Danny O'Quinn
Encyclopedia
Daniel O'Quinn, Jr. is an American
professional stock car racer from Coeburn, Virginia
. He currently drives the #39 Ford Mustang
in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for Go Green Racing.
s at the age of 7 and won four championships. He won over 130 races, and one Tennessee state championship between 1992 and 1998.
In 1999 he became the Street Stock rookie of the year at Lonesome Pine Raceway. He moved up to a late model car in 2000 and won the track championship and the Rookie of the Year award. In 2001, he raced both at Lonesome Pine and the ARA series. He had three wins and four poles. He also attended the University of Virginia's College at Wise
in 2003-2005 but put his collegiate pursuits on hold as his professional racing career took off.
In 2002, he won the UARA late model touring series national championship.
. He became the youngest driver to win in series history and finished seventh overall in points. In 2005, he had six starts in the ARCA series and three sixth place finishes.
. He was ultimately runner-up in the competition, but skipped the Craftsman Truck Series
and proceeded directly to the Busch Series with Driver X winner Erik Darnell
being inked to the Roush truck contract.
In 2006, he raced the World Financial Group
#50 Ford in the Busch Series
. He got his first Top-10 finish at Nashville Superspeedway
after starting second, and followed it up with Top-10's at Milwaukee, ORP, Memphis
and Charlotte
, where he scored a career best finish of 5th.
O'Quinn was named Busch Series Rookie of the Year after the 2006 Season Finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway
beating former NASCAR Winston Cup driver John Andretti
and teammate Todd Kluever
, among others, for the award. In 2007, O'Quinn made occasional starts in #17 Dish Network
Ford and also ran part time with Mac Hill Motorsports in the #56 Chevy.
After driving part time in 2007 in selected races with Roush Fenway Racing. O'Quinn announced his departure from the team, due to a lack of sponsorship which prohibited from landing a full-time ride with the team. He then signed on to drive the #56 Chevy for Mac Hill Motorsports part time for the remainder of the year. He made only one start in 2008 for Mac Hill, where he finished 28th at Richmond. He ended the year driving the #35 Team Rensi Motorsports
Ford on a part-time basis, with a best finish of 40th. He signed with JD Motorsports in 2009, and drove the #01 Sun Drop Chevrolet Impala
.
Following the Food City 250
on August 21, 2009, O'Quinn left the JD Motorsports team. He finished the year by start and park
ing for K-Automotive Motorsports and Fitz Racing. In 2011, O'Quinn joined Go Green Racing.
NASCAR.com/dannyo,quinn
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional stock car racer from Coeburn, Virginia
Coeburn, Virginia
Coeburn is a town in Wise County, Virginia, along the Guest River. The population was 1,996 at the 2000 census with many small peaceful wooded communities in the outskirts. Camping is available nearby at Bark Camp Lake in the Jefferson National Forest with other activities including boating and...
. He currently drives the #39 Ford Mustang
Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the second generation North American Ford Falcon, a compact car. Introduced early on April 17, 1964, as a "1964½" model, the 1965 Mustang was the automaker's most successful launch since the Model A...
in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for Go Green Racing.
Background
O'Quinn began racing go-kartGo-kart
thumb|A [[Kart racing|racing kart]] at the [[Commission Internationale de Karting|CIK-FIA]] European Championship 2008A go-kart is a small four-wheeled vehicle...
s at the age of 7 and won four championships. He won over 130 races, and one Tennessee state championship between 1992 and 1998.
In 1999 he became the Street Stock rookie of the year at Lonesome Pine Raceway. He moved up to a late model car in 2000 and won the track championship and the Rookie of the Year award. In 2001, he raced both at Lonesome Pine and the ARA series. He had three wins and four poles. He also attended the University of Virginia's College at Wise
University of Virginia's College at Wise
The University of Virginia's College at Wise is the liberal arts college of the University of Virginia, and a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges, located in Wise, Virginia...
in 2003-2005 but put his collegiate pursuits on hold as his professional racing career took off.
In 2002, he won the UARA late model touring series national championship.
Move to national driver
Quinn moved up to the USAR Hooters Pro Cup (Southern Series) in 2003, and became the Southern Series Rookie of the Year. In 2004, he won the Food City 250 at his home race track of Lonesome Pine Raceway in Coeburn, VirginiaCoeburn, Virginia
Coeburn is a town in Wise County, Virginia, along the Guest River. The population was 1,996 at the 2000 census with many small peaceful wooded communities in the outskirts. Camping is available nearby at Bark Camp Lake in the Jefferson National Forest with other activities including boating and...
. He became the youngest driver to win in series history and finished seventh overall in points. In 2005, he had six starts in the ARCA series and three sixth place finishes.
NASCAR career
In the fall of 2005, O'Quinn was a contestant on Roush Racing: Driver XRoush Racing: Driver X
Roush Racing: Driver X is a television show on the Discovery Channel that documented the selection of NASCAR drivers for Roush Racing. During occasional years, Jack Roush, the owner of NASCAR's Roush Fenway Racing, auditions drivers from around the world to hire a driver in the NASCAR Craftsman...
. He was ultimately runner-up in the competition, but skipped 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...
and proceeded directly to the Busch Series with Driver X winner Erik Darnell
Erik Darnell
Erik Darnell is an American stock car racing driver, c He is the grandson of former USAC and NASCAR driver Bay Darnell, who also started three NASCAR races for Holman Moody...
being inked to the Roush truck contract.
In 2006, he raced the World Financial Group
World Financial Group
World Financial Group is a financial services marketing organization based in Johns Creek, Georgia that markets investment, insurance, and various other financial products through a network of associates in the United States and Canada. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of AEGON...
#50 Ford in the 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...
. He got his first Top-10 finish at Nashville Superspeedway
Nashville Superspeedway
Nashville Superspeedway is a motor racing complex located in Gladeville, Tennessee , United States, about 30 miles southeast of Nashville. On August 2, 2011, it was announced that Nashville Superspeedway will not host any NASCAR events in 2012. It is a concrete oval track 1 1/3 miles in...
after starting second, and followed it up with Top-10's at Milwaukee, ORP, Memphis
Memphis Motorsports Park
Memphis International Raceway is an auto racing park located across the Loosahatchie River from Memphis, Tennessee, approximately ten miles south of Millington, Tennessee. The facility opened in 1987 with a drag strip and 1.8-mile road course...
and Charlotte
Lowe's Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Sprint All-Star Race...
, where he scored a career best finish of 5th.
O'Quinn was named Busch Series Rookie of the Year after the 2006 Season Finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway
Homestead-Miami Speedway
Homestead-Miami Speedway is a race track in Homestead, Florida southwest of Miami.Since 2002 Homestead has hosted the final races of the season in all three of NASCAR's series: the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, and the Camping World Truck Series...
beating former NASCAR Winston Cup driver John Andretti
John Andretti
John Andretti is an American race car driver. He has won in CART, IMSA GTP, Rolex Sports Car Series and NASCAR. He was the last NASCAR driver to win a Cup race for the famous Petty Enterprises team.-Andretti family:...
and teammate Todd Kluever
Todd Kluever
Todd Alan Kluever is a NASCAR driver. He currently is a free agent.-Early career:Kluever began his career by racing motorcycles for over nine years before he moved into full-bodied stock cars at a local track. He raced stock cars in the summer and snowmobiles during the Wisconsin winters...
, among others, for the award. In 2007, O'Quinn made occasional starts in #17 Dish Network
Dish Network
Dish Network Corporation is the second largest pay TV provider in the United States, providing direct broadcast satellite service—including satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services—to 14.337 million commercial and residential customers in the United States. Dish...
Ford and also ran part time with Mac Hill Motorsports in the #56 Chevy.
After driving part time in 2007 in selected races with Roush Fenway Racing. O'Quinn announced his departure from the team, due to a lack of sponsorship which prohibited from landing a full-time ride with the team. He then signed on to drive the #56 Chevy for Mac Hill Motorsports part time for the remainder of the year. He made only one start in 2008 for Mac Hill, where he finished 28th at Richmond. He ended the year driving the #35 Team Rensi Motorsports
Team Rensi Motorsports
Team Rensi Motorsports is a NASCAR Nationwide Series team owned by Ed Rensi, Gary Weisbaum, and formerly Sam Rensi. The team has also competed in the Winston Cup Series, Craftsman Truck Series, and ARCA racing series...
Ford on a part-time basis, with a best finish of 40th. He signed with JD Motorsports in 2009, and drove the #01 Sun Drop Chevrolet Impala
Chevrolet Impala
The Chevrolet Impala is a full-size automobile built by the Chevrolet division of General Motors introduced for the 1958 model year. Deriving its name from the southern African antelope, Chevrolet's most expensive passenger model through 1965 had become the best-selling automobile in the United...
.
Following the Food City 250
Food City 250
The Food City 250 is a NASCAR Nationwide Series stock car race that takes place each August under the lights at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. It is held the night before the Sprint Cup Series Sharpie 500...
on August 21, 2009, O'Quinn left the JD Motorsports team. He finished the year by start and park
Start and park
Start and park is a term used in NASCAR-sanctioned and other auto racing sanctioning bodies to describe the practice of racing teams starting races but pulling the car off the track after just a few laps in order to collect prize money while avoiding expenses such as replacement tires, engine wear...
ing for K-Automotive Motorsports and Fitz Racing. In 2011, O'Quinn joined Go Green Racing.
External links
NASCAR.com/dannyo,quinn