Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing,
doing business as
A trade name, trading name, or business name is a pseudonym used by companies that do not operate under their registered company name. The term for this type of alternative name is fictitious business name. Registering the fictitious name with ...
RFK Racing, is an American professional
stock car
Stock car racing is a form of automobile racing run on oval tracks and road courses. It originally used production-model cars, hence the name "stock car", but is now run using cars specifically built for racing. It originated in the southe ...
organization that currently competes in the
NASCAR Cup Series
The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the NASCAR, National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), the most prestigious stock car racing series in the United States.
The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Division, ...
. One of NASCAR's largest racing teams in the 2000s and early 2010s, Roush formerly ran teams in the
NASCAR Xfinity Series
The NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) is a stock car racing series organized by NASCAR. It is promoted as NASCAR's second-tier circuit to the organization's top level NASCAR Cup Series, Cup Series. NXS events are frequently held as a Undercard, support ...
,
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the NASCAR, National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), and is the only series in NASCAR to race production pickup truck-based stock car racing, s ...
,
ARCA Menards Series
The ARCA Menards Series is an American stock car racing, stock car series, the premier division of the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA). It is considered a minor, semi-professional league of stock car racing, used as a feeder series into ...
,
Trans-Am Series
The Trans-Am Series presented by Pirelli is a sports car racing series held in North America. Founded in 1966, it is sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). Primarily based in the United States, the series competes on a variety of ...
and
IMSA Camel GT. The team currently fields the No. 6
Ford Mustang Dark Horse full-time for driver/co-owner
Brad Keselowski
Bradley Aaron Keselowski (; born February 12, 1984) is an American professional stock car racing driver, team owner, and entrepreneur. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 6 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for RFK Racing, a te ...
, the No. 17 Mustang full-time for
Chris Buescher
Christopher William Buescher (born October 29, 1992) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 17 Ford Mustang (seventh generation), Ford Mustang Dark Horse for RFK Racing ...
, and the No. 60 full-time for
Ryan Preece
Ryan Preece (born October 25, 1990) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 60 Ford Mustang (seventh generation), Ford Mustang Dark Horse for RFK Racing.
Preece previous ...
.
The team was originally Roush Racing and was renamed Roush Fenway Racing in 2007 when
John W. Henry
John William Henry II (born September 13, 1949) is an American businessman and the founder of John W. Henry & Company, an investment management firm. He is the principal owner of Liverpool Football Club, the Boston Red Sox, the Pittsburgh Pengu ...
and the
Fenway Sports Group
Fenway Sports Group Holdings, LLC (FSG), is an American multinational sports holding conglomerate which owns Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox, Premier League’s Liverpool F.C., Liverpool, National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Penguins, NAS ...
became co-owners and RFK Racing in 2022 when
Brad Keselowski
Bradley Aaron Keselowski (; born February 12, 1984) is an American professional stock car racing driver, team owner, and entrepreneur. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 6 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for RFK Racing, a te ...
became a co-owner.
Since its inception, Roush has competed exclusively in
Ford
Ford commonly refers to:
* Ford Motor Company, an automobile manufacturer founded by Henry Ford
* Ford (crossing), a shallow crossing on a river
Ford may also refer to:
Ford Motor Company
* Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company
* Ford F ...
brand automobiles. The team also operates Roush-Yates Engines, which provides engines for most Ford teams in NASCAR and ARCA.
History
Roush Racing was founded by
Jack Roush
Jack Roush (born Jackson Earnest Roush on April 19, 1942) is the founder, CEO, and co-owner of Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, a NASCAR team headquartered in Concord, North Carolina, and is chairman of Roush Enterprises.
Roush Enterprises is the ...
, former employee of the
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational corporation, multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. T ...
and founder of
Roush Performance
Roush Performance is an American automotive company primarily involved in the engineering, development, and manufacturing of high-performance components for street and competitive racing applications. The company's namesake is automotive mogul ...
. Prior to entering NASCAR competition, Roush had competed and won championships in various drag racing and sports car racing series since the mid-1960s, including the
NHRA
The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) is a governing body which sets rules in drag racing and hosts events all over the United States and Canada. With over 40,000 drivers in its rosters, the NHRA claims to be the largest motorsport sanction ...
,
SCCA
The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) is a non-profit American automobile club and sanctioning body supporting Autocross, Rallycross, High Performance Driver Education, HPDE, Time trial, Time Trial, Road racing, Road Racing, Regularity rally, R ...
Trans-Am Series
The Trans-Am Series presented by Pirelli is a sports car racing series held in North America. Founded in 1966, it is sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). Primarily based in the United States, the series competes on a variety of ...
,
IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada.
History
The series was founded in 1969 by John and Peggy Bishop, and Bill ...
, and the
24 Hours of Daytona
The 24 Hours of Daytona, also known as the Rolex 24 At Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car racing, sports car Endurance racing (motorsport), endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Flo ...
. The racing business was originally a small branch of co-owner
Jack Roush
Jack Roush (born Jackson Earnest Roush on April 19, 1942) is the founder, CEO, and co-owner of Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, a NASCAR team headquartered in Concord, North Carolina, and is chairman of Roush Enterprises.
Roush Enterprises is the ...
's successful automotive engineering and road-racing equipment business based in
Livonia, Michigan
Livonia ( ) is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. A western suburb of Detroit, Livonia is located roughly northwest of downtown Detroit. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 95,535. Originally organized as ...
. Early Roush drivers included
Tommy Kendall
Tommy Kendall (born October 17, 1966) is an American race car driver and television broadcaster. He is best known for his IMSA GT Championship and SCCA Trans-Am Series career.
Racing career
Son of race driver Charles Kendall, Kendall began h ...
,
Scott Pruett
Scott Donald Pruett (born March 24, 1960) is an American former racing driver who has competed in numerous disciplines of the sport. In the 1980s, Pruett established himself as a top sports car racer, winning two IMSA GTO, and three Trans-Am ...
and
Willy T. Ribbs.
The NASCAR operation, founded in 1988 and based in Concord, North Carolina, has since become the cornerstone and centerpiece of the company.
[ The team won back to back Championships in the ]NASCAR Cup Series
The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the NASCAR, National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), the most prestigious stock car racing series in the United States.
The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Division, ...
in 2003 and 2004; the final Winston Cup championship with driver Matt Kenseth
Matthew Roy Kenseth (born March 10, 1972) is an American former professional stock car racing driver and the current competition advisor for Legacy Motor Club in the NASCAR Cup Series. Most recently, he raced part-time in the Superstar Racing Exper ...
, and the first Nextel Cup championship with driver Kurt Busch
Kurt Thomas Busch (born August 4, 1978) is an American auto racing driver. He is best known for competing in the NASCAR Cup Series from 2000–2022, last driving the No. 45 Toyota Camry TRD for 23XI Racing. Busch is the 2004 NASCAR Cup Series ch ...
. The team also has amassed many wins and championships in the Nationwide/Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the NASCAR, National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), and is the only series in NASCAR to race production pickup truck-based stock car racing, s ...
competition.
In 2007, sports investor John W. Henry
John William Henry II (born September 13, 1949) is an American businessman and the founder of John W. Henry & Company, an investment management firm. He is the principal owner of Liverpool Football Club, the Boston Red Sox, the Pittsburgh Pengu ...
, owner of the Fenway Sports Group
Fenway Sports Group Holdings, LLC (FSG), is an American multinational sports holding conglomerate which owns Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox, Premier League’s Liverpool F.C., Liverpool, National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Penguins, NAS ...
which operates the Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...
, Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is a professional Football club (association football), football club based in Liverpool, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English football. Founded in ...
, and the New England Sports Network
New England Sports Network, popularly known as NESN , is an American regional sports cable and satellite television network owned by a joint venture of Fenway Sports Group (which owns a controlling 80% interest, and is the owner of the Boston ...
bought a 50% stake in the team, renamed Roush Fenway Racing. Jack Roush
Jack Roush (born Jackson Earnest Roush on April 19, 1942) is the founder, CEO, and co-owner of Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, a NASCAR team headquartered in Concord, North Carolina, and is chairman of Roush Enterprises.
Roush Enterprises is the ...
continues to head day-to-day operations of the team.
Roush restarted its road racing program in 2006, called Roush Road Racing (previously Roush Performance Racing or Roush Performance). The team fielded the No. 61 Ford Mustang in the IMSA Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge and Rolex Sports Car Series
The Rolex Sports Car Series was the premier series run by the Grand American Road Racing Association. It was a North American-based sports car series founded in 2000 under the name Grand American Road Racing Championship to replace the failed ...
for Billy Johnson and Jack Roush's son, Jack Roush Jr., and since 2014 fields the No. 60 Mustang in the Pirelli World Challenge
The GT World Challenge America is a North American auto racing series launched in 1990 by the Sports Car Club of America. It has been managed by the SRO Motorsports Group since 2018, and has been sanctioned by the United States Auto Club since 2 ...
sponsored by Roush Performance
Roush Performance is an American automotive company primarily involved in the engineering, development, and manufacturing of high-performance components for street and competitive racing applications. The company's namesake is automotive mogul ...
and driven by Roush, Jr. Since 2015, the team has been fielded in a partnership with Capaldi Racing, moving from the Roush Fenway shops in North Carolina to Michigan
Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...
near Roush Performance headquarters.
After several months of speculation, Roush-Fenway announced on July 20, 2021, at the NASCAR Hall of Fame that the 2010 Nationwide Series and 2012 Sprint Cup Series Champion Brad Keselowski
Bradley Aaron Keselowski (; born February 12, 1984) is an American professional stock car racing driver, team owner, and entrepreneur. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 6 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for RFK Racing, a te ...
would depart from Team Penske
Team Penske (formerly Penske Racing) is an American professional auto racing organization, competing in the IndyCar Series, NASCAR Cup Series, IMSA SportsCar Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship. Debuting at the 1966 24 Hours of Day ...
after the 2021 season to join the organization as a driver (replacing Ryan Newman in the No. 6) and co-owner.
Cup Series
Founded in 1988, the NASCAR program is built around having multiple cars and providing engine, engineering, and race car build services to other NASCAR teams fielding Ford-branded vehicles. The multi-team aspect of the company allows for information and resources to be shared across the enterprise, improving the performance of all of the teams. Since the 2004 season, engines for the cars have been provided by Roush-Yates Engines, a partnership between Roush Fenway Racing and now-closed rival Yates Racing
Yates Racing was an American stock car racing team that competed in NASCAR through the 2009 season, after which it merged into Richard Petty Motorsports. Previously known as Robert Yates Racing, the team was owned by Doug Yates, who has offici ...
, with Doug Yates as a head engine builder. Roush-Yates also provides engines, cars and parts to other Cup teams, including Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Cup Series. The team was formed in 1950 by brothers Ray Lee, Clay, Delano, Glen Wood, Glen, and Leonard Wood (racing), Leonard Wood. To ...
, Team Penske
Team Penske (formerly Penske Racing) is an American professional auto racing organization, competing in the IndyCar Series, NASCAR Cup Series, IMSA SportsCar Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship. Debuting at the 1966 24 Hours of Day ...
, Rick Ware Racing
Rick Ware Racing (RWR) is an American motorsports team which currently competes in the NASCAR Cup Series, American Flat Track, and National Hot Rod Association, NHRA.
History
The organizational roots of RWR date back to Ware & Sons Racing with R ...
, Haas Factory Team
Haas Factory Team (HFT) is an American professional stock car racing team that competes in the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The team is owned by Haas Automation founder Gene Haas. It made its debut in 2025, following the c ...
, and Front Row Motorsports
Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The team began running part-time in 2004 as Means-Jenkins Motorsports under a part ...
.
Between 1998 and 2000 and 2003–2009, Roush Racing operated five full-time Cup teams (6, 16, 17, 26/97, 99), more than any other organization including Hendrick Motorsports
Hendrick Motorsports is an American professional auto racing organization that competes in the NASCAR Cup Series. The team was founded in 1984 as All-Star Racing by Rick Hendrick. Hendrick Motorsports has won a NASCAR-record 316 Cup Series ra ...
and Richard Childress Racing
Richard Childress Racing (RCR) is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The team is based in Welcome, North Carolina, and is owned and operated by Richard C ...
, which have both operated as many as four full-time teams. Beginning in 2001, after years of operating in separate facilities, the teams were moved into a single shop in Concord, North Carolina
Concord ( ) is the most populous city in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. The city had a population of 105,240 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Concord is the second-most populous city in the Cha ...
to improve performance and communication.[ Roush Racing set a NASCAR record by putting all five of its race teams in the Chase for the Nextel Cup in 2005.][ Following the 2009 season, Roush Fenway was ordered by ]NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. It is considered to be one of the top ranked motorsports organizations in ...
to shrink its operation to four Sprint Cup Series teams, ceding the No. 26 team. The team would later shrink to three teams after the 2011 season, and would shrink again to two teams after the 2016 season. For 2025, RFK went back to a 3-car operation for the first time since 2016.
On November 29, 2023, it was announced that the number 60 will be brought up from the Xfinity Series
The NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) is a stock car racing series organized by NASCAR. It is promoted as NASCAR's second-tier circuit to the organization's top level Cup Series. NXS events are frequently held as a support race on the day prior to a ...
, to enter the 2024 Daytona 500 with David Ragan
David Lee Ragan (born December 24, 1985) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 60 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for RFK Racing, and is also an analyst for NASCAR on ...
. The team will be racing under the banner of Stage 60. It will also compete on a part time schedule with different drivers. Starting in 2025, RFK will expand the 60 team into a full time operation with driver Ryan Preece
Ryan Preece (born October 25, 1990) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 60 Ford Mustang (seventh generation), Ford Mustang Dark Horse for RFK Racing.
Preece previous ...
, and Kroger
The Kroger Company, or simply Kroger, is an American retail company that operates (either directly or through its subsidiaries) supermarkets and multi-department stores throughout the United States.
Founded by Bernard Kroger in 1883 in Cinc ...
being the sponsor.
Xfinity Series
The Xfinity Series operation began in 1992 with the No. 60 driven by Mark Martin
Mark Anthony Martin (born January 9, 1959), nicknamed "the Kid", is an American former stock car racing driver. He most notably drove the No. 6 Ford Motor Company, Ford for Roush Racing for the majority of his career. From 1989 to 2009, Martin wo ...
. The No. 60 team has been dominant throughout its history, amassing many wins with Martin; three driver's championships with Greg Biffle
Gregory Jack Biffle (born December 23, 1969), nicknamed "the Biff", is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver.
After racing in the NASCAR Winter Heat Series in the mid-1990s, he was recommended to Jack Roush by former race ...
in 2002, Carl Edwards
Carl Michael Edwards Jr. (born August 15, 1979) is an American former professional stock car racing driver and a current analyst for ''NASCAR on Prime Video''.
He last competed in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, driving the No ...
in 2007, and Chris Buescher
Christopher William Buescher (born October 29, 1992) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 17 Ford Mustang (seventh generation), Ford Mustang Dark Horse for RFK Racing ...
in 2015; and an owner's championship with Edwards in 2011. The No. 6 team won back-to-back driver's championships in 2011 and 2012 with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Following the departures of Ryan Reed, Chase Briscoe
Chase David Wayne Briscoe (born December 15, 1994) is an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 19 Toyota Camry, Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing. He also ...
, and Austin Cindric
Austin Louis Cindric (born September 2, 1998) is an American professional auto racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 2 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Team Penske.
Prior to competing in stock cars, Cindric ra ...
, Roush's Xfinity program was closed following the 2018 season.
Camping World Truck Series
From 1995 until 2009 Roush fielded teams in the NASCAR Truck Series
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the NASCAR, National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), and is the only series in NASCAR to race production pickup truck-based stock car racing, s ...
, fielding trucks for drivers such as Kurt Busch
Kurt Thomas Busch (born August 4, 1978) is an American auto racing driver. He is best known for competing in the NASCAR Cup Series from 2000–2022, last driving the No. 45 Toyota Camry TRD for 23XI Racing. Busch is the 2004 NASCAR Cup Series ch ...
, Greg Biffle, Kyle Busch
Kyle Thomas Busch (born May 2, 1985) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro (sixth generation)#ZL1, Chevrolet ZL1 for Richard Childress Racing and par ...
, Carl Edwards, Ricky Craven
Richard Allen Craven (born May 24, 1966) is an American stock car racing analyst and former driver. Prior to his broadcasting duties, he was a NASCAR driver who won in four different series—the ARCA Menards Series, and the three national series. ...
, David Ragan
David Lee Ragan (born December 24, 1985) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 60 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for RFK Racing, and is also an analyst for NASCAR on ...
, Mark Martin
Mark Anthony Martin (born January 9, 1959), nicknamed "the Kid", is an American former stock car racing driver. He most notably drove the No. 6 Ford Motor Company, Ford for Roush Racing for the majority of his career. From 1989 to 2009, Martin wo ...
, Travis Kvapil
Travis Wade Kvapil ( ; born March 1, 1976) is an American former professional stock car driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series, driving the No. 1 Chevrolet Silverado for Beaver Motorsports.
He was the 2003 ...
, and various others. Many of these drivers went on to drive for the team at the Cup level. Roush's trucks won fifty races and the 2000 series championship (Biffle).[
]
Truck No. 09 history
Chuck Hossfeld
Chuck Hossfeld (born January 4, 1977) is an American race car driver and team owner. He is a former racer in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour.
Hossfeld began racing at the ...
drove the final race of 2000 at California Speedway
Auto Club Speedway (known as California Speedway before and after the 2008–2023 corporate sponsorship by the Automobile Club of Southern California) was a , D-shaped oval superspeedway in unincorporated San Bernardino County, California, ne ...
in the No. 49 as a third Roush entry in preparation to take over the No. 50 from Greg Biffle
Gregory Jack Biffle (born December 23, 1969), nicknamed "the Biff", is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver.
After racing in the NASCAR Winter Heat Series in the mid-1990s, he was recommended to Jack Roush by former race ...
in the 2001 season. He finished 31st after losing an engine during the event.
The No. 33 truck began running in 2005
2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...
as a research and development entry for Ford. Bobby East attempted three races in the truck but failed to qualify for two of them. He crashed out of his only start at Phoenix, finishing 30th. Mark Martin ran the Ford 200
Ford commonly refers to:
* Ford Motor Company, an automobile manufacturer founded by Henry Ford
* Ford (crossing), a shallow crossing on a river
Ford may also refer to:
Ford Motor Company
* Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company
* Ford F ...
, where he started 14th and finished 8th with sponsorship from Stonebridge Life Insurance.
Joey Clanton began the 2008 season driving the No. 09 full-time in 2008 with Zaxby's sponsoring, but after the season-opening race, he was released. Travis Kvapil
Travis Wade Kvapil ( ; born March 1, 1976) is an American former professional stock car driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series, driving the No. 1 Chevrolet Silverado for Beaver Motorsports.
He was the 2003 ...
returned to Roush and shared this ride with Bobby East and John Wes Townley
John Wesley Townley (December 31, 1989 – October 2, 2021) was an American professional stock car racing driver. He competed in NASCAR's Xfinity and Truck Series from 2008 to 2016, winning a race in the latter in 2015.
Townley's father Tony is a ...
for the rest of the season. Jamie McMurray
James Christopher McMurray (born June 3, 1976), nicknamed "Jamie Mac", is an American former professional stock car racing driver and currently an analyst for ''Fox NASCAR'' and CW. He raced in the NASCAR Cup Series on a full-time basis from 2003 ...
piloted the truck at the fall Martinsville race. Kvapil managed two top-five finishes at Dover and New Hampshire during the season. Roush shut down the No. 09 team after the 2008 season.
Truck No. 09 results
Truck No. 6 history
Multiple drivers (2006)
The truck switched to No. 6 and was shared by Nextel Cup veteran Mark Martin
Mark Anthony Martin (born January 9, 1959), nicknamed "the Kid", is an American former stock car racing driver. He most notably drove the No. 6 Ford Motor Company, Ford for Roush Racing for the majority of his career. From 1989 to 2009, Martin wo ...
and rookie David Ragan
David Lee Ragan (born December 24, 1985) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 60 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for RFK Racing, and is also an analyst for NASCAR on ...
. The No. 6 truck's new sponsor was Scotts, and the truck, piloted by Martin, won the first two races of the 2006 season. Martin then decided to race more races than he originally intended, and he only skipped races without a corresponding Nextel Cup event. Auggie Vidovich II
August Louis "Auggie" Vidovich II (born February 20, 1981) is an American professional stock car racing driver.
Racing career
Vidovich was born in Lakeside, California. Vidovich has competed in the Elite Division Southwest Series for several year ...
drove for the Mansfield
Mansfield is a market town and the administrative centre of the Mansfield District in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the largest town in the wider Mansfield Urban Area and the second largest settlement in Nottinghamshire (following the city ...
race after Ragan crashed the truck in practice, finishing 19th. Ragan shared the truck with Martin for the balance of the season and had six top-tens and one pole in the 6 truck. Martin had the most success in the truck, winning five races. Overall, the team finished 2nd in the owner's points.
Travis Kvapil (2007)
In 2007, Mark Martin moved on to a new role with another team. In his place, Roush-Fenway hired 2003 NCTS Champion Travis Kvapil
Travis Wade Kvapil ( ; born March 1, 1976) is an American former professional stock car driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series, driving the No. 1 Chevrolet Silverado for Beaver Motorsports.
He was the 2003 ...
. Kvapil, after two years of struggling to launch his Cup Series career, returned to the Truck Series in 2007. During the season, Kvapil almost won the opening race at Daytona, and won four races en route to a sixth-place finish in points.
Colin Braun (2008–2009)
As Kvapil heads back to the Sprint Cup Series with Yates Racing
Yates Racing was an American stock car racing team that competed in NASCAR through the 2009 season, after which it merged into Richard Petty Motorsports. Previously known as Robert Yates Racing, the team was owned by Doug Yates, who has offici ...
, former Rolex Sports Car Series
The Rolex Sports Car Series was the premier series run by the Grand American Road Racing Association. It was a North American-based sports car series founded in 2000 under the name Grand American Road Racing Championship to replace the failed ...
driver Colin Braun
Colin James Braun ( "brown"; born September 22, 1988) is an American auto racing, racing driver. He is the 2014 and 2015 IMSA SportsCar Championship, WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Prototype Challenge Champion and currently drives the No. 60 M ...
took Kvapil's place in the No. 6 truck with sponsorship from Con-way
Con-way, Inc. was an American multinational corporation, multinational freight transportation and logistics company headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. With annual revenues of $5.5 billion, Con-way was the second largest less-t ...
. In his rookie season, Braun had three top-fives and finished 13th in points, winning Rookie of the Year. In 2009, he won at Michigan and finished 5th in points. With moving Braun to the Nationwide Series for the 2010 season, Roush shut down this team and ended its Truck Series program. He later sold the remaining trucks to Cup Series driver Kyle Busch
Kyle Thomas Busch (born May 2, 1985) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro (sixth generation)#ZL1, Chevrolet ZL1 for Richard Childress Racing and par ...
for him to start his own truck team.
Truck No. 6 results
Truck No. 50 history
Early Years (1995–1997)
The original truck in Roush's stable debuted in 1995 at the Heartland Park Topeka
Heartland Motorsports Park, formerly known as Heartland Park Topeka, was a multi-purpose motorsports facility south of downtown Topeka, Kansas near the Topeka Regional Airport. It operated from 1989 until its closure in 2023.
History
When it o ...
road course. It was No. 61 and driven to a fourth-place finish by Todd Bodine
Todd Martin Bodine (born February 27, 1964) is an American former professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, driving the No. 62 Toyota Tundra for Halmar Friesen Racing, and is curre ...
. Bodine had four more top ten runs before Ted Musgrave
Theodore David Musgrave Sr. (born December 18, 1955) is an American former stock car racing 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, Waukega ...
drove to a fourth-place finish at Phoenix. In 1996, the car switched to No. 80, and Joe Ruttman
Raymond Joseph Ruttman (born October 28, 1944) is an American former stock car racing driver who competed in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, and Camping World Truck Series. With 13 career wins in the Truck Series he is currently t ...
was at the wheel, nailing down sixteen top-10s and finishing 4th in points. In 1997, with sponsorship from LCI, Ruttman won five times and finished 3rd in points.
Greg Biffle (1998–2000)
For the first race in 1998 at Walt Disney World Speedway
Walt Disney World Speedway was a racing facility located on the grounds of the Walt Disney World, Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando, Florida, Orlando.
It was built in 1995 by IMS Events, Inc., a subsidiary of the Indian ...
, Ruttman piloted the No. 50, rookie Greg Biffle
Gregory Jack Biffle (born December 23, 1969), nicknamed "the Biff", is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver.
After racing in the NASCAR Winter Heat Series in the mid-1990s, he was recommended to Jack Roush by former race ...
drove the No. 80, and Chuck Bown
Richard Charles Bown Jr. (born February 22, 1954) is an American former NASCAR champion. His last ride came in 1999. He lives with his wife in Asheboro, North Carolina. He is the older brother of former fellow NASCAR competitor Jim Bown.
1970s ...
ran the No. 99. After Bown departed the team, Ruttman took over the No. 99, and Biffle moved from the No. 80, which was discontinued, to the No. 50. Biffle had been hired by Roush under the recommendation of Benny Parsons
Benjamin Stewart Parsons (July 12, 1941 – January 16, 2007) was an American NASCAR driver, and later an announcer/analyst/pit reporter on SETN, TBS, ABC, ESPN, NBC, and TNT. He became famous as the 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion, an ...
, and he would be sponsored by W. W. Grainger
W. W. Grainger, Inc. is an American Fortune 500 industrial supply company founded in 1927 in Chicago by William W. (Bill) Grainger. He founded the company to provide consumers with access to a consistent supply of motors. The company now serves ...
. Although he failed to win a race, Biffle won four poles and finished eighth in points.
Biffle would go on a tear in 1999 when he won nine times and was in contention for the championship for much of the season before finally losing to Jack Sprague
Jack Eugene Sprague (born August 8, 1964) is an American former stock car racing driver who has competed in all of NASCAR's three top divisions, most notably in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, where he won series championships in 1997, 1999 an ...
. His 2000 season was less dominant with only five wins, but he was able to win the championship by 230 points over teammate Kurt Busch.
Chuck Hossfeld (2001)
With Biffle moving up to the Busch Series, in 2001, Roush hired Winston Modified Tour driver Chuck Hossfeld
Chuck Hossfeld (born January 4, 1977) is an American race car driver and team owner. He is a former racer in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour.
Hossfeld began racing at the ...
to drive the truck after he won 2000 Roush ''"Gong Show
''The Gong Show'' is an American amateur talent contest franchised by Sony Pictures Television to many countries. It was broadcast on NBC's daytime schedule from June 14, 1976, through July 21, 1978, and in first-run syndication from 1976 to 19 ...
"'' competition. Hossfeld struggled in his rookie year, and soon he was released, with Jon Wood
Jonathan Wood (born October 25, 1981) is an American motorsport executive who serves as president of Wood Brothers Racing, the NASCAR Cup Series' longest continuously active team founded by a group of brothers that included his grandfather Glen ...
driving the truck for the remainder of the season.[
]
Jon Wood (2001–2004)
Wood's audition was impressive enough to earn him a full-time run in 2002, and he posted twelve top-ten finishes in the U.S. Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest displacement, at 4.5 million tons in 2021. It has the world's largest aircraft ...
sponsored truck and finished 12th in points in his first full year. Wood had two wins the next year and finished 15th in points in 2004 before moving on to JTG Racing in the Busch Series.
Todd Kluever (2005)
In 2005, Todd Kluever
Todd Alan Kluever ( ; born July 6, 1978) is an American former stock car racing driver. He raced in all of the top three NASCAR series in the 2000s.
Early career
Kluever began his career by racing motorcycles for over nine years before he moved ...
, another ''"Gong Show"'' winner, piloted the truck sponsored by Shell Rotella T and World Financial Group
World Financial Group (WFG) is a multi-level marketing financial and insurance services company based in Johns Creek, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, which sells investment, insurance, and various other financial products through a network of ...
. Kluever earned six top five and twelve top ten finishes in his rookie season, winning the Rookie of the Year award.
Multiple drivers (2006–2007)
After Martin's strong start to the 2006 season, his original limited schedule in the No. 6 was expanded. Roush decided to run another part-time team for rookie David Ragan to fill out his original schedule. Ragan took the No. 50 to a 22nd-place finish at Atlanta, but struggled in his next few starts in both the No. 50 and the No. 6. Carl Edwards ran the No. 50 at the Dover race, achieving the team's only top five of the season, and Ragan returned at the Michigan
Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...
race. Ragan's best finish in the No. 50 came at Atlanta where he finished sixth. Peter Shepherd and Michel Jourdain Jr.
Michel Jourdain Lascurain, better known as Michel Jourdain Jr. (born September 2, 1976), is a Mexican racecar driver, best known for winning two Champ Car races in 2003. He is the 2020 Super Copa GTM Champion.
Formula racing
Jourdain started ra ...
also drove the No. 50 on a part-time basis during the season with sponsorship from PurposeMoney.com. Edwards drove the truck for the first two races of the 2007 season unsponsored, scoring the team's only top five of the season at California Speedway
Auto Club Speedway (known as California Speedway before and after the 2008–2023 corporate sponsorship by the Automobile Club of Southern California) was a , D-shaped oval superspeedway in unincorporated San Bernardino County, California, ne ...
. It was then announced that T. J. Bell would drive the truck for sixteen races, bringing sponsorship from Heathcliff's Cat Litter. Development drivers Peter Shepherd, Danny O'Quinn Jr., and Colin Braun
Colin James Braun ( "brown"; born September 22, 1988) is an American auto racing, racing driver. He is the 2014 and 2015 IMSA SportsCar Championship, WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Prototype Challenge Champion and currently drives the No. 60 M ...
also drove the No. 50 truck, with sponsorship from Northern Tool and Equipment.
Truck No. 50 results
Truck No. 99 history
Early years (1996–2002)
The No. 99 truck debuted at Heartland Park Topeka
Heartland Motorsports Park, formerly known as Heartland Park Topeka, was a multi-purpose motorsports facility south of downtown Topeka, Kansas near the Topeka Regional Airport. It operated from 1989 until its closure in 2023.
History
When it o ...
in 1996. It was sponsored by Exide Batteries and driven to an eighth-place finish by Jeff Burton
Jeffrey Tyler Burton (born June 29, 1967), nicknamed "the Mayor", is an American former professional stock car racing driver and current racing commentator. He is a member of the Burton racing family. He scored 23 career victories in the NASCAR ...
. Posting three top tens in four races that year, he shared the ride with Mark Martin
Mark Anthony Martin (born January 9, 1959), nicknamed "the Kid", is an American former stock car racing driver. He most notably drove the No. 6 Ford Motor Company, Ford for Roush Racing for the majority of his career. From 1989 to 2009, Martin wo ...
, who won at North Wilkesboro Speedway
North Wilkesboro Speedway is a paved oval Oval track racing#Short track, short track in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. The track has hosted a variety of racing events since its inaugural season of racing in 1947; primarily races sanctioned by ...
. The next year, Chuck Bown
Richard Charles Bown Jr. (born February 22, 1954) is an American former NASCAR champion. His last ride came in 1999. He lives with his wife in Asheboro, North Carolina. He is the older brother of former fellow NASCAR competitor Jim Bown.
1970s ...
was hired to drive full-time, posting thirteen top tens and finishing ninth in points. Bown drove the first race of the 1998 season at Walt Disney World Speedway
Walt Disney World Speedway was a racing facility located on the grounds of the Walt Disney World, Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando, Florida, Orlando.
It was built in 1995 by IMS Events, Inc., a subsidiary of the Indian ...
, before Joe Ruttman
Raymond Joseph Ruttman (born October 28, 1944) is an American former stock car racing driver who competed in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, and Camping World Truck Series. With 13 career wins in the Truck Series he is currently t ...
moved over to the truck for the remainder of the year, winning once and finishing third in points. Mike Bliss
Michael Duane Bliss (born April 5, 1965) is an American former professional stock car racing driver. A journeyman NASCAR competitor and the 2002 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion, he has run in all three national series.
Racing career
Bliss ...
was next to tackle the ride, scoring a win at Heartland Park Topeka
Heartland Motorsports Park, formerly known as Heartland Park Topeka, was a multi-purpose motorsports facility south of downtown Topeka, Kansas near the Topeka Regional Airport. It operated from 1989 until its closure in 2023.
History
When it o ...
but only finishing ninth in points. When Bliss left for an ill-fated rookie year in Winston Cup, Kurt Busch
Kurt Thomas Busch (born August 4, 1978) is an American auto racing driver. He is best known for competing in the NASCAR Cup Series from 2000–2022, last driving the No. 45 Toyota Camry TRD for 23XI Racing. Busch is the 2004 NASCAR Cup Series ch ...
was named the new driver for 2000. Busch won four times and finished second to teammate Biffle in the championship, easily winning Rookie of the Year.
Both Busch and Exide exited after that season (Busch moving to the Cup Series), and rookie Nathan Haseleu took over.[ The truck was largely unsponsored at the beginning of the year, with Eldon becoming the sponsor after nine races. Despite posting four top ten finishes in twelve starts, Hasleau was waived mid-season, replaced initially by former Truck Series drivers ]Greg Biffle
Gregory Jack Biffle (born December 23, 1969), nicknamed "the Biff", is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver.
After racing in the NASCAR Winter Heat Series in the mid-1990s, he was recommended to Jack Roush by former race ...
and Kurt Busch
Kurt Thomas Busch (born August 4, 1978) is an American auto racing driver. He is best known for competing in the NASCAR Cup Series from 2000–2022, last driving the No. 45 Toyota Camry TRD for 23XI Racing. Busch is the 2004 NASCAR Cup Series ch ...
.[ Biffle scored two wins in the truck. Kurt's younger brother Kyle would also run six races in the second half of the season, earning two top tens at the age of 16.] Kyle Busch was scheduled to race the truck full-time in 2002, but during the 2001 season finale at Fontana
Fontana may refer to:
Places
Italy
*Fontana Liri, comune in the Province of Frosinone
*Fontanafredda, comune in the Province of Pordenone
* Fontanarosa, comune in the Province of Avellino
*Francavilla Fontana, comune in the Province of Brindisi
...
he was ejected from the race due to conflicts with track sponsor Marlboro
Marlboro (, ) is an American brand of cigarettes owned and manufactured by Philip Morris USA (a branch of Altria) within the United States and by Philip Morris International (PMI, now separate from Altria) in most global territories outside the ...
. Afterwards, NASCAR announced all drivers in its top three series must be at least 18 years of age. Tim Woods III would replace Busch in the race.[
After Tim Fedewa ran the 2002 season-opener in the truck, and with the now 17-year-old Busch not able to compete, the team did not run for the rest of the year due to lack of sponsorship.]
Carl Edwards (2003–2004)
The truck returned in 2003
2003 was designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Fresh water, Freshwater.
In 2003, a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition 2003 invasion of Iraq, invaded Iraq, starting the Iraq War.
Demographic ...
with Carl Edwards
Carl Michael Edwards Jr. (born August 15, 1979) is an American former professional stock car racing driver and a current analyst for ''NASCAR on Prime Video''.
He last competed in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, driving the No ...
driving; although the United States Navy was the truck's original sponsor, they left the team midway through the year and Edwards ran largely unsponsored until Superchips came on to sponsor him. Edwards won three races and the Rookie of the Year title. He repeated his win total in 2004 and moved up to fourth in points, and following Jeff Burton
Jeffrey Tyler Burton (born June 29, 1967), nicknamed "the Mayor", is an American former professional stock car racing driver and current racing commentator. He is a member of the Burton racing family. He scored 23 career victories in the NASCAR ...
's departure from Roush Racing he began splitting time between the Truck Series and the Nextel Cup Series.
Ricky Craven (2005)
When Edwards moved up to Nextel Cup for 2005, Roush hired a former Cup driver, Ricky Craven
Richard Allen Craven (born May 24, 1966) is an American stock car racing analyst and former driver. Prior to his broadcasting duties, he was a NASCAR driver who won in four different series—the ARCA Menards Series, and the three national series. ...
, to take his place. Despite posting seven top tens and winning at Martinsville, Roush and Craven announced they would not be back together in 2006
2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification.
Events
January
* January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute.
* January 12 – A stampede during t ...
.
Erik Darnell (2006–2008)
Erik Darnell
Erik Louis Darnell (born December 2, 1982) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He is the grandson of former United States Automobile Club, USAC and NASCAR driver Bay Darnell, who also started three NASCAR races (including one for ...
piloted the No. 99 truck full-time in 2006 with at first Woolrich
Woolrich, Inc. ( ) is an American luxury outdoor clothing company that originated in Woolrich, Pennsylvania, in 1830.
History
Woolrich, Inc., founded in 1830 by John Rich and Daniel McCormick, is the oldest manufacturer of outdoor wear in the ...
, but eventually Northern Tool and Equipment as sponsor to a 2006 Rookie of the Year title. 2007 brought about Darnell's first win at Kansas
Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...
, but inconsistency left the team 12th in points at season's end. In 2008, Darnell captured one win at Michigan
Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...
by only .005 seconds over eventual champion Johnny Benson
Jonathan Thomas Benson Jr. (born June 27, 1963) is an American retired stock car racing driver and the son of former Michigan modified racing, modified driver John Benson Sr. Benson has raced across NASCAR's three national series (Nextel Cup Seri ...
and ended the season fourth in the standings. This team was shut down after the 2008 season, as the team was being moved up for a part-time schedule in the Nationwide Series.
Truck No. 99 results
ARCA Re/Max Series
Todd Kluever
Todd Alan Kluever ( ; born July 6, 1978) is an American former stock car racing driver. He raced in all of the top three NASCAR series in the 2000s.
Early career
Kluever began his career by racing motorcycles for over nine years before he moved ...
drove the No. 60 car in 2005 at Daytona, crashing out of the event. The next year, Danny O'Quinn Jr. drove a renumbered No. 39 car at Daytona, finishing 37th after completing less than half the laps.
Car No. 99 history
In 2007, Erik Darnell
Erik Louis Darnell (born December 2, 1982) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He is the grandson of former United States Automobile Club, USAC and NASCAR driver Bay Darnell, who also started three NASCAR races (including one for ...
drove the No. 99 in three races, finishing second at Kansas and winning at Kentucky and Michigan. Travis Kvapil
Travis Wade Kvapil ( ; born March 1, 1976) is an American former professional stock car driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series, driving the No. 1 Chevrolet Silverado for Beaver Motorsports.
He was the 2003 ...
drove one race at Pocono, failing to finish, and Colin Braun
Colin James Braun ( "brown"; born September 22, 1988) is an American auto racing, racing driver. He is the 2014 and 2015 IMSA SportsCar Championship, WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Prototype Challenge Champion and currently drives the No. 60 M ...
drove three races later in the year, collecting three top tens. For 2008, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. drove an Aflac
Aflac Incorporated (American Family Life Assurance Company) is an American insurance company and is the largest provider of supplemental insurance in the United States. It was founded in 1955 and is based in Columbus, Georgia. In the U.S., it ...
sponsored No. 99 to compete in the championship, winning two races at Kentucky and Pocono and collecting ten top-fives. During the last race at Toledo Speedway
Toledo Speedway is a half-mile paved oval racetrack located in Toledo, Ohio, United States. It is owned by ARCA President Ron Drager, and is the sister track to Flat Rock Speedway in Flat Rock, Michigan.
History
Toledo Speedway opened in 1 ...
, he and Scott Speed
Scott Andrew Speed (born January 24, 1983) is an American race car driver who has competed in numerous disciplines, including open-wheel racing, open-wheel, stock car racing, stock car, and rallycross racing.
In , Speed became the first American ...
battled for the championship, and Stenhouse ran Speed up the track causing a caution. Speed later wrecked in retaliation, knocking Stenhouse and himself out of the race. Justin Allgaier
Justin Myrl Allgaier (born June 6, 1986) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro (sixth generation), Chevrolet SS for JR Motorsports and part-time ...
won the championship, while Stenhouse and Speed slipped to 4th and 5th in the final standings.
ARCA Series results
Partnerships
Roush-Yates Engines
Perhaps Roush Racing's most famous partnership is with the now defunct-Yates Racing, a longtime rival Ford team. In 2004, the two teams announced a program to combine their engine divisions, now known as Roush-Yates Engines (RYE), a move which greatly improved the power of both organizations' engines. By 2006, most Ford teams were using the Roush-Yates engines, including long-time Ford team and Roush affiliate Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Cup Series. The team was formed in 1950 by brothers Ray Lee, Clay, Delano, Glen Wood, Glen, and Leonard Wood (racing), Leonard Wood. To ...
(then Wood Brothers/ JTG Racing). Current Roush-Yates clients include Team Penske
Team Penske (formerly Penske Racing) is an American professional auto racing organization, competing in the IndyCar Series, NASCAR Cup Series, IMSA SportsCar Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship. Debuting at the 1966 24 Hours of Day ...
(TP), Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Cup Series. The team was formed in 1950 by brothers Ray Lee, Clay, Delano, Glen Wood, Glen, and Leonard Wood (racing), Leonard Wood. To ...
(WBR), Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), Front Row Motorsports
Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The team began running part-time in 2004 as Means-Jenkins Motorsports under a part ...
(FRM), and Rick Ware Racing
Rick Ware Racing (RWR) is an American motorsports team which currently competes in the NASCAR Cup Series, American Flat Track, and National Hot Rod Association, NHRA.
History
The organizational roots of RWR date back to Ware & Sons Racing with R ...
(RWR).
Roush Fenway also has technical alliances with Front Row Motorsports
Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The team began running part-time in 2004 as Means-Jenkins Motorsports under a part ...
, providing engines, chassis, and bodies as well as technical support. Roush also provided heavy technical support to Yates Racing from 2008 to the team's closure at the end of 2009, when it merged with Richard Petty Motorsports
Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) was an American professional stock car racing team that competed in the NASCAR Cup Series
The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the NASCAR, National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) ...
. As of 2017, Roush supplies engines and chassis to 13 Cup teams.
Wood Brothers Racing
The first technical alliance between Roush Racing and another organization was with Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Cup Series. The team was formed in 1950 by brothers Ray Lee, Clay, Delano, Glen Wood, Glen, and Leonard Wood (racing), Leonard Wood. To ...
, another longtime Ford team and the oldest active team in the sport. The Wood Brothers alliance began in mid-2000, after Roush had provided the team with engines the previous two seasons. The relationship later expanded when the team fielded Roush development driver Trevor Bayne
Trevor Mitchell Bayne (born February 19, 1991) is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver, Dirt track racing, dirt racing driver, team owner, and businessman. He is currently a pit reporter for NASCAR on Prime Video, ''NASCAR ...
from late-2010 to 2014. It would end after that season, with the Wood Brothers currently receiving equipment and support (other than engines) from Team Penske
Team Penske (formerly Penske Racing) is an American professional auto racing organization, competing in the IndyCar Series, NASCAR Cup Series, IMSA SportsCar Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship. Debuting at the 1966 24 Hours of Day ...
.
Tim Brown partnership
In 2005, nine-time Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players.
The format has changed ...
NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...
wide receiver Tim Brown announced that he intended to start his own NASCAR team, most likely No. 81, and receive equipment from Roush Racing. Brown also stated that he will let Roush select his driver. The series the team will run will depend on how much sponsorship money the team gets.
Brown had said that his team will most likely not enter NASCAR until 2007, but as of October 2006, no further announcements have been made about the status of this partnership.
No Fear Racing
In 2006, SoBe No Fear energy drink announced that it was forming a new team to run full-time in 2007, with a car driven by road racing specialist Boris Said
Boris Said III (born September 18, 1962) is an American professional racing driver. Said has competed in a variety of disciplines including stock car racing, stock cars, sports car racing, sports cars and touring car racing, touring cars.
Said la ...
. It was also announced that this new team would be affiliated with Roush Racing. This allows Roush to sell No Fear Racing cars and equipment, as well as help them with engineering. In return, Said is tutoring Roush's younger drivers on road course racing. The team began running a limited schedule with the Sonoma road course in 2006.
Robby Gordon
Starting with the 2007 season, Robby Gordon
Robert Wesley Gordon (born January 2, 1969) is an American semi-retired auto racing driver. He has raced in NASCAR, Championship Auto Racing Teams, CART, the IndyCar Series, the Trans-Am Series, International Motor Sports Association, IMSA, Inter ...
switched from Chevrolet
Chevrolet ( ) is an American automobile division of the manufacturer General Motors (GM). In North America, Chevrolet produces and sells a wide range of vehicles, from subcompact automobiles to medium-duty commercial trucks. Due to the promi ...
to Ford
Ford commonly refers to:
* Ford Motor Company, an automobile manufacturer founded by Henry Ford
* Ford (crossing), a shallow crossing on a river
Ford may also refer to:
Ford Motor Company
* Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company
* Ford F ...
vehicles after signing a contract with Ford Racing
Ford Performance (formerly Ford Racing) is the high-performance division of the Ford Motor Company and the multinational name used for its motorsport and racing activity.
History
* 1896 – Henry Ford reached a top speed of 20 mph in his ...
. He leased engines from the Roush/Yates engine program through the 2007 season, until he switched to Gillett Evernham engines and a Dodge Charger
The Dodge Charger is a model of automobile marketed by Dodge in various forms over eight generations since 1966.
The first Charger was a show car in 1964. A 1965 Charger II concept car resembled the 1966 production version.
In the United Sta ...
.
Creation of Roush Fenway Racing
On February 14, 2007, the Fenway Sports Group
Fenway Sports Group Holdings, LLC (FSG), is an American multinational sports holding conglomerate which owns Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox, Premier League’s Liverpool F.C., Liverpool, National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Penguins, NAS ...
, owner of the Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...
baseball team, purchased 50% of Roush Racing to create a new corporate entity, Roush Fenway Racing.
Mike Dee
Mike Dee is an American business executive. He currently serves as president of Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits. Dee is also the co-founder and chairman of Pickleball 4 America, the organization that owns the U.S. Open Pickleball Championships. ...
, president of the Fenway Sports Group was quoted as saying, "Although there have been many instances of cross-ownership in the world of professional sports, this partnership marks the first time that owners of a professional franchise in one of the four major leagues have crossed over into the world of NASCAR."
Aerospace industry
Roush became involved in the aerospace industry in the 2010s. In April 2015, United Launch Alliance
United Launch Alliance, LLC (ULA) is an American launch service provider formed in December 2006 as a joint venture between Lockheed Martin Space and Boeing Defense, Space & Security. The company designs, assembles, sells and launches rockets ...
announced that they were contracting with Roush Racing to produce the lightweight internal combustion engine
An internal combustion engine (ICE or IC engine) is a heat engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer (usually air) in a combustion chamber that is an integral part of the working fluid flow circuit. In an internal comb ...
to be used to power the long-life on orbit system of the Advanced Cryogenic Evolved Stage
The Advanced Cryogenic Evolved Stage (ACES) was a proposed liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen upper-stage for use on a number of different launch vehicles produced by Boeing, Lockheed Martin, United Launch Alliance (ULA). During the last five years ...
to be flown in the 2020s as the second stage of the Vulcan launch vehicle
A launch vehicle is typically a rocket-powered vehicle designed to carry a payload (a crewed spacecraft or satellites) from Earth's surface or lower atmosphere to outer space. The most common form is the ballistic missile-shaped multistage ...
.[
]
''The Gong Show''
For many years, Roush Racing recruited its developmental drivers through an elimination-style of testing entitled ''The Gong Show''. The first competition was held in 1985 for Roush's road racing program. The first combine for the stock car program was held in 1999. The process would begin when Roush solicited applications from thousands of drivers from all levels of racing. They would then be put through a series of tests, gauging not only driving skills but also public relations
Public relations (PR) is the practice of managing and disseminating information from an individual or an organization (such as a business, government agency, or a nonprofit organization) to the public in order to influence their perception. Pu ...
talent and personality traits. Eventually, the field would be narrowed down to an elite group who are allowed to race Roush vehicles, often Truck Series vehicles, in an attempt to assess racecraft. Those with the fastest times progress, and ultimately the best drivers are awarded a contract to drive for Roush in the Truck Series or Busch Series (now Xfinity Series). In 2005, the process was documented in the Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel, known as The Discovery Channel from 1985 to 1995, and often referred to as simply Discovery, is an American cable channel that is best known for its ongoing reality television shows and promotion of pseudoscience.
It init ...
television series '' Roush Racing: Driver X'', which followed the stories of those involved in the 2005 Gong Show. Winners of the program include Kurt Busch
Kurt Thomas Busch (born August 4, 1978) is an American auto racing driver. He is best known for competing in the NASCAR Cup Series from 2000–2022, last driving the No. 45 Toyota Camry TRD for 23XI Racing. Busch is the 2004 NASCAR Cup Series ch ...
, Carl Edwards
Carl Michael Edwards Jr. (born August 15, 1979) is an American former professional stock car racing driver and a current analyst for ''NASCAR on Prime Video''.
He last competed in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, driving the No ...
and David Ragan
David Lee Ragan (born December 24, 1985) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 60 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for RFK Racing, and is also an analyst for NASCAR on ...
.[
The term "Gong Show" comes from the 1970s talent show spoof '']The Gong Show
''The Gong Show'' is an American amateur talent contest franchised by Sony Pictures Television to many countries. It was broadcast on NBC's daytime schedule from June 14, 1976, through July 21, 1978, and in first-run syndication from 1976 to ...
.''[
]
See also
* Roush Performance
Roush Performance is an American automotive company primarily involved in the engineering, development, and manufacturing of high-performance components for street and competitive racing applications. The company's namesake is automotive mogul ...
* Ford Racing
Ford Performance (formerly Ford Racing) is the high-performance division of the Ford Motor Company and the multinational name used for its motorsport and racing activity.
History
* 1896 – Henry Ford reached a top speed of 20 mph in his ...
References
Sources
NASCAR.com Driver list
Racing-Reference.info
External links
*
{{Navboxes
, title = RFK Racing related navboxes
, list1 =
{{New England Sports Ventures
{{Haas Factory Team
{{Rick Ware Racing
{{Team Penske
{{Wood Brothers
{{NASCAR Cup Series teams
{{Ford in NASCAR
American auto racing teams
Auto racing teams established in 1988
Companies based in North Carolina
NASCAR teams
Fenway Sports Group