JOLIET, IL - Team Rensi Motorsports has many ties to the Chicagoland area which makes Saturday's NASCAR Busch Series USG Durock 300 almost a home game for driver Bobby Hamilton, Jr. Team co-owner Ed Rensi has called Chicago home for many years and always looks forward to having the annual NASCAR race weekend at Chicagoland Speedway in his backyard.
"It's always a special weekend for me, my family and the team," Rensi said.
Rensi and company are hoping for a repeat of 2003, when Hamilton, Jr. won at Chicagoland in his first tour of duty with the team. The second generation driver is back with Rensi this year and looking to recapture the success both enjoyed the first time around.
"I am very hungry to prove my racing talents and record many more NASCAR Busch Series wins in the McDonald’s Ford," Hamilton, Jr. said when announcing his return. "I want to thank Team Rensi Motorsports for staying in touch and continuing to believe in my ability to drive a race car."
Hamilton, Jr. comes into the Chicago weekend seventh in the series points standings and has experienced an up and down season - his first without father Bobby Sr., who lost his battle to cancer earlier in the year.
In one quick motion, the hopes of Bobby Hamilton went down the drain at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Early in the 200 lap race, the driver of the McDonald’s Ford was forced to pit under green flag conditions for a tire issue. The untimely pit stop costs Hamilton two laps to the leaders and placed the Tennessee native in a bad position he would never recover from. The trouble led him to a 33rd place finish and a drop of 5 positions in the Busch Series Point’s Championship. Four of the five drivers to pass in the point’s race were full-time Nextel Cup drivers.
“We will put this entire weekend in the rearview mirror and head to Dover next weekend,” Hamilton said. “I have come close to winning on the Monster Mile before, and hope we can put the McDonald’s Ford up front on Saturday afternoon.”
The Busch Series will take the green flag in Saturday afternoon at 3:00pm on ESPN.
Almost…. The list is actually the top eight in the NASCAR Busch Series Point’s Championship. Seven of the eight are Nextel Cup drivers, fifth place Bobby Hamilton, Jr. is the only true Busch Series driver among the top eight in the series standings following the Talladega Superspeedway race. The driver of the McDonald’s Ford has his sights set on climbing further up the point’s ladder next week in Richmond. With a solid and consistent 12th place finish on Saturday, Hamilton climbed four positions in the standings to fifth.
While racing into turn three, the McDonald’s Ford was hit and slammed into the outside of the turn three wall. The car suffered serious damage and required major repair work. Crew Chief Chris Wright led a 50 lap repair job on the car, allowing Bobby Hamilton Jr. to return to action for the finish of the event. Instead of a top-20 finish, Hamilton was saddled with a 34th place finish after starting the even in 19th position. With the setback, Hamilton dropped to ninth in the Busch Series Point’s Championship.
“This is a disappointing way to finish the race,” said Hamilton. “Our car wasn’t perfect tonight, but we should have been able to finish inside the top twenty and move on to Talladega. We will rebound and do our best to take the McDonald’s Ford to the front of the pack next week.”
"The Pack?" Uh, I believe Bobby's terminology is more like "The Cluster".
O.K. guys, now the pressure is on. So how do I respond? Not like I did in Little League when after getting a litle mid-season pub my average plummeted, I hope. Not with a big head either hopefully.
Admittedly, my head is swimming after being listed as one of the top 10 new bloggers to watch by Duddits. O.K. I know his name isn't Duddits, but I recently watched about half of Dreamcatcher on a cheap DVD I bought at Wal-Mart. I guess I got what I paid for when it crapped out half way through the flick. Anyway, remember Duddits? I liked Duddits.
And I accuse edclinch of getting off topic.
Let me lasso the moon here.
O.K.
Got it.
Anyway, I didn't come here to talk about that, I came to talk about the draft.
Nope.
Get the moon again.
Ah, yes.
After my being mentioned by Duddits, my hits went up on my site. That felt great, I must admit. Surprisingly, to me, several of you took an interest in my blog on Bobby Hamilton Jr. and Busch practice at Daytona today.
So, in case your interested, I found a cache of material on line about him today in the form of an interview on BGNRacing.com. Feel free to read ahead if you like, but I think I can get a week of blogging out of it as long as anyone is interested in reading it. All you need to do is make sure you comment if you read it, so I know whether or not to continue. I mean, I like blogging whether or not I get a lot of hits, but it sure is more fun to get the hits. I gare-on-tee.
If you want to follow Busch racing (which is more down to earth like Winston Cup racing used to be for better or worse and that is certainly debatable but not my intent here, however, go for it if you wish) then you might enjoy wading in the fray here with me with Bobby Jr. before the season gets started in about three weeks.
You'll find Bobby Jr. is a down to earth guy with a say what you really think mentality that has served him and his dad very well. And if your ever at his down home on the square cafe in Springfield Tennessee, you might even recognize him as the million dollar race car driver/waiter pouring you a cup of coffee. Now that's down to earth. Come along if you dare.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.
Bobby Hamilton Jr. believes he is right where he belongs. Two weeks after his father and 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Bobby Hamilton Sr. passed away from head and neck cancer, Hamilton Jr. was behind the wheel of the No. 35 Team Rensi Motorsports Ford during Busch Series testing at Daytona International Speedway. "I'm glad to be back," Hamilton Jr. said. "I walked into the garage and told my wife (Stephanie), this is where I'm supposed to be.
Pretty much my whole career has been in the Busch Series. With everything we've been dealing with I was glad to get to the race track where I don't have to answer phone and do everything else. "It's silly to say you are at work and relaxing at the same time. There was no easier moment than putting up that window net. I was like, now I can go do my deal."
Hamilton Jr. also believes he is with the right team in the NASCAR Busch Series. Between 2002-04, the Team Rensi-Hamilton Jr. partnership produced five victories, four poles and two top-10 finishes in the championship standings. Towards the end of the 2004 season, Hamilton Jr. made the move to the NEXTEL Cup Series with PPI Motorsports and the No. 32 Tide Ford.
But Hamilton Jr. never found any success with PPI Motorsports. In 2006, he filled in for his ailing father in the No. 18 Bobby Hamilton Racing Dodge for most of the season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
"We had our best success together," Hamilton Jr. said of Team Rensi. "Of course after we separated, neither one of us have had success. We've tried to go back and rekindled that I guess."
Hamilton Jr. believes that he and Team Rensi can produce successful results again. "Whether it's going to be a home run from the green flag at Daytona, it's like anything else, it's a building process," Hamilton Jr. said. "We will build it. I think after having the drought of success that I had the last two years, nothing burns more than to run good and take home trophies."
Regarding today's practice, "overall, we just made single-car runs just to make sure that no fenders and stuff like that was rubbing so that we could be ready for the drafting practice after lunch because the good guys are here - the 21 car and 2 and others. We want to make sure that we get that drafting in to make sure we can see what our car is going to do. Nothing towards the guys that are going to be here tomorrow, but the best cars are here today.
Most Interesting Blog, June 16, 2008 (unofficially ) and six other occasions (probably if they still did this). Lisa awarded him Best "breaking news" blogger March 31, 2008. Blog of The Day, Christmas Day, 2007. edhardiman wrote, "Falco's tribute to Rocket Richard reminds us all the stars of today stand on the shoulders of giants..." October 23, 2007. Three Golden Swirrly p00p Awards (Hockey, NASCAR and Use of Graphics), FlyingPig, July 18, 2007. 2007 Memorial Day Weekend Trifecta sponsored by williamwilman . Featured on WFORacingFans April, 2007. "Stylin'" award, Dusty, February 07. "One of ten new bloggers to watch" Dudski, January 2007.
