Craven managed to carve out a niche for yourself in the highly competitive world of NASCAR. Practice and qualifying will take place Feb. 4. None other than The King, Richard Petty, was the first to greet Marcis, the wing-tipped short track wonder from Wausau, Wisconsin. Following a fourth-place finish in 1990, Elliott continued racing on a full-time basis until 2003 and then took part in part-time schedules until 2012. Eight drivers have been named to this year's NASCAR Drive for Diversity Driver Development Program. After a lengthy career, whats a NASCAR star to do? In those days, everybody had to qualify and sometimes you had 62 cars trying to qualify for 40 or so places.. Bill France (Jr.) was special. He was known for being an owner/driver and driving the number 83. However, Marlin was diagnosed with Parkinsons in 2010 and had to begin treatments for this condition. But when it comes to racing the thing that was his life for more than half of it is just not as important as it once was. Martin was always a major proponent of driver health and fitness, which enabled him to drive well into his fifties. These will be tremendous prizes for our drivers who are competing inside a venue thats hosted two Olympic Games and is preparing for a third, said Ben Kennedy, NASCARs senior vice president for racing development and strategy. 9.2 Part-time drivers. Marcis didnt have the winning success in NASCAR that he enjoyed in short track racing in his home state. Today he owns RKM Enviroclean which is an environmental cleanup service. Other than the fact that Elliott is a storied racecar driver, hes also a skilled planner. As NASCAR takes its first break of the 2017 season for the Easter holiday, Motorsport.com wanted to provide an opportunity for readers to revisit some of the 'Where are they now?' We all know what former NASCAR drivers Richard Petty, Darrell Waltrip and Rusty Wallace are doing now that there retired, but what about other drivers that raced in the 1980s and 1990s? He most recently competed in NASCAR in a Craftsman Truck Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the fall of 2020. And I won Daytona (1994 Pepsi 400). Im doing fine, I have no health problems and am on zero medications of any kind. Jeff Gordon is a prime example of just how popular the sport has gotten over the last 30 years. The loss of the M&Ms/Mars sponsorship at JGR was a key in Buschs departure. Jarrett was one of the originals in NASCAR racing, and when many think of the sport, his name comes up first. Martin was one of those drivers who never made it to a superstar level but still managed to do well for himself. Stewart is also heavily involved in dirt track racing and still participates to this day. Thats when he looks at me with a stare and I knew I was in trouble, Spencer said. 17 Hesco Exhaust-sponsored Chevrolet. Although Newman's career is nearing its end, there are outside activities Newman is involved in as well. Upon entering retirement he purchased a large ranch outside of Jackson, Wyoming. He returned in 1990 in pursuit of a repeat but finished sixth in points. Today he can still be seen on TV, heard on the radio and watched racing on the track all over the world. Another interesting fact about Bill Elliott is the fact that he was one of the first mainstream NASCAR drivers to be the face of a video game. Craven famously had a crash with Kurt Busch at the 2003 Carolina Dodge Dealers 400. Jarrett is also an avid golfer and has won quite a few tournaments in his time, boasting a two handicap. Today, the 60-year-old Spencer wishes he could have some of that time back. One thing Spencer will never get tired of is his legion of fans. His story of surviving not one, but two major injuries is an uplifting one. The sellout is the eighth consecutive for the 500, which opens the NASCAR Cup Series regular season. He went from relative obscurity to becoming one of the most popular drivers of all time. Even with the lengthy NASCAR career he enjoyed, Marcis has never forgotten his short track roots. After finishing his last race of the 2019 season, Sadler has been heavily involved with the Autism Speaks Foundation. There arent a lot of drivers who had the short but meaningful success Benson Jr. had. Bodine was well respected in the pro racing circuit. He is also still actively driving at the ISMA tour, operating a super-modified car thats owned by Brad Lichty. I still have friends from my modified days in Connecticut. He returned to the Cup Series in 1991 in search of his first championship but could not overtake Earnhardt in the standings. The racing of yesteryear was an entirely different sport than it is today, with a lot more risk and less technology. Other than the fact that Elliott is a storied racecar driver, hes also a skilled planner. One was Earnhardt and the other was me. Los Angeles will host the 2028 Oympics. He might look different as he gets older but still seems to possess the drive he had in his youth as a NASCAR driver. The race winner will receive a gold medal, the runner-up will receive a silver medal, and the third-place finisher will be given the bronze medal in the exhibition race. After Burton retired in 2012 he focused on his second love of wildlife conservation. Instead of worrying about a race car setup or qualifying, Jimmy Spencer spends his days enjoying a different kind of excitement, like his first grandson Hudson, who turned 1-year-old Tuesday, working on antique cars or trucks, or just playing with his five dogs. And in the process, Bliss essentially holds an unofficial NASCAR record that likely will never be broken. During my career, I made fans and so many friends. If you wanted to race for a living, I decided I needed to go to NASCAR and do it because we started in February and would go through October in those days.. It is interesting to see how drivers have evolved over the past couple of decades. His historic run to the firstCamping World Truck Series champion in 1995propelled Skinner toa two-decades-long career in the sport. After he quietly retired from racing, Stewart carved out a reputation of knowledge and dependability. Entering NASCAR at the ripe old age of 18 is a dream for many aspiring fans, but Rudd pulled it off. There arent a lot of drivers who can top Pettys driving record. Burton is one of the unsung heroes of the racing world and has helped shape the sport tremendously. I think thats another thing that made us better racers because we learned how to set those cars up with those old, hard tires. From 2011 to 2013, Pastrana raced in 42 Xfinity Series events. Although Newman's career is nearing its end, there are outside activities Newman is involved in as well. Before he retired after the 2016 season, the 56-year-old Milwaukie, Oregon, native developed a reputation that he would drive anything, anywhere and for anybody. Valtteri Bottas is keen to discuss his future with Alfa Romeos Formula 1 team quite early in 2023 as he looks for continued stability. The competition for those positions will be intense, with seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, Zane Smith and perhaps IndyCar kingpin Helio Castroneves in the group. Highest Cup season rank was 12th in 1993. Some drivers didnt need a long career to establish dominance, and Benson Jr. is one of them. Bodine was well respected in the pro racing circuit. Eventually make an exodus from racing. Pastrana, 39, said the 500 has been on his bucket list for decades. Former NASCAR tracks: Where are they now Mike Hembree Special for USA TODAY Sports 0:00 1:05 NASCAR reduced the schedule of its top national series dramatically in 1972 from 48 races to. What ever happened to the "pretty good" drivers that we don't see every week anymore? Irvan, who lives roughly 80 miles from Daytona International Speedway, was once again invited to take part in a popular annual old-timers event at the legendary Streamline Hotel where NASCAR was . Pastrana, who will drive car No. Our fans know theres nothing better in sports than attending the Daytona 500, and they will help us kick off NASCARs 75th Anniversary by filling the facility, said speedway president Frank Kelleher in a statement released by the track. Marlin is another driver that had a fair amount of success in a short period. He won 11 races in one year and was also named one of the 50 greatest modified drivers. Lakes last Winston Cup (Now Sprint Cup) season came in 1998. Grissom, a standout offensive lineman, defensive end and linebacker, could play college football at the University of Alabama for legendary Paul "Bear" Bryant, or he could try to become a NASCAR driver. We didnt have no money or big sponsorships when we did it. He often returns to Wisconsin, where he owns a few businesses and property. Busch has long been sponsored by Monster Energy Drink and spends a great deal of time doing press. After his retirement, he was a NASCAR analyst for ESPN where he worked for 12 years, eventually moving onto FOX Sports. His expertise has been used by various racing teams and Elliott is still a commentator for NASCAR to this day. But Petty wasnt merely being friendly, welcoming the newest kid to NASCAR. I can remember Earnhardt telling me he borrowed $300 so he could get to the next race so he could buy a set of tires. I have a great life, the Lords blessed me, I have a grandbaby now to keep me busy. The Rooster built a reputation for being an "ironman" during his NASCAR career, starting 788 consecutive races from 1981- 2005. They all went on to enjoy successful seasons, and several became hall of famers after stockpiling wins with regularity. Both career choices have become highly lucrative for the retired stock car racer. It was time to move on.. Los Angeles will host the 2028 Oympics. Some may think of the term as derogatory, but Mike Bliss embraces the nickname. Photo Credit: NASCAR Newman and his wife Krissie operate Rescue Ranch. It wasnt easy but its what I wanted to do.. All statistics used in these tables are as of February 22, 2016. Theres a lot of memories when you race the number of years I did, moving from the ranks of a short-track guy who really had nothing and no big sponsorships and running the 1/3- and 1/4-mile tracks, Marcis said. While reading these stories, readers and NASCAR fans also have an opportunity to submit ideas for future stories they would like to see on Motorsport.com in the future. Martin also opened up four car dealerships in his hometown of Batesville, Arkansas. Read his storyhere, Captain's Corner: Assessing the NASCAR season entering Easter break, Bottas wants talks over Alfa Romeo F1 future "quite early" in 2023. Labonte is another star driver whose NASCAR career stretches way back. Martin took part in 882 races over his 31-year Cup career, winning 40 and securing 453 top-10 finishes. I still dabble in antique cars and trucks. Rudd eventually worked his way up to being a part-time analyst for NASCAR events. Marcos Ambrose re-energized, reinvigorated in his native Australia By Jerry Bonkowski NASCAR.com February 23, 2021 at 12:03 PM When longtime NASCAR fan favorite Marcos Ambrose decided to end. In 2002 he was diagnosed with Carbon Monoxide Posing and fell very ill and was force to retire. I worked on my own car and on the chassis and we always seemed to get the car handling good and be able to get qualified. He cut his career short in 2010 and faded into a quiet retirement ven though he still appears on NASCAR TV from time to time. He operates Drive To Victory Lane Driving School which is located at Thompson International Speedway. Veteran driver Travis Pastrana will attempt to qualify for next months Daytona 500 in a Toyota entered by 23XI Racing. Youll usually find him tinkering with old cars, attending car shows or playing poker with friends. Read. He entered the 2001 season seeking a record-breaking eighth championship. It is certainly not easy, but somehow Craven did it. I got Hot Rod Magazine and whatever articles they had, that was all I knew about NASCAR. Dale Jarrett, Rusty Wallace, Jeff Burton, and DW have found a second career in broadcasting. The retired racecar driver is more active than ever, even participating as a coach for the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series teams. Former/retired drivers[edit] = Former champion in National Touring Series. He capped off a 33-year career in the Cup Series and was named to the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2007. But he also knows he missed a lot while competing not only in the Cup, Xfinity and Camping World Trucks Series but also modifieds and late models in the Northeast early in his career. 8 Netspend Chevy on race tracks across America and delivering our key marketing and business objectives through this unique platform with the RCR team partnership, said Kelley Knutson, Netspend president, in a statement released by RCR. Even though his best finish in the 500 was sixth (in 1975 and 1976), Marcis didnt consider Daytona his toughest track. Today Jarrett has also dabbled in other types of competitions, he is a championship shooter and was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2014. In addition to operating his Powersports dealership, Bodine has also provided commentary on televised NASCAR events. I want to add some value to this. His expertise has been used by various racing teams and Elliott is still a commentator for NASCAR to this day. It is certainly not easy, but somehow Craven did it. The 1990 Winston Cup season was one of the most exciting in NASCAR history. He talks about his faith, his future and that fateful day in Daytona many years ago. No, but its going to be an amazing week.. To Wisconsin, where he owns RKM Enviroclean which is an environmental cleanup service large ranch outside of Jackson Wyoming. One, but its what I wanted to do.. all statistics used in these tables as. Still managed to carve out a reputation for being an owner/driver and driving the number 83 a lengthy,... 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