Tony Raines
Encyclopedia
Floyd Anthony Raines is an American
race car driver. He is a former National Touring Series champion in the now defunct American Speed Association
and 1999 Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. In 2011, he drives the #37 Ford Fusion for Max Q Motorsports.
races, and then returned for his rookie year in 1989. In 1990, Raines moved to NASCAR's All Pro Series, where he won Rookie of the Year and finished fourth in the final standings.
He returned to ASA in 1991 for a four-year stint as driver of a new team formed by Ernie Roselli. In 1995, he joined veteran crew chief Howie Lettow and Baker Motorsports. That in turn led to the 1996 championship and Raines' first major NASCAR ride.
Raines entered the 1997
season with a full-time ride, running for Rookie of the Year honors in the #19 Pennzoil
Ford F-150
for Kurt Roehrig. After failing to qualify for the first race of the season, Raines came back to win the seventh race of the season at I-70 Speedway
. He finished 15th in points and ended the season with two top-5 and seven top-10 finishes, as well as two outside-pole positions. In 1998, he won three races (I-70, Louisville
and Texas
) and earned 6 additional top-5 with fifteen top-tens, ending the season fifth in the standings.
In 1999, Roehrig lost the Pennzoil sponsorship, causing Raines to look elsewhere. This resulted in his move up to the Busch Series, signing with the #74 BACE Motorsports
team. Raines raced 31 times during the season, with the exception of the Coca-Cola 300, in which Steve Grissom
drove. Without a priamry sponsorship, Raines had a best finish of fourth and finished 12th in points, capturing the Rookie of the Year honors. In 1999, he made one start in the Truck Series at The Milwaukee Mile for Gerry Gunderman in the #68 truck in 1999 when Raines started 22nd and finished 19th. The following season, Raines moved to BACE's #33 Bayer
Chevrolet Monte Carlo full-time. He had a career-best second-place finish at South Boston Speedway
, but with no other top-tens, he fell to fifteenth in the final standings. He would return in 2001 with Bayer
and Alka-Seltzer
sharing sponsorship duties, winning his first career pole at Nazareth Speedway
and had a career-high thirteen top-ten finishes, finishing sixth in points. He followed that up with five top-fives in 2002, but fell six spots in points.
honors. Despite running without major sponsorship, Raines had a sixth-place finish at North Carolina Speedway
and finished 33rd in the championship standings, and third in the Rookie of the Year race. During the last six races of the season, Raines was in the top 20 in points gained for those six races. In the Busch series, Raines had another second-place finish and three consecutive eighth-place runs, allowing him to finish 39th in points despite an abbreviated schedule.
to drive its #74 Outdoor Channel Chevrolet Monte Carlo; after four races, Raines returned to the team in favor of Lusk, and finished sixth in his first race at Bristol
. He ran fifteen races for BACE that season, and drove additional races for Phoenix Racing
, Haas CNC Racing
, and Kevin Harvick Incorporated
. He returned to the Truck series for one race at Atlanta
, finishing seventeenth in the #08 1-800-4-A-Phone Chevrolet Silverado
for Green Light Racing
. Raines ran one-race deals in Cup for Phoenix Racing
and for Bill Davis Racing
in 2004, before running four races for Competitive Edge Motorsports
. His best cup finish in 2004 was 28th.
at Richmond
. Late in the season, he drove the #37 Dodge Charger
for R&J Racing
for six races. At Michigan, Tony inherited the lead late in the race, however with a handful of laps left ran out of fuel. The best finish for the pairing was a 22nd place finish at Talladega Speedway. In addition to his Cup rides in 2005, Raines drove part-time for Kevin Harvick Incorporated
in the #33 Yard Man/Outdoor Channel Chevrolet Monte Carlo in the Busch Series. In 2005, he had nine top-tens in 23 starts, with a 4th place finish at the Federated Auto Parts 300.
/DLP HDTV Chevrolet for Hall of Fame Racing
. He would share the ride in 2006 with Terry Labonte
. Raines and the team had their best race of the season during the Bank of America 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway
, with Tony taking the lead for 28 laps and finishing in 7th place. In the 29 races he drove, Raines had one top ten finish and finished 35th in drivers points.
He was expected to complete the full 2007 schedule with Hall of Fame Racing, but was replaced on road course events by Ron Fellows
. His best finish in 2007 was ninth at Talladega and the team finished in the Top 25 in Owners Points. At the end of the 2007 season, Raines was replaced by J. J. Yeley
in the #96 car for the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
. Raines also had returned to the Busch Series with KHI for a part time schedule, and in 2007 he had three top tens in nine starts.
Chevrolet at Pocono, resulting in an 18th place finish, that team's second best finish of the season up to that point, and he bested that finish two races later with a 17th place finish at Bristol. Later, he returned to Front Row Motorsports at Richmond and New Hampshire, only for qualifying to be canceled due to rain at both races, resulting in DNQ's for the team. He got back behind the wheel of the #70 Haas CNC Chevrolet at the Camping World 400 at Dover International Speedway, qualifying 13th for the race, the best of any team outside the top-35 in points, and finished 28th. In the fall race at Talledega, Raines was running near the Top-10 when a lead car lost a tire, causing the first major wreck of the race; the #70 was involved in the wreck and finished 34th. He ran the remainder of the season for Haas CNC, with the exception of the race at Phoenix where Johnny Sauter
drove.
Chevrolet for Front Row Motorsports
, replacing Eric McClure who departed at the end of 2008. Raines had a fourth place finish in the Aaron's 312
at Talladaga Superspeedway, marking Front Row Motorsports
first top-five finish in any series, and has had numerous top-20 finishes throughout the year while remaining in the top 15 in drivers points. At Dover in the spring, FRM perennial sponsor Continental Fire and Safety joined the #34 Chevy, and at Daytona in July Gander Mountain
jumped on board the #34 Impala. Tony was able to muscle his way to a sixth place finish in the rain at the road race at Montreal. The #34 team was able to put together a very competitive car at Lowes Motor Speedway and finished in the 10th position after starting in the back of the field and being in the top ten for much of the night. Tony and the #34 earned 12th place in drivers points for the season, and 20th place in owners points.
In addition to his return to a full-time schedule in the Nationwide Series for Front Row Motorsports
, he attempted to qualify Front Row's #37 Dodge Charger in the 2009 Daytona 500, however was unsuccessful. Raines qualified for the Sprint Cup race in Phoenix in Barry Haefele's #73 car. The #37 and Tony qualified for their first race at Richmond, however was a late entry and gained no points for the attempt. Raines was announced as the replacement for John Andretti
in the #34 entry for three weeks while Andretti temporarily left the team to compete in the Indy 500. In his first race for the team, Tony was able to get FRM's best ever finish to that point without EGR's assistance, a 25th at Darlington. Returning to the #37, Tony managed to make numerous other races for the team, gaining sponsorship from Gander Mountain
during the 2009 Coke Zero 400, finishing 30th. The #37 was run primarily as a "start and park" car in 2009, attempting to aid the #34 in remaining in the top-35 in points, and raising money for the underfunded organization.
becoming Ford supported team in the Sprint Cup Series, and the #34 Nationwide team running Chevrolet
s, the team has been absorbed by the returning organization of Tri-Star Motorsports
, owned by Mark Smith of Pro Motors. Raines and the #34 started the season strong, with a 14th place finish at the Drive4COPD 400 at Daytona
after leading 3 laps. The #34 team picked up sponsorship from the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino
at Las Vegas
, and had a strong run at Talladega, finishing 7th. BeAStockCarDriver.com jumped onto Raines' car for the remaining 4 races of the season after sponsoring teammate Jason Keller
at Charlotte. He finished 17th in final drivers standings.
Raines ran a Sprint Cup Series race for Larry Gunselman's #64 at Richmond in May, and ran Tommy Baldwin Racing
's #36 in the Sprint Showdown. At the Carfax 400 at Michigan during August, Raines replaced the released Kevin Conway
at Front Row Motorsports
, finishing 31st in his debut with the team. Raines and fellow driver Dave Blaney
shared this ride for the remainder of the season. He ran in the top-20 at Martinsville before a cut tire ended his day. Raines' best finish in the 2010 sprint cup season came at Bristol, finishing 28th.
in the Daytona 500. Raines' first start came at Phoenix, where he finished 25th in Max Q Motorsports' unsponsored #37 Ford, fielded in association with Front Row Motorsports
. He continued to race the car, getting a 25th at Martinsville and getting the team back into the top-35 in owners points following the 7th race of the season. Black Cat Fireworks and Firehouse Subs joined the team for 5 races leading up to the Coca Cola 400 Daytona on the 4th of July weekend. Following the 9th race of the season at Richmond, the car turned into a start and park entry. Tony would go on to be the full time driver of the car until the 19th race of the season at Loudon, after which he drove sparingly for the team.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
race car driver. He is a former National Touring Series champion in the now defunct American Speed Association
American Speed Association
The American Speed Association is a sanctioning body of motorsports in the United States formed in 1968. The Association was based in Pendleton, Indiana and currently is headquarters in Daytona Beach, Florida. ASA was most famous for a national touring series which began in 1973 but was...
and 1999 Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. In 2011, he drives the #37 Ford Fusion for Max Q Motorsports.
Before NASCAR
In 1988, Raines competed in five ASAAmerican Speed Association
The American Speed Association is a sanctioning body of motorsports in the United States formed in 1968. The Association was based in Pendleton, Indiana and currently is headquarters in Daytona Beach, Florida. ASA was most famous for a national touring series which began in 1973 but was...
races, and then returned for his rookie year in 1989. In 1990, Raines moved to NASCAR's All Pro Series, where he won Rookie of the Year and finished fourth in the final standings.
He returned to ASA in 1991 for a four-year stint as driver of a new team formed by Ernie Roselli. In 1995, he joined veteran crew chief Howie Lettow and Baker Motorsports. That in turn led to the 1996 championship and Raines' first major NASCAR ride.
1997-2002
1997 in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
The 1997 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Season began on January 19 and ended on November 19. Jack Sprague of Hendrick Motorsports won the title.See also: 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, 1997 NASCAR Busch Series- 1997 Team Chart :- Chevy Trucks Challenge :...
season with a full-time ride, running for Rookie of the Year honors in the #19 Pennzoil
Pennzoil
Pennzoil is an American oil company founded in Los Angeles, California in 1913. In 1955, it was acquired by Oil City, Pennsylvania company South Penn Oil, a former branch of Standard Oil. In 1963, South Penn Oil merged with Zapata Petroleum; the merged company took the Pennzoil name. During the...
Ford F-150
Ford F-Series
The F-Series is a series of full-size pickup trucks from Ford Motor Company which has been sold continuously for over six decades. The most popular variant of the F-Series is the F-150...
for Kurt Roehrig. After failing to qualify for the first race of the season, Raines came back to win the seventh race of the season at I-70 Speedway
I-70 Speedway
I-70 Speedway is a racetrack near Interstate 70 east of Odessa, Missouri, USA. The track opened in 1969 and was open every year until it closed in 2008. It was built and owned by Bill Roberts who, along with partners, had previously built and owned KCIR Dragstrip on Noland Road in Kansas City,...
. He finished 15th in points and ended the season with two top-5 and seven top-10 finishes, as well as two outside-pole positions. In 1998, he won three races (I-70, Louisville
Louisville Motor Speedway
Louisville Motor Speedway was a 3/8-mile race track located in Louisville, Kentucky. It was opened in 1988 and hosted NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races from 1996 to 1999...
and Texas
Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas – the portion located in Denton County, Texas....
) and earned 6 additional top-5 with fifteen top-tens, ending the season fifth in the standings.
In 1999, Roehrig lost the Pennzoil sponsorship, causing Raines to look elsewhere. This resulted in his move up to the Busch Series, signing with the #74 BACE Motorsports
BACE Motorsports
BACE Motorsports is a former championship-winning NASCAR team. It was owned by entrepreneur Bill Baumgardner, who also founded Staff America. Baumgardner was inspired to start his own team after Staff America was a sponsor in the Busch Series for two years...
team. Raines raced 31 times during the season, with the exception of the Coca-Cola 300, in which Steve Grissom
Steve Grissom
Steve Grissom is a NASCAR driver. Grissom was the 1993 Busch Series champion and has eleven Busch wins in 185 starts. He turned down a scholarship to play quarterback at the University of Alabama to focus a career on racing....
drove. Without a priamry sponsorship, Raines had a best finish of fourth and finished 12th in points, capturing the Rookie of the Year honors. In 1999, he made one start in the Truck Series at The Milwaukee Mile for Gerry Gunderman in the #68 truck in 1999 when Raines started 22nd and finished 19th. The following season, Raines moved to BACE's #33 Bayer
Bayer
Bayer AG is a chemical and pharmaceutical company founded in Barmen , Germany in 1863. It is headquartered in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and well known for its original brand of aspirin.-History:...
Chevrolet Monte Carlo full-time. He had a career-best second-place finish at South Boston Speedway
South Boston Speedway
South Boston Speedway or "SoBo" is a short track located just outside South Boston, Virginia, U.S.A.. SoBo is located approximately sixty miles east of another area familiar to most NASCAR fans, Martinsville. It is owned by Mattco, Inc, the Mattioli family trust that owns Pocono Raceway, with...
, but with no other top-tens, he fell to fifteenth in the final standings. He would return in 2001 with Bayer
Bayer
Bayer AG is a chemical and pharmaceutical company founded in Barmen , Germany in 1863. It is headquartered in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and well known for its original brand of aspirin.-History:...
and Alka-Seltzer
Alka-Seltzer
Alka-Seltzer is an effervescent antacid and pain reliever first marketed by the Dr. Miles Medicine Company. It was developed by Treneer in Elkhart Indiana. Alka-Seltzer is marketed for relief of minor aches, pains, inflammation, fever, headache, heartburn, sour stomach, indigestion, and hangovers,...
sharing sponsorship duties, winning his first career pole at Nazareth Speedway
Nazareth Speedway
Nazareth Speedway was an auto racing track in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania which operated from 1910 to 2004. The track is often associated with local drivers Mario and Michael Andretti. It was associated with Frankie Schneider in its earlier dirt track history....
and had a career-high thirteen top-ten finishes, finishing sixth in points. He followed that up with five top-fives in 2002, but fell six spots in points.
2003
BACE and Raines moved to the Winston Cup full-time in 2003, completing the whole season for NASCAR Rookie of the YearNASCAR 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....
honors. Despite running without major sponsorship, Raines had a sixth-place finish 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...
and finished 33rd in the championship standings, and third in the Rookie of the Year race. During the last six races of the season, Raines was in the top 20 in points gained for those six races. In the Busch series, Raines had another second-place finish and three consecutive eighth-place runs, allowing him to finish 39th in points despite an abbreviated schedule.
2004
Due to a lack of sponsorship in 2004, BACE closed its Cup team and focused back on the Busch Series. BACE hired Damon LuskDamon Lusk
Damon Lusk , is a stock car racer. Lusk entered NASCAR in 1999, when he drove the AOL/Kleenex Chevy for three races NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Northwest Series...
to drive its #74 Outdoor Channel Chevrolet Monte Carlo; after four races, Raines returned to the team in favor of Lusk, and finished sixth in his first race 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...
. He ran fifteen races for BACE that season, and drove additional races 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....
, Haas CNC Racing
Haas CNC Racing
Stewart-Haas Racing, formerly known as Haas CNC Racing, is a NASCAR racing team based in Kannapolis, North Carolina, which runs Chevrolet Impalas. The team is owned by Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, and runs the #14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet Impala driven by Stewart and the #39 United States...
, and Kevin Harvick Incorporated
Kevin Harvick Incorporated
Kevin Harvick Incorporated was a NASCAR team owned by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick and his wife DeLana, who herself is the daughter of a former Busch Series driver, John Linville...
. He returned to the Truck series for one race at Atlanta
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...
, finishing seventeenth in the #08 1-800-4-A-Phone Chevrolet Silverado
Chevrolet Silverado
The Chevrolet Silverado , is the latest line of full-size pickup trucks from General Motors.-History:...
for Green Light Racing
Green Light Racing
SS-Green Light Racing is a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team. Owned and operated by businessmen Ken Smith and Steve Urvan and former driver Bobby Dotter, the team fields the #07 Toyota Tundra for several drivers and the #81 Zachry Industrial, Inc. Toyota for David Starr...
. Raines ran one-race deals in Cup 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....
and for Bill Davis Racing
Bill Davis Racing
Bill Davis Racing was a racing team that participated in all three of NASCAR's top divisions until 2009.The team had run Toyota-branded stock cars and trucks in both the Camping World Truck Series and Sprint Cup Series since 2007. Dodge, Ford, and Pontiac previously backed the team...
in 2004, before running four races for Competitive Edge Motorsports
Competitive Edge Motorsports
Competitive Edge Motorsports is a former NASCAR Nextel Cup Series team. It fielded the #51 Marathon Oil Chevrolet. Its principal owner was former NFL player Joe Auer....
. His best cup finish in 2004 was 28th.
2005
He made a total of six Nextel Cup races in 2005, his first being a 35th-place finish for Front Row MotorsportsFront 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...
at Richmond
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...
. Late in the season, he drove the #37 Dodge Charger
Dodge Charger
The Dodge Charger is an American automobile manufactured by the Dodge division of Chrysler. There have been several different Dodge vehicles, built on three different platforms and sizes, all bearing the Charger nameplate...
for R&J Racing
R&J Racing
John Carter Racing was a NASCAR Sprint Cup team. The team currently fields the 08 U.S. Chrome/SoBe Ford Fusion/Toyota Camry for Terry Labonte. It is owned by John Carter...
for six races. At Michigan, Tony inherited the lead late in the race, however with a handful of laps left ran out of fuel. The best finish for the pairing was a 22nd place finish at Talladega Speedway. In addition to his Cup rides in 2005, Raines drove part-time for Kevin Harvick Incorporated
Kevin Harvick Incorporated
Kevin Harvick Incorporated was a NASCAR team owned by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick and his wife DeLana, who herself is the daughter of a former Busch Series driver, John Linville...
in the #33 Yard Man/Outdoor Channel Chevrolet Monte Carlo in the Busch Series. In 2005, he had nine top-tens in 23 starts, with a 4th place finish at the Federated Auto Parts 300.
2006-2007
Towards the end of the 2005 Nextel Cup Series, he was announced as co-driver of a new team: the #96 Texas InstrumentsTexas Instruments
Texas Instruments Inc. , widely known as TI, is an American company based in Dallas, Texas, United States, which develops and commercializes semiconductor and computer technology...
/DLP HDTV Chevrolet for Hall of Fame Racing
Hall of Fame Racing
Hall of Fame Racing was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing team principally owned by Jeff Moorad, Tom Garfinkel, and Tom Davin. The team was created as a joint venture between former Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman...
. He would share the ride in 2006 with Terry Labonte
Terry Labonte
Terrance Lee Labonte is a semi-retired NASCAR driver who occasionally drives in the Sprint Cup Series when called upon and is a two-time Winston Cup and IROC champion. He currently drives the #32 U.S. Chrome Ford for FAS Lane Racing. Labonte was introduced to the sport through his father, who had...
. Raines and the team had their best race of the season during the Bank of America 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway
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...
, with Tony taking the lead for 28 laps and finishing in 7th place. In the 29 races he drove, Raines had one top ten finish and finished 35th in drivers points.
He was expected to complete the full 2007 schedule with Hall of Fame Racing, but was replaced on road course events by Ron Fellows
Ron Fellows
Ron Fellows is an accomplished Canadian SCCA Trans-Am, IMSA, and American Le Mans Series driver, and a NASCAR Road course ringer.-Early career:...
. His best finish in 2007 was ninth at Talladega and the team finished in the Top 25 in Owners Points. At the end of the 2007 season, Raines was replaced by J. J. Yeley
J. J. Yeley
Christopher Beltram Hernandez Yeley is a NASCAR driver. Nicknamed "J. J." , he is currently a competitor in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, driving for Front Row Motorsports.-Open wheel:Yeley initially made a mark for himself in the world of auto racing when he took the Hoosier state by...
in the #96 car for the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
The 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season began on February 9, 2008 at Daytona International Speedway with the Budweiser Shootout, followed by pole qualifying on Sunday, February 10, 2008 for the 50th Daytona 500 on February 17...
. Raines also had returned to the Busch Series with KHI for a part time schedule, and in 2007 he had three top tens in nine starts.
2008
After sitting out the first few races of 2008, Raines attempted his first races of the season for E&M Motorsports driving the #08 Dodge sponsored by Rhino Energy Drink. He successfully qualified for his first Cup race of the season at Dover in the Front Row Motorsports #34 car, however had failed to make any other races for the team, partly because of a high number of qualifying rainouts. He began driving the #70 Haas CNC RacingHaas CNC Racing
Stewart-Haas Racing, formerly known as Haas CNC Racing, is a NASCAR racing team based in Kannapolis, North Carolina, which runs Chevrolet Impalas. The team is owned by Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, and runs the #14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet Impala driven by Stewart and the #39 United States...
Chevrolet at Pocono, resulting in an 18th place finish, that team's second best finish of the season up to that point, and he bested that finish two races later with a 17th place finish at Bristol. Later, he returned to Front Row Motorsports at Richmond and New Hampshire, only for qualifying to be canceled due to rain at both races, resulting in DNQ's for the team. He got back behind the wheel of the #70 Haas CNC Chevrolet at the Camping World 400 at Dover International Speedway, qualifying 13th for the race, the best of any team outside the top-35 in points, and finished 28th. In the fall race at Talledega, Raines was running near the Top-10 when a lead car lost a tire, causing the first major wreck of the race; the #70 was involved in the wreck and finished 34th. He ran the remainder of the season for Haas CNC, with the exception of the race at Phoenix where Johnny Sauter
Johnny Sauter
Johnathan Joseph Sauter is a NASCAR driver from Wisconsin. Sauter is the son of former NASCAR driver Jim Sauter, and the brother of NASCAR drivers Tim Sauter and Jay Sauter...
drove.
2009
In 2009, Raines returned to the Nationwide Series for a full time schedule driving the #34 Long John Silver'sLong John Silver's
Long John Silver's, Inc. is a United States-based fast-food restaurant that specializes in seafood. The name and concept were inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson's book Treasure Island. Formerly a division of Yum! Brands, Inc., the company was divested to a group of franchisees in 2011.-History:The...
Chevrolet for 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...
, replacing Eric McClure who departed at the end of 2008. Raines had a fourth place finish in the Aaron's 312
Aaron's 312
The Aaron's 312 is a NASCAR Nationwide Series race held at Talladega Superspeedway. The race's sponsor, Aaron's, is a lease-to-own retailer. The twelve extra miles are tacked on to what would normally be a race for targeted advertising purposes....
at Talladaga Superspeedway, marking 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...
first top-five finish in any series, and has had numerous top-20 finishes throughout the year while remaining in the top 15 in drivers points. At Dover in the spring, FRM perennial sponsor Continental Fire and Safety joined the #34 Chevy, and at Daytona in July Gander Mountain
Gander Mountain
Gander Mountain, headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, is a retail network of stores for hunting, fishing, camping, marine, and other outdoor recreation products and services...
jumped on board the #34 Impala. Tony was able to muscle his way to a sixth place finish in the rain at the road race at Montreal. The #34 team was able to put together a very competitive car at Lowes Motor Speedway and finished in the 10th position after starting in the back of the field and being in the top ten for much of the night. Tony and the #34 earned 12th place in drivers points for the season, and 20th place in owners points.
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...
, he attempted to qualify Front Row's #37 Dodge Charger in the 2009 Daytona 500, however was unsuccessful. Raines qualified for the Sprint Cup race in Phoenix in Barry Haefele's #73 car. The #37 and Tony qualified for their first race at Richmond, however was a late entry and gained no points for the attempt. Raines was announced as the replacement for 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:...
in the #34 entry for three weeks while Andretti temporarily left the team to compete in the Indy 500. In his first race for the team, Tony was able to get FRM's best ever finish to that point without EGR's assistance, a 25th at Darlington. Returning to the #37, Tony managed to make numerous other races for the team, gaining sponsorship from Gander Mountain
Gander Mountain
Gander Mountain, headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, is a retail network of stores for hunting, fishing, camping, marine, and other outdoor recreation products and services...
during the 2009 Coke Zero 400, finishing 30th. The #37 was run primarily as a "start and park" car in 2009, attempting to aid the #34 in remaining in the top-35 in points, and raising money for the underfunded organization.
2010
For the 2010 season, Tony and the #34 Long John Silvers crew return to the track in the Nationwide Series. However, with Front Row MotorsportsFront 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...
becoming Ford supported team in the Sprint Cup Series, and the #34 Nationwide team running 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...
s, the team has been absorbed by the returning organization of Tri-Star Motorsports
Tri-Star Motorsports
TriStar Motorsports is a racing team that competes in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. They currently field the #14 Hefty Chevrolet for Eric McClure, the #19 Chevrolet for Mike Bliss, and the #44 Chevrolet for Jeff Green and Charles Lewandoski...
, owned by Mark Smith of Pro Motors. Raines and the #34 started the season strong, with a 14th place finish at the Drive4COPD 400 at Daytona
Daytona
Daytona may refer to:* Daytona Beach, Florida* Daytona Beach Shores, Florida* South Daytona, Florida-Motor racing:* Daytona Beach Road Course* Daytona International Speedway, a NASCAR speedway, which hosts:** the Daytona 500 NASCAR race...
after leading 3 laps. The #34 team picked up sponsorship from the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino
Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino
Planet Hollywood Las Vegas, previously known as The Aladdin, is a casino resort on the Las Vegas Strip, in the unincorporated locale of Paradise, Nevada, United States. Westgate Resorts operates the condo portion of the property, known as PH Towers by Westgate.Planet Hollywood is owned by Caesars...
at Las Vegas
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
, and had a strong run at Talladega, finishing 7th. BeAStockCarDriver.com jumped onto Raines' car for the remaining 4 races of the season after sponsoring teammate Jason Keller
Jason 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...
at Charlotte. He finished 17th in final drivers standings.
Raines ran a Sprint Cup Series race for Larry Gunselman's #64 at Richmond in May, and ran 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...
's #36 in the Sprint Showdown. At the Carfax 400 at Michigan during August, Raines replaced the released Kevin Conway
Kevin Conway
Kevin Conway is an American actor and film director.-Early life:Conway was born in New York City, the son of Helen Margaret , a sales representative, and James John Conway, a mechanic...
at 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...
, finishing 31st in his debut with the team. Raines and fellow driver Dave Blaney
Dave Blaney
David Blaney is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver. He currently drives the #36 Golden Corral/Big Red Chevrolet Impala for Tommy Baldwin Racing. Blaney was a successful sprint car driver before he started racing in NASCAR...
shared this ride for the remainder of the season. He ran in the top-20 at Martinsville before a cut tire ended his day. Raines' best finish in the 2010 sprint cup season came at Bristol, finishing 28th.
2011
In 2011, Tony began the season without a fulltime ride in any series. He spotted for Robert Richardson, Jr., driving the #37 Ford for Front Row MotorsportsFront 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 the Daytona 500. Raines' first start came at Phoenix, where he finished 25th in Max Q Motorsports' unsponsored #37 Ford, fielded in association with 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...
. He continued to race the car, getting a 25th at Martinsville and getting the team back into the top-35 in owners points following the 7th race of the season. Black Cat Fireworks and Firehouse Subs joined the team for 5 races leading up to the Coca Cola 400 Daytona on the 4th of July weekend. Following the 9th race of the season at Richmond, the car turned into a start and park entry. Tony would go on to be the full time driver of the car until the 19th race of the season at Loudon, after which he drove sparingly for the team.