.gif)
Steve Park (NASCAR)
Encyclopedia
Stephen Park is a professional race car
driver. Park is currently racing in the #35 Waste Management Recycle America Monte Carlo in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.
Park began racing not in an entry-level class, but in NASCAR Modifieds on Long Island
as the son of longtime National Modified Championship contender Bob Park. After establishing himself in weekly Modified racing at Riverhead Raceway
, he advanced to the NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series
. He won several races and became a championship contender before moving on to the Busch Series
.
in 1996. Initially, Steve refused to return Dale's phone messages, who was calling with interest to hire Steve, thinking his friends were pranking him. After finally being convinced that the real Dale Earnhardt was calling him, Steve made one start in the #31 Busch Series
car in Charlotte in October that resulted in a 29th place finish. Steve was then given a full time ride in Dale's #3 AC-Delco car for the 1997 Busch Series season where he posted 3 wins and walked away with Rookie of the Year honors.
as the driver for the start-up #1 Pennzoil team of Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI). In the 1998 season, Park drove five races until an injury from a hard crash at Atlanta Motor Speedway
sidelined him. Park returned later in the year.
, winning the 2000 Global Crossing @ The Glen. In 2001, Park scored an emotional win for DEI by winning the Dura Lube 400 at North Carolina Speedway
, as Dale Earnhardt
was killed in a crash the week before at Daytona. The same season, driving in the Busch Series
, Park was involved in a crash at Darlington Raceway
while driving the #31 Whelen Chevrolet owned by Ted Marsh. Under caution and still driving on the track, the steering wheel came off in Park's hand, causing him to veer left. By complete chance, lap down car Larry Foyt
was speeding up to join the lap down line at the same time Park turned. Park was T-boned on the drivers side upon collision with Foyt's car. The severity of the crash caused a massive brain injury as well as several broken ribs. Foyt said that the car was traveling "well over 100 miles per hour." Park was left with noticeably slurred speech as a result of the accident and some have theorized that he never fully recovered from his injuries.
when he spun into, and was turned by, teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. and hit the infield barrier with tremendous velocity, flipping over. The race had a 65-minute red flag to repair the old-fashioned guardrail highway barrier that Park hit.
let Park go midway into the season, and he was effectively "traded" to Richard Childress Racing
for Jeff Green
, who took over the #1 car from Park with Park taking over the #30 AOL
car for Childress. A few days later, he won the pole for the Winston All Star Open, but at the start of the race he jumped the start and had to start from the rear. He never made it to the next round. His best finish at RCR was a 5th place finish at Michigan that June, as he fought then teammate Robby Gordon
for that position.
the following season. He joined Las Vegas-owned team Orleans Racing and piloted the #62 truck, vacated by Brendan Gaughan
who was offered a ride in the #77 Kodak
Nextel Cup car for Penske Racing
. Although Steve never won a race in 2004, he finished 9th in CTS driver points, and was voted Most Popular Driver by his peers.
American Racing Wheels 200, the second race of the season at California Speedway
, and became the tenth driver to win a race in all three of NASCAR's top racing series (one of seven drivers to accomplish the feat in the 2005 season alone). However, Park and the team struggled the rest of the season, and in October, right before the truck race in Martinsville, Steve Park and Orleans Racing parted ways due to Dodge
pulling support and money to many truck teams.
In late 2008, Steve Park was married to long time girlfriend, Jessica Skarpalezos at Sea Island, Georgia.
On August 1, 2009 Steve won the Edge Hotel 150 at Adirondack International Speedway. It was Steve's first NASCAR Camping World East Series win since July 1, 1996 at Nazareth Speedway. On August 12, 2009, Park announced on his website Steve-Park.com that he and his wife are expecting their first child.
Park also drove the numbers 46 and 41 Vandyk Baler Corp/ Bollegraaf Toyotas in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for Eddie Sharp Racing in 2010 for three races (two in the 41 and one in the 46), with a best finish of 18th at Chicagoland Speedway.
Park returned to the Sprint Cup Series in July 2010, driving the #36 Chevrolet
for Tommy Baldwin Racing
. In his first Sprint Cup Series series race in several years, Park started the Coke Zero 400
at Daytona from the 39th position, as qualifying was rained out. He went on to finish 13th and led one lap. Park's fan-sponsored car was painted to honor Richie Evans
, a nine-time NASCAR Modified champion who was killed in a racing accident shortly after winning his final championship in 1985.
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
driver. Park is currently racing in the #35 Waste Management Recycle America Monte Carlo in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.
Park began racing not in an entry-level class, but in NASCAR Modifieds on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
as the son of longtime National Modified Championship contender Bob Park. After establishing himself in weekly Modified racing at Riverhead Raceway
Riverhead Raceway
Riverhead Raceway is a quarter-mile oval race track with a Figure 8 course, located in Riverhead, New York. It is the only auto racing venue on Long Island since Westhampton Raceway closed down in 2003...
, he advanced to the NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series
Whelen Modified Tour
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is a stock car racing series owned and operated by NASCAR in the Modified division. The Modified division is NASCAR's oldest division, and its one of two open-wheeled divisions...
. He won several races and became a championship contender before moving on to 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...
.
1996-1997
Steve Park was first hired by seven time Winston Cup Champion Dale EarnhardtDale Earnhardt
Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was an American race car driver, best known for his involvement in stock car racing for NASCAR...
in 1996. Initially, Steve refused to return Dale's phone messages, who was calling with interest to hire Steve, thinking his friends were pranking him. After finally being convinced that the real Dale Earnhardt was calling him, Steve made one start in the #31 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...
car in Charlotte in October that resulted in a 29th place finish. Steve was then given a full time ride in Dale's #3 AC-Delco car for the 1997 Busch Series season where he posted 3 wins and walked away with Rookie of the Year honors.
1998-1999
Steve came to the NASCAR Winston Cup SeriesNEXTEL Cup
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing . The series was originally known as the Strictly Stock Series and Grand National Series . While leasing its naming rights to R. J...
as the driver for the start-up #1 Pennzoil team of Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI). In the 1998 season, Park drove five races until an injury from a hard crash at Atlanta Motor Speedway
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Atlanta Motor Speedway is a track just outside Hampton, Georgia, twenty miles south of Atlanta. It is a quad-oval track with a seating capacity of over 125,000. It opened in 1960 as a standard oval. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track...
sidelined him. Park returned later in the year.
2000-2001
During the 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Park would grab one win at his home track of Watkins GlenWatkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The facility is owned by International Speedway Corporation...
, winning the 2000 Global Crossing @ The Glen. In 2001, Park scored an emotional win for DEI by winning the Dura Lube 400 at North Carolina Speedway
North Carolina Speedway
Rockingham Speedway, formerly North Carolina Motor Speedway and later North Carolina Speedway is a racetrack located near Rockingham, North Carolina...
, as Dale Earnhardt
Dale Earnhardt
Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was an American race car driver, best known for his involvement in stock car racing for NASCAR...
was killed in a crash the week before at Daytona. The same season, driving 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...
, Park was involved in a crash at Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed the "Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition"...
while driving the #31 Whelen Chevrolet owned by Ted Marsh. Under caution and still driving on the track, the steering wheel came off in Park's hand, causing him to veer left. By complete chance, lap down car Larry Foyt
Larry Foyt
Larry Joseph Roberds Foyt is a semi-retired NASCAR and IndyCar driver. He is the biological grandson and adopted son of A. J. Foyt, and a biological cousin of A. J. Foyt IV. His biological mother is Terry Lynn Foyt, daughter of A. J. Foyt, who divorced his biological father Larry Gene Roberds...
was speeding up to join the lap down line at the same time Park turned. Park was T-boned on the drivers side upon collision with Foyt's car. The severity of the crash caused a massive brain injury as well as several broken ribs. Foyt said that the car was traveling "well over 100 miles per hour." Park was left with noticeably slurred speech as a result of the accident and some have theorized that he never fully recovered from his injuries.
2002
Park returned to race six times in the 2002 season and had many accidents. The largest incident was a flip at Pocono RacewayPocono Raceway
Pocono Raceway also known as the Tricky Triangle, is a superspeedway located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania at Long Pond...
when he spun into, and was turned by, teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. and hit the infield barrier with tremendous velocity, flipping over. The race had a 65-minute red flag to repair the old-fashioned guardrail highway barrier that Park hit.
2003
During the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Dale Earnhardt, Inc.Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
Dale Earnhardt, Inc. was a NASCAR-related organization located in Mooresville, North Carolina, United States working to continue the legacy of Dale Earnhardt. It was originally formed in 1980 by seven-time Winston Cup champion Dale Earnhardt who died in a crash on the closing lap of the 2001...
let Park go midway into the season, and he was effectively "traded" to Richard Childress Racing
Richard Childress Racing
RCR Enterprises, LLC, doing business as Richard Childress Racing, is a NASCAR team based in Welcome, North Carolina, and is owned and operated by former driver Richard Childress...
for Jeff Green
Jeff Green (NASCAR)
Jeffery Green is an American stock car driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He currently drives part time in the Nationwide Series for Tri-Star Motorsports in their #44 entry and the Sprint Cup Series for Front Row Motorsports in their #55 entry.Green's 1990 Nashville Speedway USA championship...
, who took over the #1 car from Park with Park taking over the #30 AOL
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
car for Childress. A few days later, he won the pole for the Winston All Star Open, but at the start of the race he jumped the start and had to start from the rear. He never made it to the next round. His best finish at RCR was a 5th place finish at Michigan that June, as he fought then teammate Robby Gordon
Robby Gordon
Robert W. "Robby" Gordon is an American racecar driver who currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as an owner-driver, driving the No. 7 Speed Energy Dodge Charger for Robby Gordon Motorsports, and also competes part-time in the Nationwide Series...
for that position.
2004
At the end of the 2003 season, Park announced he would not return to the #30 AOL car and would join 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...
the following season. He joined Las Vegas-owned team Orleans Racing and piloted the #62 truck, vacated by Brendan Gaughan
Brendan Gaughan
Brendan Gaughan is an American stock car driver. Gaughan is the grandson of Vegas gaming pioneer Jackie Gaughan and son of Michael Gaughan, a hotel and casino magnate. Gaughan currently drives the #62 South Point Hotel & Casino Toyota Tundra for Germain Racing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck...
who was offered a ride in the #77 Kodak
Eastman Kodak
Eastman Kodak Company is a multinational imaging and photographic equipment, materials and services company headquarted in Rochester, New York, United States. It was founded by George Eastman in 1892....
Nextel Cup car for Penske Racing
Penske Racing
Penske Racing is a racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series and NASCAR. They also previously competed in road racing, and Formula One. Penske Racing is a division of Penske Corporation, and is owned and chaired by Roger Penske...
. Although Steve never won a race in 2004, he finished 9th in CTS driver points, and was voted Most Popular Driver by his peers.
2005
In 2005 Park won 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...
American Racing Wheels 200, the second race of the season at California Speedway
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...
, and became the tenth driver to win a race in all three of NASCAR's top racing series (one of seven drivers to accomplish the feat in the 2005 season alone). However, Park and the team struggled the rest of the season, and in October, right before the truck race in Martinsville, Steve Park and Orleans Racing parted ways due to Dodge
Dodge
Dodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Group LLC in more than 60 different countries and territories worldwide....
pulling support and money to many truck teams.
2008
In 2008 Park signed with NDS Motorsports and drove the #35 Waste Management Recycle America Monte Carlo in all 13 of the NASCAR Camping World East Series events. He finished 9th in the standings with his best finish being second place at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.In late 2008, Steve Park was married to long time girlfriend, Jessica Skarpalezos at Sea Island, Georgia.
2009
In 2009 Park returned to race in the #35 Waste Management Recycle America Monte Carlo in the NASCAR Camping World East Series. He finished 5th in the point standings. Park made a single start in the KOMA UNWIND CHEVY for Corrie Stott RacingCamping World Truck Series, starting 31st and finishing 25th.On August 1, 2009 Steve won the Edge Hotel 150 at Adirondack International Speedway. It was Steve's first NASCAR Camping World East Series win since July 1, 1996 at Nazareth Speedway. On August 12, 2009, Park announced on his website Steve-Park.com that he and his wife are expecting their first child.
2010
In 2010 Park returned to race in the #35 Waste Management Recycle America Monte Carlo in the NASCAR Camping World East Series. On January 2, 2010, Park announced on his website Steve-Park.com the birth of his son Jayden Robert Park.Park also drove the numbers 46 and 41 Vandyk Baler Corp/ Bollegraaf Toyotas in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for Eddie Sharp Racing in 2010 for three races (two in the 41 and one in the 46), with a best finish of 18th at Chicagoland Speedway.
Park returned to the Sprint Cup Series in July 2010, driving the #36 Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
for Tommy Baldwin Racing
Tommy Baldwin Racing
Tommy Baldwin Racing is a NASCAR team based in Mooresville North Carolina. The team is owned by former crew chief Tommy Baldwin Jr., son of late modified driver Tom Baldwin...
. In his first Sprint Cup Series series race in several years, Park started the Coke Zero 400
Coke Zero 400
The Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona is a 160 lap, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held annually, beginning in 1959, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida; the second major stock car event held at Daytona on the Sprint Cup circuit...
at Daytona from the 39th position, as qualifying was rained out. He went on to finish 13th and led one lap. Park's fan-sponsored car was painted to honor Richie Evans
Richie Evans
Richard Ernest Evans , was an American racing driver who won nine NASCAR National Modified Championships, including eight in a row from 1978 to 1985. The International Motorsports Hall of Fame lists this achievement as "one of the supreme accomplishments in motorsports"...
, a nine-time NASCAR Modified champion who was killed in a racing accident shortly after winning his final championship in 1985.