a driver for RWR!
Problems at Richmond for Kittleson
May 2, 2009
Travis Kittleson just could not get comfrontable and the car just didnt react during qualifying for the Lipton 250 Friday at Richmond International Raceway. Kittleson battled a very tough car count that had a majority of the "go-or-go homers" qualifying in the top 15. Thats a tough task for Travis who has never raced at the tricky 3/4 mile track.
"Its tough for me and this team. We were gaining ground on the competition and this is going to sting, but we will rebound quickly. These guys are professionals and we look forward to the battle", claimed Kittleson.
The team will now set sights on Darlington Raceway with the Thirstbuster Chevrolet for a classic Friday Night showdown at "The Track to Tough to Tame"
Kittleson 37th with overheating
May 8, 2009
Travis Kittleson got locked in the field for the Diamond Plywood 200 at Darlington Raceway. Though that might sound promising, it was a disappointment. RWR had Kittleson in the 31 and Justin Hobgood in the 41 for the event. When the rains canceled qualifying it rendered the plan for the organization. "We knew we could get both in the show and it didnt happen", stated Dave Mitchell. "We looked to be a threat with Travis still, but when debis covered the grill, it overheated in just 2 laps, rendering Kittleson to 37th on the day. The team will now prepare for the Memorial Weekend race at Lowes with Stanton Barrett who will do double duty in the IRL being only the 2nd driver to compete in the Nationwide Series race and the Indianapolis 500 in the same weekend.
Barrett qualifies 11th but pit issue results in 25th place
May 23, 2009
Stanton Barrett shocked the fans Saturday night for the Carquest 300 at Lowes Motor Speedway qualifying 11th for the race. Barrett who has been busy with the IRL season looked like a contender until a equipment problem in the pits placed the California driver back in 34th. With the speeds only bettered by Kyle Busch, Barrett ran through lap traffic up to the 25th place position before the skies opened and cancelled the last handful of laps.
The Rick Ware Racing team will now focus on its newest driver, Jeffrey Earnhardt for his series debut at Dover International Speedway on Saturday.
Crash postpones Jeffrey Earnhardts debut
From NASCAR.com
In the end, double jeopardy at Dover International Speedway -- a wrecked primary car and no practice laps before qualifying -- got the best of 19-year-old Jeffrey Earnhardt's attempt to become NASCAR's second fourth-generation driver to race in a national series.
Trust me, after seeing the way no less than four organizations rallied behind the kid, both before and after his 35th lap on the race track Friday resulted in it getting away from him coming off Turn 4 on his first mock qualifying lap and hitting the inside wall with the left-front and rear (watch video), it's inevitable Earnhardt's destined to make a splash.
I've seen him over the last couple months once or twice. He looks like he's got a good, solid outlook on his situation and his opportunity. I'm looking forward to seeing how well he can do.
A pile of former DEI employees participated in preparing their former chassis, along with Rick Ware Racing crew chief Paul Andrews. The primary was powered by an Earnhardt Childress Racing Technologies engine. Earnhardt Ganassi Racing loaned an engineer, who was assigned to the car at Dover.
And in one corner on one lap with little more than 10 minutes remaining in practice, it all went for naught.
The on-track debacle made Earnhardt's random selection for a Friday afternoon drug test, and its potentially dysfunctional order to pee on command, just a humorous welcome to big-time auto racing. It definitely delayed his return to his hauler more than an hour after his accident, which occurred with about 10 minutes left in practice.
"He's at the care center trying to pee, and you can't talk to him there," his dad said, grinning, when he returned to the hauler about 20 minutes before his son. "He couldn't go."
But that was about the only thing Kerry Earnhardt's oldest son was able to laugh about in little more than a day of competition at Dover.
And that's a shame, because after the effort expended by Dale Earnhardt Inc., whose hauler brought the cars to Dover, and Rick Ware Racing, whose personnel largely took care of it at the track, everyone deserved more.
On Saturday morning, when the younger Earnhardt had to hit the daunting Dover high banks as the final qualifier, with the memory of his last previous lap's devastating finale, the pressure was too much.
And that was even worse, because in 34 practice laps Friday, Jeffrey Earnhardt, who'd actually run 10 laps in a Nationwide car here while testing for the September Camping World East race, for which he won the pole in 2007 and finished third, looked like a shoo-in to start.
But obviously, wishes and buts would put 43 winners in every lineup, every weekend. Just as obviously the 23.994-second lap Earnhardt executed in practice on a race run would've easily put him into Saturday's race.
But racing's never that easy, and while the two teams' effort was great, when the primary was wrecked, its stronger engine couldn't be put into the backup, according to Andrews, because the two cars' motor mount locations were different and the adjustments would take too long at the track.
For this weekend, Earnhardt's primary chassis had a complete DEI pedigree, beginning life as a Busch Series car whose signature moment came at Bristol in spring 2007 when Earnhardt's uncle, Dale Earnhardt Jr., finished sixth with it.
According to longtime DEI employee Clyde McLeod, who continues to expend loads of time and effort on behalf of former DEI development drivers Earnhardt and Trevor Bayne, it was converted to a Camping World East car. Jeffrey Earnhardt called it his favorite chassis, after many uses, including his first career top-five finish.
And ironically, it almost made Dover the second chapter of a storybook. At last year's Camping World East-West showdown at Iowa Speedway, McLeod said Earnhardt had crashed the same chassis in practice, forcing his DEI team to pull out its backup car, with which Earnhardt finished fourth behind winner Joey Logano and Sprint Cup veteran Kevin Harvick.
Many at Dover, including Earnhardt himself, McLeod, who'd had a hand in hundreds of the kid's laps during the past two seasons, and his teammate Bayne, who spent the weekend here offering support even while he works at engineering his next career step, thought an event relatively similar to Iowa could've occurred at Dover -- the lack of horsepower notwithstanding.
But to get in, Earnhardt had to beat Kertus Davis' 39th-place, 24.257-second lap in qualifying. But as he'd acknowledged before getting into his car Saturday morning, he had to feel it out on its first lap on the track, first.
That was a 25.55-second effort. His second lap improved more than a second, to 24.447 seconds, but it was still .19 seconds too slow. And suddenly, stunningly what had shaped up as a weekend of celebration was over.
But much like Adam Petty before him, the first to achieve the fourth generation feat when he made his Busch Series debut at Gateway International Raceway in October 1998, young Earnhardt will have an impact on the sport before he's through.
And not just on its walls.
When the wreck occurred, one of several ironies surrounding this weekend happened. Earnhardt Jr. was in the media center conducting a news conference, when Jeffrey's crash in practice stopped his uncle in mid-sentence, when he saw it on a TV monitor -- before he asked if the youngster was OK.
Earlier, Earnhardt Jr. had expressed optimism for his nephew's future, saying, "I've seen him over the last couple months once or twice. He looks like he's got a good, solid outlook on his situation and his opportunity. I'm looking forward to seeing how well he can do."
He'll have to wait a little longer for the inevitable -- but it'll come around before too long. But after the qualifying debacle, when becomes the issue, if not even with whom.
Weeks ago team owner Ware announced a deal with Earnhardt and his father that would give both Dale Earnhardt's oldest son and his grandson, the former DEI development driver, a chance at some Nationwide races.
After the qualifying shortfall, when he returned to DEI's loaned hauler, Ware was beside himself when asked when the next chapter in the tale might occur.
"I really don't want to just throw out a date," he said. "Without talking it over with the Earnhardts, I really don't know when it might be."
But if Dover was the latest chapter in what's become an eloquent and elaborate partnership between Ware Racing and DEI, with maybe the best part being the proof that DEI, as a racing entity, still exists, it can't come too soon.
A Nationwide Series weekend to forget
Nashville, TN
Rick Ware Racing looked forward to the event in the Music City but qualifying sent the organization home early. Daryl Harr, in the Westworld, PeelsPlus.com #31 Chevy struggled to find a line around the superspeedway to his liking and during qualifying, scuffed the wall and speed and sent the primary car home.
Justin Hobgood in the #41 was a suprise on the afternoon. Hobgood set a nice tone by putting the car 20th in practice but failed to back that speed up in qualifying, joining the 31 in the hauler at the end of qualifying.
"We are going to take these cars back and sit down and figure why we are struggling at this track. We have one week to get it right before we head to Kentucky, but mark my word, it will be corrected", stated owner Rick Ware
Kittleson 38th at New Hampshire
Milwaukee native, Travis Kittleson took the MIlwaukee Mile this past weekend and showed he knows his way around the flat state fairground. Kittleson qualified the #31 Bob Steele Chevrolet in the 30th position and quickly moved up in the long green flag run to the 25th position.
A lengthy pit stop pushed Travis back a lap to the 30th position, where he quickly picked up the pace and moved into the 28th position at the close of the event.
"The car was great but these long green flag runs hurt with the Cup guys running out front. Before you know it, they are on you and its just a matter of time before they get by."
Kittleson will return to the seat this weekend at New Hampshire International Speedway, a track very similar to the Milwaukee.
Kittleson rallies to 28th at Milwaukee
Travis Kittleson finished 38th at New Hampshire Raceway on Saturday night. Kittleson qualified 36th on the grid and experienced overheating early that regulated the finish.
Kittleson will return to action in the next month with Bob Steele Chevrolet as a sponsor.
The team also moved up in the point standings as well over the weekend.
Rick Ware Racing is proud to announce that Liberty Port, a value added distributor of IT & Telecommunications products, has joined the organization as the primary sponsor for the #31 with Kerry Earnhardt.
For customers and race fans who desire speed, reliability, and security in business communications, Liberty Port can get you on track with high performance networking solutions, because a sound communications core is a company’s engine for success much like its driver Kerry Earnhardt. Liberty Port’s product portfolio includes routers, switches, servers, and security solutions designed for customers of all sizes. Due to the diverse nature of their products, Liberty Port is able to cater to large customers within the financial, education, and commercial development sectors, while still providing cost effective solutions for intermediary businesses. For more information on Kerry Earnhardt and Liberty Port visit www.libertyport.com
Liberty Port to sponsor Kerry Earnhardt at Daytona
Earnhardt's 8th on grid ends in fiery crash
Kerry Eanrhardt was poised to put the Liberty Port Chevy on the front row in qualifying but Mother Nature thought differently. As Earnhardt hit the track in qualifying, rain poured down and delaying the 31 for 3 hours. As the temps and stress increased, Kerry put the car in the 8th position, the best qualifying effort for 2009 at RWR.
At the drop of the green flag, Kerry held back to let the chaos sort itself out when he was involved with the 52 car that borke the left front fender brace. After numerous stops the car was fixed and ready to move to the front with just 40 laps to go.
On lap 67 of 100 a blown tire on the 07 spun the car infront of Earnhardt. With a shove from competitors behind him, the Liberty Port car crashed into the melay tearing off the front of the car and ending in a ball of flames.
"This is not the finish we deserved but the it is racing. I want to thank Rick Ware Racing, Liberty Port, Kangaroo and the entire group for such a great car and it only shows what we are capable of", stated Earnhardt.
The 31 finished 38th on the day and will now look at Chicago for the next event.
Kittleson strong in 27th at ORP
Travis Kittleson again showed his short track ability this weekend at O"Reilly Raceway Park in the Circle K Polar Pop Chevy. Kittleson qualified the 31 in the twenty-ninth position and hit trouble in the early laps of the event.
"It was pretty crazy there at the begining. I got stuck in the middle of a three-wide jumble in turn one and got pinched on both sides."
The "pinch" caused fender damage on both sides that the crew worked feverishly to fix. By lap 20 the car was back to normal and drove from 43rd to mid pack by lap 100. A long green flag run fighting in traffic bounced the Florida native back to the 32nd place position with less than 50 laps to go.
The crew put on four new Goodyear tires and sent Kittleson on a mission. Travis responded, scoring the 3rd fastest car of the evening at that point as he moved the Polar Pop/Bob Steele Chevy into a 27th place finish.
"Overall it was a good night. We learned alot about this car and we feel pretty good about the direction we are heading in!"
Matthews Speciality Graphics goes M3 and becomes primary at Watkins Glen on #41
We are excited to announce a major change that has taken place at Matthews over the past month. Over the past sixteen years we have served our clients as Matthews Specialty Graphics. During this time, we have established a solid customer base both locally and nationally. We have become a respected operation in our industry and we owe this to our customers.
However, we have recently decided to change our identity in order to adapt to the ever-evolving vinyl graphics industry. Our new identity, M3 (Matthews Mobile Media) was developed to pinpoint our services in broad graphics world.
This past year has brought a number of new faces to the Matthews team and we are all very excited about our new identity and the direction we are headed. Though the name has changed, our commitment to customer service and satisfaction has not.
With the new image and same great quality and customer care, M3 will become the primary sponsor for the #41 of Tom Hubert at Watkins Glen on August 8th.
"We are excited to have our partner M3 join us in this role. They have been professional 100% and their quality shows in the appearance of our entries. The new M3 paint scheme is awesome and we cant wait to see it on the track", stated owner Rick Ware.
For more information, visit www.matthewsgraphics.com
Website Talking Heads join RWR
Rick Ware Racing is proud to announce a new and exciting partner, Website Talking Heads. The new and creative innovation for website excitement is shown right on our front page. The virtual spokesman is a big hit and will add a special touch to our website and yours.
"This is the coolest thing ever", stated owner Rick Ware. "In a world of automated voice tellers, the virtual spokesmodel adds a human touch to a sometimes cold internet. We look forward to adding Website Talking Heads to our website in different areas pointing out special interests for you."
For more information visit www.websitetalkingheads.com
Foster Grant join RWR
Rick Ware Racing is proud to announce a new partner, Foster Grant. A longtime leader in sunglasses, Foster Grant has joined forces with RWR that will have the team supporting their newest shades.
"This is a great opportunity for RWR. They have over 40 different pairs for our guys to chose from and with so many personalities on our team, we have found a perfect fit for all. Foster Grant has a great history and a great new look and we are proud to be affiliated with them", stated Rick Ware.
For more information visit www.fostergrant.com
Clutch issues yeild in 41st place finish for Hubert at Watkins Glen
Tom Hubert saw his chances slip away just as his clutch did Saturday at Watkins Glen. Hubert piloted the M3 #41 to a 23rd place position on the grid only to see his clutch give way in the first quarter of the race.
"This is a good car and we need to make a small adjustment for Montreal. I feel really good about how this team has worked hard and put this thing together. We have the capabilities of being a strong contender with just a little more work and sponsor dollars.
Daryl Harr also looked impressive in the Fastwax.com/Thirstbuster #31 Saturday. Harr who has never been to Watkins Glen picked up nearly 13 seconds from his first practice to qualifying. Sadly he missed the race by .110 seconds. "I started to get comfrontable here at the Glen and with some more laps I know...we know...we can get it done. I am still new to this heavier car but with laps at the track, we will get better.
Hamlin outs #31 firmly in the field at Michigan
Kevin Hamlin rebounded nicely for RWR by putting the #31 Fastwax.com Chevy firmly in the field at Michigan International Speedway Saturday. Hamlin suffered mechanical issues by burning a gear in the first practice, leaving doubt if the car would handle during qualifying.
Hamlin removed all that doubt by positioning the car 30th on the starting grid. "This is a really good piece, here at RWR. They have the capabilities of running with anyone if given the right chance with sponsorship. I enjoyed working with these guys and I look forward to returning to the seat when needed", claimed Hamlin.
The team will now put all effort into Travis Kittleson for the Bristol night race Friday night. "We look forward to having Travis race for us next week. We want to show Bob Steele Chevy what we can do and we have full confidence in Travis at this track", stated owner Rick Ware.
Brown lands Camping World Truck ride
August 21, 2009
Thomasville, NC
RWR-PR
It was nearly fifteen years ago when Rick Ware looked upon his young employee to help him prepare for an ARCA race at Atlanta Motor Speedway and saw that “racers stare” upon Tim Brown’s face. At that moment, Ware knew that Brown had the desire to become a racer.
Soon after, the two took different paths through the NASCAR ranks, with Ware racing in the Camping World Truck Series and becoming a team owner and Brown racing in the NASCAR Whelen Modifieds at Bowman-Gray Stadium in Winston Salem, NC.
In August of 1996, Tim Brown had claimed his first Bowman-Gray Stadium Championship and Ware, standing off in the distance at the famed track, just couldn’t help but smile. “He is just a great kid and I was so proud of him”, Ware reflects today, looking through pictures at his Rick Ware Racing facility in Thomasville, NC. “I knew that day in Atlanta, this kid was something special and if I ever got the opportunity to help him, I would.”
A small crowd starts to form outside the front door of Rick Ware Racing. Camera’s, lights, boom microphones, Directors, team members and film crew tumble into the 22,000 square foot race shop. The History Channel has followed the young Tim Brown all season at Bowman-Gray Stadium for the making of their new show “Madhouse”. The new program will highlight drivers and rivals at the Winston-Salem track in their daily quest to achieve motorsports greatness and move into the highly publicized top ranks of NASCAR.
Brown reads the list of accomplishments on the front glass and shouts, “Wrong, Wrong, Wrong! I am NOT a seven-time Champion!” The crowd bursts into laughter. Tim Brown, just days earlier captured his 8th Championship at the track in just thirteen years and fifteen years after that faithful day in Atlanta.
With teammates around him, Tim Brown is welcomed by a smiling Ware. “Come on in Rocket (a nickname given to him at Bowman-Gray) I want to show you something special.”
The crowd starts to get restless as the door swings open to reveal rows of Nationwide Series cars and one special item covered up.
Ware waves his arm and says, “Tim, now it’s your turn.”
The cover is ripped back displaying a new Camping World Truck. Black and red with Fastwax.com sponsorship on the hood and quarter panels; the truck is revealed to its newest driver.
Brown is quiet at first and steps closely to the door. Rubbing his hand over his name, he mumbles. “19 years of racing and it has finally paid off.”
The Cana, Virginia driver will now embark on the NASCAR Camping World Series in front of his native Virginians at the Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway on October 24th.
In the meantime, Brown will continue he daily life with Michael Waltrip Racing as a suspension specialist as he prepares the next step as a NASCAR driver.
When asked about the day’s reveal, “Brown was quite humble. “I have great teammates, sponsors, employers, track owners and friends that have been supportive of me from day one. I know they are proud of what we have done and where we are heading and I could not have seen this day without them. We look to go out and show everyone that I can drive more than a Modified and to do it in Virginia is special. Michael (Waltrip) and Rick (Ware) are just great guys and I can tell they are excited for me.”
As Brown steps away from the truck, a crew member asks, “Hey Rocket, you going to go after a 9th title at Bowman-Gray next year?” The witty Brown replies, “Yes but it doesn’t matter, you won’t upgrade it on the window out front!”
The crowd heads toward the front door, as a smirk appears across Tim’s face. “You are too much!” as he looks at the window. “ 8-Time Bowman-Gray Champion” .
Barrett's Top 10 ruined in Montreal
Stanton Barrett's Top 10 was ruined with just three laps to the finish as rain fell at Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada on Sunday. Barrett, who qualified his #41 M3 Matthews Mobile Media Chevy in the 36th position, steadily climbed the ladder of positions all day in a mix of sunshine and rain, that had the RWR crew changing tires from standard slicks to rain tires.
Stanton, riding in 14th position with only 3 laps to go had the Top 10 in sight and was confident of achieving that finish before the restart. As the field took the green flag on the restart, Barrett made his move on the 13th and 12th place cars on the inside of turn 1. From the wet grass from nearly 500 yards away came a sidways #66 that slammed into Barrett. Not only was Stanton's car destroyed byt also another 6 cars was thrown off course in a wreck seen by millions on national television.
Barrett limped the M3 car to a 24th place finish with nearly every piece of the car dangling as it entered the garage. The 24th place finish was not what the team expected but will take it and move on to Richmond in two weeks.
Kittleson shows brilliance at Richmond
Travis Kittleson looked at Richmond International Raceway as a chance at redemption. In the spring of 2009, Kittleson failed to make the field but came back with a mission on Saturday. Travis bobbled on lap two of qualifying which would have put him in the top 15 but settled for his first lap in the 30th position.
When the green flag dropped, Kittleson struggled behind slower traffic while the leaders set sail on his bumper. Once settled in, T.K. turned laps equal to the top 5 cars throughout the evening driving from 34th place to a strong 27th at the end.
"This car would come to life with about 30 laps on it and Travis could run them down but passing at Richmond can be a struggle", claimed Rick Ware. "We are really proud of Travis and look for big things from him in future races with us."
Andrews-Hamlin 14th & 21st in qualifying but oil line ruins day
The duo of Tim Andrews and Kevin Hamlin showed the strength of RWR Saturday at Dover International Speedway qualifying 14th and 21st. Andrews piloting the #31 Circle K Racing.com/Thirstbuster Chevy took the same car that missed the spring Dover race and moved from 14th to as high as 4th before a oil line burst, stopping the day just past the halfway point in the 31st position.
"Its a shame that it happened. The car outran the cars that finished just outside the top 10 and we know we should been there. The positive note is we know how far we have come in our first year in the Nationwide Series and we will just get better" stated Tim Andrews.
Kevin Hamlin, driving the #41 Fastwax.com/Circle K Thirstbuster Chevy was extremely fast throughout both practices and qualified firmly in the 21st position. Hamlin, the ultimate team player has proven he can qualify among the best but a vibration during qualifying and the pace laps thought better of saving the car and parked it before further damage could be done.
This is the best combined qualifying run by RWR cars in the same event and that is important as car counts will begin to see a rise as the season comes to an end. "We are hitting our stride and with just a fraction of luck, we will open the eyes of many", stated Rick Ware.
The team will now prepare to head to Kansas for next Saturday nights event.
Hamlin suffers mechanical issues at Fontana
Kevin Hamlin was excited about his chance of running the Copart 300 at the Auto Club Speedway, Saturday but the drive train had other ideas. Hamlin qualified the #41 in the 34th position for the newest sponsor to the Rick Ware Racing family, Fuel-Doctor.com and knew he had a car that was set to race the distance.
"The car vibrated really bad on the start and I didnt know if a gear went bad or a wheel bearing, but it was shaking pretty hard. Each lap it got worse and when I started smelling something burning we decided to bring it in."
Hamlin seemed upbeat. "This is fixable and will be a great car at Charlotte next weekend. I dont think we did any "hard" damage to it and the guys will have her purring again next weekend."
Stanton Barrett missed the race by .100 seconds in the #31 Fuel-Doctor.com Chevy. "This was a pretty bad qualifying draw for Stanton", stated Rick Ware. Barrett rolled out deadlast as the sun was blazing compared to the other "go or go home cars".
Both cars will get a complete overhaul and be ready for Charlotte next weekend.
Rookie Tim Andrews showed the skill of veteran Friday night in the Dollar General 300 at Lowes Motor Speedway. Andrews piloting the #31 Liberty Port/HelpFindKyle.com Chevy qualified in the 26th position in a Cup driver filled lineup. Tim dodged the first bullet early as a crash occurred in front of him and he had to dart to the bottom to keep from the wreckage.
Later in the evening, Andrews became really tight and had to run around the top that began the problems. Coming off of turn four, Tim grazed the wall and ulitimately caused the car to be out of tow. The young driver powered on and came home in the 26th place finish.
Andrews looks to have all the tools needed to be a solid driverfor RWR in the future and the organization is frantic to try to find sponsorship to put Andrews back behind the wheel before the season ends.
Andrews 26th in debut at Charlotte
Chrissy Wallace joins RWR for historic Father-Daughter race at Talladega in the Trucks
Chrissy Wallace has joined RWR in the NASCAR Camping World for 2009. Perhaps the biggest media frenzy will come on her debut with team as she will compete against her father, Mike Wallace, at the high speed, Talladega Superspeedway. Chrissy and Mike will become the first Father and Daughter to compete in one of the top 3 NASCAR series against each other in the same event.
Chrissy has spent the last couple years racing in the Late Model series at Hickory Motor Speedway and won several events there before jumping into the ARCA ReMax Series and Camping World Truck Series.
The Halloween race at Talladega will be paired with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in an epic weekend of racing.
"Our goal right now is to get Chrissy to the front. She has plenty of talent and desire to be the best and this weekend of racing only motivates her more. RWR and Chrissy are still looking for potential sponsors for the historic event and look to place Wallace in a truck for the full season if funding can be acquired", stated owner Rick Ware.
Here comes Nick Joanides for Memphis
Nick Joanides is ready for the next step. The California native has had an historic 2009 year thus far, claiming the NASCAR AC Delco Super Late Model Championship,the NASCAR AC Delco Late Model Championship, the NASCAR California State Championship, the Lucas Oil Slick Mist Championship and second runner-up honors in the NASCAR National Championship points.
Joanides will make his debut at the Memphis Motorsports Park on October 24th in the #31 Rick Ware Racing entry.
“We have watched Nick closely this year after winning last year’s Lucas Oil Slick Mist title and runner-up in the California State Championship. He has a ton of talent and is a great person as well. With his recent stats of 35 wins, 92 Top 5’s and 106 Top 10’s in his last 111 races, there’s not a hotter young talent out there than Joanides”, stated Rick Ware.
Joanides and RWR are looking forward to a successful debut and future together. M3 aka Matthews Mobile Media will be the primary sponsor for the event as the organization looks for potential sponsorship for Joanides in 2010 for the NASCAR Nationwide Series
Tim Brown is ready for his debut at Martinsville
Tim Brown knows how to get around a short track. The 8-Time Bowman Gray Stadium Champion in the Whelen Modifieds looks to show the rest of the racing world just how good he is. "The Rocket" will be running for SS Greenlight in the #08 at Martinsville in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
Brown will see a familar face in his stable as well at Martinsville, as long time rival at Bowman Gray, as Burt Myers will be in another SS Greenlight Chevy. "This is pretty neat that both of us are racing in the same race. Odd that we are teammates. Im sure the BGS fans are wondering if this is a twilight zone race."
Brown will be piloting the #08 Fastwax.com Chevy and has tech and pit support from Micheal Waltrip Racing and Rick Ware Racing.
Brown impressive in RWR Truck debut
No stranger to short track racing, Tim Brown took his skills from Bowman-Gray Stadium and applied them to Martinsville Speedway Saturday. After qualifying in the 26th position in the #08 Fastwax.com chevy, Brown battled the field of veterans of NASCAR at a track that is as tough as any,
Early, Brown let things unfold and was running solid in the 19th position a lap down as the leaders had clear running while Brown battled competitors in the pack.
When a caution fell Brown looked at a chance to pounce to get back on the lead lap. The Fastwax Chevy battled TJ Bell and took the point for the "Lucky Dog" when the sway bar came apart.
Brown pulled the truck into the garage and in minutes had a new sway bar in and back on the track. Martinsville can eat laps and in just a 30 second lap, competitors fall behind.
Returning to the track 22 laps down, Brown played safe. He made clear and clean passes the remainder of the evening and worked well with veterans.
Att he drop of a green flag, Brown would restart last to not get caught up in somebody elses wreck. WIthin five laps, Tim would drive up to the 12th place truck, passing each as a pro. When a caution flew again, Brown repeated his performance. On six different occassions Brown drove past top 15 finishing trucks with ease and finished the day in the 27th position.
"We had a great truck and a little part cost us. We had a truck capable of a Top 10 if the sway bar would have stayed together. Either way I learned alot and I look forward to working in this truck again with the Ware guys. This was their debut also and people who watched saw that we are as fast as anyone", stated Tim Brown
Chrissy Wallace 13th at Talladega in Historic Race
Chrissy Wallace, driver of the #08 Fuel-Doctor.com Chevy for RWR in the Camping World Truck Series made history Saturday at Talladega Superspeedway. Competing against her father, Mike in the first ever Father vs Daughter combination in NASCAR's top 3 series was accomplished and the young 21 year old showed just how good of a driver she is.
Chrissy qualified 27th in the field beating her Dad who rolled out 33rd. At the start of the race the two paired up and stayed steady in the 13th-26th place running order through out the day.
With 44 laps to go her father experienced some trouble and exited the race. With Chrissy's Uncle, NASCAR veteran Kenny in her ear in the spotters stand, Wallace took the Fuel-Doctor Chevy to the front. On a restart with 27 laps to go Chrissy mader her move and took the point leading the pack down the backstretch.
As Wallace entered turn three it became apparant that she had no friends and dropped her to the rear of the field as the freight train of trucks drafted by. After dodging several accidents, Wallace sat 14th with 2 laps to go, staring at her first ever top 10.
When the green flag dropped, Chrissy mader her move but got shuffled again to finished in the 13th position, her career high and just missing the records books again.
Chrissy's 13th is the 2nd highest finish by a female in NASCAR's TOp 3 series missing the books by 1 position. In addition, Chrissy's career high was accomplished with Rick Ware Racing after running 6 races with the powerhouse Germain Racing yeilded her finish of 18th in 2008.
"We did what we expected her today. I beat Dad and we showed the world that this team can lead and win. I gained alot of respect from my competitors today and we look forward to making some waves in sponsorship opportunities as well. Our main goal is to run with RWR for 2010 and win the Rookie of the Year and challenge for the title. I know we can do it, the team knows they can do it. Now its up to organizations to understand that not only can we win on the track but we are actually better off with our marketing."
Wallace and RWR will now hit the pavement looking for companies to sponsor Chrissy for 2010. "We have a great program here and in the two short weeks they have raced in the truck series they have had great finishes with rookies at both the smallest and biggest tracks in the schedule. If there is something to get involved with, its Rick Ware Racing", stated Wallace.
Andrews impressive again in stout 53 car field
Tim Andrews showed just how great he can be Saturday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The last race of the year always brings a good amount of cars but 53 was intense. Tim started the weekend off with a bang as he slid the #31 Fuel-Doctor Chevy into the turn 4 wall causing damage to the right rear quarter.
Not to be denied, Andrews and the RWR team with Paul Andrews leading the charge, thrashed on the car to make it aerodynamic once again. Behind the wheel, Tim made it a mission to get the car back in the running. During the last practice, Andrews was shaky in speed, showing a kink in his armour of making all his races for RWR.
When Saturday rolled around, Andrews had the look of determination. "We are going to make this race, I guarantee it." The youngster backed up his words and qualified 25th for the race beating out a Roush and Penske Racing team along the way.
"This guys have been so good to me. I am glad we made the race and to keep my streak alive of making every race I have attempted. This is the same car that missed both Phoenix and Memphis and we knew the car is a bullet. I have raced this car at Nashville, Dover and Charlotte and had complete confidence that it is not equipment", stated Andrews
When the green flag dropped for the race, Andrews tore through the field moving into the top 20 when he got pushed into the wall causing right side damage as well as a cut tire from the #07 hitting him, causing him to go a lap down.
Tim drove hard and by lap 50 was back on the lead lap and driving to the front. A pit strategy failed during a long run as the team was hoping to take the point as others short pitted. As Tim entered the pits the caution flew putting him a lap down. To add insult to injury it happened again 100 laps later resulting in 2 more laps.
"We had a great car and didnt deserve this finish but everyone here knew that our car was a top contender. To finish 30th isnt much to brag about but we ended on a high and realized that if we ever catch a break, we can finish in the top 5. The team is great, the cars are great and the luck just stinks."
RWR is now focusing during the off season to get sponsorship for Tim to run in 2010. "We have some work to do but we are beating million dollar teams on just guts and desire. With the proper partner, we will be at the front in 2010", stated Dave Mitchell RWR Marketing Director.
Brett Butler took the wheel of the #08 Fuel-Doctor Chevy for Rick Ware Racing at Homestead-Miami Speedway Friday night and showed everyone that he is ready for the Camping World Truck Series.
Butler has competed in the Truck Series for a few teams in 2009 but it appears he has found a home at RWR. Brett qualified the Fuel-Doctor.com Chevy firmly in the 23rd position which was impressive considering that qualifying is not his strength.
“I told the guys right from the beginning, I’m not a qualifier, so be prepared to start near the rear”, stated Brett. For an hour following the qualifying session, he tried to defend his case to his team. “I don’t know what to say. That was a pretty good lap”, Butler chuckled.
As the sun started to set behind the stands of the Miami-Homestead Speedway, the Georgia native climbed into his truck for the running of the Ford 200. After some final words from veteran Crew Chief, Gary Cogswell, the youngster focused on the task at hand. Run all the laps and learn.
It didn’t take long before Butler started picking up positions, moving up to the 17th position by lap 40. After a long green flag run, Brett came in for fuel and tires that regulated him back to the 22nd position.
“The truck is fast but I just need to learn to pass in the corners, but I will figure it out”, the driver stated over the radio.
Midpoint, Butler continued to maneuver around traffic and was sitting firmly in the 23rd position, gaining valuable seat time and knowledge of a track of this size.
As the race ended, Brett finished in the 24th position and was excited about the outcome. Brett stated, “The truck was great all weekend, so much in fact that we didn’t make a change the entire practice, qualifying or race. I learned a lot during the race and with the guys from Rick Ware Racing. I look forward to being competitive next year.”
Butler shows bright future with Ware Racing at Homestead
DRIVING FORCEThe Biggest Little Team in Motorsports
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