Spears Motorsports
Owner(s)Wayne Spears, Connie Spears
BaseAgua Dulce, California
SeriesCraftsman Truck Series, Winston Cup
Race driversAric Almirola, Bobby Gill, Kevin Harvick, Dennis Setzer, David Starr, Clay Rogers, Bill Sedgwick
SponsorsSpears Manufacturing
ManufacturerChevrolet
Opened1987
Closed2007
Career
Drivers' Championships0
Race victories4 (Craftsman Truck)

Spears Motorsports was a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team owned by Wayne and Connie Spears of Agua Dulce, California. The team is most notable for its longevity in the Truck Series, running all but two races before their closure, their commitment to running with Chevrolet and for always running their white and blue No. 75.

Wayne Spears is a 2009 inductee of the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame.[1]

Winston Cup

Spears Motorsports debuted in 1987 at Riverside with road racer Tommy Kendall driving the No. 76 Spears Manufacturing Buick. However, they would last only 26 laps before being hit with oil troubles. Kendall and Spears returned to Riverside in '88, and improved their results to 18th, leading one lap. Kendall would be released in favor of Bill Sedgwick, debuting at Phoenix but finishing 36th with ignition troubles. Sedgwick and Spears would only make 8 starts between 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup Series due to Sedgwick also running in the Winston West Series. Ron Hornaday would make his Cup debut with Spears in 1993, also at Phoenix finishing 22nd. Sedgwick returned to the team the following year without much success. Taking a leap at the newly formed SuperTruck Series, the Spears' sold off their Cup equipment at season's end.

Car No. 76 History

NASCAR Winston Cup Series results
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 NWCC Pts
1987 Roman Calczynski 76 Buick DAY CAR RCH ATL DAR NWS BRI MAR TAL CLT DOV POC RSD
DNQ
MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR
Tommy Kendall RSD
38
ATL
1988 DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV RSD
18
POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR PHO ATL
1989 Bill Sedgwick DAY CAR ATL RCH DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV SON
DNQ
POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR PHO
36
ATL
1990 Chevy DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS
DNQ
MAR
24
TAL CLT DOV SON
36
POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO
20
ATL
1991 DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS
DNQ
MAR
19
TAL CLT DOV SON
15
POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO
21
ATL
1992 75 DAY CAR RCH ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV SON
19
POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO
27
ATL
1993 76 DAY CAR RCH ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL SON
26
CLT DOV POC MCH DAY NHA POC TAL GLN
Ron Hornaday Jr. MCH
DNQ
BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO
22
ATL
1994 DAY CAR RCH ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL SON
39
CLT DOV POC MCH DAY NHA POC TAL IND
DNQ
GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO
34
ATL

Craftsman Truck Series

Early struggles

Kevin Harvick Spears Motorsports Chevrolet Watkins Glen International 1997

In 1995, Bill France Jr. announced the official formation of the NASCAR SuperTruck Series by Craftsman. With Hornaday already signed to drive Dale Earnhardt Incorporated's No. 16 truck, the Spears family turned back to Bill Sedgwick, who would debut their white No. 75 Spears Manufacturing Chevrolet at PIR for the Copper World Classic. Sedgwick would finish 12th in the first ever truck race. Spears proved its competitiveness by winning the pole at Mesa Marin Speedway. Spears Motorsports's first season in the trucks netted them 1 pole, 6 top 5s, and 13 top 10s for a seventh-place points finish. Sedgwick left for Darrell Waltrip Motorsports in 1996, and Spears brought on driver Bobby Gill, who was a consistent top 20 finisher but released after Louisville despite gaining four top tens. Gill was replaced by Busch Series driver Nathan Buttke, who had 7 top 10 starts, but only 3 top 10 finishes and 7 DNF's. Buttke was released for Dan Press who also struggled and had 4 DNF's. Press was soon replaced by another West Series driver, Kevin Harvick, who had made two previous starts in the No. 79 Chevrolet at Tucson and Louisville, finishing in the top 20. Harvick would struggle with only an average season of mid pack finishes but garnered two 8th-place finishes. Harvick ran the full 1998 season except for Nashville, where Lonnie Rush Jr. drove the No. 75 truck but crashed. Despite three consecutive DNF's at the beginning of the year, Harvick and team rallied back to finish 17th in points, with 3 top 5s and 5 top 10s. Harvick would leave Spears for Jim Herrick's team in 1999, and was replaced by Rush, who struggled and was replaced by Marty Houston, who gave the team a top 10 at Nazareth. Houston returned in 2000, scoring 1 top 5 and 10 top 10s to finish 12th in points. His success raised the eyebrows of Armando Fitz, who got him into his Busch Series car for 2001. Another future USAR driver, Billy Bigley, took the reins of the No. 75, resulting in 1 top 5 and 8 top 10s for a 13th-place points finish.

David Starr era

Despite Bigley's points finish, he would be replaced for 2002 by David Starr. Despite making only 5 starts in 2001, Starr had 4 top 5 finishes with John Menard Jr.'s truck team. Given a full-time ride, the combination of Starr and Spears would prove to be one of the most famous in the Truck Series. Starr gave the team its first ever win at Vegas holding off eventual champion Mike Bliss. Their first season with Starr proved to be their best with 8 top 5s and 16 top tens resulting in a 5th-place points finish along with the Most Popular Driver award. In 2003, Starr was tenth in points after finishing 6th at Texas when he was injured, forcing him to miss four races. Starr was replaced by Busch Series driver Hank Parker Jr. who had two top 10s. Starr returned at Gateway, but could not find victory lane again and dropped to 13th in points. In 2004, the team would have its most successful seasons, taking the pole at Charlotte, along with 2 wins, 8 top 5s and 16 top 10s and a 6th-place points finish. 2005 gave the team only four top 5s and ten top 10s and a 7th-place points finish. Starr announced his departure from Spears and move to Red Horse Racing in 2006.

Success and demise

Joe Gibbs Racing owner Joe Gibbs contracted Spears to field their Cuban American development driver Aric Almirola for Rookie of the Year in 2006. Almirola would become the first ROTY contender to drive the famous No. 75. However, Almirola struggled in his transition and mustered only 3 top 10s. Almirola would move up to the Busch Series part-time. For 2007, Spears would hire "Short Track Slayer" Dennis Setzer, the so-called bridesmade of the Truck Series for finishing 2nd in points three years in a row with the struggling Morgan-Dollar Motorsports.[2] Setzer lived up to his name by winning at Mansfield on a no stop strategy. That would be the last top five for Spears as Setzer did not break into the top 10 after that race and was released prior to Vegas. USAR driver Clay Rogers would step into the No. 75 but would not crack the top 10. At season's end Wayne and Connie Spears posted a letter on their website's homepage announcing that Spears Motorsports would not return for 2008 due to financial difficulties.[3]

Truck No. 75 History

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results
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 NCTC Pts
1995 Bill Sedgwick 75 Chevy PHO
12
TUS
8
SGS
3
MMR
2
POR
7
EVG
15
I70
8
LVL
11
BRI
5
MLW
5
CNS
4
HPT
15
IRP
27
FLM
5
RCH
33
MAR
8
NWS
25
SON
6
MMR
9
PHO
10
1996 Bobby Gill HOM
23
PHO
9
POR
20
EVG
26
TUS
7
CNS
11
HPT
15
BRI
7
NZH
18
MLW
6
LVL
11
Nathan Buttke I70
7
IRP
8
FLM
19
GLN
29
NSV
28
RCH
6
NHA
17
MAR
28
NWS
21
SON
27
MMR
14
PHO
25
LVS
33
1997 Dan Press WDW
28
TUS
32
HOM
14
PHO
27
POR
18
EVG
21
I70
28
NHA
30
TEX
26
BRI
21
NZH
12
MLW
25
LVL
28
23rd 2324
Kevin Harvick CNS
20
HPT
30
IRP
23
FLM
23
NSV
16
GLN
23
RCH
DNQ
SON
33
MMR
8
CAL
20
PHO
34
LVS
8
Rick Markle MAR
DNQ
1998 Kevin Harvick WDW
18
HOM
13
PHO
13
POR
14
EVG
31
I70
26
GLN
29
TEX
4
BRI
22
MLW
11
NZH
14
CAL
30
PPR
15
IRP
11
NHA
7
FLM
9
HPT
5
LVL
13
RCH
25
MEM
15
GTY
11
MAR
25
SON
17
MMR
5
PHO
18
LVS
20
15th 3086
Lonnie Rush Jr. NSV
27
1999 HOM
24
PHO
12
EVG
17
MMR
20
MAR
28
MEM
33
20th 2539
Marty Houston PPR
29
I70
26
BRI
23
TEX
26
PIR
12
GLN
21
MLW
23
NSV
13
NZH
6
MCH
21
NHA
21
IRP
20
GTY
32
HPT
20
RCH
20
LVS
13
LVL
20
TEX
17
CAL
20
2000 DAY
18
HOM
10
PHO
21
MMR
22
MAR
19
PIR
9
GTY
25
MEM
17
PPR
10
EVG
25
TEX
7
KEN
4
GLN
17
MLW
6
NHA
10
NZH
19
MCH
8
IRP
13
NSV
18
CIC
20
RCH
14
DOV
7
TEX
19
CAL
8
12th 2942
2001 Billy Bigley Jr. DAY
26
HOM
24
MMR
9
MAR
16
GTY
10
DAR
9
PPR
25
DOV
25
TEX
22
MEM
11
MLW
7
KAN
5
KEN
10
NHA
15
IRP
29
NSH
23
CIC
32
NZH
7
RCH
10
SBO
15
TEX
18
LVS
16
PHO
32
CAL
11
15th 2718
2002 David Starr DAY
7
DAR
6
MAR
8
GTY
5
PPR
5
DOV
4
TEX
3
MEM
7
MLW
6
KAN
24
KEN
8
NHA
3
MCH
5
IRP
34
NSH
11
RCH
13
TEX
3
SBO
7
LVS
1
CAL
11
PHO
18
HOM
8
5th 3144
2003 DAY
36
DAR
9
MMR
9
MAR
12
CLT
17
DOV
3
TEX
6
GTW
6
MCH
13
IRP
11
NSH
4
BRI
18
RCH
32
NHA
8
CAL
5
LVS
2
SBO
9
TEX
31
MAR
9
PHO
6
HOM
3
10th 3292
Hank Parker Jr. MEM
15
MLW
8
KAN
11
KEN
10
2004 David Starr DAY
12
ATL
36
MAR
9
MFD
9
CLT
3
DOV
8
TEX
29
MEM
10
MLW
33
KAN
19
KEN
3
GTW
1
MCH
21
IRP
16
NSH
2
BRI
7
RCH
23
NHA
8
LVS
10
CAL
4
TEX
4
MAR
29
PHO
1
DAR
7
HOM
3
6th 3298
2005 DAY
8
CAL
27*
ATL
5
MAR
22
GTY
21
MFD
9
CLT
19
DOV
8
TEX
9
MCH
12
MLW
11
KAN
24
KEN
10
MEM
5
IRP
17
NSH
17
BRI
8
RCH
21
NHA
13
LVS
3
MAR
21
ATL
11
TEX
4
PHO
14
HOM
11
8th 3148
2006 Aric Almirola DAY
32
CAL
21
ATL
18
MAR
18
GTY
10
CLT
9
MFD
30
DOV
12
TEX
32
MCH
36
MLW
13
KAN
18
KEN
22
MEM
18
IRP
21
NSH
22
BRI
32
NHA
29
LVS
10
TAL
22
MAR
16
ATL
30
TEX
20
PHO
22
HOM
23
21st 2471
2007 Dennis Setzer DAY
19
CAL
19
ATL
7
MAR
13
KAN
26
CLT
22
MFD
1
DOV
19
TEX
16
MCH
24
MLW
19
MEM
19
KEN
18
IRP
13
NSH
26
BRI
26
GTW
19
16th 2262
Clay Rogers NHA
12
LVS
11
TAL
15
MAR
26
ATL
34
TEX
33
PHO
16
HOM
27

Truck No. 79 History

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results
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 NCTC Pts
1997 Kevin Harvick 79 Chevy WDW TUS
21
HOM PHO POR EVG I70 NHA TEX BRI NZH MLW LVL
11
CNS HPT IRP FLM NSV GLN RCH MAR SON MMR CAL PHO LVS

References

  1. "West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame". West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame. Retrieved March 16, 2012.
  2. Setzer Signs With Spears Motorsports; December 7, 2006
  3. Spears Motorsports not returning to truck series; Scene Daily; December 5, 2007; Retrieved January 21, 2008; Inaccessible February 19, 2008
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