Joe Denette Hits Lottery Again with New Driver Ron Hornaday and New Home at KHI Shop
Last year, Joe Denette started a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team with his winnings from the Mega Millions Virginia Lottery drawing.
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[/media-credit]But this year, Denette feels like he has hit the lottery all over again by securing veteran and championship Truck Series driver Ron Hornaday, as well as the shop formerly operated by the winners of the 2011 Owner’s Championship, Kevin and DeLana Harvick.
“I think this is one of the best scenarios I could ask for,” Denette said. “I got one of the best drivers out there in my opinion. I lucked out on this one.”
Denette said the deal with Hornaday came about over a simple dinner together.
“Hermie Sadler, my business manager in racing, came to me with a proposal because Hermie and Kevin (Harvick) are pretty good friends,” Denette said. “They started talking back and forth and he started talking to Ron.”
“We sat down for dinner one night and by the time we were done with dinner, we had a deal struck.”
While Denette knew of Hornaday’s championship resume, including 51 victories, 27 poles, and 146 top-five finishes, he was most impressed with the veteran driver’s heart and passion for the sport. He also was taken with his new driver’s desire to keep winning.
“His passion and his desire to keep winning impressed me most,” Denette said. “His goal is to win a fifth championship. When he left the table, he asked me what I expected from hi and I said just to give it your all and compete.”
“I told him, I want you to win your fifth championship with Joe Denette Motorsports.”
Hornaday, a 14-year veteran of the Truck Series, shared Denette’s excitement for his new ride, especially with the closure of his former team, KHI Motorsports.
“I’m very excited for the opportunity to work with JDM next season,” Hornaday said. “This is a young team and they have put a lot of the right people in place to win races and compete for a championship in 2012.”
“I’m honored to continue my relationship with Chevrolet and I’m looking forward to a successful 2012 season.”
Another important part of Hornaday’s team that will be come to Joe Denette Motorsports is crew chief Jeff Hensley. And, according to Denette, one of the best holdovers from the KHI days is that the team will actually be running out of the former race team’s shop.
“We hired Jeff a week or two before we hired Ron,” Denette said. “We’re actually going to be running out of Kevin’s old shop.”
“I feel like I’m taking over where Kevin left off.”
While Denette confirmed that he will definitely be running one truck full-time, as he did last season in his rookie year, he also revealed that he may be running a second truck, perhaps even on a full-time basis.
“Right now we are running the No. 9 truck with Ron driving and several races throughout the season, we planned on running a second truck,” Denette said. “But from what my understanding is Hermie (Sadler) is already striking some deals where I feel like we’re going to have two trucks on the track this whole season.”
“I’m not 100% sure but I know for a fact that Elliott Sadler will be driving a few races this year and I also believe that Kevin (Harvick) wants to run a few Truck races for me this year.”
“In essence, he’ll be driving his old stuff, so I figure it’s a win/win situation.”
As with many NASCAR teams currently, Denette continues to be in the hunt for sponsors at all levels for his race trucks.
“We’re still working on sponsors,” Denette said. “Right now, I’m still open for sponsorship.”
“If someone wants to come up with some money and wants their company or logo on the side of my truck or on the hood of the truck, I’d gladly take it,” Denette continued. “I’ll put anybody on the truck that wants out there.”
In addition to sponsorship dollars, however, what Denette is dreaming about most is getting that first ever race win next year with his new team and driver.
“The first win, there will be nothing like it,” Denette said. “That’s what I came into the sport to do.”
“I want to win,” Denette continued. “I want to win a driver’s championship. I want to win an owner’s championship. I want a NASCAR trophy of my own.”
This week, Denette is going to finish up the 2011 season by heading to Las Vegas for NASCAR Championship week, taking the opportunity to check out that NASCAR trophy that he is so hoping to win next year.
And, yes, Denette will not only be heading to the championship banquet but also hoping that he will get lucky at some of the black jack tables in the casinos as well.
“I actually purchased a table at the banquet and have a group of six people coming with me,” Denette said. “We will have Hermie Sadler and his wife and some people who won a contest through the Virginia Lottery.”
“It’s pretty cool. When you meet the drivers in person, it’s cool,” Denette continued. “You can sit down and talk to them. I played black jack last year with Kenny Wallace and Kurt Busch.”
The biggest lesson that Denette has learned in his rookie year is that racing is indeed all about the people in the sport, especially having the right people in the right places to win. And, through it all, Denette’s passion for the sport, especially the Truck Series, has remained strong, if not increasing even further.
“I love the sport even more now,” Denette said. “I have more access to come up to the drivers and talk to the drivers and shoot the breeze. I run across these guys all the time and I’m still amazed at what they do.”
“Just go to a Truck race,” Denette said. “It’s unreal. Any day, any time, anybody can be a winner there.”
“I’ve got a passion for trucks,” Denette continued. “To see them racing, it’s pretty cool.”
“The Truck Series is the grass roots of NASCAR,” Denette said. “It’s how the sport started.”
“And the best part is that anybody can come to the track and win.”
Countdown to Daytona: 88
The number 88 has an impressive history in NASCAR and a who’s-who list of drivers and owners whose cars have been adorned with the number.
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[/media-credit]As was the case with no. 89, car no. 88 made its debut at Langhorne in 1949 with Pepper Cunningham of Trenton, New Jersey behind the wheel. Cunningham finished 33rd in his debut after wrecking his ’49 Lincoln. Cunningham would only compete in nine other races (he failed to start a 10th), and just one other using number 88. That start would result in his career best finish of sixth, coming at Langhorne.
The first win for car no. 88 came in 1954. Tim Flock would have had that honor, but his ’54 Oldsmobile was disqualified, handing the win to Lee Petty. Buck Baker would win later that season at Wilson Speedway in Wilson, North Carolina for the first of 66 wins for no. 88. Baker would win two other times using no. 88—later in 1954 at Morristown Speedway in New Jersey and five years later at Greenville-Pickens Speedway. Other notable drivers using the number include Neil “Soapy” Castles, Fireball Roberts (just two races), Tiny Lund, and Banjo Matthews.
In 1973, a little-known team called DiGard showed up at Dover with driver Donnie Allison. Comprised of Bill Gardner and Mike DiProspero, the team finished a disappointing 38th after the engine failed after just 18 laps. However, the stage was set for a run that spanned 14 years.
Allison ran the first two seasons for DiGard and 10 races in 1975. After the Pocono race, DiGard dropped Allison for a cocky young kid named Darrell Waltrip. Outside of five races for Bud Moore, Waltrip had driven his own equipment in every other start, winning once at the old Nashville Fairgrounds. Waltrip won once in 1975 for DiGard at Richmond; the first for no. 88 in 16 years.
Gatorade joined the team the following season for a five-year run with Waltrip in which he won 25 more races. It was during his time in car no. 88 that Waltrip earned his now-famous moniker of “Jaws”, a name given to him by rival driver Cale Yarborough.
Waltrip bought out his contract in 1980 to drive for Junior Johnson, a move that was unheard of at the time. DiGard would replace Waltrip with Ricky Rudd. Rudd didn’t win in his one season with DiGard and he left for Richard Childress Racing.
Bobby Allison replaced Rudd in 1982 and responded with eight wins, 20 top-ten finishes, and a runner-up finish in the points. Miller replaced Gatorade for ’83 and DiGard switched their number to 22. Gatorade and the number 88 moved to Cliff Stewart’s Pontiacs and driver Geoff Bodine. When Bodine left for Hendrick Motorsports the following season, Stewart signed Rusty Wallace, who won the ASA championship in 1983. Wallace won Rookie of the Year in 1984, besting a class including Phil Parsons, Greg Sacks, Doug Heveron, and Clark Dwyer. In 1985, Gatorade left and was replaced by Alugard Antifreeze.
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[/media-credit]Buddy Baker took over car no. 88 in a car co-owned by himself and Danny Schiff. According to Sports Illustrated, Schiff was the CEO of Bull Frog Knits, a children’s apparel company. Baker had first used the number in 1959 in a race at the Southern States Fairgrounds; dad Buck used no. 87. The partnership lasted four seasons, with Baker driving the majority. Morgan Shepherd filled in for Baker in 1988, along with Rick Mast, who made his Sprint Cup debut in the car.Greg Sacks started 1989 in Bakers’ Crisco-backed machine, but was replaced by Berwick, Pennsylvania’s Jimmy Spencer. Spencer earned three top-ten finishes in the ride. Following the 1989 season, the team closed its doors.
The number 88 saw sporadic use the next five seasons; Larry Pearson used the number in a one-off in 1990. Baker used the no. 88 twice more in 1991 and Jeff Fuller made his debut using the number in 1992.
Robert Yates, who had built engines for DiGard resurrected the number 88 in 1995 for Ernie Irvan’s triumphant return from a traumatic head injury—an injury Irvan had sustained the previous year at Michigan International Speedway. Given just a 10% chance to survive, Irvan overcame the odds and was back in a Sprint Cup car just 14 months later. Irvan finished sixth in his return, besting teammate Dale Jarrett by one position. The following season, Irvan returned to the 28 car and Jarrett was moved to the 88 with new sponsor Ford Quality Care.
In his first race, Jarrett won the 1996 Daytona 500, beginning an association with the number that spanned 11 years. In those 11 years, Jarrett won a total of 28 races and the 2000 championship. Jarrett’s final win came in car no. 88 at Talladega in 2005, beating Tony Stewart back to the flag. After Jarrett left for Michael Waltrip Racing, his vacancy filled with Ricky Rudd.
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Earnhardt’s well-documented drought has been in car no. 88; his last win coming in June 2008 at Michigan.In total, the number 88 has netted 55 poles, 66 wins, and 568 top-ten finishes in its 1,419 starts; which ranks seventh overall.
