B. A. Wilson
Encyclopedia
B. A. Wilson is a former NASCAR
driver. He competed in the Craftsman Truck Series
from 1997-2000.
with a solid qualifying effort of 17th. He drove a smart race and came home with a 14th place finish. Wilson qualified 17th in his other 1997 race, which came at Martinsville
. However, transmission troubles sidelined him this time to 31st position.
. Wilson also qualified well, getting a pair of ninth place starting positions, at Martinsville and Nashville. Bad news for Wilson was that he also did not finish half of the races and he would have to work on that to improve his 36th place in the point rankings.
and career best qualifying effort (7th at Martinsville). In the season finale, at California
, Wilson switched to Sonntag Racing. He finished 28th.
had the horrific crash as well. competing in twenty-one of twenty-four races and finishing 21st in points. Wilson got his first career top-10 at Texas
, where he finished ninth. He later matched that effort at Chicago Motor Speedway
. Other highlights included a career best qualifying effort at Pikes Peak
(5th), first laps led (at Mesa Marin
-14) and then later at Chicago Motor (7 laps). However, it was not enough to keep Wilson's job and he was released following the season finale. He has not raced in NASCAR since.
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
driver. He competed 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...
from 1997-2000.
1997
Wilson made his debut in 1997, when he drove a personally-owned vehicle into the show at RichmondRichmond International Raceway
Richmond International Raceway is a 3/4-mile , D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series...
with a solid qualifying effort of 17th. He drove a smart race and came home with a 14th place finish. Wilson qualified 17th in his other 1997 race, which came at Martinsville
Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, near Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved...
. However, transmission troubles sidelined him this time to 31st position.
1998
Wilson ran eight more races in 1998, continuing to run his family-owned #85 Llumar Chevy. Wilson did a respectable job, putting the truck in the top-20 in half of his outings. His best run would end up being a 14th place at RichmondRichmond International Raceway
Richmond International Raceway is a 3/4-mile , D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series...
. Wilson also qualified well, getting a pair of ninth place starting positions, at Martinsville and Nashville. Bad news for Wilson was that he also did not finish half of the races and he would have to work on that to improve his 36th place in the point rankings.
1999
Wilson did improve in 1999, finishing 32nd in points after another eight-race schedule. Wilson, though, did not really have his results improve on paper as he only finished three races. However, he did set his career best finish to that point (12th at Las VegasLas Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway, located in Clark County, Nevada near Las Vegas, is a complex of multiple tracks for automobile racing. The complex is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.-History:...
and career best qualifying effort (7th at Martinsville). In the season finale, at California
California Speedway
Auto Club Speedway is a two-mile , low-banked, D-shaped oval superspeedway in Fontana, California which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since 1997. The track was also used for open wheel racing events until 2005. The racetrack is located near the former locations of Ontario Motor Speedway and...
, Wilson switched to Sonntag Racing. He finished 28th.
2000
Wilson stayed with Sonntag for the full 2000 season, he was involved in the big one at Daytona in which Geoff BodineGeoff Bodine
Geoffrey Eli Bodine is an American motorsport driver and bobsled builder. He is the oldest of the three Bodine brothers . Bodine currently lives in Cornelius, North Carolina....
had the horrific crash as well. competing in twenty-one of twenty-four races and finishing 21st in points. Wilson got his first career top-10 at Texas
Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas – the portion located in Denton County, Texas....
, where he finished ninth. He later matched that effort at Chicago Motor Speedway
Chicago Motor Speedway
The Chicago Motor Speedway at Sportsman's Park located in Cicero, Illinois, just outside of Chicago, was built in 1999 by a group including Chip Ganassi, owner of Chip Ganassi Racing. In 2002 the oval shaped track suspended operations due to financial conditions in the motorsports industry. The...
. Other highlights included a career best qualifying effort at Pikes Peak
Pikes Peak International Raceway
Pikes Peak International Raceway, also known as PPIR, is a participant focused racetrack located in Fountain, Colorado, south of Colorado Springs and north of Pueblo...
(5th), first laps led (at Mesa Marin
Mesa Marin Raceway
Mesa Marin Raceway was a NASCAR affiliated oval racetrack located in Bakersfield, California from 1977 until 2005. It was leveled in the fall of 2005 after being sold to developers....
-14) and then later at Chicago Motor (7 laps). However, it was not enough to keep Wilson's job and he was released following the season finale. He has not raced in NASCAR since.