BAM Racing was a
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947-48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
racing team based in
Charlotte, North CarolinaCharlotte is the largest city in the state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. Charlotte's population was estimated to be 687,456 in 2008, making it the 18th largest city in the United States. Residents of Charlotte are referred to as "Charlotteans"...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, owned by Beth Ann and Tony Morgenthau. The team's #49
Toyota CamryThe Toyota Camry is a mid-size car, formerly a compact car manufactured by Toyota since 1980. The name "Camry" is an anagram for "my car", a sneaky marketing ploy that taps into the consumer's subconscious and locks them into an enternally binding contract with Toyota...
ran in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series until 2008.
The team was created in 2001, when they ran the
ARCA RE/MAX SeriesThe series races on tracks as varied as small ovals and as large as Daytona International Speedway during the Daytona Speedweeks. It is one of the last major oval track circuits to still compete on dirt tracks...
with
Andy HillenburgAndy Hillenburg is an American race car driver, team owner and track owner. He began his racing career at age 11, when he competed in the Indianapolis soap box derby.-Racecar driver:...
. They attempted their first cup race at the Pepsi 400 with Hillenburg, but failed to qualify. They also attempted the
Pennsylvania 500The Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 is the second of two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car races held at the Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, the other being the Pocono 500...
and the Brickyard 400 with Hillenburg, as well as the Pennzoil Freedom 400 with
Rich BickleRich Bickle, Jr. is a journeyman NASCAR driver. Bickle, who has never completed a full season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, has a long and prestigious history in short track racing.-Early career:...
, but did not qualify for any of those races.
BAM made its first Cup race in
2002The 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup began on Saturday, February 10, and ended on Sunday, November 17. Tony Stewart with Joe Gibbs Racing was crowned the Winston Cup champion...
with
Shawna RobinsonShawna Robinson is a NASCAR driver. She currently does not have a ride.Robinson began her racing career in 1984 in the GATR Truck Series, winning rookie of the year honors in 1984 as well as a race at Flemington Speedway in 1987. She began racing NASCAR in 1988, when she was named Rookie of the...
as its driver.
BAM Racing was a
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947-48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
racing team based in
Charlotte, North CarolinaCharlotte is the largest city in the state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. Charlotte's population was estimated to be 687,456 in 2008, making it the 18th largest city in the United States. Residents of Charlotte are referred to as "Charlotteans"...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, owned by Beth Ann and Tony Morgenthau. The team's #49
Toyota CamryThe Toyota Camry is a mid-size car, formerly a compact car manufactured by Toyota since 1980. The name "Camry" is an anagram for "my car", a sneaky marketing ploy that taps into the consumer's subconscious and locks them into an enternally binding contract with Toyota...
ran in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series until 2008.
The team was created in 2001, when they ran the
ARCA RE/MAX SeriesThe series races on tracks as varied as small ovals and as large as Daytona International Speedway during the Daytona Speedweeks. It is one of the last major oval track circuits to still compete on dirt tracks...
with
Andy HillenburgAndy Hillenburg is an American race car driver, team owner and track owner. He began his racing career at age 11, when he competed in the Indianapolis soap box derby.-Racecar driver:...
. They attempted their first cup race at the Pepsi 400 with Hillenburg, but failed to qualify. They also attempted the
Pennsylvania 500The Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 is the second of two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car races held at the Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, the other being the Pocono 500...
and the Brickyard 400 with Hillenburg, as well as the Pennzoil Freedom 400 with
Rich BickleRich Bickle, Jr. is a journeyman NASCAR driver. Bickle, who has never completed a full season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, has a long and prestigious history in short track racing.-Early career:...
, but did not qualify for any of those races.
BAM made its first Cup race in
2002The 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup began on Saturday, February 10, and ended on Sunday, November 17. Tony Stewart with Joe Gibbs Racing was crowned the Winston Cup champion...
with
Shawna RobinsonShawna Robinson is a NASCAR driver. She currently does not have a ride.Robinson began her racing career in 1984 in the GATR Truck Series, winning rookie of the year honors in 1984 as well as a race at Flemington Speedway in 1987. She began racing NASCAR in 1988, when she was named Rookie of the...
as its driver. It was announced that she would compete in 24 races, but struggled and her last race for the season was at the second
DaytonaDaytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home to the biggest and greatest race in all of NASCAR, "The Great American Race", the Daytona 500. Today the facility has a seating capacity of almost 168,000 spectators...
race where she would finish 40th.
Kevin LepageKevin Lepage is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #78 Dodge in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for Derrike Cope Inc....
,
Stuart KirbyStuart Kirby is a race car driver. He has driven in ARCA, the Busch Series, and the NEXTEL Cup Series. A former apprentice funeral director for his family's funeral home, he drove the #51 Chevrolet owned by Competitive Edge Motorsports in 2005, but was released before the season could be concluded...
,
Ron HornadayRonald Hornaday, Jr. is a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 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. Adding on to the family legacy, Ron is a three time champion in the Truck Series, his most recent...
,
Stacy ComptonStacy Compton , is a NASCAR driver. Currently, he drives the #60 Toyota Tundra for Jeff Wyler in the Camping World Truck Series. 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...
, and
Derrike CopeDerrike Cope is a race-car driver in NASCAR, best known for his win at the 1990 Daytona 500. He currently drives the self-owned #73 Dodge Charger in the NASCAR Nationwide Series...
would finish out the season with a best finish of 22nd at
TalladegaTalladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located in Eastaboga, Alabama, United States. It was constructed in the 1960s in place of the abandoned Anniston Army Airfield by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by NASCAR's founding France family along with Daytona...
.
For the 2003 season it was announced that
Ken SchraderKenneth Schrader is a second-generation race car driver. He is currently driving in the Sprint Cup series part time for Phoenix Racing. He occasionally appears as a television analyst on This Week In NASCAR on the Speed Channel. He is also the owner of Ken Schrader Racing, and races for his team...
would drive #49 1-800-CALL-ATT Dodge. This sponsorship was only for a quarter of the season and again the team had to run without sponsorship for multiple races. The team qualified for 32 races and had a best finish of 8th at
MichiganMichigan International Speedway is a two-mile moderate-banked D-shaped superspeedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than near Brooklyn, in the scenic Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is sometimes known as a "sister track" to...
. In
2004The 2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup season began on Saturday, February 7 and ended on Sunday, November 21. Kurt Busch with Roush Racing driving a Ford was the Nextel Cup champion....
, it was announced BAM Racing had secured a deal with
Schwan Food CompanyThe Schwan Food Company is a multibillion-dollar privately owned company with 18,000 employees worldwide. Based in Marshall, Minnesota, the company sells frozen foods from home-delivery trucks, in grocery-store freezers, by mail and to the food service industry...
for multiple years. They were able to achieve a best finish of 6th during the season, had three less DNF's, and improved their average finish by two places. The team also ran a second car for
Klaus GrafKlaus Graf is a German race car driver. He is the son of rally driver Peter Graf. He lived in the United States while competing in the American Le Mans Series, Trans-Am, and in certain NASCAR and ARCA races. He is considered a Road Course Ringer in the world of NASCAR.Graf has won championships...
at
InfineonInfineon Raceway, formerly Sears Point Raceway, is a road course and drag strip located on the landform known as Sears Point in the southern Sonoma Mountains near Sonoma, California, USA. The course is a complex series of twists and turns that go up and down the hills...
and he brought the #59
SEMSEM can refer to:* Scanning electron microscope, a microscopy technique, primarily used in cell biology* Science and Engineering Magnet, a school in Dallas, Texas...
/Color Horizons Dodge home in 17th place.
Schwan's and Schrader again returned for the 2005 season and BAM had its best season to date with three top tens and an average finish of 25th place. After the conclusion of the 2005 season, Ken Schrader left to join Wood Brothers/JTG Racing. For 2006, Schrader was replaced by
Brent ShermanBrent Sherman , a resident of Wauconda, Illinois, is a former driver in the NASCAR Busch Series who later competed in the Firestone Indy Lights Series.-Biography:...
who brought along sponsorship from
Serta MattressesSerta is a company that specializes in making mattresses. It was founded in 1931 by 13 mattress manufacturers who licensed the Serta name, and now eight independent licensees acting like a cooperative own the company. Its largest licensee National Bedding Company manages Serta...
. Sherman was to run for the
Rookie of the YearThe NASCAR Rookie of the Year Award is presented to the first-year driver that has the best season in a NASCAR season. Each of NASCAR's national and regional touring series selects a RotY winner each year....
award. However, after struggling through the start of the season he was released in favor of veteran
Jimmy SpencerJimmy Spencer is an American NASCAR driver and commentator. During his days racing modifieds, he was nicknamed "Mr. Excitement" for his sometimes aggressive racing style...
. Spencer was also be an advisor for BAM and was a mentor for Sherman during his time there. However, Sherman's departure from the team left it unsponsored, as Serta had followed Sherman from ARCA racing to Busch Series and Cup series racing. Spencer raced from the spring
MartinsvilleMartinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved oval tracks in...
race until the spring
RichmondRichmond International Raceway is a 3/4-mile , D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series. "America's Premier Short Track" also was formerly host to the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series...
race, when
Mike WallaceMike Wallace is a NASCAR race car driver. He is a younger brother to Rusty Wallace, older brother to Kenny Wallace, and uncle to Steve Wallace...
took over. In May 2006, Kevin Lepage left
Front Row MotorsportsFront Row Motorsports is team that competes on NASCAR Sprint Cup circuit. The team began running part-time in 2004 as Means-Jenkins Motorsports under a partnership with Jimmy Means and restaurant entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, with Jenkins becoming the full team owner in 2005. The team fields the #34...
to take over the #49, before he was replaced by
Mike BlissMichael Bliss is a NASCAR driver. He is currently a free agent, previously driving the #1 Miccosukee Indian Gaming Chevrolet for Phoenix Racing in the Nationwide Series. Mike began racing at age 10...
in October.
Chris CookChris Cook is an expert driver/instructor. At Infineon he made his Nextel Cup debut at that track in 2005. He also has 7 Busch Series starts with a best finish of 20th....
was hired to drive for the team to run the road course events, but failed to qualify for both events.
In 2007, BAM Racing was to race with
Mike BlissMichael Bliss is a NASCAR driver. He is currently a free agent, previously driving the #1 Miccosukee Indian Gaming Chevrolet for Phoenix Racing in the Nationwide Series. Mike began racing at age 10...
as the driver, using Evernham engines, but Bliss failed to qualify for 11 out of 15 attempts, and resigned midway through the season.
Chad ChaffinChad Chaffin is a rookie NASCAR driver. He has become one of the drivers for the #49 BAM Racing Dodge along with Larry Foyt, replacing Mike Bliss after his resignation...
was the team's interim driver at
LoudonNew Hampshire Motor Speedway is a oval speedway located in Loudon, New Hampshire which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since the early 1990s, as well as open wheel racing during the 1990s. The track was originally the site of Bryar Motorsports Park before being purchased and redeveloped by Bob...
and
ChicagolandChicagoland Speedway is a speedway in Joliet, Illinois, USA, southwest of Chicago. The speedway is actually located several miles south of Joliet proper, just off Illinois Route 53 between Joliet and Wilmington, Illinois. It currently has a capacity of 75,000 people...
, and
Larry FoytLarry Foyt is a semi-retired NASCAR driver and IRL driver. He is the grandson and adopted son of A. J. Foyt, and a cousin of A. J. Foyt IV. His biological mother is Terry Lynn Foyt, daughter of A. J. Foyt, who divorced his biological father Larry Gene Roberds when he was an infant. He also drove in...
racing at
DaytonaDaytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home to the biggest and greatest race in all of NASCAR, "The Great American Race", the Daytona 500. Today the facility has a seating capacity of almost 168,000 spectators...
. In the team's first attempt to qualify after Bliss' resignation at Loudon, Chaffin made the race after
Brian VickersBrian Lee Vickers is an American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver. Vickers was the 2003 Nationwide Series champion, and at age 20, the youngest champion in any of NASCAR's three top-tier series. He currently drives the #83 Red Bull Toyota Camry for the Red Bull Racing Team.-Early years:Vickers...
and the #83
Team Red BullRed Bull Racing Team, , is an auto racing team that races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The organization is owned by Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz. Jay Frye is the general manager of the operation based in Mooresville, North Carolina...
Toyota were disqualified after failing post-qualifying inspection. Bliss briefly returned for a few races, before journeyman
John AndrettiJohn Andretti , is an American race car driver. He currently drives the #34 Chevrolet Impala in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Front Row Motorsports out of Statesville NC. He has won in CART, NHRA Top Fuel Dragsters, endurance racing and NASCAR stock car racing...
was hired to complete the rest of the season for BAM.
John AndrettiJohn Andretti , is an American race car driver. He currently drives the #34 Chevrolet Impala in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Front Row Motorsports out of Statesville NC. He has won in CART, NHRA Top Fuel Dragsters, endurance racing and NASCAR stock car racing...
was signed to drive the full 2008 season, but the contract was nullified just days before 2008 Daytona testing to put
Ken SchraderKenneth Schrader is a second-generation race car driver. He is currently driving in the Sprint Cup series part time for Phoenix Racing. He occasionally appears as a television analyst on This Week In NASCAR on the Speed Channel. He is also the owner of Ken Schrader Racing, and races for his team...
in the seat in hopes of attracting more sponsorship. Schrader drove in the
Budweiser ShootoutBudweiser Shootout at Daytona is an annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series exhibition event held at Daytona International Speedway in February, the weekend before the Daytona 500. Busch Clash was the mind child of Monty Roberts Brand Manager of the newly formed Busch beer which had formerly been Busch...
, but failed to qualify for the first two races of the season..
The team switched from Dodge to Toyota before the Goody's Cool Orange 500, along with announcing
MicrosoftMicrosoft Corporation is a multinational computer technology corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of software products for computing devices...
's Small Business division as their sponsor.BAM promptly announced that they would be withdrawing from the next two races at
TexasTexas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas -- the portion located in Denton County, Texas. The track layout is very similar to Atlanta Motor Speedway and Lowe's Motor Speedway...
and
PhoenixPhoenix International Raceway, or just PIR, is a one mile tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. It opened in 1964, as the new home of major open-wheel racing in the Phoenix area, replacing the track at the Arizona State Fairgrounds as an automobile racing venue.-History:Due to a change...
to refocus the team's efforts .
Both the expenses of switching manufacturers and the pullout of Microsoft to Michael Waltrip Racing have forced BAM Racing to push their scheduled return further back, with NASCAR.com reporting on April 15, 2008 that the team may not return to racing until the fall. However, BAM made a minor attempt at a comeback in the Sprint All-Star Race. BAM fielded a ride for
Petty EnterprisesPetty Enterprises was a NASCAR racing team based in Randleman, North Carolina. The team was owned by Richard Petty, his son Kyle Petty, and Boston Ventures. At the time of its folding the team operated the #43 and #45 Dodge Chargers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Petty Enterprises ran from 1949...
developmental driver
Chad McCumbeeChad McCumbee is an American stock car driver who also has acting experience. He was born in Supply, North Carolina.McCumbee currently drives the #07 ASI Limited Chevrolet Silverado for SS-Green Light Racing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.He is also known for his portrayal of Dale...
, the car was a Dodge with sponsorship from
Marathon OilMarathon Oil Corporation, , headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a worldwide oil and natural gas exploration and production company. Principal exploration activities are in the United States, Norway, Equatorial Guinea, Angola and Canada. Principal development activities are in the United States, the...
.McCumbee finished 13th.
On July 11, 2008 Sports Illustrated reported that BAM Racing was in talks with
Barack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office, as well as the first president born in Hawaii...
regarding a 1 Race Sponsorship at Pocono, through BAM spokesman Rhett Vandiver. However, Obama spokesman Bill Burton told Yahoo! Sports on the 11th that the sponsorship would not happen.
External links