Spears Motorsports

Last updated

Spears Motorsports
Spears Motorsports logo.png
Owner(s) Wayne Spears, Connie Spears
Base Agua Dulce, California
Series Craftsman Truck Series, Winston Cup
Race drivers Aric Almirola, Bobby Gill, Kevin Harvick, Dennis Setzer, David Starr, Clay Rogers, Bill Sedgwick
Sponsors Spears Manufacturing
Manufacturer Chevrolet
Opened1987
Closed2007
Career
Drivers' Championships 0
Race victories4 (Craftsman Truck)

Spears Motorsports was a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team owned by Wayne and Connie Spears of Agua Dulce, California. The team is most notable for its longevity in the Truck Series, running all but two races before their closure, their commitment to running with Chevrolet and for always running their white and blue No. 75.

Contents

Wayne Spears is a 2009 inductee of the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame. [1]

Winston Cup

Spears Motorsports debuted in 1987 at Riverside with road racer Tommy Kendall driving the No. 76 Spears Manufacturing Buick. However, they would last only 26 laps before being hit with oil troubles. Kendall and Spears returned to Riverside in '88, and improved their results to 18th, leading one lap. Kendall would be released in favor of Bill Sedgwick, debuting at Phoenix but finishing 36th with ignition troubles. Sedgwick and Spears would only make 8 starts between 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup Series due to Sedgwick also running in the Winston West Series. Ron Hornaday would make his Cup debut with Spears in 1993, also at Phoenix finishing 22nd. Sedgwick returned to the team the following year without much success. Taking a leap at the newly formed SuperTruck Series, the Spears' sold off their Cup equipment at season's end.

Car No. 76 History

NASCAR Winston Cup Series results
YearDriverNo.Make12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031NWCCPts
1987 Roman Calczynski 76 Buick DAY CAR RCH ATL DAR NWS BRI MAR TAL CLT DOV POC RSD
DNQ
MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR
Tommy Kendall RSD
38
ATL
1988 DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV RSD
18
POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR PHO ATL
1989 Bill Sedgwick DAY CAR ATL RCH DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV SON
DNQ
POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR PHO
36
ATL
1990 Chevy DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS
DNQ
MAR
24
TAL CLT DOV SON
36
POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO
20
ATL
1991 DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS
DNQ
MAR
19
TAL CLT DOV SON
15
POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO
21
ATL
1992 75 DAY CAR RCH ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV SON
19
POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO
27
ATL
1993 76 DAY CAR RCH ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL SON
26
CLT DOV POC MCH DAY NHA POC TAL GLN
Ron Hornaday Jr. MCH
DNQ
BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO
22
ATL
1994 DAY CAR RCH ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL SON
39
CLT DOV POC MCH DAY NHA POC TAL IND
DNQ
GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO
34
ATL

Craftsman Truck Series

Early struggles

Kevin Harvick Spears Motorsports Chevrolet Watkins Glen International 1997 Kevin Harvick Spears Motorsports Chevrolet Watkins Glen 1997.jpg
Kevin Harvick Spears Motorsports Chevrolet Watkins Glen International 1997

In 1995, Bill France Jr. announced the official formation of the NASCAR SuperTruck Series by Craftsman. With Hornaday already signed to drive Dale Earnhardt Incorporated's No. 16 truck, the Spears family turned back to Bill Sedgwick, who would debut their white No. 75 Spears Manufacturing Chevrolet at PIR for the Copper World Classic. Sedgwick would finish 12th in the first ever truck race. Spears proved its competitiveness by winning the pole at Mesa Marin Speedway. Spears Motorsports's first season in the trucks netted them 1 pole, 6 top 5s, and 13 top 10s for a seventh-place points finish. Sedgwick left for Darrell Waltrip Motorsports in 1996, and Spears brought on driver Bobby Gill, who was a consistent top 20 finisher but released after Louisville despite gaining four top tens. Gill was replaced by Busch Series driver Nathan Buttke, who had 7 top 10 starts, but only 3 top 10 finishes and 7 DNF's. Buttke was released for Dan Press who also struggled and had 4 DNF's. Press was soon replaced by another West Series driver, Kevin Harvick, who had made two previous starts in the No. 79 Chevrolet at Tucson and Louisville, finishing in the top 20. Harvick would struggle with only an average season of mid pack finishes but garnered two 8th-place finishes. Harvick ran the full 1998 season except for Nashville, where Lonnie Rush Jr. drove the No. 75 truck but crashed. Despite three consecutive DNF's at the beginning of the year, Harvick and team rallied back to finish 17th in points, with 3 top 5s and 5 top 10s. Harvick would leave Spears for Jim Herrick's team in 1999, and was replaced by Rush, who struggled and was replaced by Marty Houston, who gave the team a top 10 at Nazareth. Houston returned in 2000, scoring 1 top 5 and 10 top 10s to finish 12th in points. His success raised the eyebrows of Armando Fitz, who got him into his Busch Series car for 2001. Another future USAR driver, Billy Bigley, took the reins of the No. 75, resulting in 1 top 5 and 8 top 10s for a 13th-place points finish.

David Starr era

Despite Bigley's points finish, he would be replaced for 2002 by David Starr. Despite making only 5 starts in 2001, Starr had 4 top 5 finishes with John Menard Jr.'s truck team. Given a full-time ride, the combination of Starr and Spears would prove to be one of the most famous in the Truck Series. Starr gave the team its first ever win at Vegas holding off eventual champion Mike Bliss. Their first season with Starr proved to be their best with 8 top 5s and 16 top tens resulting in a 5th-place points finish along with the Most Popular Driver award. In 2003, Starr was tenth in points after finishing 6th at Texas when he was injured, forcing him to miss four races. Starr was replaced by Busch Series driver Hank Parker Jr. who had two top 10s. Starr returned at Gateway, but could not find victory lane again and dropped to 13th in points. In 2004, the team would have its most successful seasons, taking the pole at Charlotte, along with 2 wins, 8 top 5s and 16 top 10s and a 6th-place points finish. 2005 gave the team only four top 5s and ten top 10s and a 7th-place points finish. Starr announced his departure from Spears and move to Red Horse Racing in 2006.

Success and demise

Joe Gibbs Racing owner Joe Gibbs contracted Spears to field their Cuban American development driver Aric Almirola for Rookie of the Year in 2006. Almirola would become the first ROTY contender to drive the famous No. 75. However, Almirola struggled in his transition and mustered only 3 top 10s. Almirola would move up to the Busch Series part-time. For 2007, Spears would hire "Short Track Slayer" Dennis Setzer, the so-called bridesmade of the Truck Series for finishing 2nd in points three years in a row with the struggling Morgan-Dollar Motorsports. [2] Setzer lived up to his name by winning at Mansfield on a no stop strategy. That would be the last top five for Spears as Setzer did not break into the top 10 after that race and was released prior to Vegas. USAR driver Clay Rogers would step into the No. 75 but would not crack the top 10. At season's end Wayne and Connie Spears posted a letter on their website's homepage announcing that Spears Motorsports would not return for 2008 due to financial difficulties. [3]

Truck No. 75 History

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results
YearDriverNo.Make123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627NCTCPts
1995 Bill Sedgwick 75 Chevy PHO
12
TUS
8
SGS
3
MMR
2
POR
7
EVG
15
I70
8
LVL
11
BRI
5
MLW
5
CNS
4
HPT
15
IRP
27
FLM
5
RCH
33
MAR
8
NWS
25
SON
6
MMR
9
PHO
10
1996 Bobby Gill HOM
23
PHO
9
POR
20
EVG
26
TUS
7
CNS
11
HPT
15
BRI
7
NZH
18
MLW
6
LVL
11
Nathan Buttke I70
7
IRP
8
FLM
19
GLN
29
NSV
28
RCH
6
NHA
17
MAR
28
NWS
21
SON
27
MMR
14
PHO
25
LVS
33
1997 Dan Press WDW
28
TUS
32
HOM
14
PHO
27
POR
18
EVG
21
I70
28
NHA
30
TEX
26
BRI
21
NZH
12
MLW
25
LVL
28
23rd2324
Kevin Harvick CNS
20
HPT
30
IRP
23
FLM
23
NSV
16
GLN
23
RCH
DNQ
SON
33
MMR
8
CAL
20
PHO
34
LVS
8
Rick Markle MAR
DNQ
1998 Kevin Harvick WDW
18
HOM
13
PHO
13
POR
14
EVG
31
I70
26
GLN
29
TEX
4
BRI
22
MLW
11
NZH
14
CAL
30
PPR
15
IRP
11
NHA
7
FLM
9
HPT
5
LVL
13
RCH
25
MEM
15
GTY
11
MAR
25
SON
17
MMR
5
PHO
18
LVS
20
15th3086
Lonnie Rush Jr. NSV
27
1999 HOM
24
PHO
12
EVG
17
MMR
20
MAR
28
MEM
33
20th2539
Marty Houston PPR
29
I70
26
BRI
23
TEX
26
PIR
12
GLN
21
MLW
23
NSV
13
NZH
6
MCH
21
NHA
21
IRP
20
GTY
32
HPT
20
RCH
20
LVS
13
LVL
20
TEX
17
CAL
20
2000 DAY
18
HOM
10
PHO
21
MMR
22
MAR
19
PIR
9
GTY
25
MEM
17
PPR
10
EVG
25
TEX
7
KEN
4
GLN
17
MLW
6
NHA
10
NZH
19
MCH
8
IRP
13
NSV
18
CIC
20
RCH
14
DOV
7
TEX
19
CAL
8
12th2942
2001 Billy Bigley Jr. DAY
26
HOM
24
MMR
9
MAR
16
GTY
10
DAR
9
PPR
25
DOV
25
TEX
22
MEM
11
MLW
7
KAN
5
KEN
10
NHA
15
IRP
29
NSH
23
CIC
32
NZH
7
RCH
10
SBO
15
TEX
18
LVS
16
PHO
32
CAL
11
15th2718
2002 David Starr DAY
7
DAR
6
MAR
8
GTY
5
PPR
5
DOV
4
TEX
3
MEM
7
MLW
6
KAN
24
KEN
8
NHA
3
MCH
5
IRP
34
NSH
11
RCH
13
TEX
3
SBO
7
LVS
1
CAL
11
PHO
18
HOM
8
5th3144
2003 DAY
36
DAR
9
MMR
9
MAR
12
CLT
17
DOV
3
TEX
6
GTW
6
MCH
13
IRP
11
NSH
4
BRI
18
RCH
32
NHA
8
CAL
5
LVS
2
SBO
9
TEX
31
MAR
9
PHO
6
HOM
3
10th3292
Hank Parker Jr. MEM
15
MLW
8
KAN
11
KEN
10
2004 David Starr DAY
12
ATL
36
MAR
9
MFD
9
CLT
3
DOV
8
TEX
29
MEM
10
MLW
33
KAN
19
KEN
3
GTW
1
MCH
21
IRP
16
NSH
2
BRI
7
RCH
23
NHA
8
LVS
10
CAL
4
TEX
4
MAR
29
PHO
1
DAR
7
HOM
3
6th3298
2005 DAY
8
CAL
27*
ATL
5
MAR
22
GTY
21
MFD
9
CLT
19
DOV
8
TEX
9
MCH
12
MLW
11
KAN
24
KEN
10
MEM
5
IRP
17
NSH
17
BRI
8
RCH
21
NHA
13
LVS
3
MAR
21
ATL
11
TEX
4
PHO
14
HOM
11
8th3148
2006 Aric Almirola DAY
32
CAL
21
ATL
18
MAR
18
GTY
10
CLT
9
MFD
30
DOV
12
TEX
32
MCH
36
MLW
13
KAN
18
KEN
22
MEM
18
IRP
21
NSH
22
BRI
32
NHA
29
LVS
10
TAL
22
MAR
16
ATL
30
TEX
20
PHO
22
HOM
23
21st2471
2007 Dennis Setzer DAY
19
CAL
19
ATL
7
MAR
13
KAN
26
CLT
22
MFD
1
DOV
19
TEX
16
MCH
24
MLW
19
MEM
19
KEN
18
IRP
13
NSH
26
BRI
26
GTW
19
16th2262
Clay Rogers NHA
12
LVS
11
TAL
15
MAR
26
ATL
34
TEX
33
PHO
16
HOM
27

Truck No. 79 History

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results
YearDriverNo.Make1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526NCTCPts
1997 Kevin Harvick 79 Chevy WDW TUS
21
HOM PHO POR EVG I70 NHA TEX BRI NZH MLW LVL
11
CNS HPT IRP FLM NSV GLN RCH MAR SON MMR CAL PHO LVS

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Martin</span> American racing driver (born 1959)

Mark Anthony Martin is an American retired stock car racing driver. He has the second most wins all time in what is now the Xfinity Series with 49. He scored 40 Cup Series wins. He finished second in the NASCAR Cup Series standings five times, third in the NASCAR Cup Series standings four times, and has been described by ESPN as "The best driver to never win a championship." Martin also failed to win the Daytona 500 during his career. Martin has five IROC Championships, more than any other driver. Also, during the 2005 season, he took over the all-time record for IROC wins, with 13. Martin is the final driver born in the 1950s to win a NASCAR Cup Series race.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Harvick</span> American racing driver (born 1975)

Kevin Michael Harvick is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver and commentator for NASCAR on Fox.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Casey Atwood</span> American former stock car racing driver

Casey Lee Atwood is an American former stock car racing driver. A former competitor in NASCAR competition, he is the youngest pole winner in Busch Series history, earning a pole start at the age of 17.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dennis Setzer</span> American stock car racing driver

Dennis Setzer is an American former professional stock car racing driver. He has driven in all three of NASCAR's top series, scoring eighteen wins in the Craftsman Truck Series, and two wins in the Xfinity Series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MB2 Motorsports</span> Former NASCAR team

MB2 Motorsports was a NASCAR Cup Series team based in Mooresville, North Carolina, near the sport's hub in Charlotte. The team was founded by Read Morton, Tom Beard, and Nelson Bowers, from which the original team name derived. Bowers was the longest tenured of the original owners, and the listed owner of the teams' entries when resort and real-estate developer Bobby Ginn bought out the team in 2007, renaming it to Ginn Racing for that season only. The Valvoline corporation co-owned the No. 10 car with the principal owners from 2001 to 2005 as MBV Motorsports, while the No. 36 entry was co-owned by Centrix Financial, LLC owner Robert Sutton as MB Sutton Motorsports in 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Green (racing driver)</span> American racing driver and crew chief

Jeffrey Lynn Green is an American retired professional stock car racing driver and crew chief. He most recently worked for RSS Racing as the crew chief for their No. 28 car in the ARCA Menards Series, driven by Kyle Sieg, and also competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series as a start and park driver for the team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Gibbs Racing</span> NASCAR racing team

Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) is an American professional stock car racing organization founded by Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs. His son, J. D. Gibbs, ran the team with him until his death in 2019. Founded in Huntersville, North Carolina, in 1992. JGR has won five Cup Series championships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stewart–Haas Racing</span> American professional stock car racing team

Stewart–Haas Racing is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The team is co-owned by three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and Haas Automation founder Gene Haas. It was founded in 2002 as Haas CNC Racing after Haas, whose company was a sponsor of Hendrick Motorsports, elected to form his own team. In 2009, Stewart, who had been driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, made a deal with Haas to drive for the team and in return receive a 50% stake in it. The team is set to close at the conclusion of the 2024 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Childress Racing</span> Auto-racing company

Richard Childress Racing (RCR) is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The team is based in Welcome, North Carolina, and is owned and operated by Richard Childress. In the Cup Series, the team currently fields three Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 teams: the No. 3 full-time for Austin Dillon, the No. 8 full-time for Kyle Busch, and the No. 33 part-time for Austin Hill and Will Brown. In the Xfinity Series, the team currently fields three Chevrolet Camaro teams: the No. 2 full-time for Jesse Love, the No. 21 full-time for Austin Hill and the No. 33 part-time for Kyle Busch. RCR has had at least one car successfully qualify for every Cup race since 1972, the longest such active streak, and is known for the longstanding use of the number 3 on its primary race car.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biagi-DenBeste Racing</span> American racing team

Biagi-DenBeste Racing, originally Biagi Brothers Racing, was an American professional stock car racing team that last competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in partnership with Stewart-Haas Racing. The team was based in Mooresville, North Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aric Almirola</span> American racing driver (born 1984)

Aric Michael Almirola is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver. He competes part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the Nos. 19 and 20 Toyota Supras for Joe Gibbs Racing and the No. 16 Toyota Tundra for Hattori Racing Enterprises in the NASCAR Truck Series. Almirola previously competed full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series as well as what are now the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East and ARCA Menards Series West.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2003 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series</span> Ninth season of third-tier NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series

The 2003 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season was the ninth season of the third highest stock car racing in the United States. The season included twenty-five races, beginning with the Florida Dodge Dealers 250 at Daytona International Speedway and ending with the Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Steve Coulter won the Owners' Championship, while Travis Kvapil won the Drivers' Championship during the final race of the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Dodge won the Manufacturers' Championship with 179 points.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Randy Moss Motorsports</span> American truck racing team

Randy Moss Motorsports with HTM was a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team. It was owned by David Dollar and NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss. Former driver Rob Morgan co-owned the team until 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2001 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series</span> Seventh season of third-tier NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series

The 2001 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series was the seventh season of the Craftsman Truck Series, the third highest stock car racing series sanctioned by NASCAR in the United States. Jack Sprague of Hendrick Motorsports was crowned drivers' champion for the third time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series</span> 17th season of third-tier NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

The 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series was the seventeenth season of the third highest stock car racing in the United States. The season included twenty-five races, beginning with the NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway and ending with the Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. During the 2010 season, NASCAR announced a few notable calendar changes, including a race addition at Kentucky Speedway and the removal of Gateway International Raceway from the schedule. DeLana Harvick won the owners' championship, while Austin Dillon of Richard Childress Racing won the drivers' championship with a tenth-place finish at the final race of the season. Chevrolet won the manufacturers' championship with 193 points.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NTS Motorsports</span> Auto racing team, United States

NTS Motorsports was an American professional stock car racing team that competed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The team was owned by Californian Bob Newberry, coming into its current form after Joe Denette Motorsports merged with Newberry's NTS team, both of which originally had support from Kevin Harvick. The team's final race was at Daytona in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RSS Racing</span> American stock car racing team

RSS Racing is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The team is owned by Rod Sieg and Pamela Sieg. The team currently fields 3 cars including the No. 28 full-time for Kyle Sieg, the No. 29 full-time for Blaine Perkins, and the No. 39 full-time for Ryan Sieg. They also field the No. 38 part-time for C. J. McLaughlin and Matt DiBenedetto in a partnership with Viking Motorsports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 NASCAR Xfinity Series</span> 36th season of second-tier NASCAR Xfinity Series

The 2017 NASCAR Xfinity Series was the 36th season of the NASCAR Xfinity Series, the second-tier professional stock car racing series sanctioned by NASCAR in the United States. The season began with the PowerShares QQQ 300 at Daytona International Speedway and ended with the Ford EcoBoost 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Daniel Suárez was the defending drivers' champion while Toyota was the defending manufacturer's champion, although Suárez couldn't defend his title due to him racing in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dale Earnhardt, Inc.</span> Museum and former NASCAR team

Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (DEI) is a museum in Mooresville, North Carolina. Formerly a race team founded by Dale Earnhardt and his wife, Teresa Earnhardt, it competed in the NASCAR Cup Series, the highest level of competition for professional stock car racing in the United States, from 1998 to 2009. Earnhardt was a seven-time Winston Cup champion who died in a crash on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. Despite his ownership of the DEI racing team, Earnhardt never drove for his team in the Winston Cup; instead, he raced for his long-time mentor and backer Richard Childress at RCR. In the late-2000s, DEI suffered critical financial difficulties after drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Michael Waltrip, and sponsors Anheuser-Busch, National Automotive Parts Association and United States Army left the team; DEI consequently merged with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2009, moving their equipment into the latter's shop, while the former's closed down. Chip Ganassi Racing's NASCAR operations was subsequently purchased by Trackhouse Racing Team in 2021.

RCR Enterprises, LLC, doing business as Richard Childress Racing (RCR), is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The team is based in Welcome, North Carolina, and is owned and operated by former driver Richard Childress.

References

  1. "West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame". West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame. Retrieved March 16, 2012.
  2. Setzer Signs With Spears Motorsports; December 7, 2006
  3. Spears Motorsports not returning to truck series; Scene Daily; December 5, 2007; Retrieved January 21, 2008; Inaccessible February 19, 2008