Erik Darnell
Encyclopedia
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
. Darnell joined Roush Fenway in 2005 after being a co-winner on the Discovery Channel
program Roush Racing: Driver X
, along with David Ragan
.
Erik began racing at the age of 12 in the River Vally Kart Club. He won the championship in the purple plate class in his second year of competition, later racing Allison Legacy cars after go karts. His first year of super late models was at Illiana Motor Speedway
, with Erik finishing 3rd in the final standings with 1 win. Erik beat the best Wisconsin super late model drivers to win the 2003 Wisconsin Challenge Series championship. At that time his five wins were the most in the series' history. He set the super late model track record at Lake Geneva Raceway
in 2004.
in 2004, finishing 26th. He also raced in numerous NASCAR touring series races.
Darnell drove in several NASCAR touring series and six ARCA races in 2005.
(CTS) in 2006. He had twelve Top-10 finishes in 25 events, and he was the series' Rookie of the Year
. He continued to drive for the team in 2007, as well as testing the team's Busch Series
cars. On April 28, 2007 Darnell won the O'Reilly Auto Parts 250
at Kansas Speedway
for his first Craftsman Truck Series
win.
Darnell started the 2008 season by capturing the pole position
at the Daytona International Speedway
. He won his second career CTS race in June 2008 at Michigan International Speedway
by .005 of a second over Johnny Benson
.
For 2009, Darnell will compete in 15 NASCAR
Nationwide Series races, sharing the car with Cup Series driver David Ragan
. Darnell will be running for Rookie of the Year. Darnell ran his first of 15 NASCAR
Nationwide Series race at Richmond International Raceway
where he finished 12th. Also, Darnell competed in seven of the final 11 NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series races. He ran the car at Atlanta, Loudon, Kansas, Talladega, Texas, Phoenix, and Homestead. Darnell competed in the #96 Academy Sports + Outdoors Ford for the Atlanta, Talladega, and Texas races. He alternated the ride with Bobby Labonte
.
In 2010, Darnell found himself without a ride for most of the season do to the lack of sponsorship. He continued to stay on at Roush Fenway Racing as a practice-qualifying driver for Carl Edwards at Standalone Nationwide Series races. Darnell did a 3 race deal to drive the #16 Ford in the Nationwide Series. His best finish was 14th at Dover and Texas.
In 2011, Darnell returned to the Cup Series, driving for Whitney Motorsports
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
stock car racing
Stock car racing
Stock car racing is a form of automobile racing found mainly in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Great Britain, Brazil and Argentina. Traditionally, races are run on oval tracks measuring approximately in length...
driver, c He is the grandson of former USAC
United States Automobile Club
The United States Auto Club is one of the sanctioning bodies of auto racing in the United States. From 1956 to 1979, the USAC sanctioned the United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 the organization sanctioned the Indianapolis 500...
and NASCAR
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 Bay Darnell, who also started three NASCAR races for Holman Moody
Holman Moody
Holman Moody was an auto racing team, racecar manufacturer, and marine engine manufacturer. The team built virtually all of the factory Ford racecars of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. It owned racecars that competed in NASCAR, drag racing, ocean boat racing, rallys, and sports car racing. The team...
. Darnell joined Roush Fenway in 2005 after being a co-winner on the Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
program Roush Racing: Driver X
Roush 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...
, along with David Ragan
David Ragan
David Ragan, , is an American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race car driver. He has previously driven the #6 Roush Fenway Racing ford, but is currently looking for a ride for the 2012 season...
.
Pre-NASCAR career
Illiana Motor Speedway
The Illiana Motor Speedway is a race track located in Schererville, Indiana, United States and was built in 1947. Located about from downtown Chicago, Illinois, United States; the Illiana Motor Speedway is the only 1/2 mile paved oval in the Chicago area....
, with Erik finishing 3rd in the final standings with 1 win. Erik beat the best Wisconsin super late model drivers to win the 2003 Wisconsin Challenge Series championship. At that time his five wins were the most in the series' history. He set the super late model track record at Lake Geneva Raceway
Lake Geneva Raceway
Lake Geneva Raceway was a motocross, demolition derby, off-road racing, stock car, and kart racing racetrack in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. It was billed as "Wisconsin's Busiest Racetrack." The track closed on December 31, 2006, as the site will eventually be developed into a subdivision...
in 2004.
Move to national driver
Darnell drove in his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at MilwaukeeMilwaukee Mile
The Milwaukee Mile is a -long oval race track in West Allis, Wisconsin that seats about 40,000 spectators. It operated as a dirt track until 1953. The track was paved in 1954....
in 2004, finishing 26th. He also raced in numerous NASCAR touring series races.
Darnell drove in several NASCAR touring series and six ARCA races in 2005.
NASCAR career
Darnell raced full-time in the Craftsman Truck SeriesCraftsman 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...
(CTS) in 2006. He had twelve Top-10 finishes in 25 events, and he was the series' Rookie of the Year
NASCAR Rookie of the Year
The NASCAR Rookie of the Year Award is presented to the first-year driver that has the best season in a NASCAR season. Each of NASCAR's national and regional touring series selects a RotY winner each year....
. He continued to drive for the team in 2007, as well as testing the team's 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...
cars. On April 28, 2007 Darnell won the O'Reilly Auto Parts 250
O'Reilly Auto Parts 250
The O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 is a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race that takes place at Kansas Speedway.In 2007 the race was run on April 28, in hopes of cooler weather for race day. As in the past 6 years the race was run on very hot and humid July days, making it hard for the fans and drivers...
at Kansas Speedway
Kansas Speedway
Kansas Speedway is a tri-oval race track in Kansas City, Kansas. The speedway was built in 2001 and currently hosts two annual NASCAR race weekends. The IndyCar Series also raced at the speedway until 2011...
for his first 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...
win.
Darnell started the 2008 season by capturing the pole position
Pole position
The term "pole position", as used in motorsports, comes from the horse racing term where the number one starter starts on the inside next to the inside pole. The term made its way, along with several other customs, to auto racing. In circuit motorsports, a driver has pole position when he or she...
at the Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
. He won his second career CTS race in June 2008 at Michigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway is a two-mile moderate-banked D-shaped superspeedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than in Brooklyn, in the scenic Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is sometimes known as a "sister track" to Texas...
by .005 of a second over Johnny Benson
Johnny Benson
Jonathan Benson, Jr. is an American NASCAR driver and the son of former Michigan modified driver John Benson, Sr...
.
For 2009, Darnell will compete in 15 NASCAR
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...
Nationwide Series races, sharing the car with Cup Series driver David Ragan
David Ragan
David Ragan, , is an American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race car driver. He has previously driven the #6 Roush Fenway Racing ford, but is currently looking for a ride for the 2012 season...
. Darnell will be running for Rookie of the Year. Darnell ran his first of 15 NASCAR
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...
Nationwide Series race at Richmond International Raceway
Richmond 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...
where he finished 12th. Also, Darnell competed in seven of the final 11 NASCAR
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...
Sprint Cup Series races. He ran the car at Atlanta, Loudon, Kansas, Talladega, Texas, Phoenix, and Homestead. Darnell competed in the #96 Academy Sports + Outdoors Ford for the Atlanta, Talladega, and Texas races. He alternated the ride with Bobby Labonte
Bobby Labonte
Robert Alan "Bobby" Labonte is an American race car driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He currently drives the #47 Kroger/Clorox/Kimberly-Clark/Kingsford/Reese Towpower Hitches Toyota Camry for JTG Daugherty Racing. He currently resides in Trinity, North Carolina. He is married to his wife...
.
In 2010, Darnell found himself without a ride for most of the season do to the lack of sponsorship. He continued to stay on at Roush Fenway Racing as a practice-qualifying driver for Carl Edwards at Standalone Nationwide Series races. Darnell did a 3 race deal to drive the #16 Ford in the Nationwide Series. His best finish was 14th at Dover and Texas.
In 2011, Darnell returned to the Cup Series, driving for Whitney Motorsports
Whitney Motorsports
Whitney Motorsports is a NASCAR team that currently competes in the Sprint Cup Series. It is based in Harrisburg, North Carolina. They currently field the #46Red Line Oil/International Trucks Ford Fusion for Scott Speed and The #81 Ford Fusion for Scott Riggs....
.