Andy Hillenburg
Encyclopedia
Andy Hillenburg is an American
race car driver, team owner and track owner. He began his racing career at age 11, when he competed in the Indianapolis soap box derby
. He currently owns Fast Track Racing Enterprises, a racing team that competes in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and ARCA RE/MAX Series. He is credited for reviving North Carolina Speedway, now known as Rockingham Speedway after it lost its NASCAR dates in 2004.
Super Car Series
Championship in 1995, with 3 time ARCA Champion Bob Dotter
as Crew Chief. He won the 1995 and 1997 Daytona ARCA 200, the premiere event in the series.
He served as a test driver for the IROC series
. He competed in the 2000 Indianapolis 500
, finishing 28th, and has sixteen Winston Cup starts nine Busch Series
starts and four in the Craftsman Truck Series
. His best finish in NASCAR was a third place finish at the 1999 NAPA Auto Parts 300, where he finished 3rd in the #18 MBNA
Pontiac Grand Prix
for Joe Gibbs Racing
.
and the Camping World Truck Series. He also fielded a car driven by Frank Kimmel
in the 2007 Daytona 500
, but the entry did not make the field. He will continue to run two trucks in the Truck Series in 2009 through a partnership with Dave McClure.
on ESPN
, Herbie Fully Loaded, and Talladega Nights.
Hillenburg also was a technical advisor and provided equipment for the filming of the Bollywood film Ta Ra Rum Pum, which was filmed at Rockingham and also at the ARCA race at the Wisconsin State Fair Park
.
in Rockingham, North Carolina
for $4.4 million (USD). The track was put up for auction by Speedway Motorsports Inc and chairman Bruton Smith
. Rockingham has not hosted a NASCAR event since 2004, but Hillenburg hopes to bring lower-tier NASCAR series back to the track. On May 4, 2008 the ARCA RE/MAX Series raced at Rockingham in the Carolina 500 and again will in 2009. Also in 2008, the USAR Hooters Procup Series had their final race of the season at the Rockingham Speedway, in a race called the American 200 (named in honor of the name for the first race run at the Rock in 1965, the American 500) on November 1, 2008.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
race car driver, team owner and track owner. He began his racing career at age 11, when he competed in the Indianapolis soap box derby
Soap Box Derby
The Soap Box Derby is a youth soapbox car racing program which has been run in the United States since 1934. World Championship finals are held each July at Derby Downs in Akron, Ohio...
. He currently owns Fast Track Racing Enterprises, a racing team that competes in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and ARCA RE/MAX Series. He is credited for reviving North Carolina Speedway, now known as Rockingham Speedway after it lost its NASCAR dates in 2004.
Racecar driver
He won the state quarter midget championships in 1975-1979. Hillenburg won the ARCAAutomobile Racing Club of America
Automobile Racing Club of America is an auto racing sanctioning body in the United States, founded in 1953 by John Marcum. The current president of ARCA is Ron Drager. The ARCA RE/MAX Series races stock cars similar to those seen in past years in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and indeed most cars...
Super Car Series
ARCA RE/MAX Series
-History:The series started as a local touring group. Led by John Marcum, the Midwest Association for Race Cars was formed with drivers like Iggy Katona and Nelson Stacy being early drivers.The series became a part of the Daytona Speedweeks in 1964...
Championship in 1995, with 3 time ARCA Champion Bob Dotter
Bob Dotter
Bob Dotter was a 3 time Automobile Racing Club of America Super Car Champion driver. Winning the title in 1980, 1983 and 1984. He was born in South Carolina but moved to Chicago, Illinois when he was young. Bob lost his left arm in an industrial accident in the early 60's. He drove and built his...
as Crew Chief. He won the 1995 and 1997 Daytona ARCA 200, the premiere event in the series.
He served as a test driver for the IROC series
International Race of Champions
International Race of Champions, better known as IROC, was a North American auto racing competition, promoted as an equivalent of an American All-Star Game or The Masters...
. He competed in the 2000 Indianapolis 500
2000 Indianapolis 500
The 2000 Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 28, 2000.-Recap:Chip Ganassi Racing became the first regular CART series team to break ranks and compete at Indianapolis since the CART/IRL split in 1996, entering 1996 CART series champion Jimmy Vasser and reigning...
, finishing 28th, and has sixteen Winston Cup starts nine Busch Series
Busch Series
The NASCAR Nationwide Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It is promoted as NASCAR's "minor league" circuit, and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big leagues"; the Sprint Cup circuit...
starts and four in the Craftsman Truck Series
Craftsman Truck Series
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing...
. His best finish in NASCAR was a third place finish at the 1999 NAPA Auto Parts 300, where he finished 3rd in the #18 MBNA
MBNA
MBNA Corporation was a bank holding company and parent company of wholly owned subsidiary MBNA America Bank, N.A., headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, prior to being acquired by Bank of America in 2006...
Pontiac Grand Prix
Pontiac Grand Prix
Picking up where the Pontiac Ventura model left off, the Grand Prix first appeared in the Pontiac line for 1962. It was essentially a standard Pontiac Catalina coupe with minimal outside chrome trim and a sportier interior...
for Joe Gibbs Racing
Joe Gibbs Racing
Joe Gibbs Racing is a group of NASCAR racing teams owned and operated by former Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs, who first started racing on the NASCAR circuit in 1991, and J. D. Gibbs, his son...
.
Racecar owner
As of 2008 he operates the Fast Track High Performance Driving School and is running a team for Bryan Silas as an entry in ARCAAutomobile Racing Club of America
Automobile Racing Club of America is an auto racing sanctioning body in the United States, founded in 1953 by John Marcum. The current president of ARCA is Ron Drager. The ARCA RE/MAX Series races stock cars similar to those seen in past years in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and indeed most cars...
and the Camping World Truck Series. He also fielded a car driven by Frank Kimmel
Frank Kimmel
Franklin James Kimmel is an American stock car driver/owner. He drives the #44 Ansell Gloves/Menards Ford in the ARCA RE/MAX Series. Kimmel has won the ARCA championship nine times, including eight consecutive...
in the 2007 Daytona 500
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
, but the entry did not make the field. He will continue to run two trucks in the Truck Series in 2009 through a partnership with Dave McClure.
Acting
He has also acted in a few movies, including 3: The Dale Earnhardt Story3: The Dale Earnhardt Story
3: The Dale Earnhardt Story is a 2004 television movie produced by ESPN documenting the life of NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt, his poor upbringing in Kannapolis, North Carolina, his rise to dominance in NASCAR, his relationship with his son, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and his death in the 2001 Daytona 500...
on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, Herbie Fully Loaded, and Talladega Nights.
Hillenburg also was a technical advisor and provided equipment for the filming of the Bollywood film Ta Ra Rum Pum, which was filmed at Rockingham and also at the ARCA race at the Wisconsin State Fair Park
Wisconsin State Fair Park
The Wisconsin State Fair Park is a fairgrounds and exhibition center in the Milwaukee suburb of West Allis, Wisconsin, USA. It has been the location of the Wisconsin State Fair since 1892. It also hosts other venues such as the Milwaukee Mile, the oldest continuously operating motor speedway in...
.
North Carolina Speedway
On October 2, 2007, Hillenburg purchased North Carolina SpeedwayNorth Carolina Speedway
Rockingham Speedway, formerly North Carolina Motor Speedway and later North Carolina Speedway is a racetrack located near Rockingham, North Carolina...
in Rockingham, North Carolina
Rockingham, North Carolina
Rockingham is a city in Richmond County, North Carolina, United States named after the Marquis of Rockingham. The population was 9,672 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Richmond County...
for $4.4 million (USD). The track was put up for auction by Speedway Motorsports Inc and chairman Bruton Smith
Bruton Smith
Ollen Bruton Smith is a promoter and owner/CEO of NASCAR track owner Speedway Motorsports, Inc. He was ranked #207 on the Forbes 400 list with an estimated worth of $1.5 billion in 2005, and fell to #278 in 2006. He is divorced with four children...
. Rockingham has not hosted a NASCAR event since 2004, but Hillenburg hopes to bring lower-tier NASCAR series back to the track. On May 4, 2008 the ARCA RE/MAX Series raced at Rockingham in the Carolina 500 and again will in 2009. Also in 2008, the USAR Hooters Procup Series had their final race of the season at the Rockingham Speedway, in a race called the American 200 (named in honor of the name for the first race run at the Rock in 1965, the American 500) on November 1, 2008.