Key Motorsports (formerly The Motorsports Group and Circle Sport – The Motorsports Group) was an American professional
stock car racing
Stock car racing is a form of automobile racing run on oval tracks and road courses measuring approximately . It originally used production-model cars, hence the name "stock car", but is now run using cars specifically built for racing. It ori ...
team that last competed in the
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Division, and from 1950 to 1970 it was known as the Grand National Division. In 1971, ...
. The team was founded by Virginia businessman Curtis Key. The team is operated out of
Mooresville, North Carolina
Mooresville is a large town located in the southwestern section of Iredell County, North Carolina, United States, and is a part of the fast-growing Charlotte metropolitan area. The population was 50,193 at the 2020 United States Census making it ...
. The team formerly competed 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 Cup Series. NXS events are frequently held as a support race on the day prior to a ...
and
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, and is the only series in NASCAR to race production pickup truck based stock cars. The series is one of th ...
. In 2017, longtime team owner
Joe Falk
Joseph A. Falk (born January 30, 1951) is an American auto dealer and NASCAR Cup Series team owner, as well as a former stock car racing driver. He is the owner of Little Joe's Autos, an automobile dealership in the Virginia Tidewater.
Driving ca ...
joined TMG, bringing his charter and No. 33 to the team, allowing the team to successfully make every race during the season. In December 2017, Circle Sport and TMG parted ways.
On June 21, 2018, The Motorsports Group announced they had changed their team name back to Key Motorsports. Soon afterwards, the team closed up their shop at the beginning of 2019.
Curtis Key
Curtis Key is an American businessman and plumber from
Chesapeake, Virginia
Chesapeake is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 249,422, it is the second-most populous independent city in Virginia, tenth-largest in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 90th ...
. Key owns a plumbing business in Chesapeake, Curtis Key Plumbing. He founded Key Motorsports in 1993 when he purchased a team owned by
Tommy Ellis
Tommy Ellis (born August 8, 1947) is an American former stock car racing driver who competed in the 1970s and 1980s. Often referred to as "Terrible" Tommy Ellis for his rough tactics, he won the last national late model sportsman championship in 1 ...
. Key Motorsports started out racing in the NASCAR Busch Series between 1993 and 1998. Between that period, Key Motorsports' best finish was a fifth place at Hickory Speedway in Key's first start as team owner, with driver Tommy Ellis. After a few more top tens, in 1998, Key closed the team following a family tragedy. After a decade away from the sport, in 2008, Key rebuilt Key Motorsports, later renaming it to The Motorsports Group in 2012. Between 2008 and 2014, TMG operated as a
start and park
Start and park is a term used in auto racing, particularly in NASCAR-sanctioned races, to describe the practice of racing teams starting races but pulling the car off the track after just a few laps in order to collect prize money while avoiding e ...
team.
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Car No. 30 history
![Josh Wise 30 The Motorsports Group Chevrolet](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Josh_Wise_30_The_Motorsports_Group_Chevrolet.jpg)
On September 15, 2014, the team announced they would begin fielding a full-time entry, the No. 30, in the
Sprint Cup Series
The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Division, and from 1950 to 1970 it was known as the Grand National Division. In 1971 ...
starting in
2015
File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
. On January 21, 2015, it was announced that
Ron Hornaday Jr.
Ronald Lee Hornaday Jr. (born June 20, 1958) is an American former professional stock car racing driver. He is the father of former NASCAR driver Ronnie Hornaday and son of the late Ron Hornaday Sr., a two-time Winston West Champion. Hornaday is ...
would be the primary driver of the team's No. 30 car for the 2015 season. In the team's first attempt, Hornaday failed to qualify at the Daytona 500. The following week at
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Atlanta Motor Speedway (formerly known Atlanta International Raceway from 1960 to 1990) is a 1.54-mile entertainment facility in Hampton, Georgia, United States, 20 miles (32 km) south of Atlanta. It has annually hosted NASCAR Cup Series ...
, Hornaday made the race, but finished 42nd because of a broken gear after 182 laps. The team chose not to run the "West Coast Swing", enabling them to get better prepared for
Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway is a NASCAR-owned stock car racing short track in Ridgeway, Virginia, just south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved oval tracks in s ...
. Unfortunately, Hornaday wrecked the car during the first round of qualifying at Martinsville and failed to make the race. After failing to qualify at
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. Bristol is among the m ...
, Hornaday left and was replaced with
Jeff Green starting at
Richmond International Raceway
Richmond Raceway (RR) is a , ''D''-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in unincorporated Henrico County. It hosts the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Known as ...
Green drove same numbered 30 from 2001 to 2003. There, Green was able to make the field on speed, starting 33rd and finishing 40th. Green made the
Sprint Showdown
The NASCAR All-Star Race, formerly known as The Winston from 1985 to 2003, the Nextel All-Star Challenge from 2004 to 2007, the Sprint All-Star Race from 2008 to 2016, and the Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race from 2017 to 2019, is an annual NAS ...
and finished 19th in a 29-car field. But failed to qualify in the follow weekend for the
Coca-Cola 600
The Coca-Cola 600, originally the World 600, is an annual NASCAR Cup Series points race held at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, on a Sunday during Memorial Day weekend. The first race, held in 1960, was also the first on ...
at
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway (previously known as Lowe's Motor Speedway from 1999 to 2009) is a motorsport complex located in Concord, North Carolina, outside Charlotte. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including th ...
and the
FedEx 400
The DuraMAX Drydene 400 presented by RelaDyne is a NASCAR Cup Series stock car race held annually at Dover Motor Speedway in Dover, Delaware in the spring.
History
The 2020 race was postponed to August due to the COVID-19 pandemic and beca ...
at
Dover International Speedway
Dover Motor Speedway (formerly Dover Downs International Speedway and later Dover International Speedway) is a race track in Dover, Delaware. The track has hosted at least one NASCAR Cup Series race each year since 1969, including two per yea ...
. Green was later released by the team.
They returned to Kentucky with
Travis Kvapil
Travis Wade Kvapil ( ; born March 1, 1976) is an American 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 NASCAR ...
as their driver, but failed to qualify due to a rainout. They returned for Bristol as well, but again failed to qualify. They entered Darlington with Kvapil but failed to qualify again. At the September Richmond race, the team hired
Josh Wise
Joshua Wise (born February 7, 1983) is an American former professional stock car racing driver and currently an athletic trainer for Chip Ganassi Racing. He began racing in open wheel cars. Wise won the 1999 USAC 3/4 Midget Division, 2005 USAC Na ...
to run the car, but Wise could only muster 37th place in qualifying and thus missed the race. Kvapil returned at Chicagoland, but another rainout once again sent the team home. Wise was slated to return to New Hampshire, but was placed in
BK Racing
BK Racing was an American professional stock car racing team that fielded entries in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series from 2012 to 2018. It most recently fielded the No. 23 Toyota Camry and Ford Fusion for J. J. Yeley, Gray Gaulding, and o ...
's No. 26 at the last minute and replaced by Kvapil, who once again failed to qualify. Kvapil was slated to attempt the second Dover race, but due to
Hurricane Joaquin
Hurricane Joaquin (, ) was a powerful tropical cyclone that devastated several districts of The Bahamas and caused damage in the Turks and Caicos Islands, parts of the Greater Antilles, and Bermuda. It was also the strongest Atlantic hurricane o ...
, the team chose to withdraw the day before qualifying. The team did not make an attempt for the remainder of 2015. Travis Kvapil left the team after the team temporarily suspended operations until the 2016 season.
Josh Wise
Joshua Wise (born February 7, 1983) is an American former professional stock car racing driver and currently an athletic trainer for Chip Ganassi Racing. He began racing in open wheel cars. Wise won the 1999 USAC 3/4 Midget Division, 2005 USAC Na ...
rejoined the team in 2016. TMG and Wise announced that they expected to run the full season together. Wise didn't make the
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a NASCAR Cup Series motor race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is the first of two Cup races held every year at Daytona, the second being the Coke Zero Sugar 400, and one of three ...
, but rebounded the next week, qualifying 38th of a 39-car field at Atlanta. Wise finished 39th after going down 13 laps but made it to the end of the race without any broken equipment. Because only 39 cars attempted the next 3 races, the No. 30 was guaranteed to qualify in Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Fontana with Josh Wise. After a long string of races in which Wise easily qualified the No. 30 TMG car in the races, including at Richmond when more than 40 cars showed up for the first time since Daytona, Wise missed his second race at the
2016 GEICO 500 when he qualified 41st out of a 40-car field. The team then qualified for every race until the
Coke Zero 400
The Coke Zero Sugar 400 is an annual NASCAR Cup Series stock car race at Daytona International Speedway. First held in 1959, the event consists of 160 laps, , and is the second of two major stock car events held at Daytona on the Cup Series c ...
when Wise failed to qualify after running 40th of 41, behind the other non-chartered teams. This second streak included Wise managing to qualify at Sonoma, when 41 cars were entered for the first time since Talladega. The team qualified for the next two races, with Wise posting TMG's best finish with a 24th at Kentucky in July; he then missed the
2016 Brickyard 400 after posting the slowest speed of 41 cars in qualifying.
In the week leading up to the
2016 Bojangles' Southern 500, Wise and TMG got a two race sponsorship from Incredible Bank, an online banking system. The sponsor joined TMG after Wise posted a request for sponsorship on Twitter. The sponsorship allowed them to participate in the throwback weekend during the Southern 500 race weekend, with a throwback scheme honoring
Dale Earnhardt
Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr. (; April 29, 1951February 18, 2001) was an American professional stock car driver and team owner, who raced from 1975 to 2001 in the former NASCAR Winston Cup Series (now called the NASCAR Cup Series), most notably dri ...
's 1976 No. 30 Army car. Having failed to make 3 of the superspeedway races (and not entering the fall Talladega race, due to 43 cars entering), TMG didn't field the No. 30 for the
2016 Hellman's 500
2016 Hellmann's 500 was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held on October 23, 2016, at Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama. Contested over 188 laps on the 2.66 mile (4.2 km) superspeedway, it was the 32nd race of the 2016 NASCAR Sprint ...
but rebounded at Martinsville Speedway, this time with
Gray Gaulding
Dwayne Gray Gaulding Jr. (born February 10, 1998) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 47 Chevrolet Camaro for Mike Harmon Racing and the No. 6 for JD Motorsp ...
as the driver. Gaulding ran two more races at Phoenix and Homestead, failing to qualify at Homestead. Despite rumors that Gaulding would drive the No. 30 for TMG in 2017, plans changed due to the Circle Sport merger and Gaulding was picked up by
BK Racing
BK Racing was an American professional stock car racing team that fielded entries in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series from 2012 to 2018. It most recently fielded the No. 23 Toyota Camry and Ford Fusion for J. J. Yeley, Gray Gaulding, and o ...
.
In January 2017, it was announced that TMG would partner with Key's lifelong friend
Joe Falk
Joseph A. Falk (born January 30, 1951) is an American auto dealer and NASCAR Cup Series team owner, as well as a former stock car racing driver. He is the owner of Little Joe's Autos, an automobile dealership in the Virginia Tidewater.
Driving ca ...
and
Circle Sport Racing
Circle Sport Racing was an American professional stock car racing team that competed in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. The team was formed in 2011 as LTD PowerSports, fielding the No. 50 for T. J. Bell, and later in 2012, the team fielded t ...
to jointly field the Nos. 30 and 33 Chevrolets in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. This also meant that CS/TMG would partner with
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 ...
as Falk's team is a satellite team of RCR. The team also formed an alliance with
Hendrick Motorsports
Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) 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 291 Cup Seri ...
, who would provide CS/TMG with a pit crew and manager. However the No. 30 car did not run in 2017 as a part-time team even though people were expecting it to run at some point.
For the 2018 season, The Motorsports Group planned to run a No. 30 team, with Eddie Pardue as the crew chief, though the driver wasn't decided. The team never entered a single race in 2018, briefly renamed themselves back to Key Motorsports, and then shut down ahead of 2019.
Car No. 30 results
Car No. 33 history
![Jeffrey Earnhardt New Hampshire 2017](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Jeffrey_Earnhardt_New_Hampshire_2017.jpg)
On January 6, 2017, it was announced that longtime team owner
Joe Falk
Joseph A. Falk (born January 30, 1951) is an American auto dealer and NASCAR Cup Series team owner, as well as a former stock car racing driver. He is the owner of Little Joe's Autos, an automobile dealership in the Virginia Tidewater.
Driving ca ...
would partner with Key and field a second car for TMG, bringing a charter and the No. 33 from
Circle Sport Racing
Circle Sport Racing was an American professional stock car racing team that competed in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. The team was formed in 2011 as LTD PowerSports, fielding the No. 50 for T. J. Bell, and later in 2012, the team fielded t ...
. It was announced that former TMG crew chief
Pat Tryson would return to the team after being released by TMG in 2015.
It was announced on January 31 that
Jeffrey Earnhardt
Jeffrey Lynn Earnhardt (born June 22, 1989) is an American professional stock car racing driver who competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 44 Chevrolet Camaro for Alpha Prime Racing. He is the son of Kerry Earnhardt, gran ...
would be the driver of the No. 33 Chevrolet for CS/TMG for the
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a NASCAR Cup Series motor race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is the first of two Cup races held every year at Daytona, the second being the Coke Zero Sugar 400, and one of three ...
. Earnhardt brought sponsor
Starter Clothing Line
Starter, Inc. is an American clothing manufacturer, focusing on major league sports teams. Starter's current licenses include MLB, NBA, NFL, and NHL teams. Non-sports agreements include a partnership with Coca-Cola.[road course ringer
In NASCAR, a road course ringer, also known as road course specialist, road course expert, or a road runner, is a non-NASCAR driver who is hired by a NASCAR Cup Series or NASCAR Xfinity Series team to race specifically on road courses.
, current ...]
Boris Said
Boris Said III (born September 18, 1962) is an American semi-retired professional racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 66 Ford Mustang for MBM Motorsports and in the Trans-Am Series, driving the No. 2 ...
was hired to run the two road courses for the team at Sonoma and Watkins Glen, with these being his last two NASCAR starts. Before the
2017 Toyota/Save Mart 350, CS/TMG, again, released Tryson from the team and replaced him with veteran crew chief
Frank Stoddard
Francis Allen Stoddard (born April 20, 1968) is a NASCAR crew chief and owner from Haverhill, New Hampshire. He is the founder of Go Fas Racing, a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team. He began his career with Dana Patten in the Busch Series. Later, ...
for specifically, Said's races. For the rest of the season, Eddie Pardue was the crew chief for the No. 33.
At the end of the season, Falk and Circle Sport parted ways with Key and TMG. With the split, this meant that
Jeffrey Earnhardt
Jeffrey Lynn Earnhardt (born June 22, 1989) is an American professional stock car racing driver who competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 44 Chevrolet Camaro for Alpha Prime Racing. He is the son of Kerry Earnhardt, gran ...
was out of a ride, despite having signed an extension with CSTMG in October 2017.
Car No. 33 results
Xfinity Series
1993–1998
Key Motorsports was formed after it was purchased from
Tommy Ellis
Tommy Ellis (born August 8, 1947) is an American former stock car racing driver who competed in the 1970s and 1980s. Often referred to as "Terrible" Tommy Ellis for his rough tactics, he won the last national late model sportsman championship in 1 ...
in
1993
File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peace ...
and debuted at the
Miller 500 as the No. 05
Moen Faucets Moen may refer to:
People
* Moen (surname), a list of people with the surname "Moen"
Places Belgium
*, a village in the municipality of Zwevegem in West Flanders
Denmark
*''Moen'', the anglicized spelling of Møn, an island in southeastern Denma ...
Chevrolet with
Roger Sawyer
Roger is a given name, usually masculine, and a surname. The given name is derived from the Old French personal names ' and '. These names are of Germanic origin, derived from the elements ', ''χrōþi'' ("fame", "renown", "honour") and ', ' ( ...
driving. He qualified 14th and finished 22nd.
Bobby Hamilton
Charles Robert Hamilton Sr. (May 29, 1957 – January 7, 2007) was an American stock car racing driver. A driver and owner in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series circuit and the winner of the 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship, Hamil ...
drove three races later at
Dover International Speedway
Dover Motor Speedway (formerly Dover Downs International Speedway and later Dover International Speedway) is a race track in Dover, Delaware. The track has hosted at least one NASCAR Cup Series race each year since 1969, including two per yea ...
, where he finished 29th after suffering handling problems. He ran two additional races for Key later in the season, finishing 17th and 32nd, respectively. Ellis drove for Key in their final race of the year at
Hickory Motor Speedway
Hickory Motor Speedway is a short track located in Hickory, North Carolina. It is one of stock car racing's most storied venues, and is often referred to as the "World's Most Famous Short Track" and the "Birthplace of the NASCAR Stars".
The tr ...
, and finished fifth.
Randy MacDonald
Randy MacDonald (born July 26, 1962) is a Canadian stock car racer and a former competitor in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series. He is currently team owner of MacDonald Motorsports, which competes in the Natio ...
drove for two consecutive races for Key at the beginning of the following season, his best finish being 21st. Tommy Ellis returned to run a part-time schedule for Key. In nine starts, he had two top-ten finishes but failed to finish the other seven.
Tom Peck
Tom or TOM may refer to:
* Tom (given name), a diminutive of Thomas or Tomás or an independent Aramaic given name (and a list of people with the name)
Characters
* Tom Anderson, a character in ''Beavis and Butt-Head''
* Tom Beck, a character ...
finished out the season for Key, failing to finish both races due to engine failure.
Key Motorsports made its first race of
1995
File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is O. J. Simpson murder case, acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the 1994, year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The ...
at the
Hardee's 250
The ToyotaCare 250 is a NASCAR Xfinity Series race that takes place at Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Virginia. The race was first held during the inaugural season for the Xfinity Series in 1982 as a 150-lap event. The race was removed from the sc ...
with
Steve Boley
''yes'Steve is a masculine given name, usually a short form (hypocorism) of Steven or Stephen
Notable people with the name include:
steve jops
* Steve Abbott (disambiguation), several people
* Steve Adams (disambiguation), several people
* Steve ...
. They did not run until the fall
Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States
* Richmond, London, a part of London
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, ...
race with
Chuck Bown
Richard Charles "Chuck" Bown Jr. (born February 22, 1954) is a former NASCAR champion. His last ride came in 1999. He lives with his wife in Asheboro, North Carolina. He is the brother of former fellow NASCAR competitor Jim Bown.
1970s
Bown mad ...
driving. After finishing 38th due to an engine failure, Bown finished ninth at the following race at Charlotte before suffering another engine failure at
North Carolina Speedway
Rockingham Speedway, formerly North Carolina Motor Speedway and later North Carolina Speedway is a racetrack located near Rockingham, North Carolina. It is also known as The Rock and previously hosted NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, ...
. Bown returned to Key in
1996
File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A Centennial Olympic Park bombing, bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical Anti-abortion violence, anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 8 ...
at Richmond, where he finished in 31st place. Later in the season,
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 scored 21 career victories in the NASCAR Cup Series, including two Coca-Cola 600s in ...
drove for Key at Charlotte, finishing 42nd with
Exide Batteries
Exide was originally a brand name for batteries produced by The Electric Storage Battery Company and later became Exide Corporation doing business as Exide Technologies, an American multinational corporation, multinational lead–acid battery, ...
sponsorship. In
1997
File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of t ...
, 19-year-old
Jimmy Foster was hired to drive the No. 11
Outdoor Channel
Outdoor Channel is an American pay television channel focused on the outdoors, offering programming that includes hunting, fishing, Western lifestyle, off-road motorsports and adventure. The network can be viewed on multiple platforms including ...
/
Speedvision
Speed was an American sports-oriented cable and satellite television network that was owned by the Fox Sports Media Group division of 21st Century Fox. The network was dedicated to motorsports programming, including auto racing, as well as aut ...
car, running ten races with a best finish of 16th at
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
. He was released and replaced for a pair of races by
Larry Pearson
Larry Pearson (born November 2, 1953) is an American former stock car racing driver and the son of three-time Winston Cup champion David Pearson. He won the Busch Series championship in 1986 and 1987, but struggled during his brief tenure in Wins ...
. After the season, a lack of funding coupled with a family tragedy forced Key to close his team.
Key Motorsports reopened in 2008.
Car No. 11 results
Car No. 31 history
Key Motorsports returned to the then Nationwide Series in 2008.
Jeff Green took the wheel of the No. 31 Chevy for three races with a best finish of 28th.
Car No. 31 results
Car No. 40 history
![Nationwide 40 Charles Lewandoski 2011 Road America Bucyrus 200](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/11/Nationwide_40_Charles_Lewandoski_2011_Road_America_Bucyrus_200.jpg)
In 2009, the team changed the number to No. 40 and signed
Scott Wimmer
Scott Allan Wimmer (born January 26, 1976) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He has a total of six wins in the Xfinity Series. His brother Chris Wimmer competed in the Busch Series. Wimmer co-owns State Park Speedway in Wausau, ...
as the primary driver. Wimmer ran 24 races for the team with a best finish of seventh in Memphis. During the races Wimmer spent with
JR Motorsports
JR Motorsports (pronounced "Junior Motorsports") is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series, CARS Tour, and occasionally in the NASCAR Advance Auto Par ...
, Green,
Aric Almirola
Aric Michael Almirola (born March 14, 1984) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 10 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing. A graduate of Hillsborough High School in T ...
,
Jeffrey Earnhardt
Jeffrey Lynn Earnhardt (born June 22, 1989) is an American professional stock car racing driver who competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 44 Chevrolet Camaro for Alpha Prime Racing. He is the son of Kerry Earnhardt, gran ...
, and Bliss drove the car.
For 2010, Bliss signed on as the driver of the car for the
2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series season. Bliss ran 31 races with a best finish of eighth at Bristol. Jeff Green drove four races for the team when Bliss drove for
Kevin Harvick Incorporated
Kevin Harvick, Inc., colloquially referred to as KHI, was a NASCAR team owned by NASCAR Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick and his wife DeLana, who is the daughter of former Busch Series driver John Linville. The team owned cars in the NASCAR Natio ...
with a best finish of 20th at Kentucky.
In 2011,
Scott Wimmer
Scott Allan Wimmer (born January 26, 1976) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He has a total of six wins in the Xfinity Series. His brother Chris Wimmer competed in the Busch Series. Wimmer co-owns State Park Speedway in Wausau, ...
started with the intention of running full-time for the No. 40 team. After 11 races and the best finish being 12th, Wimmer left since the team began starting and parking. Rookie of the year candidate
Charles Lewandoski began driving the No. 40 after Wimmer left. Lewandoski had the best finish being 24th with the team while keeping them in the top 30 in owner's points to remain locked in.
For 2012,
Josh Wise
Joshua Wise (born February 7, 1983) is an American former professional stock car racing driver and currently an athletic trainer for Chip Ganassi Racing. He began racing in open wheel cars. Wise won the 1999 USAC 3/4 Midget Division, 2005 USAC Na ...
drove the car for the first two races before switching to the No. 42, to ensure
Erik Darnell
Erik Darnell (born December 2, 1982) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He is the grandson of former USAC and NASCAR driver Bay Darnell, who also started three NASCAR races (including one for Holman Moody). Darnell formerly dro ...
ran a full season.
In 2013,
Reed Sorenson
Bradley Reed Sorenson (born February 5, 1986) is an American professional stock car racing driver and spotter. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 27 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE for Premium Motorsports, the Nos. 74/ ...
was scheduled the run the full schedule, but subbed for the injured
Michael Annett
Michael W. Annett (born June 23, 1986) is an American retired professional stock car racing driver. He last competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports.
Racing career
Early career
Save for a few ...
in the
Richard Petty Motorsports
Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) was an American professional stock car racing team that competed in the NASCAR Cup Series. The team was founded as a result of the merger between Gillett Evernham Motorsports (GEM) and Petty Enterprises, with ...
No. 43 until his return.
Josh Wise
Joshua Wise (born February 7, 1983) is an American former professional stock car racing driver and currently an athletic trainer for Chip Ganassi Racing. He began racing in open wheel cars. Wise won the 1999 USAC 3/4 Midget Division, 2005 USAC Na ...
ran the car for 5 races. Sorenson departed at season's end, moving to
Tommy Baldwin Racing
Tommy Baldwin Racing is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the modified ranks. The team is based in Mooresville, North Carolina, and is owned by former crew chief Tommy Baldwin Jr., son of the late modified ...
in the Sprint Cup Series.
In 2014, Wise returned to the No. 40, but left at mid-season to focus on his Sprint Cup obligations to
Phil Parsons Racing
Phil Parsons Racing, formerly named MSRP Motorsports, Prism Motorsports, and later HP Racing, was a NASCAR team that competed in the Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series. It was owned by former NASCAR driver Phil Parsons, and most recently fiel ...
.
Matt DiBenedetto
Matthew Guido DiBenedetto (born July 27, 1991) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, driving the No. 25 Chevrolet Silverado for Rackley WAR.
Racing career Early care ...
, previously driver of the start-and-park No. 46, moved over to the No. 40 at this time, running full races. DiBenedetto left for
BK Racing
BK Racing was an American professional stock car racing team that fielded entries in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series from 2012 to 2018. It most recently fielded the No. 23 Toyota Camry and Ford Fusion for J. J. Yeley, Gray Gaulding, and o ...
at season's end, and the No. 40 was sold to
MBM Motorsports
Motorsports Business Management LLC, operating as MBM Motorsports (and sometimes known as Carl Long Motorsports), is an American professional stock car racing team that currently competes in the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. M ...
due to the formation of TMG's own Cup team.
Car No. 40 results
Car No. 42 history
Key Motorsports began fielding the No. 42 at Michigan (race 15) as a third car for Tim Andrews. The team is another
start and park
Start and park is a term used in auto racing, particularly in NASCAR-sanctioned races, to describe the practice of racing teams starting races but pulling the car off the track after just a few laps in order to collect prize money while avoiding e ...
operation like the No. 46 and No. 47. All three cars help fund the main car, the No. 40.
Erik Darnell
Erik Darnell (born December 2, 1982) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He is the grandson of former USAC and NASCAR driver Bay Darnell, who also started three NASCAR races (including one for Holman Moody). Darnell formerly dro ...
drove the car for the first two races until he switched with
Josh Wise
Joshua Wise (born February 7, 1983) is an American former professional stock car racing driver and currently an athletic trainer for Chip Ganassi Racing. He began racing in open wheel cars. Wise won the 1999 USAC 3/4 Midget Division, 2005 USAC Na ...
in order for Wise to run for Cup rookie honors and Darnell a full Nationwide season. Wise was replaced by
Matt Frahm
Matt Frahm (born March 16, 1990) is an American professional stock car racing driver. The North Salem, New Hampshire, resident has competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and K&N Pro Series East.
Racing career
Early years
Frahm began racing at th ...
at Iowa and
Tim Schendel
Tim Schendel (born May 10, 1979) is an American professional stock car racing driver. A past winner of the Toyota All-Star Showdown and champion of the NASCAR Midwest Tour, he has also competed in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the ASA Midwes ...
and Road America.
In 2013, the No. 42 team returned with Wise, though
J. J. Yeley
Christopher Beltram Hernandez "J. J." Yeley (born October 5, 1976) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the Nos. 13 and 66 cars for MBM Motorsports and part-time in ...
drove the car until Wise returned from the No. 40. The team shut down after the season, and Wise moved to the No. 40.
Car No. 42 results
Car No. 46 history
Key Motorsports began fielding the No. 46 at Iowa (race 12) as a second car for
Chase Miller. The team is another start and park operation like the No. 42 and No. 47. All three cars help fund the main car, the No. 40. Former
Joe Gibbs Racing
Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) is an American professional stock car racing organization owned and operated by former Washington Redskins (today the Washington Commanders) coach Joe Gibbs, which first started racing on the NASCAR circuit in 1991. His s ...
development driver
Matt DiBenedetto
Matthew Guido DiBenedetto (born July 27, 1991) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, driving the No. 25 Chevrolet Silverado for Rackley WAR.
Racing career Early care ...
drove the car at Dover. In 2013, the No. 46 team and Miller returned. Miller left after the season and DiBenedetto returned again in 2014, then moved to the No. 40 at mid-season.
Matt Frahm
Matt Frahm (born March 16, 1990) is an American professional stock car racing driver. The North Salem, New Hampshire, resident has competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and K&N Pro Series East.
Racing career
Early years
Frahm began racing at th ...
, Wise,
Josh Reaume
Joshua Robert Reaume (born October 11, 1990) is an American professional stock car racing driver, engineer, and team owner. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, driving the Nos. 33 and 43 Toyota Tundras for his t ...
, and
Carl Long
James Carlyle "Carl" Long (born September 20, 1967) is an American professional stock car racing driver, mechanic, and team owner. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 66 Toyota Supra for MBM Motorsports. In t ...
all took turns in the car after this, before
Ryan Ellis
Ryan James Ellis (born January 3, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Ellis was drafted eleventh overall by the Nashville Predators in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft ...
closed out the year in the car. The No. 46 shut down after the season.
Car No. 46 results
Car No. 47 history
Key Motorsports began fielding the No. 47 at Kentucky (race 18) as a fourth car for Danny Efland and Scott Wimmer. Efland attempted Kentucky, but did not qualify. The team is another start and park operation like the No. 42 and No. 46. All three cars help fund the main car, the No. 40. The No. 47 was shared between
Scott Speed
Scott Andrew Speed (born January 24, 1983) is an American race car driver who has competed in numerous disciplines, including open-wheel, stock car, and rallycross racing.
In , Speed became the first American driver to race in Formula One since ...
and
Brian Keselowski
Brian A. Keselowski (born September 2, 1981) is an American professional stock car racing driver, crew chief, and spotter. He made headlines in 2011, qualifying his family-owned K-Automotive Motorsports entry into the Daytona 500.
Early life and ...
for 2011. For 2012, Speed drove the car for most of the races, being replaced by
Tim Schendel
Tim Schendel (born May 10, 1979) is an American professional stock car racing driver. A past winner of the Toyota All-Star Showdown and champion of the NASCAR Midwest Tour, he has also competed in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the ASA Midwes ...
at Iowa and
Matt DiBenedetto
Matthew Guido DiBenedetto (born July 27, 1991) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, driving the No. 25 Chevrolet Silverado for Rackley WAR.
Racing career Early care ...
at Michigan and Road America. In 2013 the team returned with
Scott Riggs
Russell Scott Riggs (born January 1, 1971) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed in the 92 for RBR Enterprises in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
Racing career Early career
Riggs was born in Bahama, Nort ...
and
Jason Bowles
Jason Bowles (born November 24, 1982) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West championship in 2009.
Racing career Early career
He made his NASCAR West Series debut in the No. 22 Sunrise Ford/Tur ...
as drivers. The team attempted Texas, Richmond and Darlington and failed to qualify for all three.
Car No. 47 results
Camping World Truck Series
Truck No. 40 history
Key Motorsports returned to NASCAR competition in
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...
starting at the season-opening race at
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, the most prestigious race in NASCAR as well as its season opening event. In addition to NA ...
.
Joey Clanton
Joseph Clanton (born November 1, 1972) is an American race car driver and businessman. He was the 2002 champion in the now-defunct American Speed Association stock car series. He is also the owner of two Zaxby's franchises.
Busch Series
Clanton m ...
drove for the first two races of the season in the No. 40
Optech Chevy, wrecking out of both of them.
Tony Raines
Floyd Anthony Raines (born April 14, 1964) is a retired American professional stock car racing driver. He is a former National Touring Series champion in the now defunct American Speed Association and 1999 Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Nationw ...
attempted the fall races at Richmond and Martinsville for Key, but did not qualify. Key did not race in
2005
File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...
until the summer
Bristol
Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
race when
Andy Houston
Andrew Houston (born November 7, 1970) is an American stock car racing spotter and former driver. He is a veteran of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, scoring three wins.
Houston is the son of legendary Busch driver Tommy Houston and the younge ...
drove the truck to a 33rd-place finish after a wreck. Their next attempt at Richmond resulted in a DNQ.
Chad Chaffin attempted the first six races of
2006
File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
, finishing eighteenth at
Auto Club Speedway
Auto Club Speedway, originally opened as California Speedway, is a , low-banked, D-shaped oval superspeedway in unincorporated San Bernardino County, California, near Fontana. It has hosted NASCAR racing annually since 1997. It was also previ ...
, and a 26th-place finish at Gateway. Beginning at the
City of Mansfield 250
The Ohio 250 was a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race that was held at Mansfield Motorsports Park on Memorial Day weekend between 2004 and 2008.
History
The 2006 race saw 18 caution flags flown during the race, setting a series record. Dennis Set ...
,
Dale Earnhardt, Inc. development driver
Ryan Moore was named the team's new driver. He had three top-twenty finishes before resigning his position after the New Hampshire race.
Tim Fedewa
Timothy Fedewa (born May 9, 1967) is an American professional racing driver. He has formerly competed in the NASCAR Busch Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, American Speed Association and ARTGO. Fedewa is a spotter in the NASCAR Cup Series a ...
drove at Las Vegas followed by
Derrike Cope
Derrike Wayne Cope (born November 3, 1958) is an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner. He is known for his win in the 1990 Daytona 500. He last competed in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 15 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 f ...
at
Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway, nicknamed “'Dega”, and formerly named Alabama International Motor Speedway (AIMS) from 1969 to 1989, is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base ...
, who ran in the top-ten before becoming involved in a late crash.
Shane Huffman
Shane S. Huffman (born December 30, 1973) is a former American professional stock car racing driver and current crew chief for Bret Holmes' No. 23 team in the ARCA Menards Series. He drove the No. 40 Key Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado in the ...
finished out three of the final four races of 2006 for Key.
In
2007
File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
,
Mike Bliss
Michael Duane Bliss (born April 5, 1965) is an American 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 began ...
drove the first four races in the 40, posting a tenth-place finish at California.
Clay Rogers
Clayton Rogers (born November 6, 1980) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He has competed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series, and is the 2004, 2006, 2009, and 2010 champion in the ...
and Huffman shared the ride for the rest of the half of the season, with
Stacy Compton
Stacy Marshall Compton (born May 26, 1967) is a NASCAR former team owner and former driver. He is a former co-owner of Bobby Hamilton Racing-Virginia in the Craftsman Truck Series, and is a former racing analyst for ESPN full-time. Before he ran ...
driving at Memphis.
Brandon Miller drove for the next five races with
Westerman Companies Westerman is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Alan Westerman (1913–2001), senior Australian public servant
* Alex Westerman (born 1969), American creative director
* Bruce Westerman (born 1967), U.S. representative for Arkansa ...
sponsoring, before Chaffin returned to finish out the season in the 40. Chaffin began the 2008 season in the No. 40, but was replaced by Jeff Green and
Paul Poulter
Paul Poulter is a racing driver. He has raced the #74 pickup since 2005 in the UK Pickup Truck Racing series. In 2008 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, 2008, he signed a contract to drive the #40 Chevrolet Silverado in the Craftsman Truck Series f ...
later in the year.
Mike Bliss
Michael Duane Bliss (born April 5, 1965) is an American 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 began ...
took over the No. 40 Chevy for ultimately a part-time schedule in 2009.
Truck No. 40 results
Truck No. 44 history
In
2007
File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
, Key debuted a new second truck, numbered 44 to run alongside the primary number 40. At
Daytona Daytona refers to the city of Daytona Beach, Florida, or things named after it.
Daytona may also refer to:
Locations
* Daytona Beach Shores, Florida
* South Daytona, Florida
* The Daytona Beach metropolitan area
* Halifax area, also known as Da ...
, the truck was driven by
Larry Foyt
Lawrence Joseph Roberds Foyt (born February 22, 1977) is an American former NASCAR and IndyCar driver. He is the biological grandson and adopted son of A. J. Foyt, and a biological cousin (and uncle by adoption) of A. J. Foyt IV. His biological ...
, who finished 32nd after an early accident.
Morgan Shepherd
Clay Morgan Shepherd (born October 12, 1941) is an American retired professional stock car racing driver and current team owner. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 89 Chevrolet Camaro for Shepherd Racing Ven ...
piloted the truck for the next two races
Auto Club and
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
,
start and park
Start and park is a term used in auto racing, particularly in NASCAR-sanctioned races, to describe the practice of racing teams starting races but pulling the car off the track after just a few laps in order to collect prize money while avoiding e ...
ing both times finishing 34th and 33rd, respectively.
Frank Kreyer drove the truck at
Martinsville, and drove again two races later at
Mansfield
Mansfield is a market town and the administrative centre of Mansfield District in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the largest town in the wider Mansfield Urban Area (followed by Sutton-in-Ashfield). It gained the Royal Charter of a market tow ...
with sponsorship from
Culver's
Culver Franchising System, LLC (Culver's) is an American fast-casual restaurant chain. The company was founded in 1984 by George, Ruth, Craig, and Lea Culver. The first location opened in Sauk City, Wisconsin on July 18, 1984 under the name "Cul ...
. Kreyer finished 28th at Martinsville, and 34th at Mansfield after engine problems. The team returned for one race in a
start and park
Start and park is a term used in auto racing, particularly in NASCAR-sanctioned races, to describe the practice of racing teams starting races but pulling the car off the track after just a few laps in order to collect prize money while avoiding e ...
role in
2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
with Shepherd at Auto Club finishing 34th. The team returned in
2009
File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...
, with the crew chief of the 40 truck,
Lance Hooper
Lance Allen Hooper (born June 1, 1967) is a race car driver and crew chief in NASCAR as well as several touring divisions. Hooper attended his first race when he was just two weeks old, and also came from a long line of racing champions, includi ...
, behind the wheel. Hooper raced the opening two races, finishing 35th at Daytona, and 36th at Auto Club in a start and park role.
Truck No. 44 results
References
8. http://pilotonline.com/sports/auto-racing/chesapeake-s-key-falk-ready-to-take-on-nascar-heavyweights/article_cc51bdd5-076c-509e-aaa2-97a04f15132d.html
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Motorsports Group
1993 establishments in North Carolina
American auto racing teams
Companies based in North Carolina
Defunct NASCAR teams