Dale Jr Hires Driver

kat2220

kat2220

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Dale Jr. tabs McFarland to drive No. 88 BGN car
Mark McFarland, the 2003 Dodge Weekly Racing Series national champion, has been hand-picked by Dale Earnhardt Jr. to be the first Busch Series driver for his Mooresville, N.C.-based company, JR Motorsports.

McFarland will pilot the No. 88 NAVY Chevrolet in his quest for the 2006 Busch Series title and Rookie of the Year award.

McFarland spent the 2005 season competing in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series for JR Motorsports. A quick study in anything with a steering wheel, McFarland compiled one win, 10 top-five finishes, 13 top-10s and a series-leading seven pole awards.

While McFarland will have a yellow stripe on his bumper next season, he does have 10 Busch Series starts under his belt. The most recent came in the 2005 Ford 300 season finale at Homestead-Miami, his first race in the No. 88 NAVY Chevrolet that he will pilot in 2006. He qualified 18th and brought the car home in a respectable 20th place.

McFarland's highest Busch Series finish came at Richmond in the fall of 2004 where he finished 16th.

This is Earnhardt Jr.'s first solely-owned Busch team and signifies another step in his evolutionary career.

"I'm proud to be entering a relationship with an organization like the U.S. Navy," Earnhardt said. "When you consider the history and the accomplishment the Navy has it's overwhelming. The opportunities the Navy can provide for people are virtually limitless.

"They've given us an opportunity with this sponsorship and I'm proud to represent them. They're giving Mark an opportunity as well and I'm confident he will make the most of it."

Said McFarland: "This great sponsorship from the NAVY has given me the chance to fulfill what would be any young racecar driver's dream and that is to compete with the best.

"It is an honor to be selected to represent the integrity and fortitude that the NAVY stands for."
 
I am glad to see Jr hiring a driver that got his start from the Dodge Weekly Series the same as Jr himself did. The grassroots series is exciting and important to racing. Here are a couple more drivers that will be racing in the Dodge Weekly Series in 2006:

Amanda and Danielle McDermott to be the first sister team ever to compete at Old Dominion Speedway in 2006


Broad Run, VA (January 1, 2006) – After having an incredible Rookie season, Amanda McDermott is ready to get behind the wheel. She will have new sponsors, a new look, and a new attitude. Amanda is very candid when it comes to her driving style in 2005. She said "I was very passive and not always up on the wheel, making the most of every lap in 2005". There will be no passive thoughts in her mind in 2006. The word for 2006 is "Aggressive". She not only wants to win more races in 2006 but she is ready to challenge for NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Grand Stock Championship Title. With 2005 giving her a place in the Old Dominion Speedway history books. She was the first female ever to win a Grand Stock event at Old Dominion Speedway. She is not looking back on that, She cant afford too. Her sister Danielle will be looking to challenge at every turn.
Danielle McDermott is a feisty 16 year old who has won her share of titles in the Go-Kart, Mini-Trucks and Pro-mod Trucks in the past years. With her having over 10 years of racing experience already, she is excited to get behind the wheel and turn laps. Danielle main focus is track time in 2006. She has driven Karts and Trucks but they are about 10% of the weight of a Grand Stock. She knows it will take some getting used too. She will be driving the car that took Amanda to her first win in 2005. That makes her even more confident about running up front. Amanda has the sister car from the same previous owner, Chris Donnelly. Donnelly has 11 wins on that car before he sold it to Amanda's dad Lance at the end of the 2005 season.
Both Amanda and Danielle are very excited for the upcoming season. The entire team has huge promotional plans. There main focus is to have fun and make the most of their racing season.
 
Thanks for the info. It surprised me Jr hired Mark McFarland though, but we will just have to wait and see what he does in the Busch series this year. Good luck to him. LETS GO RACIN!!
 
JR Motorsports, Ya know with all this going on does this show JR move'in more and more away for DEI?
1/16/06 Late in the evening the crew fired off the very first in-house, No. 88 NAVY Chevrolet to be powered by a " Richard Childress Racing motor! The Hopkins chassis was skinned by the JR Motorsports fabrication department that is headed by Robert, Jr. and Jimmy Gee. The Gee brothers are uncles of car owner, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and the sons of racing fabrication pioneer, Robert Gee, Sr.
I have'nt heard..........is DEI's Chace2racing still up and running?
 
^ I am almost positive I heard the Chance 2 had shut down.
 
Chance2 was a joint ownership between Teresa and Junior. With Truex moving to Cup for DEI, Chance2 shut down.

JR Motorsports is wholly Junior's.

BTW, the orginal Chance Motorsports was Big E's idea so Kerry, Kelly, and Junior could race.
 
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