Team Rensi Motorsports
Encyclopedia
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. They currently field the #24 and #25Ford Mustang
s for Kevin Lepage
and Kelly Bires
respectively.
with sponsorship from McDonald's
. Despite a ninth-place finish in points, Keller struggled to run up front, and he left for Phoenix Racing
at the end of the season. Regan Smith
took his place in 2006
, and had one top-ten finish. Smith departed from the ride for Ginn Racing. Hamilton returned to Rensi to drive the #35 for the 2007 season, finishing sixth in points.
During the 2007-08 offseason, McDonald's ended its sponsorship of the #35 and David Gilliland
took the FreeCreditReport.com
sponsorship of the #25 car to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Team Rensi signed Smithfield Foods
as prime sponsor of the #25 car, allowing Hamilton to move to that team. The 35 did run until late in 2008 with Danny O'Quinn
driving, but he failed to finish both races he ran.
The car will make a return to full-time racing in 2009, with Eric McClure bringing both Hefty sponsorship and the #24 over from Front Row Motorsports
.
In 2010, McClure and Hefty remained with the team. After surgery on his foot, McClure was relieved by driver Chris Cook
at Road America. DJ Kennington raced the car at Montreal to an 11th place finish, as McClure sat out of the race due to a concussion the prior week from Bristol. McClure and Hefty will leave the team for 2011, citing performance issues and a lacking budget from Team Rensi.
For 2011, Kevin Lepage
will drive the car. The intended sponsor, RaceDaySponsor.com, instead went to Jeremy Clements
' team. Lepage ran full races initially, but was forced to withdraw from Bristol after a practice crash and did not arrive at Talladega.
Chevrolet Monte Carlo
for Jeff Finley
. They finished 13th at the season opening NAPA Auto Parts 300, but Finley failed to qualify for the next few races, and he and the team drifted apart. Kenny Wallace
took over at Nashville, and drove 18 races that season for the team, posting nine finishes of seventh or better. Rick Fuller
, David Blankenship and Scott Lagasse
drove two races a piece for the team as well, and they finished eighteenth in owner's points that season. Wallace returned again in 2000 with new sponsor Lance Snacks, and posted eight top-ten finishes, his best finish was 4th twice at Bristol
races. Blankenship and Andy Santerre
drove in the races that Wallace did not run, with Santerre finishing 3rd at Pikes Peak
.
In 2001, the U.S. Marines signed on as sponsor. Since Wallace had moved onto Innovative Motorsports
, Chad Chaffin
began the year with the team, but after he couldn't finish higher than 16th at Atlanta, he was released. Rookie David Donohue
took over at the Pepsi 300 Presented by Mapco/Williams, but he too, struggled in the ride, and was released after 12 starts. Randy Tolsma
finished the season for the team, who finished 29th in points that year.
After 2001, Rensi switched to Ford Taurus
es and signed Bobby Hamilton Jr. to drive. After a slow start, the two began to gain momentum, and they picked up their first win at the Busch 200, and finished eighth in points. This success carried over into the next season as well, as Hamilton won four races and finished fourth in points. They would not be able to win in 2004, and after the Cabela's 250, Hamilton left to drive for PPI Motorsports
at the NEXTEL Cup
level, and Mike McLaughlin took over for the rest of the season, finishing second at the Stacker 200 Presented by YJ Stinger.
In 2005, Rensi signed Ashton Lewis
to drive the 25 car. Lewis had five top-ten finishes and a fourteenth-place finish in points. After many poor performances, however, Lewis was released and the Marines left as a sponsor. For 2007, credit report site FreeCreditReport.com signed on as sponsor, with NEXTEL Cup
driver David Gilliland
and head engineer Richard Johns
originally slated to share the ride. During the RoadLoans.com 200
weekend, Gilliland announced his departure from the #25, citing that he needed to focus on his Yates Racing
#38 Cup ride. Johns drove for the remainder of the season.
The team returned Hamilton to the ride for the '08 season in the newly renamed Nationwide Series, as his #35 team had folded. Smithfield Foods
served as the sponsor for 30 races, and Hamilton drove to a fifteenth-place points finish with two top-ten finishes. Boris Said
drove the 25 for two road course races with No Fear
sponsorship.
The #25 returned for one race in 2009, at ORP with Hamilton Jr. driving.
In 2010, the #25 raced at Richmond and Chalotte with Kelly Bires
behind the wheel and Raybestos
as the sponsor.
For 2011, the #25 is seeking sponsorship to be able to run the entire season. The #25 team, with driver Kelly Bires, quailifed for the Daytona race, but lack of funding caused them to start and park, only completing a few laps.
. Driver Jimmy Hensley
drove the mostly unsponsored #16 Chevrolet Silverado
to a 13th place finish in points. In 2001, Donohue began running the #16, but after three races, the team shut down due to sponsorship issues. Randy Tolsma drove the #61 that year and was tenth in points when his team closed as well due to financial problems. He ran one final Truck race for Rensi in 2002 (driven by Butch Miller
), finishing 18th in a Marine-sponsored truck at Martinsville Speedway
, the last race for Rensi's truck program.
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 team owned by Ed Rensi, Gary Weisbaum, and formerly Sam Rensi. The team has also competed in the Winston Cup Series, 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 ARCA racing series. They currently field the #24 and #25Ford 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...
s for Kevin Lepage
Kevin Lepage
Kevin Lepage is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #52 car, for Jimmy Means Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Lepage is the only NASCAR driver from Vermont to qualify for the Daytona 500.-Early career:...
and Kelly Bires
Kelly Bires
Kelly Bires is an American stock car driver. He currently drives the #25 Ford Mustang for Team Rensi Motorsports and the #18 International Comfort Products Corporation Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Nationwide Series.-Early career:Bires began karting at Sugar River Raceway in Brodhead,...
respectively.
Car #24 History
The #24 team debuted in 2005 as the #35 being driven by veteran Jason KellerJason Keller
For the American writer, see Jason Keller Jason Keller is a NASCAR racing driver who currently drives the #44 Chevrolet for Tri-Star Motorsports in the Nationwide Series. A mainstay in the Busch/Nationwide Series since his debut in 1991...
with sponsorship from McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
. Despite a ninth-place finish in points, Keller struggled to run up front, and he left for Phoenix Racing
Phoenix Racing
Phoenix Racing is a NASCAR team owned by James Finch. It currently fields the #51 Chevrolet Impala in the Sprint Cup Series driven by Landon Cassill and the #1 Chevrolet Impala in the Nationwide Series driven by Landon Cassill and Jamie McMurray....
at the end of the season. Regan Smith
Regan Smith
Regan Smith is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #78 Furniture Row Chevrolet Impala for Furniture Row Racing.-Beginnings:...
took his place in 2006
2006 in NASCAR Busch Series
The 25th season of the NASCAR Busch Series opened February 18, 2006, at Daytona International Speedway and concluded November 18, 2006, at Homestead-Miami Speedway...
, and had one top-ten finish. Smith departed from the ride for Ginn Racing. Hamilton returned to Rensi to drive the #35 for the 2007 season, finishing sixth in points.
During the 2007-08 offseason, McDonald's ended its sponsorship of the #35 and David Gilliland
David Gilliland
David Gilliland is a NASCAR driver and he currently drives the #34 Taco Bell Ford Fusion for Front Row Motorsports. He is the son of former Cup and West Coast driver Butch Gilliland. He was born in Riverside, California....
took the FreeCreditReport.com
FreeCreditReport.com
FreeCreditScore.com and FreeCreditReport.com are websites owned by Experian Consumer Direct, a subsidiary of the credit bureau Experian. The sites offer users their personal credit reports from Experian on the condition that they sign up for Experian's Triple Advantage credit monitoring program for...
sponsorship of the #25 car to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Team Rensi signed Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods, Inc. is the world’s largest pork producer and processor. Headquartered in Smithfield, Virginia, it runs facilities in 26 U.S. states, including the world's largest meat-processing plant in Tar Heel, North Carolina, and has operations in Brazil, China, France, Mexico, Poland,...
as prime sponsor of the #25 car, allowing Hamilton to move to that team. The 35 did run until late in 2008 with Danny O'Quinn
Danny O'Quinn
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.- Background :...
driving, but he failed to finish both races he ran.
The car will make a return to full-time racing in 2009, with Eric McClure bringing both Hefty sponsorship and the #24 over from Front Row Motorsports
Front Row Motorsports
Front Row Motorsports is a team that competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup. The team began running part-time in 2004 as Means-Jenkins Motorsports under a partnership with Jimmy Means and restaurant entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, with Jenkins becoming the full team owner in 2005...
.
In 2010, McClure and Hefty remained with the team. After surgery on his foot, McClure was relieved by driver Chris Cook
Chris Cook
Chris Cook may refer to:* Chris Cook , NASCAR racing driver and instructor* Christopher Cook, English swimmer* Christopher Cook , American journalist* Chris Cook , professional bodybuilder...
at Road America. DJ Kennington raced the car at Montreal to an 11th place finish, as McClure sat out of the race due to a concussion the prior week from Bristol. McClure and Hefty will leave the team for 2011, citing performance issues and a lacking budget from Team Rensi.
For 2011, Kevin Lepage
Kevin Lepage
Kevin Lepage is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #52 car, for Jimmy Means Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Lepage is the only NASCAR driver from Vermont to qualify for the Daytona 500.-Early career:...
will drive the car. The intended sponsor, RaceDaySponsor.com, instead went to Jeremy Clements
Jeremy Clements
Jeremy Clements is a North America stock car driver. He drives the #51 Chevrolet Impala for Jeremy Clements Racing.-Early career:Clements began his racing career at the age of 8 by driving go-karts...
' team. Lepage ran full races initially, but was forced to withdraw from Bristol after a practice crash and did not arrive at Talladega.
Car #25 history
The team, then known as Team Rensi Motorsports first joined the Busch Series in 1999, fielding the #25 Dura LubeDura lube
The Dura Lube Corporation was formed in 1986, originally concentrating on producing engine treatment products for trucks. It later extended its product line to include cars.-Controversy:...
Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Chevrolet Monte Carlo
The Chevrolet Monte Carlo was an American-made two-door coupe introduced for model year 1970, and manufactured over six generations through model year 2007. It was marketed as a personal-luxury coupe through most of its history, with the last model version being classified as a full-sized coupe...
for Jeff Finley
Jeff Finley
John Jeffrey Finley is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and current assistant coach for the WHL Kelowna Rockets.-Career:...
. They finished 13th at the season opening NAPA Auto Parts 300, but Finley failed to qualify for the next few races, and he and the team drifted apart. Kenny Wallace
Kenny Wallace
Kenneth Wallace is an American stock car driver who currently drives the #09 Family Farmers/University of Northwestern Ohio/Federated Auto Parts/American Ethanol/Iowa Corn/G-Oil/Marquis Energy Toyota Camry for RAB Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series...
took over at Nashville, and drove 18 races that season for the team, posting nine finishes of seventh or better. Rick Fuller
Rick Fuller
Richard Fuller is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances World Championship Wrestling. He would later be featured in several video games including WCW Nitro and WCW/NWO Thunder....
, David Blankenship and Scott Lagasse
Scott Lagasse
Scott Lagasse is a former race car driver. He raced primarily on road courses during his career beginning in 1985 in the SCCA where he became the first Driver to earn Novice,Regional and National License all in the same season. More impressive was winning the SCCA National Championship in his...
drove two races a piece for the team as well, and they finished eighteenth in owner's points that season. Wallace returned again in 2000 with new sponsor Lance Snacks, and posted eight top-ten finishes, his best finish was 4th twice at Bristol
Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol Motor Speedway, formerly known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway is a NASCAR short track venue located in Bristol, Tennessee. Constructed in 1960, it held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961...
races. Blankenship and Andy Santerre
Andy Santerre
Anthony Lee "Andy" Santerre is a NASCAR Grand National Division car owner, former champion driver of the East Series, and a winner of one Busch Series race as a driver...
drove in the races that Wallace did not run, with Santerre finishing 3rd 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...
.
In 2001, the U.S. Marines signed on as sponsor. Since Wallace had moved onto Innovative Motorsports
Innovative Motorsports
Innovative Motorsports is a former NASCAR team. It was owned by George DeBidart and began racing in the Busch North Series in the mid-90's, before moving to the Busch Series in 1998.- Winston Cup :Innovative ran four Cup races during its tenure...
, Chad Chaffin
Chad Chaffin
Chad Chaffin is a NASCAR driver. He has raced in all three of NASCAR's major series and is currently a free agent. Chaffin was a two-time track champion at the historic Nashville Speedway USA, where he met his friend the late Andy Kirby.-Sprint Cup:Chad made his Sprint Cup debut in 2004 at...
began the year with the team, but after he couldn't finish higher than 16th at Atlanta, he was released. Rookie David Donohue
David Donohue
David Donohue is an American race car driver currently active in the Grand-Am's Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype class for Brumos Porsche....
took over at the Pepsi 300 Presented by Mapco/Williams, but he too, struggled in the ride, and was released after 12 starts. Randy Tolsma
Randy Tolsma
Randy Tolsma is a former race car driver. Tolsma began his racing career in go-karts at the age of nine, before moving into sprint cars, running as high as USAC, where he won four track championships...
finished the season for the team, who finished 29th in points that year.
After 2001, Rensi switched to Ford Taurus
Ford Taurus
The Ford Taurus is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States. Originally introduced in the 1986 model year, it has remained in near-continuous production for more than two decades, making it the fourth oldest nameplate that is currently sold in the North American...
es and signed Bobby Hamilton Jr. to drive. After a slow start, the two began to gain momentum, and they picked up their first win at the Busch 200, and finished eighth in points. This success carried over into the next season as well, as Hamilton won four races and finished fourth in points. They would not be able to win in 2004, and after the Cabela's 250, Hamilton left to drive for PPI Motorsports
PPI Motorsports
PPI Motorsports was a race team which competed in CART, NASCAR, and various off-road racing circuits. The team had one of the few remaining single car operations in NASCAR.-Early years:...
at the NEXTEL Cup
NEXTEL 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...
level, and Mike McLaughlin took over for the rest of the season, finishing second at the Stacker 200 Presented by YJ Stinger.
In 2005, Rensi signed Ashton Lewis
Ashton Lewis
Ashton Lewis,Jr. was a NASCAR driver. He was educated at the Sears Point Raceway road racing school as well as obtaining a degree in mechanical engineering from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia....
to drive the 25 car. Lewis had five top-ten finishes and a fourteenth-place finish in points. After many poor performances, however, Lewis was released and the Marines left as a sponsor. For 2007, credit report site FreeCreditReport.com signed on as sponsor, with NEXTEL Cup
NEXTEL 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...
driver David Gilliland
David Gilliland
David Gilliland is a NASCAR driver and he currently drives the #34 Taco Bell Ford Fusion for Front Row Motorsports. He is the son of former Cup and West Coast driver Butch Gilliland. He was born in Riverside, California....
and head engineer Richard Johns
Richard Johns
Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Edward Johns GCB, KCVO, CBE is a retired Royal Air Force officer and former Chief of the Air Staff.- RAF career :...
originally slated to share the ride. During the RoadLoans.com 200
RoadLoans.com 200
The OneMain Financial 200 is a NASCAR Nationwide Series race that takes place at Dover International Speedway. It is the second Nationwide Series race each year at Dover. The race usually takes place in late September.-Past winners:...
weekend, Gilliland announced his departure from the #25, citing that he needed to focus on his Yates Racing
Yates Racing
Yates Racing was an American stock car racing racing team that competed in NASCAR until the 2009 season when it merged with Richard Petty Motorsports. Previously known as Robert Yates Racing, the team was owned by Doug Yates, who has officially owned the team since his father Robert's retirement on...
#38 Cup ride. Johns drove for the remainder of the season.
The team returned Hamilton to the ride for the '08 season in the newly renamed Nationwide Series, as his #35 team had folded. Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods, Inc. is the world’s largest pork producer and processor. Headquartered in Smithfield, Virginia, it runs facilities in 26 U.S. states, including the world's largest meat-processing plant in Tar Heel, North Carolina, and has operations in Brazil, China, France, Mexico, Poland,...
served as the sponsor for 30 races, and Hamilton drove to a fifteenth-place points finish with two top-ten finishes. Boris Said
Boris Said
Boris Said is an American race car driver from Carlsbad, California but considers his hometown to be Stamford, Connecticut. His father, Bob Said, was a Formula One race driver and US Olympic bobsled driver in 1968 and 1972. He drove the #26 Ford Fusion for Latitude 43 Motorsports in the NASCAR...
drove the 25 for two road course races with No Fear
No Fear
No Fear is a lifestyle clothing brand that was created in 1989 by Mark Simo, Brian Simo, and Marty Moates. No Fear Inc. products are sold at various retail stores and . It also offers No Fear energy drinks under the same brand, in a joint venture with Pepsi. The company currently employs about 450...
sponsorship.
The #25 returned for one race in 2009, at ORP with Hamilton Jr. driving.
In 2010, the #25 raced at Richmond and Chalotte with Kelly Bires
Kelly Bires
Kelly Bires is an American stock car driver. He currently drives the #25 Ford Mustang for Team Rensi Motorsports and the #18 International Comfort Products Corporation Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Nationwide Series.-Early career:Bires began karting at Sugar River Raceway in Brodhead,...
behind the wheel and Raybestos
Raybestos
Raybestos is a brand of automotive brakes begun in 1902 by Arthur H. Raymond and Arthur F. Law of Bridgeport, Connecticut. In 1906 Raymond and Law invented the woven brake lining, an important innovation in automotive brakes. From 1919-1989 Raybestos brand was manufactured by Raymark Industries,...
as the sponsor.
For 2011, the #25 is seeking sponsorship to be able to run the entire season. The #25 team, with driver Kelly Bires, quailifed for the Daytona race, but lack of funding caused them to start and park, only completing a few laps.
Craftsman Trucks
Team Rensi began fielding a Craftsman Truck team in 2000, after purchasing equipment from 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...
. Driver Jimmy Hensley
Jimmy Hensley
Jimmy Hensley is a former NASCAR driver. With a career spanning 27 seasons in all three of NASCAR's elite divisions, Hensley may be best remembered for his Rookie of the Year award won in 1992, his 15th season in the series, and for his nine career Busch Series wins. He spent most of his career...
drove the mostly unsponsored #16 Chevrolet Silverado
Chevrolet Silverado
The Chevrolet Silverado , is the latest line of full-size pickup trucks from General Motors.-History:...
to a 13th place finish in points. In 2001, Donohue began running the #16, but after three races, the team shut down due to sponsorship issues. Randy Tolsma drove the #61 that year and was tenth in points when his team closed as well due to financial problems. He ran one final Truck race for Rensi in 2002 (driven by Butch Miller
Butch Miller (racing driver)
Butch Miller is a racecar driver. He drives the #07 Toyota Tundra part time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on a limited basis, and is also a crew chief for SS-Green Light Racing. He is a multiple champion in the now-defunct American Speed Association stock car series...
), finishing 18th in a Marine-sponsored truck at Martinsville Speedway
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...
, the last race for Rensi's truck program.