Tri-Star Motorsports
Encyclopedia
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
. The team competed in the NASCAR
Winston Cup series primarily during the early to mid '90s, suspending racing operations in 1997 and continuing on as Tri-Star Motors, and later Pro Motor Engines, supplying engine
s to many NASCAR teams prior to returning to competition in 2010.
. Driver Ron Esau finished 38th after wrecking the #18 Pontiac
. Brad Teague
made the team's second start at Charlotte Motor Speedway
with Mello Yello
but finished 31st after suffering engine failure. Tri-Star sponsored Hut Stricklin
's #68 entry at the 1990 Daytona 500
, and fielded the #18 for him at Atlanta Motor Speedway
, where he finished. Tri-Star switched to the #68 at Talladega Superspeedway
, and Stanley Smith wrecked the Interstate Batteries
car and finished 37th. The team finished their first race at Michigan with Mike Chase finishing 24th. They ran the #68 with Country Time Lemonade
sponsorship and Bobby Hamilton
driving in two races, with a best finish of 28th.
In 1991, Tri-Star ran full-time with Hamilton and Country Time again sponsoring their Oldsmobile
. Hamilton had four top-ten finishes and finished 22nd in points, winning Rookie of the Year
honors. They began 1992 with no top-ten finishes, and later switched to Ford Thunderbird
s, allowing Hamilton to get two top-ten finishes and finish 25th in points. After failing to finish higher than 15th eight races into the 1993 season, Hamilton was released. Greg Sacks
drove for the rest of the season, with Dorsey Schroeder
filling in at the road course races, and Loy Allen driving at Phoenix International Raceway
.
Allen was named the full-time driver for the 1994 season, in addition to Tri-Star switching to the #19 and getting Hooters
sponsorship. Allen won the pole for the Daytona 500
, becoming the first rookie driver to do so. He also qualified on the pole at Atlanta and Michigan, but failed to qualify for twelve races that season and finished 39th in points. Allen and Hooters left Tri-Star at the end of the year, and Phil Parsons
took over the driving duties for the first five races of the 1995 season with Ultra Custom Wheels sponsorship. After the first five races, the team cut back and did not run any races until the Winston Select 500, when Allen returned to the team with Healthsource sponsoring the car. In their first race back together, Allen and Tri-Star qualified second and finished tenth, Allen's career-best finish. Tri-Star ran a limited schedule for the rest of 1995, with Ron Fellows
driving the 68 at Watkins Glen, and Allen driving the 19 during the rest of the season.
Healthsource signed for a full season of sponsorship in 1996, but Allen suffered a severe neck injury at the second race of the season at North Carolina Speedway
, causing him to miss the next ten races. Dick Trickle
filled in the interim, placing eighth at the Food City 500
. Upon Allen's return, Tri-Star again moved to a part-time schedule, getting a best finish of 21st. Healthsource left the team at the end of the season, and Child Support Recovery took its place. After two races into the 1997 season, Allen was released and Gary Bradberry
replaced him. After failing to qualify for the Miller 400
, Child Support left the team and they closed down.
In 1999, they leased their shop to SBIII Motorsports and built engines for them. Following the team's closure near the end of the season, Tri-Star reacquired its equipment and fielded the #48 FansTeam Ford for Stanton Barrett
, but did not qualify.
and their Sprint Cup Series teams until the end of 2009, ML Motorsports, MSRP Motorsports
, and Mark Smiths own Tri-Star Motorsports beginning in 2010 in the Nationwide Series, Kevin Harvick Incorporated
along with many other teams in the Camping World Truck Series and the ARCA RE/Max Series. The company has won Camping World Truck Series championships in 2003, 2004, and 2009, along with PME winning the MAHLE Engine Builder Showdown for 3 years in a row.
, and fielded three cars in 2010, the former FRM team #34 for Tony Raines
, a new team, the #35, for Jason Keller
and ran the #36 on a part time schedule. The team used their own PME Motors
What is now the #14 Chevrolet debuted in 2010 as the #35 Chevrolet. At the time it was a completely new entry, consisting of veteran Jason Keller
as the driver and former Rusty Wallace Racing crew chief Bryan Berry atop the pit box. During their first attempt at Daytona, the #35 missed the race due to not having a top-35 points position and being unable to qualify on time. The team would go on to miss the races at Daytona, Las Vegas, and Texas, while successfully making the race Stater Brothers 300
in California, starting 21st and finshing 20th during the teams first race. The team would eventually make the top-35, a notable accomplishment for a team that missed 3 races during the season. The #35 and Keller got their first top 10 finish in the form of a top 5, finishing 4th at Talladega. At the inaugural event at Road America
, the team selected Tony Ave
to drive the #35, Ave being a road course ace with much success at the track. He qualified the car in 10th place, and was running 5th when he was spun on the last lap of the race, finishing 20th. Antonio Pérez
drove the car at Gateway International Raceway
, finishing 34th. Tony Raines
drove the #35 at Phoenix International Raceway
with sponsorship from BeAStockCarDriver.com. The #35 finished 29th in the 2010 owners points.
The team managed to put together some one race sponsorship deals for various races during the season. The #35 and Keller managed to get sponsorship from uPillar.com at Darlington, KEL Chemicals at Dover for Kellers 500th career start, and LubePros.com at Chicagoland speedway. BeAStockCarDriver.com sponsored Keller at Charlotte in October.
The team returns to competition in 2011 as the #14, with Eric McClure
and his long time sponsor Hefty
coming along with him from Team Rensi Motorsports
.
What is now the #19 team was previously the #34 team from the 2010 season. Tri-Star acquired the team from Front Row Motorsports
following the 2009 season. It remained mostly intact, with Scott Eggleston returning as crew chief and Tony Raines
returning as the driver of the Long John Silvers entry, and with the previous years owners points transferring over which locked the team into the first 5 races of the season. During the first race for the new team at Daytona, Raines and the #34 lead 3 laps and finished 14th despite being involved in 2 incidents. Alongside his teammate, Raines and the crew scored the seasons first top-10 in the Aaron's 312
at Talladega Superspeedway
in Alabama, finishing 7th after running in the top-5 for various parts of the race. Raines got his second top 10 of the season at Gateway, finishing tenth. Charles Lewandoski
started and parked the #34 at Phoenix International Raceway
in November, with Raines in the #35 for that race. Dave Fuge became crew chief of the team in the second half of the season. The #34 finished 23rd in final owners points, with Raines finishing 17th in driver standings in 2010.
The team managed to put together some one race sponsorship deals for various races for during the season. The #34 and Raines was funded by Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino at California, doorstopnation.com at Daytona & Talladega, Continental Fire & Safety at Dover, and Boss Industries/The Walter Payton Foundation at Chicagoland. Front Row Motorsports
' owner Bob Jenkins pulled the Long John Silver's
sponsorship from the team following the race at Bristol Motor Speedway
in August, with BeAStockCarDriver.com sponsoring Raines for the final 4 races of the season. Raines was replaced by Nationwide Series veteran Mike Bliss
The team returns in 2011 as the #19, and Mike Bliss
signed on to drive the car for the 2011 season. Crew Chief Dave Fuge remains with the team but was replaced early in the season by Wes Ward. Ward also left the team early on and was replaced by TRG interim crew chief Paul Clapprood.
and Jeff Green
behind the wheel, running as a start and park
operation, with the prize money used to fund the #34 and #35 teams. Green drove the car again at Daytona as a start and park. Charles Lewandoski
will drive the #44 for 10 races.
and a Chevy purchased from Front Row Motorsports
, however did not qualify. It was the only Cup race Tri-Star attempted that year.
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. They currently field the #14 Hefty
Hefty
Hefty is a brand name of trash bags, trash cans, foam disposable tableware, children’s disposable tableware, slider closure food storage and freezer bags, and disposable cookware. Hefty is a registered trademark of Pactiv Corporation...
Chevrolet for Eric McClure
Eric McClure
Eric McClure , is a NASCAR driver. His family owns the Sprint Cup team Morgan-McClure Motorsports. A graduate of Emory and Henry College, he currently drives the #14 Hefty Chevrolet full-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for TriStar Motorsports.- Sprint Cup Series Career :McClure has made two...
, the #19 Chevrolet for Mike Bliss
Mike Bliss
Michael Bliss is a NASCAR driver who has run in all three major series. He currently drives the #19 Chevrolet Impala for TriStar Motorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He began racing at age 10...
, and the #44 Chevrolet 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...
and Charles Lewandoski
Charles Lewandoski
Charles Lewandoski is a driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.-Background:...
. The team competed in the 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...
Winston Cup series primarily during the early to mid '90s, suspending racing operations in 1997 and continuing on as Tri-Star Motors, and later Pro Motor Engines, supplying engine
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
s to many NASCAR teams prior to returning to competition in 2010.
Winston Cup 1989-1998
Tri-Star made its debut in 1989 at Talladega SuperspeedwayTalladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama, United States. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base just outside the small city of Lincoln. It was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in...
. Driver Ron Esau finished 38th after wrecking the #18 Pontiac
Pontiac
Pontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...
. Brad Teague
Brad Teague
Brad Teague is a veteran of the NASCAR Busch Series and the Nextel Cup Series. He was born November 9, 1947 in Buladean, North Carolina. He resides in Johnson City, Tennessee.- Nationwide Series :...
made the team's second start at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Charlotte 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 Mello Yello
Mello Yello
Mello Yello is a caffeinated, citrus-flavored soft drink produced and distributed by The Coca-Cola Company. It was introduced on March 1, 1979 to compete with PepsiCo's Mountain Dew. There have been three flavored variants of Mello Yello. Mello Yello Cherry was released in response to Mountain Dew...
but finished 31st after suffering engine failure. Tri-Star sponsored Hut Stricklin
Hut Stricklin
Waymond Lane "Hut" Stricklin is a former NASCAR race car driver. He was born on June 24, 1961, in Calera, Alabama. He married Pam Allison, the daughter of NASCAR legend Donnie Allison after they were introduced by her cousin Davey. Hut was the last member of the Alabama Gang.In 1986, Stricklin won...
's #68 entry at the 1990 Daytona 500
1990 Daytona 500
The 1990 Daytona 500 was run on February 18, 1990.-Race review:Ken Schrader won the pole with a speed of . In the Thursday Gatorade 125-mile qualifier, he crashed on the last lap and had to use a backup car on Sunday. He quickly passed several cars at the start. By the first caution flag, Schrader...
, and fielded the #18 for him 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...
, where he finished. Tri-Star switched to the #68 at Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama, United States. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base just outside the small city of Lincoln. It was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in...
, and Stanley Smith wrecked the Interstate Batteries
Interstate Batteries
Interstate Battery System of America, Inc., a.k.a. Interstate Batteries, is a privately owned company that markets automotive batteries manufactured by Johnson Controls through independent distributors to more than 200,000 automotive shops worldwide. The company is based in Dallas, Texas...
car and finished 37th. The team finished their first race at Michigan with Mike Chase finishing 24th. They ran the #68 with Country Time Lemonade
Country Time
Country Time is the name of a brand of lemonade drinks. It is a non-carbonated lemon-flavored drink mix and soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines. The powdered mix is produced by Kraft Foods...
sponsorship and Bobby Hamilton
Bobby Hamilton
Charles Robert Hamilton, Sr. was a driver and owner in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series circuit and the winner of the 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship. Hamilton owned Bobby Hamilton Racing, which fielded three entries in each NCWTS event...
driving in two races, with a best finish of 28th.
In 1991, Tri-Star ran full-time with Hamilton and Country Time again sponsoring their Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
. Hamilton had four top-ten finishes and finished 22nd in points, winning 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....
honors. They began 1992 with no top-ten finishes, and later switched to Ford Thunderbird
Ford Thunderbird
The Thunderbird , is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States over eleven model generations from 1955 through 2005...
s, allowing Hamilton to get two top-ten finishes and finish 25th in points. After failing to finish higher than 15th eight races into the 1993 season, Hamilton was released. Greg Sacks
Greg Sacks
Greg Sacks is a NASCAR driver. He is married to his wife Vicky and lives in Ormond Beach, Florida. Together they had three children: Paul, Brian, and Rachel. He and his sons are partners in Grand Touring Vodka.Sacks has spent most of his career as a Research & Development driver for many NASCAR...
drove for the rest of the season, with Dorsey Schroeder
Dorsey Schroeder
Dorsey Schroeder is a race car driver born February 5, 1953 in Kirkwood, Missouri. Dorsey currently lives in Florida with his wife Kim and daughter Carissa Schroeder from his second marriage...
filling in at the road course races, and Loy Allen driving at Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix International Raceway, also known as PIR, is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. The track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the Indycar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series...
.
Allen was named the full-time driver for the 1994 season, in addition to Tri-Star switching to the #19 and getting Hooters
Hooters
Hooters is the trade name of two privately held American restaurant chains: Hooters of America, Incorporated, based in Atlanta, Georgia, and Hooters, Incorporated, based in Clearwater, Florida...
sponsorship. Allen won the pole for the Daytona 500
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
, becoming the first rookie driver to do so. He also qualified on the pole at Atlanta and Michigan, but failed to qualify for twelve races that season and finished 39th in points. Allen and Hooters left Tri-Star at the end of the year, and Phil Parsons
Phil Parsons
Phil Parsons , is a former NASCAR driver and owner of MSRP Motorsports . He is also the younger brother of the late 1973 Winston Cup champion and former NBC/TNT commentator Benny Parsons. Years later, he returned to the Busch Series, where he enjoyed modest success...
took over the driving duties for the first five races of the 1995 season with Ultra Custom Wheels sponsorship. After the first five races, the team cut back and did not run any races until the Winston Select 500, when Allen returned to the team with Healthsource sponsoring the car. In their first race back together, Allen and Tri-Star qualified second and finished tenth, Allen's career-best finish. Tri-Star ran a limited schedule for the rest of 1995, with 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:...
driving the 68 at Watkins Glen, and Allen driving the 19 during the rest of the season.
Healthsource signed for a full season of sponsorship in 1996, but Allen suffered a severe neck injury at the second race of the season 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...
, causing him to miss the next ten races. Dick Trickle
Dick Trickle
Richard "Dick" Trickle is a retired American race car driver. He raced for decades around the short tracks of Wisconsin, winning many championships along the way. Trickle has competed in the ASA, ARTGO, ARCA, All Pro, IMCA, NASCAR, and USAC.In more than an estimated 2,200 races, Trickle has logged...
filled in the interim, placing eighth at the Food City 500
Food City 500
The Food City 500 is a 500 lap race NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held on the track at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. This is one of two NASCAR races held at Bristol, the other being the Irwin Tools Night Race, and is considered one of NASCAR's best races...
. Upon Allen's return, Tri-Star again moved to a part-time schedule, getting a best finish of 21st. Healthsource left the team at the end of the season, and Child Support Recovery took its place. After two races into the 1997 season, Allen was released and Gary Bradberry
Gary Bradberry
Gary Bradberry is a race car driver. He raced in the NASCAR All-Pro Series, and had top-ten points finishes from 1990-1993. After that, Bradberry made the jump to major NASCAR leagues...
replaced him. After failing to qualify for the Miller 400
Miller 400
At one time, two different NASCAR races were known as the Miller 400:* For the race at Michigan International Speedway in 1985, 1996 and 1997, see 3M Performance 400* For the race at Richmond International Raceway in 1996, see Chevy Rock and Roll 400...
, Child Support left the team and they closed down.
In 1999, they leased their shop to SBIII Motorsports and built engines for them. Following the team's closure near the end of the season, Tri-Star reacquired its equipment and fielded the #48 FansTeam Ford for Stanton Barrett
Stanton Barrett
Stanton Thomas Barrett is a NASCAR driver and Hollywood stuntman. He has driven in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series, as well in the IZOD IndyCar Series.-NASCAR:...
, but did not qualify.
Pro Motors
Although Tri-Star no longer fielded a team, they continued to build engines for various teams. Known as Pro Motors Engines, they have built engines for numerous teams, including 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...
and their Sprint Cup Series teams until the end of 2009, ML Motorsports, MSRP Motorsports
MSRP Motorsports
HP Racing, formerly named MSRP Motorsports and later Prism Motorsports, is a NASCAR team competing in the Sprint Cup Series and the Nationwide Series. It is owned by former NASCAR driver Phil Parsons and Randy Humphrey, along with their wives Stacey and Marcia...
, and Mark Smiths own Tri-Star Motorsports beginning in 2010 in the Nationwide Series, 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...
along with many other teams in the Camping World Truck Series and the ARCA RE/Max Series. The company has won Camping World Truck Series championships in 2003, 2004, and 2009, along with PME winning the MAHLE Engine Builder Showdown for 3 years in a row.
Return to Nascar Competition
After a nine-year hiatus from fielding race teams, Tri-Star acquired the Nationwide team owned by 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...
, and fielded three cars in 2010, the former FRM team #34 for Tony Raines
Tony Raines
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...
, a new team, the #35, for 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...
and ran the #36 on a part time schedule. The team used their own PME Motors
2010
What is now the #14 Chevrolet debuted in 2010 as the #35 Chevrolet. At the time it was a completely new entry, consisting of veteran 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...
as the driver and former Rusty Wallace Racing crew chief Bryan Berry atop the pit box. During their first attempt at Daytona, the #35 missed the race due to not having a top-35 points position and being unable to qualify on time. The team would go on to miss the races at Daytona, Las Vegas, and Texas, while successfully making the race Stater Brothers 300
Stater Brothers 300
The Royal Purple 300 is the fifth race on the NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule. It is held in late March at Auto Club Speedway, usually the day before the Cup series race, although in 2008 it was held after the Cup series race due to a rain delay...
in California, starting 21st and finshing 20th during the teams first race. The team would eventually make the top-35, a notable accomplishment for a team that missed 3 races during the season. The #35 and Keller got their first top 10 finish in the form of a top 5, finishing 4th at Talladega. At the inaugural event at Road America
Road America
Road America is a road course located near Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin on Wisconsin Highway 67. It has hosted races since the 1950s and currently hosts races in the NASCAR Nationwide Series , American Le Mans , SCCA Speed World Challenge Series, ASRA, and AMA Superbike series.- Current track and...
, the team selected Tony Ave
Tony Ave
Tony Ave is a race car driver born in Hurley, Wisconsin, U.S.. He competed in the Grand-Am Series from 2000 until 2002, in Formula Atlantic from 1996 until 2001, and in the Trans-Am in 2002. He also made three Indy Lights starts in 1993 and one Indy Pro Series start in 2003...
to drive the #35, Ave being a road course ace with much success at the track. He qualified the car in 10th place, and was running 5th when he was spun on the last lap of the race, finishing 20th. Antonio Pérez
Antonio Pérez
]Antonio Pérez was a Spanish statesman, secretary of king Philip II of Spain.- Early years :Antonio Perez was born in Madrid in 1540. In 1542 he was legalized as son of Gonzalo Pérez, Secretary of the Council of State of king Charles I of Spain . Most probably Antonio was indeed the son of...
drove the car at Gateway International Raceway
Gateway International Raceway
Gateway Motorsports Park is a race track in Madison, Illinois, USA, just east of St. Louis, Missouri. After being shuttered by former owner Dover Motorsports Inc., on Nov. 3, 2010, it was announced Sept. 8, 2011, that the facility would re-open and host an NHRA Full Throttle Series event Oct. 5-7,...
, finishing 34th. Tony Raines
Tony Raines
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...
drove the #35 at Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix International Raceway, also known as PIR, is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. The track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the Indycar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series...
with sponsorship from BeAStockCarDriver.com. The #35 finished 29th in the 2010 owners points.
The team managed to put together some one race sponsorship deals for various races during the season. The #35 and Keller managed to get sponsorship from uPillar.com at Darlington, KEL Chemicals at Dover for Kellers 500th career start, and LubePros.com at Chicagoland speedway. BeAStockCarDriver.com sponsored Keller at Charlotte in October.
2011
The team returns to competition in 2011 as the #14, with Eric McClure
Eric McClure
Eric McClure , is a NASCAR driver. His family owns the Sprint Cup team Morgan-McClure Motorsports. A graduate of Emory and Henry College, he currently drives the #14 Hefty Chevrolet full-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for TriStar Motorsports.- Sprint Cup Series Career :McClure has made two...
and his long time sponsor Hefty
Hefty
Hefty is a brand name of trash bags, trash cans, foam disposable tableware, children’s disposable tableware, slider closure food storage and freezer bags, and disposable cookware. Hefty is a registered trademark of Pactiv Corporation...
coming along with him from Team Rensi Motorsports
Team Rensi Motorsports
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...
.
2010
What is now the #19 team was previously the #34 team from the 2010 season. Tri-Star acquired the team 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...
following the 2009 season. It remained mostly intact, with Scott Eggleston returning as crew chief and Tony Raines
Tony Raines
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...
returning as the driver of the Long John Silvers entry, and with the previous years owners points transferring over which locked the team into the first 5 races of the season. During the first race for the new team at Daytona, Raines and the #34 lead 3 laps and finished 14th despite being involved in 2 incidents. Alongside his teammate, Raines and the crew scored the seasons first top-10 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 Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama, United States. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base just outside the small city of Lincoln. It was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in...
in Alabama, finishing 7th after running in the top-5 for various parts of the race. Raines got his second top 10 of the season at Gateway, finishing tenth. Charles Lewandoski
Charles Lewandoski
Charles Lewandoski is a driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.-Background:...
started and parked the #34 at Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix International Raceway, also known as PIR, is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. The track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the Indycar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series...
in November, with Raines in the #35 for that race. Dave Fuge became crew chief of the team in the second half of the season. The #34 finished 23rd in final owners points, with Raines finishing 17th in driver standings in 2010.
The team managed to put together some one race sponsorship deals for various races for during the season. The #34 and Raines was funded by Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino at California, doorstopnation.com at Daytona & Talladega, Continental Fire & Safety at Dover, and Boss Industries/The Walter Payton Foundation at Chicagoland. 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...
' owner Bob Jenkins pulled the Long John Silver's
Long 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...
sponsorship from the team following the race at Bristol Motor Speedway
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...
in August, with BeAStockCarDriver.com sponsoring Raines for the final 4 races of the season. Raines was replaced by Nationwide Series veteran Mike Bliss
Mike Bliss
Michael Bliss is a NASCAR driver who has run in all three major series. He currently drives the #19 Chevrolet Impala for TriStar Motorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He began racing at age 10...
2011
The team returns in 2011 as the #19, and Mike Bliss
Mike Bliss
Michael Bliss is a NASCAR driver who has run in all three major series. He currently drives the #19 Chevrolet Impala for TriStar Motorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He began racing at age 10...
signed on to drive the car for the 2011 season. Crew Chief Dave Fuge remains with the team but was replaced early in the season by Wes Ward. Ward also left the team early on and was replaced by TRG interim crew chief Paul Clapprood.
#44 Car History
The #44 is a new team for the 2011 season, switching from the #36 in 2010. The #36 was a third car in 2010 with Tony AveTony Ave
Tony Ave is a race car driver born in Hurley, Wisconsin, U.S.. He competed in the Grand-Am Series from 2000 until 2002, in Formula Atlantic from 1996 until 2001, and in the Trans-Am in 2002. He also made three Indy Lights starts in 1993 and one Indy Pro Series start in 2003...
and 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...
behind the wheel, running as 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, with the prize money used to fund the #34 and #35 teams. Green drove the car again at Daytona as a start and park. Charles Lewandoski
Charles Lewandoski
Charles Lewandoski is a driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.-Background:...
will drive the #44 for 10 races.
#35 Sprint Cup Car
Tri-Star attempted to qualify for the race at Watkins Glen in 2010 with driver Tony AveTony Ave
Tony Ave is a race car driver born in Hurley, Wisconsin, U.S.. He competed in the Grand-Am Series from 2000 until 2002, in Formula Atlantic from 1996 until 2001, and in the Trans-Am in 2002. He also made three Indy Lights starts in 1993 and one Indy Pro Series start in 2003...
and a Chevy purchased 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...
, however did not qualify. It was the only Cup race Tri-Star attempted that year.