Few racers have as short and sweet of a run as Burton did. Thats one of the reasons why I moved down here in 1969 and have been here ever since.. He still participated in a number of races until 2014 and became the oldest driver to ever start a race (71 years, nine months and two days). One day, we were sitting in the stands and I was winning a lot of short track races, and my mom asked me, What are you thinking about? I said, Im going to win here some day, Mom. She looked at me and said, Youre just like your dad. Jarrett is also an avid golfer and has won quite a few tournaments in his time, boasting a two handicap. The venture is an animal rescue foundation that focuses on rehoming companion animals in shelters. Bill Elliott, the winner of the 1988 Winston Cup, became one of NASCAR's most popular drivers during his career. His expertise has been used by various racing teams and Elliott is still a commentator for NASCAR to this day. He worked as a commentator for ESPN starting in 2006 and continued in 2007. Even though his best finish in the 500 was sixth (in 1975 and 1976), Marcis didnt consider Daytona his toughest track. Earnhardt Jr. was just coming into his own when his father passed away in a tragic racing crash. He was always my idol when I first started racing. His career spanned throughout the 1990s with a series of decent finishes and wins, and there were also some strong finishes in the 2006 season. Craven retired from commentary in 2020 to open a new venture, Ricky Craven Motorsports. Nowadays he is still involving in racing. Following the 1990 NASCAR Cup Series season, the top seven drivers remained in stock car racing. Spencer and his parents had grandstand seats for many years for the Daytona 500. In a series first, NASCAR will award medals to the top three finishers in a Cup race. 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 . Now Wallace owns and operates eight car dealerships in East Tennessee. He set a record by being named Most Popular Driver 16 times and ultimately withdrew his name from the ballot. Wallace had a close rivalry with Dale Earnhardt Sr. which lasted until Earnhardts death, although both drivers had mutual respect for each other. In that timeframe, Johnson recorded 83 career race wins, not a bad feat considering the fierce competition of the era. Bill Elliotts NASCAR Challenge for MS-DOS being the first officially licensed game by NASCAR, influencing the popularity of these games fans have to this day. We didnt even have a 1/2-mile track we ran on weekly. He followed the path of most retired NASCAR drivers who go onto open a car or motorcycle dealership of some type. MORE: What's ahead for Kyle Larson in the Indy 500? Marcis replacement for the 1979 season was Dale Earnhardt. Copyright 2023 PopCulture.com. Today he can still be seen on TV, heard on the radio and watched racing on the track all over the world. Both career choices have become highly lucrative for the retired stock car racer. Above all, I want to be a part of it, he said. Motorsport has grown exponentially, but many people wonder what happens to superstar racers after retirement? Wallace had a close rivalry with Dale Earnhardt Sr. which lasted until Earnhardts death, although both drivers had mutual respect for each other. Of course, my wife doesnt want me to, but yeah, I still would like to.. "About. NASCAR racing has changed a lot over the years and Terry Labonte will remain a part of it. We took a look at what the most popular Nascar drivers of all-time are doing nowadays. Earnhardt Jr. has also done voice acting in the Disney/Pixar movie Cars as Number 8. The sellout is the eighth consecutive for the 500, which opens the NASCAR Cup Series regular season. After finishing his last race of the 2019 season, Sadler has been heavily involved with the Autism Speaks Foundation. He currently is 64 years old and is living in Kannapolis, North Carolina with his wife. Lewis Hamiltons ultimate mission at the Mercedes Formula 1 team is unchanged since the day he joined: it is taking himself and his team to world championship glory. The racing of yesteryear was an entirely different sport than it is today, with a lot more risk and less technology. Steve Park . It is certainly not easy, but somehow Craven did it. 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. The venue hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1932 and 1984 Olympics. The Rooster built a reputation for being an "ironman" during his NASCAR career, starting 788 consecutive races from 1981- 2005. Craven famously had a crash with Kurt Busch at the 2003 Carolina Dodge Dealers 400. Following the 1990 NASCAR Cup Series season, the top seven drivers remained in stock car racing. 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. Excitement has finally slowed down. In the racing world it is no different. Elliott had a storied run in NASCAR over the last 30 years, doing everything from winning the Budweiser 500 to competing in various cups. Marlin is another driver that had a fair amount of success in a short period. Tickets remain available in the infield Fanzone and in hospitality areas. None other than The King, Richard Petty, was the first to greet Marcis, the wing-tipped short track wonder from Wausau, Wisconsin. More recently, Busch has become a mentor for new drivers in the sport, mentoring his younger brother Kyle as well as Bubba Wallace, whos had an up and down few seasons. The winner of the 1990 Winston Cup Series his fourth championship Dale Earnhardt continued to showcase his talents behind the wheel of the No. My wife and I have been traveling. His all-time favorite racing memory revolves around, like many other drivers, Daytona International Speedway. Drivers were selected after participating a combine in November in Charlotte and South Boston, Va. Martin also opened up four car dealerships in his hometown of Batesville, Arkansas. He also owns Mark Martin Powersports in Batesville, which sells boats, motorcycles, ATVs and UTVs. You can submit your ideas to nascarmailbag@motorsport.comor directly to Tim Southers at Tim.Southers@Motorsport.com. The race winners medal weighs 4.7 ounces and is covered in 24-karat plated gold. These days, Spencer and his wife split time between homes in North Carolina and their native Pennsylvania. 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. In addition to that accolade, Sadler is also an advocate for college basketball, having played himself and earned a scholarship before a debilitating knee injury. Busch has long been sponsored by Monster Energy Drink and spends a great deal of time doing press. Where Are They Now? Lake Speed only won one race in his career. Few drivers have the personable appearance that Johnson has, and that has afforded him great popularity. In those days, everybody had to qualify and sometimes you had 62 cars trying to qualify for 40 or so places.. This is bigger than anything Ive done. Im not mad, I dont regret anything Ive done. Trenton, New Jersey (Trenton Speedway) used to be a real tough race track when they put the dog leg in the back straightaway, and Dover, Delaware (Dover International Speedway) was a real tough race track because youd spend 5 hours in that heat, at 130 degrees in that race car, he said. Former/retired drivers[edit] = Former champion in National Touring Series. Bodine was one of the longest-tenured drivers in the sport, actively driving for a team well into his 60s. Busch, in his first season driving for the Welcome, N.C.-based team, will carry Netspend colors in several races, including the March 26 event at Circuit of the Americas in Texas near Netspends Austin headquarters. Marlin is another driver that had a fair amount of success in a short period. He entered the 2001 season seeking a record-breaking eighth championship. Allison has not been as active in the racing community as his peers recently, but he still makes an appearance on television from time to time. Upon entering retirement he purchased a large ranch outside of Jackson, Wyoming. Sponsorship will be from Black Rifle Coffee Company. Now that he is retired, he serves as a Hall of Fame voter and occasionally takes part in a go-kart league in North Carolina. Superstar NASCAR Drivers: Where Are They Now? She was worried about retirement and so many things in life and she couldnt enjoy them. Bodine was one of the longest-tenured drivers in the sport, actively driving for a team well into his 60s. I miss the officials, seeing the crew members, seeing the drivers, having a good time. The sellout is the eighth consecutive for the 500, which opens the NASCAR Cup Series regular season. 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? He is also still actively driving at the ISMA tour, operating a super-modified car thats owned by Brad Lichty. The 1990 Winston Cup season was one of the most exciting in NASCAR history. Im probably ready to hop back into a race car, he said with a laugh. We didnt have no money or big sponsorships when we did it. Few racers have as short and sweet of a run as Burton did. It was his sister Chrissys death in 2010, after a long battle with ovarian cancer, that began Spencer on something he never thought hed do. This solidified his status as a member of the 2013 Hall of Fame class. Labonte is another star driver whose NASCAR career stretches way back. 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. It was time to move on.. Pastrana, who has raced in a number of series over a 25-year career, has not competed in the Daytona 500. Lakes last Winston Cup (Now Sprint Cup) season came in 1998. There arent a lot of celebrities that have been able to cultivate the career that Wallace has done for himself. Her death touched my wife and me so much. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. He was also a key part of helping bring a new manufacturer into the sport and continues to work in the industry today. Other than the fact that Elliott is a storied racecar driver, hes also a skilled planner. Because the CRWA season lasted just three months. He asked Spencer what he thought it was. The famed driver was also inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2015, a prestigious honor that was bestowed on him at a young age (still in his sixties). It is interesting to see how drivers have evolved over the past couple of decades. Drivers during his career his 60s have the personable appearance that Johnson has, that... How drivers have been named to this year & # x27 ; s NASCAR Drive for Diversity Development... 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