Team Rensi Motorsports

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Team Rensi Motorsports
Owner(s)Ronnie Russell
Ed Rensi
Gary Weisbaum
BaseConcord, North Carolina
SeriesXfinity Series
ManufacturerFord Motor Company
Career
Debut1999 Textilease / Medique 300
Latest race2011 O'Reilly Auto Parts 300
Races competed434
Drivers' Championships0
Race victories5
Pole positions2

Team Rensi Motorsports was a NASCAR Nationwide Series team owned by Ronnie Russell, Ed Rensi, Gary Weisbaum, and formerly Sam Rensi. The team has also competed in the Winston Cup Series, Craftsman Truck Series, and ARCA racing series.

Ed Rensi, who was president and CEO of McDonald's USA from 1991 to 1997, has been Team Rensi Racing's Chairman and CEO since October 1998.[1][2][3]

Car No. 24 history[edit]

Jason Keller (2005)

The No. 24 team debuted in 2005 as the No. 35 being driven by veteran Jason Keller with sponsorship from McDonald's.[2] Despite a ninth-place finish in points, Keller struggled to run up front, and he left for Phoenix Racing at the end of the season.

Regan Smith (2006)

Regan Smith took his place in 2006, and had one top-ten finish. Smith departed from the ride for Ginn Racing. Hamilton returned to Rensi to drive the No. 35 for the 2007 season, finishing sixth in points.

The 35 car at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2007.
Bobby Hamilton Jr. (2007)

During the 2007–08 offseason, McDonald's ended its sponsorship of the No. 35 and David Gilliland took the FreeCreditReport.com sponsorship of the No. 25 car to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Team Rensi signed Smithfield Foods as prime sponsor of the No. 25 car, allowing Hamilton to move to that team. The 35 returned late in 2008 with Danny O'Quinn driving, but he failed to finish both races he ran.

Eric McClure (2009-2010)

The car made a return to full-time racing in 2009, with Eric McClure bringing both Hefty sponsorship and the No. 24 over from Front Row Motorsports.

In 2010, McClure and Hefty remained with the team. After surgery on his foot, McClure was relieved by driver Chris Cook at Road America. D. J. Kennington raced the car at Montreal to an 11th-place finish, as McClure sat out of the race due to a concussion the prior week from Bristol. McClure and Hefty will leave the team for 2011, citing performance issues and a lacking budget from Team Rensi.

Kevin Lepage (2011)

For 2011, Kevin Lepage drove the car for the first several races of the season. Lepage ran full races initially, but was forced to withdraw from Bristol after a practice crash and did not arrive at Talladega. They were last seen at Texas.

Car No. 24 results[edit]

Year Driver No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 Owners Pts
2003 Elliott Sadler 35 Ford DAY CAR LVS DAR BRI TEX TAL NSH CAL RCH GTY NZH CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI NHA PPR IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM ATL PHO CAR HOM
36
N/A 55
2004 Johnny Borneman III DAY CAR LVS DAR BRI TEX NSH TAL CAL
DNQ
GTY RCH NZH CLT DOV NSH
30
KEN MLW DAY CHI NHA PPR N/A N/A
Shelby Howard IRP
24
MCH
DNQ
BRI RCH
25
DOV
31
MEM
36
ATL
18
Wally Dallenbach Jr. CAL
20
KAN
10
CLT
40
PHO
24
DAR HOM
29
2005 Jason Keller DAY
35
CAL
17
MXC
13
LVS
43
ATL
17
NSH
8
BRI
19
TEX
13
PHO
21
TAL
8
DAR
13
RCH
11
CLT
23
DOV
7
NSH
11
KEN
31
MLW
13
DAY
17
CHI
22
NHA
21
PPR
36
GTY
33
IRP
4
GLN
18
MCH
15
BRI
12
CAL
6
RCH
38
DOV
13
KAN
18
CLT
18
MEM
10
TEX
13
PHO
16
HOM
15
N/A 3866
2006 Regan Smith DAY
26
CAL
28
MXC
25
LVS
22
ATL
21
BRI
38
TEX
34
NSH
13
PHO
27
TAL
37
RCH
21
DAR
19
CLT
10
DOV
39
NSH
35
KEN
16
MLW
22
DAY
15
CHI
28
NHA
35
MAR
14
GTY
23
IRP
11
GLN
23
MCH
31
BRI
19
CAL
28
RCH
26
DOV
17
KAN
19
CLT
37
MEM
21
TEX
20
PHO
19
HOM
31
N/A 3136
2007 Bobby Hamilton Jr. DAY
24
CAL
29
MXC
17
LVS
14
ATL
24
BRI
18
NSH
9
TEX
14
PHO
34
TAL
12
RCH
22
DAR
20
CLT
33
DOV
10
NSH
13
KEN
36
MLW
13
NHA
20
DAY
12
CHI
29
GTY
13
IRP
13
CGV
24
GLN
22
MCH
27
BRI
12
CAL
21
RCH
16
DOV
12
KAN
20
CLT
16
MEM
38
TEX
14
PHO
24
HOM
8
N/A 3667
2008 Danny O'Quinn Jr. DAY CAL LVS ATL BRI NSH TEX PHO MXC TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP CGV GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT
40
MEM
42
TEX
42
PHO
43
HOM
DNQ
N/A N/A
2009 Eric McClure 24 DAY
26
CAL
30
LVS
16
BRI
26
TEX
34
NSH
26
PHO
22
TAL
25
RCH
39
DAR
28
CLT
19
DOV
23
NSH
22
KEN
30
NHA
33
DAY
28
CHI
31
GTY
23
IRP
23
IOW
20
GLN
30
MCH
28
BRI
25
CGV
22
ATL
26
RCH
29
DOV
24
KAN
25
CAL
28
CLT
18
MEM
30
TEX
19
PHO
28
HOM
28
N/A 2962
Chevy MLW
32
2010 Ford DAY
17
CAL
35
LVS
21
BRI
24
NSH
29
PHO
27
TEX
28
TAL
22
RCH
31
DAR
27
DOV
24
CLT
29
NSH
26
KEN
29
ROA
27
NHA
29
DAY
36
CHI
29
GTY
26
IRP
26
IOW
DNQ
GLN
31
MCH
30
BRI
DNQ
ATL
30
RCH
30
DOV
29
KAN
33
CAL
DNQ
CLT
23
GTY
DNQ
TEX
26
PHO
DNQ
HOM
37
N/A N/A
D. J. Kennington CGV
11
2011 Kevin Lepage DAY
41
PHO
37
LVS
37
BRI
Wth
CAL
28
TEX
39
TAL NSH RCH DAR DOV IOW CLT CHI MCH ROA DAY KEN NHA NSH IRP IOW GLN CGV BRI ATL RCH CHI DOV KAN CLT TEX PHO HOM 63rd 39

Car No. 25 history[edit]

Early years (1999-2000)

The team, then known as Team Rensi Motorsports first joined the Busch Series in 1999, fielding the No. 25 Dura Lube Chevrolet Monte Carlo for Jeff Finley. They finished 13th at the season opening NAPA Auto Parts 300, but Finley failed to qualify for the next few races, and he and the team drifted apart. Kenny Wallace took over at Nashville, and drove 18 races that season for the team, posting nine finishes of seventh or better. Rick Fuller, David Blankenship and Scott Lagasse drove two races a piece for the team as well, and they finished eighteenth in owner's points that season. Wallace returned again in 2000 with new sponsor Lance Snacks, and posted eight top-ten finishes, his best finish was 4th twice at Bristol races. Blankenship and Andy Santerre drove in the races that Wallace did not run, with Santerre finishing 3rd at Pikes Peak.

Chad Chaffin (2001)

In 2001, the U.S. Marines signed on as sponsor. Since Wallace had moved onto Innovative Motorsports, Chad Chaffin began the year with the team, but after he couldn't finish higher than 16th at Atlanta, he was released. Rookie David Donohue took over at the Pepsi 300 Presented by Mapco/Williams, but he too, struggled in the ride, and was released after 12 starts. Randy Tolsma finished the season for the team, who finished 29th in points that year.

Bobby Hamilton Jr. (2002-2004)

After 2001, Rensi switched to Ford Tauruses and signed Bobby Hamilton Jr. to drive. After a slow start, the two began to gain momentum, and they picked up their first win at the Busch 200, and finished eighth in points. This success carried over into the next season as well, as Hamilton won four races and finished fourth in points. They would not be able to win in 2004, and after the Cabela's 250, Hamilton left to drive for PPI Motorsports at the Nextel Cup level, and Mike McLaughlin took over for the rest of the season, finishing second at the Stacker 200 Presented by YJ Stinger.

Ashton Lewis (2005-2006)

In 2005, Rensi signed Ashton Lewis to drive the 25 car. Lewis had five top-ten finishes and a fourteenth-place finish in points. After many poor performances, however, Lewis was released and the Marines left as a sponsor.

David Gilliland and Richard Johns (2007)

For 2007, credit report site FreeCreditReport.com signed on as sponsor, with Nextel Cup driver David Gilliland and head engineer Richard Johns originally slated to share the ride. During the RoadLoans.com 200 weekend, Gilliland announced his departure from the No. 25, citing that he needed to focus on his Yates Racing No. 38 Cup ride. Johns drove for the remainder of the season.

Bobby Hamilton Jr. (2008)

The team returned Hamilton to the ride for the 2008 season in the newly renamed Nationwide Series, as his No. 35 team had folded. Smithfield Foods served as the sponsor for 30 races, and Hamilton drove to a fifteenth-place points finish with two top-ten finishes. Boris Said drove the 25 for two road course races with No Fear sponsorship.

Part-time (2009-2011)

The No. 25 returned for one race in 2009, at ORP with Hamilton Jr. driving.

In 2010, the No. 25 raced at Richmond and Charlotte with Kelly Bires behind the wheel and Raybestos as the sponsor.

For 2011, the No. 25 team, with driver Kelly Bires, qualified for the Daytona race, but lack of funding caused them to start and park, only completing a few laps.

The last time they were seen at a racetrack was at Michigan which was going to be the Nationwide debut for Chad Finley. Unfortunately, Finley crashed the car in practice and the team did not have a backup, so they were forced to withdraw.

Car No. 25 results[edit]

Year Driver No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 Owners Pts
1999 Jeff Finley 25 Chevy DAY
13
CAR
DNQ
LVS
DNQ
ATL
DNQ
DAR
DNQ
N/A N/A
Kenny Wallace TEX
DNQ
NSV
26
BRI
6
NHA
22
RCH
7
CLT
15
DOV
13
MLW
17
MYB
21
GTY
27
MCH
38
BRI
6
DAR
6
RCH
4
DOV
6
CLT
27
CAR
7
MEM
DNQ
PHO
5
HOM
19
Stevie Reeves TAL
DNQ
CAL
DNQ
Rick Fuller NZH
26
David Blankenship SBO
29
PPR
43
Scott Lagasse GLN
14
Ron Hornaday Jr. IRP
39
2000 Kenny Wallace DAY
6
CAR
6
ATL
41
DAR
31
BRI
4
TAL
11
RCH
DNQ
CLT
41
GTY
8
BRI
4
DAR
11
RCH
6
CLT
11
CAR
9
PHO
7
N/A N/A
Andy Santerre LVS
30
TEX
20
NSV
15
CAL
21
NHA
6
DOV
39
SBO
10
MYB
19
GLN
27
MLW
14
NZH
23
PPR
3
IRP
10
MEM
32
Ricky Craven MCH
24
Randy Tolsma DOV
27
Chad Chaffin HOM
26
2001 DAY
41
CAR
22
LVS
25
ATL
16
DAR
37
BRI
34
TEX
27
N/A N/A
David Donohue NSH
32
TAL
33
CAL
27
RCH
36
NHA
33
NZH
27
CLT
20
DOV
32
KEN
32
MLW
21
GLN
15
CHI
34
Andy Houston GTY
17
Randy Tolsma PPR
23
IRP
33
MCH
33
BRI
22
DAR
29
RCH
38
DOV
26
KAN
40
CLT
25
MEM
18
PHO
25
CAR
31
Jay Sauter HOM
22
2002 Bobby Hamilton Jr. Ford DAY
30
CAR
16
LVS
11
DAR
12
BRI
13
TEX
8
NSH
3
TAL
22
CAL
37
RCH
25*
NHA
1*
NZH
6
CLT
7
DOV
3
NSH
2
KEN
36
MLW
7
DAY
33
CHI
9
GTY
17
PPR
12
IRP
31
MCH
5
BRI
32
DAR
6
RCH
14
DOV
30
KAN
8
CLT
9
MEM
37
ATL
8
CAR
29
PHO
24
HOM
5
N/A 4058
2003 DAY
7
CAR
13
LVS
34
DAR
12
BRI
6
TEX
40
TAL
35
NSH
10*
CAL
18
RCH
10
GTY
5
NZH
9
CLT
13
DOV
6
NSH
5
KEN
1*
MLW
10
DAY
22
CHI
1*
NHA
6
PPR
25
IRP
35
MCH
3
BRI
34
DAR
4
RCH
3
DOV
2
KAN
19
CLT
7
MEM
1
ATL
3
PHO
1*
CAR
3
HOM
3
N/A 4588
2004 DAY
13
CAR
8
LVS
5
DAR
19
BRI
24
TEX
5
NSH
27
TAL
24
CAL
10
GTY
4
RCH
4
NZH
2*
CLT
13
DOV
4
NSH
23
KEN
28*
MLW
5
DAY
12
CHI
43
NHA
9
PPR
10
IRP
6
MCH
29
N/A N/A
Mike McLaughlin BRI
12
CAL
11
RCH
24
DOV
2
KAN
11
CLT
12
MEM
18
ATL
41
PHO
36
DAR
39
HOM
16
2005 Ashton Lewis DAY
13
CAL
11
MXC
9
LVS
22
ATL
14
NSH
19
BRI
8
TEX
32
PHO
17
TAL
4
DAR
14
RCH
16
CLT
10
DOV
14
NSH
25
KEN
25
MLW
18
DAY
26
CHI
11
NHA
28
PPR
15
GTY
36
IRP
15
GLN
31
MCH
26
BRI
31
CAL
31
RCH
30
DOV
14
KAN
28
CLT
8
MEM
31
TEX
21
PHO
21
HOM
43
N/A 3587
2006 DAY
12
CAL
29
MXC
13
LVS
13
ATL
17
BRI
30
TEX
38
NSH
11
PHO
20
TAL
33
RCH
26
DAR
20
CLT
28
DOV
42
NSH
9
KEN
5
MLW
16
DAY
17
CHI
35
NHA
24
MAR
27
GTY
16
IRP
22
GLN
33
MCH
39
BRI
18
CAL
5
RCH
31
DOV
25
KAN
14
CLT
11
MEM
37
TEX
25
PHO
24
HOM
20
N/A 3376
2007 David Gilliland DAY
20
MXC
36
LVS
32
ATL
31
BRI
35
TEX
26
PHO
16
TAL
37
RCH
20
DAR
33
CLT
27
DOV
29
NHA
19
DAY
10
CHI
27
GLN
16
MCH
29
BRI
41
CAL
18
N/A N/A
Kenny Wallace CAL
26
Richard Johns NSH
34
NSH
34
KEN
28
MLW
19
GTY
31
IRP
15
CGV
25
RCH
30
DOV
28
KAN
26
CLT
27
MEM
23
TEX
34
PHO
31
HOM
35
2008 Bobby Hamilton Jr. DAY
22
CAL
20
LVS
12
ATL
23
BRI
17
NSH
10
TEX
23
PHO
13
TAL
3
RCH
17
DAR
30
CLT
18
DOV
14
NSH
30
KEN
21
MLW
15
NHA
16
DAY
15
CHI
19
GTY
20
IRP
14
GLN
16
MCH
18
BRI
18
CAL
19
RCH
14
DOV
15
KAN
25
CLT
37
MEM
21
TEX
16
PHO
18
HOM
21
N/A N/A
Boris Said MXC
35
CGV
5
2009 Bobby Hamilton Jr. DAY CAL LVS BRI TEX NSH PHO TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP
22
IOW GLN MCH BRI CGV ATL RCH DOV KAN CAL CLT MEM TEX PHO HOM N/A 97
2010 Kelly Bires DAY CAL LVS BRI NSH PHO TEX TAL RCH DAR DOV CLT NSH KEN ROA NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP IOW GLN MCH BRI CGV ATL RCH
27
DOV KAN CAL CLT
21
GTY TEX PHO HOM N/A N/A
2011 DAY
43
PHO
37
LVS
35
BRI
43
CAL TEX TAL NSH RCH DAR DOV IOW CLT CHI 68th 17
Chad Finley MCH
Wth
ROA DAY KEN NHA NSH IRP IOW GLN CGV BRI ATL RCH CHI DOV KAN CLT TEX PHO HOM

Craftsman Trucks[edit]

Team Rensi began fielding a Craftsman Truck team in 2000, after purchasing equipment from Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Driver Jimmy Hensley drove the mostly unsponsored No. 16 Chevrolet Silverado to a 13th-place finish in points. In 2001, Donohue began running the No. 16, but after three races, the team shut down due to sponsorship issues. Randy Tolsma drove the No. 61 that year and was tenth in points when his team closed as well due to financial problems. He ran one final Truck race for Rensi in 2002 (driven by Butch Miller), finishing 18th in a Marine-sponsored truck at Martinsville Speedway, the last race for Rensi's truck program.

References[edit]

  1. ^ NASCAR (July 7, 2004). "BUSCH: Chicagoland: Ed Rensi - NASCAR spotlight". Motorsport.com. Daytona Beach, Florida. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  2. ^ a b Macarthur, Kate (February 14, 2005). "McDonald's adjusts its sports menu". Advertising Age. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  3. ^ "Stocks". Bloomberg News.

External links[edit]