Bristol Motor Speedway
Babb's Bowyer-backed ride begins at East Bay
From staff and team reports
Shannon Babb (Shawn Crose photo)
Two-time Dirt Track World Champion Shannon Babb is the latest dirt racer to make a key connection with the highest levels of NASCAR racing. The Moweaqua, Ill., driver has been hired by Clint Bowyer Racing to field a Dirt Late Model for the NASCAR Sprint Cup driver in the 2008 season.
The 33-year-old Babb, who piloted the red and yellow No. 18 Dirt Late Model owned by Bill Moyer the past seven seasons, couldn't pass up what he called "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" to pilot a Dirt Late Model owned by Bowyer, a former dirt racer himself who was a 2002 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series champion at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kan.
While Bowyer, who finished third in NASCAR points for Richard Childress Racing last season, had experience on dirt only in modifieds, he began dabbling in Dirt Late Models last year and joins fellow NASCAR stars such as Tony Stewart, Ken Schrader, Ryan Newman, Bill Elliott and David Stremme who own cars, tracks and/or teams.
“Dirt track racing is my passion and it’s where I got my start on four wheels,” Bowyer said in a press release. “I bought my first Dirt Late Model last year and I was hooked immediately. Thanks to some opportunities that have presented themselves in recent months and support from Chevrolet, I was able to put together a full-time effort with Shannon Babb."
Babb has been away on a hunting trip in Mexico, but he said in a release he's excited about the opportunity. “With Clint's roots in dirt racing and his success in NASCAR, I think this will be a winning combination,” Babb said. “I’m thankful that he selected me to be a part of his new team and I’m looking forward to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Babb will be assisted by long-time crew chief Jay Hunt, who helped him to back-to-back championships on the UMP Summernationals in 2005-06, as well as former Tim McCreadie crew chief Tommy Grecco, who joined Bowyer's operation last fall. "We already know everybody there and thought it would be a good fit," Hunt said in a phone interview.
The team will be based at Bowyer's operation in Welcome, N.C., but use Babb's Illinois shop on Midwest trips, Hunt said. The decal scheme and sponsor of the cars are undecided, but it will carry the No. 79 used by Bowyer during his grassroots racing days.
Bowyer already had a Rocket Chassis and the team plans to add a pair of Rayburn Race Cars, Hunt said. Spartanburg, S.C.-based Clements Automotive will provide Chevrolet powerplants
The Bowyer-owned team plans to compete in more than 60 nights of racing in 2008, starting with Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series competition at East Bay Raceway Park near Tampa, Fla., on Feb. 4-9.
Babb's Dirt Late Model career began as a teenager at central Illinois in the early 1990s and his 1998 STARS victory at Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway in Calvert City, Ky., marked the beginning of his special event success. After driving for a handful of teams, including Louisiana-based GVS Racing, he joined Moyer's operation in 2001 and raced as a de facto teammate to Hall of Fame driver Billy Moyer (his car owner's son) the past seven seasons.
Among Babb's victories for the Bill Moyer-owned team was the 2002 Dirt Track World Championship at Bluegrass Speedway in Bardstown, Ky., the 2004 Dixie Shootout at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, Ga., and the 2006 Dirt Track World Championship at K-C Raceway near Chillicothe, Ohio. Besides winning two UMP Summernationals titles, he has 55 career victories on the grueling tour, second all time behind the younger Moyer.
