Keyed-Up Motorsports
Encyclopedia
Keyed-Up Motorsports is a stock car racing team currently on hiatus from the NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series owned by Raymond Key. The team fielded the #90 Chevrolet Impala
for 2010
but failed to qualify for the 2010 Daytona 500
. Casey Mears
was the driver for the first six events, their crew chief was Doug Richert
and the team purchased their cars from Dale Earnhardt Inc.
The team has committed to run the first 5 races of 2010 but will run the full season if funding is secured. It was briefly an affiliate of the Nationwide Series team, Key Motorsports
, owned by Raymond's brother Curtis.
Mears's first appearance in the car came in qualifying for the Daytona 500. The team qualified 39th but failed to make the race after the qualifying race. The team failed to make the first four races of the season before finally making the field at Bristol.
Despite the team's qualifying troubles, Mears insisted Keyed-Up Motorsports would run the full race if he made the field and not be a start and park
operation. Mears was only signed through the first 5 races, and was free to look elsewhere after that.
After failing to make five of the first six races, Mears finished his commitment with Keyed-Up Motorsports and moved to a temporary role with Joe Gibbs Racing
as a standby driver for Denny Hamlin
, who was recovering from ACL surgery. They signed Scott Riggs
on March 30 and successfully qualified for Phoenix, the second race in seven attempts. Shortly after, Keyed-Up Motorsports announced the team was moving to a part-time schedule for 2010. In May 2010, the team suspended operations until sponsorship could be found rather than resort to funding via start and park. The team announced that it would return in 2011 for a limited schedule with Riggs as the driver and Doug Richert
as crew chief. However, Keyed-Up never appeared at Daytona, and Richert moved to Rick Ware Racing while Riggs drove some races for Whitney Motorsports
.
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 owned by Raymond Key. The team fielded the #90 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...
for 2010
2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
The 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season was the 62nd season of professional stock car racing in the United States. Beginning at Daytona International Speedway, the season included 36 races and two exhibition races. The season concluded with the 2010 Ford 400 at Homestead Miami Speedway...
but failed to qualify for the 2010 Daytona 500
2010 Daytona 500
The 2010 Daytona 500 was the 52nd running of "The Great American Race", and it kicked off the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season on February 14 at the 2.5 mile Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Fox telecast the race while radio coverage was handled by Sirius XM Radio...
. Casey Mears
Casey Mears
Casey James Mears is the driver of the #13 GEICO Toyota for Germain Racing in the Sprint Cup Series. He is a former winner of the Coca-Cola 600....
was the driver for the first six events, their crew chief was Doug Richert
Doug Richert
Doug Richert is a television personality for SpeedTV as well as the crew chief for the #71 Ford Fusion driven by Andy Lally and operated by TRG Motorsports in the Sprint Cup Series. He is also the former full-time crew chief for the #15 Ford Mustang driven by rookie Timmy Hill and run by Rick Ware...
and the team purchased their cars from Dale Earnhardt Inc.
Earnhardt Ganassi Racing
Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates is a NASCAR team based in Concord, North Carolina, United States, owned by Dale Earnhardt's widow Teresa Earnhardt, Chip Ganassi, and Felix Sabates. This team was formed when Dale Earnhardt, Inc...
The team has committed to run the first 5 races of 2010 but will run the full season if funding is secured. It was briefly an affiliate of the Nationwide Series team, Key Motorsports
Key Motorsports
Key Motorsports is a NASCAR team owned by Curtis Key. The team currently fields the #40 Chevrolet Impala driven by Charles Lewandoski, the #42 Chevrolet Impala drien by Tim Andrews, the #46 Chevrolet Impala driven by Chase Miller, and the #47 Chevrolet Impala driven by Danny Efland / Scott Wimmer...
, owned by Raymond's brother Curtis.
Car #90 History
In late 2009, Raymond Key was granted permission by NASCAR to form a new Sprint Cup Series team for the 2010 season. Keyed-Up selected the number "90" for their first car with the goal of competing in the Daytona 500. Keyed-Up was able to find sponsorship for the new car. As of the Daytona 500 their sponsors included 75000000.com, Wix Filters, Simpson Race Products, and Russo's Tinting. On January 16th, 2010, Keyed-Up Motorsports announced that Ergodyne Work Gear would be an associate sponsorship for the entire 2010 season.Mears's first appearance in the car came in qualifying for the Daytona 500. The team qualified 39th but failed to make the race after the qualifying race. The team failed to make the first four races of the season before finally making the field at Bristol.
Despite the team's qualifying troubles, Mears insisted Keyed-Up Motorsports would run the full race if he made the field and not be a 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...
operation. Mears was only signed through the first 5 races, and was free to look elsewhere after that.
After failing to make five of the first six races, Mears finished his commitment with Keyed-Up Motorsports and moved to a temporary role with 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...
as a standby driver for Denny Hamlin
Denny Hamlin
James Dennis Alan "Denny" Hamlin is an American race car driver. Though originally born in Tampa, Florida, Hamlin was raised for most of his life in Chesterfield, Virginia. After racing in go-karts for a number of years, he worked his way up to Late Models by 2004 and signed a development contract...
, who was recovering from ACL surgery. They signed Scott Riggs
Scott Riggs
Russell Scott Riggs is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #81 Dodge Charger for Whitney Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.-Early career:...
on March 30 and successfully qualified for Phoenix, the second race in seven attempts. Shortly after, Keyed-Up Motorsports announced the team was moving to a part-time schedule for 2010. In May 2010, the team suspended operations until sponsorship could be found rather than resort to funding via start and park. The team announced that it would return in 2011 for a limited schedule with Riggs as the driver and Doug Richert
Doug Richert
Doug Richert is a television personality for SpeedTV as well as the crew chief for the #71 Ford Fusion driven by Andy Lally and operated by TRG Motorsports in the Sprint Cup Series. He is also the former full-time crew chief for the #15 Ford Mustang driven by rookie Timmy Hill and run by Rick Ware...
as crew chief. However, Keyed-Up never appeared at Daytona, and Richert moved to Rick Ware Racing while Riggs drove some races 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....
.