Ultra Motorsports
Encyclopedia
Ultra Motorsports was a NASCAR
Winston Cup & Craftsman Truck Series
racing team. Jim Smith
helped start the team and the Craftsman Truck Series. It ran full time in the Craftsman Truck Series from 1994 to 2005, earning many wins and a 2005 championship with Ted Musgrave
. Early in 2006, Ultra announced that they would close up shop after a fallout with Ford.
at Phoenix, finishing 29th, nine laps down. The next season, Butch Gilliland
ran the #38 Ford at Sonoma
, but finished 42nd after an early engine failure. Ultra returned to Cup in 1999 with the #32. Mike Wallace qualified at Richmond International Raceway
, finishing 24th.
Midway through 2000, Mattei Motorsports sold partial interest in the team to Ultra and Smith, who bought out Mattei one month later. Michael Waltrip
became the team's driver for the remainder of the season and the team switched to Chevrolets (which Mattei was running), retaining NationsRent as the team sponsor. The team returned to the Ford marque for 2001 and also brought back Mike Wallace, who struggled and was replaced by Robby Gordon
at Sears Point
who had the team's best finish of second. Wallace left the team late in the season to replace Jeremy Mayfield
at Penske Racing
and Ultra signed Kevin Lepage
, who had been driving the #4 Kodak car for Morgan-McClure Motorsports
, to run the remainder of the schedule.
In 2002 Ultra Motorsports entered into an arrangement with Evernham Motorsports where the team would switch to Dodge Intrepid
s and Casey Atwood
, who had been driving Evernham's #19 car and needed a ride once Mayfield became the team's second driver, would take over the car. The team briefly changed its name to Ultra-Evernham Motorsports and took Sirius Satellite Radio
as its sponsor. However, the partnership dissolved after Smith decided to remove Atwood from the car with two races left in the season and replace him with his truck series driver, Jason Leffler
. Despite this, Sirius stayed as sponsor, Dodge stayed as manufacturer, and Jimmy Spencer
took over in 2003 and had four top ten finishes. Ultra even expanded to field a second car for Ted Musgrave
in selected races, carrying Sirius sponsorship and #07. The team ran only two races in 2004 after struggling to find a sponsor.
In 2005 Robby Gordon
purchased the team and named it Robby Gordon Motorsports
.
drove the Mopar
sponsored Dodge to a 22nd place finish after suffering water pump failure. Musgrave was able to recover and won seven races that season. Musgrave won two races over the next two years, and almost won the championship in 2003, but lost it after jumping a restart at the season finale. During the course of the season, he had been diagnosed with bladder cancer
. After another near miss at the title in 2004
, Musgrave took only one win in 2005 but finally won the championship, the first in Ultra's history. Unfortunately, Dodge announced during the season that they would stop supporting Ultra's team. Ultra spent the offseason trying to work out a deal with the Ford Motor Company
, but talks fell off, and Ultra was forced to shut down. The equipment and owner's points were sold to R3 Racing.
. The team was the #08 Ford F-150 driven by Mike Bliss
, and sponsored by Smith's company, Ultra Custom Wheels. Finishing 14th in that race, Bliss ran with the team for the entire year, when it switched to #2 at Bristol
. Bliss won once at North Wilkesboro Speedway
and finished eighth in points that season.
In 1996, Team ASE Racing came on board as sponsor, and Bliss picked up two more wins and moved into fifth in points. After another top-five finish in 1997, Bliss slipped to tenth in the standings, and left for Roush Racing
. Smith replaced him with Mike Wallace
, who won in the first race of the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway
. Another win at the NAPA 300K propelled Wallace to a sixth place finish in points. After winning twice more in 2000
, Wallace moved up to Ultra's Winston Cup program.
In addition to switching to Dodge Ram
s in 2001, Smith hired Scott Riggs
to drive the #2. Riggs picked up five wins as well as three straight pole positions, and finished fifth in points. However, he moved up to ppc Racing
in the Busch Series
, and Smith hired Jason Leffler
to take his place. Although he did not win a race in 2002
, Leffler had eight pole positions and fifteen top-ten finishes. Leffler returned to Ultra in 2003, and picked up a victory at the MBNA Armed Forces Family 200, but was fired for what was called a violation of his contract; Winston Cup owner Gene Haas
had hired Leffler to temporarily take over the #0 NetZero
Pontiac for Haas CNC Racing after regular driver Jack Sprague
was fired and Smith dismissed him shortly thereafter. Jimmy Spencer
and Andy Houston
took over with Spencer picking up a win at Loudon
. Houston returned for 2004, but he and the team struggled and he was released. P. J. Jones, Jamie McMurray
, and Kasey Kahne
shared driving duties for the season, with McMurray and Kahne winning during their relief duties.
In 2005, Jimmy Spencer returned to the #2. Although he was unable to visit victory lane again, he put together nine top-ten finishes and a twelfth place finish in points. It had already been decided not to run the #2 when Ultra announced it was closing its doors. The equipment and owner's points for this team were sold to Evernham Motorsports
' ride for Erin Crocker
.
drove the #06 in five races for Ultra, and had one top-ten finish. Late in the season, Ultra fielded the #08 for John Borneman at Phoenix, who finished 29th. Eric Norris
was selected as the driver of the #02 Wolverine Vinyl Siding Ford for five races, his best finish being 13th at Watkins Glen International
.
In 1998, the #1 truck was occupied by Bliss while Dave Rezendes
piloted the #2 in a one-race deal at Bristol. Later in the season, Kenny Irwin, Jr.
drove the #28 Cintas
truck at Phoenix, finishing in the 20th position. The following season, Joe Ruttman
ran one race in the #12 at the season opening Florida Dodge Dealers 400K, but exited early due to a vibration. The same fate befell Norris when he ran later in the season at Texas Motor Speedway
. Leffler drove one race at IRP in 2000, the last extra entry Ultra would field for three years. In 2003, Ultra debuted the #7 Dodge Ram. Stuart Kirby
, Tracy Hines
, and Tyler Walker
piloted it that season.
In the 2003 Ford 200
, Ultra fielded five trucks. This drew fire from fans and drivers, especially points leader Brendan Gaughan
, who accused Smith as using the trucks as roadblocks to help Musgrave, who could overtake Gaughan for the points championship if he finished far enough ahead, take the championship. In addition to Musgrave's Mopar #1, Houston's Team ASE #22, and Walker's Dodge-sponsored #7, Smith entered the #10 Team ASE truck for Houston's brother Marty
and the #22 Ultra Wheels truck for P.J. Jones
.
Gaughan's tirade was sprung from an incident where Marty Houston
, who was driving Ultra's #10, got into an altercation involving Gaughan late in the race which knocked the points leader out of the race and cost him the championship. (As it turned out neither Gaughan nor Musgrave would become champion, as Musgrave was black flagged late in the race for passing before a restart and Travis Kvapil
won the title instead.) The #7 would run final two races in 2004, with Norris driving. He would finish 13th at Homestead.
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 & 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...
racing team. Jim Smith
Jim Smith (NASCAR team owner)
Jim Smith is an American motocross racer and former NASCAR team owner who helped found the Craftsman Truck Series.Smith owned Ultra Motorsports until the closing of their shop in early 2006 following a sponsorship dispute with the Ford Motor Company...
helped start the team and the Craftsman Truck Series. It ran full time in the Craftsman Truck Series from 1994 to 2005, earning many wins and a 2005 championship with Ted Musgrave
Ted Musgrave
Theodore Musgrave is an American race car driver.-Pre-NASCAR:Musgrave's father, Elmer, was a famous short-track racer in the Midwest who raced for over 25 years at Soldier Field, O'Hare, Waukegan, and Wilmot, Wisconsin before moving into asphalt late models in the American Speed Association and...
. Early in 2006, Ultra announced that they would close up shop after a fallout with Ford.
Winston Cup
Ultra Motorsports began running Winston Cup in 1994, when P. J. Jones drove the #06 Ford ThunderbirdFord Thunderbird
The Thunderbird , is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States over eleven model generations from 1955 through 2005...
at Phoenix, finishing 29th, nine laps down. The next season, Butch Gilliland
Butch Gilliland
Butch Gilliland is a former NASCAR Winston Cup and Craftsman Truck Series driver from California. He was the 1997 Winston West Series champion and based on the west coast. All of his 10 Cup starts came at either Infineon Raceway or Phoenix International Raceway and all 12 of his Truck Series...
ran the #38 Ford at Sonoma
Infineon Raceway
Infineon Raceway, formerly Sears Point Raceway, is a road course and drag strip located on the landform known as Sears Point in the southern Sonoma Mountains near Sonoma, California, USA. The course is a complex series of twists and turns that go up and down the hills...
, but finished 42nd after an early engine failure. Ultra returned to Cup in 1999 with the #32. Mike Wallace qualified at Richmond International Raceway
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...
, finishing 24th.
Midway through 2000, Mattei Motorsports sold partial interest in the team to Ultra and Smith, who bought out Mattei one month later. Michael Waltrip
Michael Waltrip
Michael Curtis Waltrip is a semi-former professional race car driver, co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, and a published author. He is the younger brother of three-time NASCAR champion and racing commentator Darrell Waltrip. Waltrip is a two-time winner of the Daytona 500; having won the race in...
became the team's driver for the remainder of the season and the team switched to Chevrolets (which Mattei was running), retaining NationsRent as the team sponsor. The team returned to the Ford marque for 2001 and also brought back Mike Wallace, who struggled and was replaced by Robby Gordon
Robby Gordon
Robert W. "Robby" Gordon is an American racecar driver who currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as an owner-driver, driving the No. 7 Speed Energy Dodge Charger for Robby Gordon Motorsports, and also competes part-time in the Nationwide Series...
at Sears Point
Infineon Raceway
Infineon Raceway, formerly Sears Point Raceway, is a road course and drag strip located on the landform known as Sears Point in the southern Sonoma Mountains near Sonoma, California, USA. The course is a complex series of twists and turns that go up and down the hills...
who had the team's best finish of second. Wallace left the team late in the season to replace Jeremy Mayfield
Jeremy Mayfield
Jeremy Allen Mayfield is a former NASCAR driver who last competed in 2009 due to legal troubles and an indefinite suspension by NASCAR. Prior to 2009, Mayfield drove cars for the Sadler Brothers, T.W. Taylor, Cale Yarborough, Michael Kranefuss, Roger Penske, Ray Evernham, Bill Davis, and Gene Haas...
at Penske Racing
Penske Racing
Penske Racing is a racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series and NASCAR. They also previously competed in road racing, and Formula One. Penske Racing is a division of Penske Corporation, and is owned and chaired by Roger Penske...
and Ultra signed 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:...
, who had been driving the #4 Kodak car for Morgan-McClure Motorsports
Morgan-McClure Motorsports
Morgan-McClure Motorsports is an American auto racing team that competed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series full time until 2007 and now occasionally attempts races. It has been in operation for 27 years, starting in 1982. The team is most notable for running the #4 from 1983 to 2009.-Starting...
, to run the remainder of the schedule.
In 2002 Ultra Motorsports entered into an arrangement with Evernham Motorsports where the team would switch to Dodge Intrepid
Dodge Intrepid
The Dodge Intrepid is a large four-door, full-size, front-wheel drive sedan car model that was produced for model years 1993 to 2004. It was mechanically related to the Chrysler Concorde, Chrysler LHS, Chrysler New Yorker, Eagle Vision, and also the 300M sedans...
s and Casey Atwood
Casey Atwood
Casey Lee Atwood is an American race car driver. Atwood is currently a free agent in NASCAR. He married his longtime girlfriend, Laura, in 2005. Atwood and Laura have two daughters, Kaylee and Emma...
, who had been driving Evernham's #19 car and needed a ride once Mayfield became the team's second driver, would take over the car. The team briefly changed its name to Ultra-Evernham Motorsports and took Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
as its sponsor. However, the partnership dissolved after Smith decided to remove Atwood from the car with two races left in the season and replace him with his truck series driver, Jason Leffler
Jason Leffler
Jason Leffler is a NASCAR driver from Long Beach, California. Leffler began racing in the open-wheel ranks before moving to NASCAR's three major series...
. Despite this, Sirius stayed as sponsor, Dodge stayed as manufacturer, and Jimmy Spencer
Jimmy Spencer
Jimmy Spencer is a current television commentator, and a former NASCAR driver. He formerly hosted the NASCAR inspired talk show, “What’s the Deal?”, on SPEED. He is the former co-host, with John Roberts and Kenny Wallace, of the SPEED's pre-race and post-race NASCAR shows NASCAR RaceDay and...
took over in 2003 and had four top ten finishes. Ultra even expanded to field a second car for Ted Musgrave
Ted Musgrave
Theodore Musgrave is an American race car driver.-Pre-NASCAR:Musgrave's father, Elmer, was a famous short-track racer in the Midwest who raced for over 25 years at Soldier Field, O'Hare, Waukegan, and Wilmot, Wisconsin before moving into asphalt late models in the American Speed Association and...
in selected races, carrying Sirius sponsorship and #07. The team ran only two races in 2004 after struggling to find a sponsor.
In 2005 Robby Gordon
Robby Gordon
Robert W. "Robby" Gordon is an American racecar driver who currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as an owner-driver, driving the No. 7 Speed Energy Dodge Charger for Robby Gordon Motorsports, and also competes part-time in the Nationwide Series...
purchased the team and named it Robby Gordon Motorsports
Robby Gordon Motorsports
Robby Gordon Motorsports is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team. It fields the #7 Dodge Charger for Robby Gordon. It is based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is owned by Gordon and heavily supported by John Menard, Jr.-2005:...
.
Truck #1 History
The #1 truck made its CTS debut at the 2001 Florida Dodge Dealers 200. Ted MusgraveTed Musgrave
Theodore Musgrave is an American race car driver.-Pre-NASCAR:Musgrave's father, Elmer, was a famous short-track racer in the Midwest who raced for over 25 years at Soldier Field, O'Hare, Waukegan, and Wilmot, Wisconsin before moving into asphalt late models in the American Speed Association and...
drove the Mopar
Mopar
Mopar is the automobile parts and service arm of Chrysler Group LLC. The term was first used by Chrysler in the 1920s and has been in continuous use ever since. Mopar parts are original equipment manufactured parts for Chrysler vehicles...
sponsored Dodge to a 22nd place finish after suffering water pump failure. Musgrave was able to recover and won seven races that season. Musgrave won two races over the next two years, and almost won the championship in 2003, but lost it after jumping a restart at the season finale. During the course of the season, he had been diagnosed with bladder cancer
Bladder cancer
Bladder cancer is any of several types of malignant growths of the urinary bladder. It is a disease in which abnormal cells multiply without control in the bladder. The bladder is a hollow, muscular organ that stores urine; it is located in the pelvis...
. After another near miss at the title in 2004
2004 in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
The 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season began on February 13 and ended on November 19. Bobby Hamilton of Bobby Hamilton Racing won the championship.See also: 2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, 2004 NASCAR Busch Series- Full-time 2004 teams :...
, Musgrave took only one win in 2005 but finally won the championship, the first in Ultra's history. Unfortunately, Dodge announced during the season that they would stop supporting Ultra's team. Ultra spent the offseason trying to work out a deal with the Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
, but talks fell off, and Ultra was forced to shut down. The equipment and owner's points were sold to R3 Racing.
Truck #2 History
Ultra Motorsports made its official Truck debut in the series' first race, the Copper World Classic at Phoenix International RacewayPhoenix 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...
. The team was the #08 Ford F-150 driven by 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 sponsored by Smith's company, Ultra Custom Wheels. Finishing 14th in that race, Bliss ran with the team for the entire year, when it switched to #2 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...
. Bliss won once at North Wilkesboro Speedway
North Wilkesboro Speedway
North Wilkesboro Speedway was a short track that held races in NASCAR's top three series from NASCAR's inception in 1949 until its closure in 1996...
and finished eighth in points that season.
In 1996, Team ASE Racing came on board as sponsor, and Bliss picked up two more wins and moved into fifth in points. After another top-five finish in 1997, Bliss slipped to tenth in the standings, and left for Roush Racing
Roush Racing
Roush Fenway Racing is a racing team competing in NASCAR racing. As one of NASCAR's largest premier racing teams, Roush runs teams in the Sprint and Nationwide Series, and formerly in the Camping World Truck Series and ARCA RE/MAX Series.Roush first entered NASCAR competition in 1988, but had...
. Smith replaced him with Mike Wallace
Mike Wallace (NASCAR)
Mike Wallace is a NASCAR race car driver born in Fenton, Missouri. He currently drives the #01 Chevrolet for JD Motorsports in the Nationwide Series. He is a younger brother to Rusty Wallace, older brother to Kenny Wallace, and uncle to Steve Wallace...
, who won in the first race of the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway
Homestead-Miami Speedway
Homestead-Miami Speedway is a race track in Homestead, Florida southwest of Miami.Since 2002 Homestead has hosted the final races of the season in all three of NASCAR's series: the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, and the Camping World Truck Series...
. Another win at the NAPA 300K propelled Wallace to a sixth place finish in points. After winning twice more in 2000
2000 in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
The 2000 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Season began February 18 and ended October 28. Greg Biffle of Roush Racing was crowned the series champion.See also: 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, 2000 NASCAR Busch Series- 2000 Team Chart :- Daytona 250 :...
, Wallace moved up to Ultra's Winston Cup program.
In addition to switching to Dodge Ram
Dodge Ram
The Dodge Ram is a full-size pickup truck manufactured by the Chrysler Group LLC. As of late 2010, it has been sold under the Ram Trucks brand. Previously, Ram was part of the Dodge lineup of light trucks...
s in 2001, Smith hired Scott Riggs
Scott Riggs
Russell Scott Riggs is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #81 Dodge Charger for Whitney Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.-Early career:...
to drive the #2. Riggs picked up five wins as well as three straight pole positions, and finished fifth in points. However, he moved up to ppc Racing
Ppc Racing
ppc Racing was a NASCAR racing team based in Mooresville, North Carolina. The team was owned by Greg Pollex. ppc Racing came about from a merger of Pollex's Busch Series team with a car owned by Steve DeSouza and Ted Campbell in 1999. The team shut down in 2007 due to a lack of funding...
in the Busch Series
Busch Series
The NASCAR Nationwide Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It is promoted as NASCAR's "minor league" circuit, and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big leagues"; the Sprint Cup circuit...
, and Smith hired Jason Leffler
Jason Leffler
Jason Leffler is a NASCAR driver from Long Beach, California. Leffler began racing in the open-wheel ranks before moving to NASCAR's three major series...
to take his place. Although he did not win a race in 2002
2002 in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
The 2002 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Season began February 15 and endedNovember 15. Mike Bliss of Xpress Motorsports was crowned the champion at season's end.See also: 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, 2002 NASCAR Busch Series- 2002 Team Chart :...
, Leffler had eight pole positions and fifteen top-ten finishes. Leffler returned to Ultra in 2003, and picked up a victory at the MBNA Armed Forces Family 200, but was fired for what was called a violation of his contract; Winston Cup owner Gene Haas
Gene Haas
Gene Francis Haas is founder, president, and sole stockholder of Haas Automation, one of the world's leading CNC machine tool manufacturers. He also founded a NASCAR team, Haas CNC Racing now known as Stewart Haas Racing....
had hired Leffler to temporarily take over the #0 NetZero
NetZero
NetZero is an Internet service provider based in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California. It is a subsidiary of United Online, owner of Juno Online Services and BlueLight Internet Services. The current chairman, president, and CEO of United Online is Mark Goldston.- History :NetZero launched in...
Pontiac for Haas CNC Racing after regular driver Jack Sprague
Jack Sprague
Jack Sprague is a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver. He is currently a free agent. Sprague has finished in the top-ten in the points standings almost every year he has raced in the trucks, and won three championships in 1997, 1999, and 2001 while driving for Hendrick Motorsports.-...
was fired and Smith dismissed him shortly thereafter. Jimmy Spencer
Jimmy Spencer
Jimmy Spencer is a current television commentator, and a former NASCAR driver. He formerly hosted the NASCAR inspired talk show, “What’s the Deal?”, on SPEED. He is the former co-host, with John Roberts and Kenny Wallace, of the SPEED's pre-race and post-race NASCAR shows NASCAR RaceDay and...
and Andy Houston
Andy Houston
Andy Houston is a veteran of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, scoring three wins. Houston is the son of legendary Busch Driver Tommy Houston and the youngest of three brothers, one of them being part-time NASCAR driver Marty Houston and the other being the oldest of the three, Scott Houston...
took over with Spencer picking up a win at Loudon
New Hampshire International Speedway
New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a oval speedway located in Loudon, New Hampshire which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since the early 1990s, as well as an IndyCar weekend and the oldest motorcycle race in North America, the Loudon Classic...
. Houston returned for 2004, but he and the team struggled and he was released. P. J. Jones, Jamie McMurray
Jamie McMurray
James Christopher "Jamie" McMurray is a professional American race car driver. McMurray is best known for winning the 2002 UAW-GM Quality 500 as a substitute driver in his second Winston Cup start, and is one of three drivers to win both the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 in the same year...
, and Kasey Kahne
Kasey Kahne
Kasey Kenneth Kahne is a NASCAR driver. He drives the #5 Farmers Insurance Group Chevrolet Impala for Hendrick Motorsports in the Sprint Cup Series....
shared driving duties for the season, with McMurray and Kahne winning during their relief duties.
In 2005, Jimmy Spencer returned to the #2. Although he was unable to visit victory lane again, he put together nine top-ten finishes and a twelfth place finish in points. It had already been decided not to run the #2 when Ultra announced it was closing its doors. The equipment and owner's points for this team were sold to Evernham Motorsports
Evernham Motorsports
Richard Petty Motorsports is a two-car NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race team owned by seven-time NASCAR champion Richard Petty, Douglas G. Bergeron and financial company Medallion Financial. The team was founded as Evernham Motorsports in 2000, was renamed Gillett Evernham Motorsports in 2007 after...
' ride for Erin Crocker
Erin Crocker
Erin Mary Crocker Evernham is an American race car driver. She drove the #98 Gillett Evernham Motorsports owned Dodge Charger in the ARCA RE/MAX Series. In the past, she played soccer, tennis, and varsity lacrosse on both her high school and college teams...
.
Other teams
Smith fielded additional trucks in the Truck Series. In 1995, Butch GillilandButch Gilliland
Butch Gilliland is a former NASCAR Winston Cup and Craftsman Truck Series driver from California. He was the 1997 Winston West Series champion and based on the west coast. All of his 10 Cup starts came at either Infineon Raceway or Phoenix International Raceway and all 12 of his Truck Series...
drove the #06 in five races for Ultra, and had one top-ten finish. Late in the season, Ultra fielded the #08 for John Borneman at Phoenix, who finished 29th. Eric Norris
Eric Norris
-Biography:Norris was born in Redondo Beach, California, the son of Dianne and Walker, Texas Ranger star Chuck Norris. He won the 2002 NASCAR Winston West Championship during a limited schedule in major league NASCAR racing....
was selected as the driver of the #02 Wolverine Vinyl Siding Ford for five races, his best finish being 13th at Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The facility is owned by International Speedway Corporation...
.
In 1998, the #1 truck was occupied by Bliss while Dave Rezendes
Dave Rezendes
Dave Rezendes is a former NASCAR driver. He competed in the Busch Series from 1988 until 1994. He joined NASCAR's Craftsman Truck Series in its first season in 1995. Rezendes had his best season in 1996, when he won his only three races and finished sixth in the series points...
piloted the #2 in a one-race deal at Bristol. Later in the season, Kenny Irwin, Jr.
Kenny Irwin, Jr.
Kenneth Dale Irwin, Jr. was a NASCAR stock car driver. He had driven in all three major of forms of NASCAR and had two total victories. Before that, he raced in the United States Auto Club against Tony Stewart, who was one of his fiercest rivals...
drove the #28 Cintas
Cintas
Cintas Corporation , based in Mason, Ohio, is a publicly traded company that operates more than 400 facilities throughout North America. The company provides specialized services to businesses, including the design and manufacturing of corporate identity uniform programs, entrance mats, restroom...
truck at Phoenix, finishing in the 20th position. The following season, Joe Ruttman
Joe Ruttman
Joe Ruttman , is an American former racecar driver. He currently lives in Franklin, Tenn. He actively competed in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, and Camping World Truck Series and is a 13 time winner in the Truck Series, the seventh most wins by any driver in the Truck...
ran one race in the #12 at the season opening Florida Dodge Dealers 400K, but exited early due to a vibration. The same fate befell Norris when he ran later in the season at Texas Motor Speedway
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....
. Leffler drove one race at IRP in 2000, the last extra entry Ultra would field for three years. In 2003, Ultra debuted the #7 Dodge Ram. Stuart Kirby
Stuart Kirby
Stuart Kirby is a race car driver. He has driven in ARCA, the Busch Series, and the NEXTEL Cup Series. A former apprentice funeral director for his family's funeral home, he drove the #51 Chevrolet owned by Competitive Edge Motorsports in 2005, but was released before the season could be concluded...
, Tracy Hines
Tracy Hines
Tracy Lee Hines is an American auto racing driver. He was the 2000 USAC Silver Crown Champion and 2002 USAC National Sprint Car Champion...
, and Tyler Walker
Tyler Walker (NASCAR)
Tyler Walker , is a NASCAR driver. Walker began racing bicycles at the age of six and motorcycles at age eight. He then began racing go-karts, and won four California state karting championships and had a total of 200 wins. At the age of sixteen Walker started racing in the All Star Circuit of...
piloted it that season.
In the 2003 Ford 200
Ford 200
The Ford 200 is a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race that takes place at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The races of 1996-2001 were scheduled 250 miles.It has served as the final event of the season for the Truck Series since 2002.-Past winners:...
, Ultra fielded five trucks. This drew fire from fans and drivers, especially points leader Brendan Gaughan
Brendan Gaughan
Brendan Gaughan is an American stock car driver. Gaughan is the grandson of Vegas gaming pioneer Jackie Gaughan and son of Michael Gaughan, a hotel and casino magnate. Gaughan currently drives the #62 South Point Hotel & Casino Toyota Tundra for Germain Racing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck...
, who accused Smith as using the trucks as roadblocks to help Musgrave, who could overtake Gaughan for the points championship if he finished far enough ahead, take the championship. In addition to Musgrave's Mopar #1, Houston's Team ASE #22, and Walker's Dodge-sponsored #7, Smith entered the #10 Team ASE truck for Houston's brother Marty
Marty Houston
Marty Houston, is a former driver in NASCAR. His younger brother, Andy and father Tommy Houston have driven in NASCAR as well.-Craftsman Truck Series Career:...
and the #22 Ultra Wheels truck for P.J. Jones
P.J. Jones
P. J. Jones is a race car driver. He has raced in NASCAR, Indycar, IMSA GT, ALMS, and Champ Car. He is the son of racing legend Parnelli Jones, and brother of Page Jones.-Sprint Cup Series:...
.
Gaughan's tirade was sprung from an incident where Marty Houston
Marty Houston
Marty Houston, is a former driver in NASCAR. His younger brother, Andy and father Tommy Houston have driven in NASCAR as well.-Craftsman Truck Series Career:...
, who was driving Ultra's #10, got into an altercation involving Gaughan late in the race which knocked the points leader out of the race and cost him the championship. (As it turned out neither Gaughan nor Musgrave would become champion, as Musgrave was black flagged late in the race for passing before a restart and Travis Kvapil
Travis Kvapil
Travis Kvapil is an American race car driver. He currently drives for Front Row Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.-Early career:...
won the title instead.) The #7 would run final two races in 2004, with Norris driving. He would finish 13th at Homestead.