Lowell Bennett

Last updated
Lowell Bennett
LowellBennettTalkingWithRichBickle2019Slinger.jpg
Bennett (left) talking with Rich Bickle in 2019
Born (1958-05-14) May 14, 1958 (age 65)
Germany
Achievements1997, 2000, 2004, 2007, 2010 Slinger Nationals Winner
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
7 races run over 3 years
2004 position118th
Best finish80th (2002)
First race 2002 GNC Live Well 250 (Milwaukee)
Last race 2004 Emerson Radio 250 (Richmond)
WinsTop tens Poles
000
Statistics current as of September 5, 2017.

Lowell Bennett (born May 14, 1958) is an American stock car racing driver. The Neenah, Wisconsin native has competed in the NASCAR Busch Series, the World Series of Asphalt, and has five Slinger Nationals championships. He continues to race in Wisconsin, primarily at Wisconsin International Raceway (WIR).

Contents

Racing career

Early years

Bennett started racing on dirt, in a 1972 Chevrolet Chevelle bought from his father. The first track that he raced on was Shawano Speedway, just outside of Shawano, Wisconsin. Bennett's first year of racing was 1976; he won his first race at Shawano and it paid $80. [1] In the following years, Bennett raced at Shawano, and in De Pere and Seymour, Wisconsin at dirt tracks. In 1981, he tried his hand at asphalt racing and raced at Shawano and Slinger Speedway, after winning a track championship at Shawano that year and one more year of double duty in 1982, Bennett decided to back down his schedule. [1] He continued to race at local tracks through the end of the 1900s, eventually transitioning to the half-mile paved oval at Wisconsin International Raceway. Bennett won his first Slinger Nationals title in 1997, then followed it up in 2000, 2004, 2007 and 2010 to come out with a total of five championships. [2]

Bennett's super late model at Wisconsin International Raceway in 2006. Lowell Bennett WIR Super Late Model.jpg
Bennett's super late model at Wisconsin International Raceway in 2006.

NASCAR

Running a self-funded team, [2] Bennett ran seven total races in the NASCAR Busch Series (now the Xfinity Series). [3] Three were in 2002, and two each in 2003 and 2004. [4] He scored a best finish of 21st, at the Indianapolis Raceway Park in 2002. [5]

Post-NASCAR

Bennett has continued to run at Wisconsin International Raceway and Slinger Speedway, winning the prestigious Red, White and Blue championship at the former and the Slinger Nationals at the latter. His son Braison now runs at WIR [2] and other regional touring series as part of the 2017 Kulwicki Driver Development Program. [6]

Personal life

Bennett's father Bobby was a local late model driver who also served in the United States Army. Lowell was 1st of ten kids born in the family (hence the car number 2 as Bobby was #1, Lowell #2, and down the lines it went with all 6 boys in his racing family) and was born in Germany while his father was on tour. [7]

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Busch Series

NASCAR Busch Series results
YearTeamNo.Make12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334NBSCPtsRef
2002 Bennett Motorsports 02 Chevy DAY CAR LVS DAR BRI TEX NSH TAL CAL RCH NHA NZH CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW
41		 DAY CHI GTY PPR MEM
26		 ATL CAR PHO HOM 80th225 [8]
22 IRP
21		 MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV KAN CLT
2003 02 DAY CAR LVS DAR BRI TEX TAL NSH CAL RCH GTY NZH CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW
28		 DAY CHI NHA PPR IRP
24		 MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM ATL PHO CAR HOM 96th170 [9]
2004 82 DAY CAR LVS DAR BRI TEX NSH TAL CAL GTY RCH NZH CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI NHA PPR IRP
36		 MCH BRI CAL RCH
38		 DOV KAN CLT MEM ATL PHO DAR HOM 118th104 [10]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Bennett family continues to have racing roots firmly planted". Full Throttle Magazine. Retrieved 2017-09-05.
  2. 1 2 3 "Area four-decade veteran keeps on racing". Press Gazette Media. Retrieved 2017-09-05.
  3. ↑ "Driver Lowell Bennett Career Statistics - Racing-Reference.info". racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2017-09-05.
  4. ↑ "Driver Lowell Bennett's NASCAR Xfinity Series races - Racing-Reference.info". racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2017-09-05.
  5. ↑ "Driver Lowell Bennett 2002 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results - Racing-Reference.info". racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2017-09-05.
  6. ↑ "Kuwicki Driver Development Program". www.kulwickiddp.com. Retrieved 2017-09-05.
  7. ↑ Verdegan, Joe (2015). Life in the Past Lane: A History of Stock Car Racing in Northeast Wisconsin from 1950 - 1980. Green Bay, Wisconsin: M&B Global Solutions. pp. 156, 161. ISBN   978-1-942731-15-3.
  8. ↑ "Lowell Bennett – 2002 NASCAR Busch Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Lowell Bennett – 2003 NASCAR Busch Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Lowell Bennett – 2004 NASCAR Busch Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
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