Diamond Ridge Motorsports
Encyclopedia
Pastrana-Waltrip Racing (formerly Diamond Ridge Motorsports and Diamond-Waltrip Racing) is a NASCAR
Nationwide Series team that competed in the Winston Cup and Busch Series
from 1990 to 1999, and revived as a Nationwide Series team in 2010. The original Diamond Ridge team was owned and operated by Gary Bechtel. Despite modest success in the Busch Series, the team was never able to maintain a competitive level in the Winston Cup Series. The team was revived as a partnership with Michael Waltrip Racing in 2010 as Diamond-Waltrip Racing, running full-time in the Nationwide Series with Trevor Bayne. For 2011, the team has partnered with rally driver Travis Pastrana
to form Pastrana-Waltrip Racing to run the #99 Boost Mobile
/Aaron's, Inc. Toyota Camry
for Pastrana, Waltrip, Martin Truex, Jr. and his brother Ryan
.
Coca-Cola 600
as the #68 Country Time
Pontiac Grand Prix
. Bobby Hamilton
qualified eighth for the race, but crashed early in the race and finished 39th. Phil Parsons
also drove the #29 for Diamond Ridge at the Miller Genuine Draft 400
, the DieHard 500
, and the Heinz Southern 500, his best finish being 22nd.
After failing to run a race the following year, Diamond Ridge returned in 1992
, with John Krebs driving Chevrolets at Sears Point
and Phoenix
, finishing 31st and 23rd, respectively. Krebs returned to run Sonoma and Pocono
the next year as well, but DNF-d in both races. Andy Hillenburg
drove one race for the team at Charlotte Motor Speedway
, but had a DNF as well. Diamond Ridge ran one more race that year, at Phoenix, with Steve Grissom
driving. He finished 29th.
In 1994
, Diamond Ridge mounted its first full-time attempt at a Cup championship, hiring Grissom to drive for the team. Despite failing to qualify for the golden races of the Cup schedule(the Daytona 500
and the Brickyard 400), Grissom posted three top-tens and finished 28th in points, runner-up to Jeff Burton
for Rookie of the Year
. Krebs returned for a final race with Diamond Ridge, finishing 42nd in the #9 Channellock
car. He crashed on lap 2 and flipped over in the dirt embankment. He did not suffer any injuries.
Grissom returned in 1995
and got off to a strong start, posting three top-tens in the first seven races of the season, but only finished one spot higher in the points standings. After that season, Meinke left, and Cartoon Network
joined the team as Team Wacky Racing. Despite a fifth-place finish at Rockingham Speedway, Grissom was released from the ride after the spring Michigan
race. Greg Sacks
took over for the next six races, his best finish being a 29th at Pocono. Butch Leitzinger
, Chad Little
, Robert Pressley
, and Jeff Green
shared the driving duties in turns for the rest of the year.
In 1997
, Diamond Ridge chose Pressley as its driver for the season. Pressley struggled and after the Winston 500
, he was released from his ride. Jeff Green returned to take his place. After missing the first ten races of the year, Green had two top-tens and finished 39th in the points. Unfortunately, at the end of the year, Cartoon Network announced it would not return as sponsor. The team attempted a few races with Green as Team Monte Carlo
sponsoring, but they only qualified for three races, and Green left the organization. The team ran the #92 later in the season for Elliott Sadler
in two races. After the year came to a close Diamond Ridge announced it was suspending the operations for its Cup team, and would return to the Busch Series for a planned return to Cup in 2001.
In 2009, Bechtel became a co-owner of Tommy Baldwin Racing
, but left the team after several months.
sponsoring and had another visit to victory lane, but he was released during the season. Bill Ingle, the team's crew chief, took over driving duties at South Boston Speedway
and Loudon
, finishing 22nd and 26th respectively. Greg Sacks signed a one race deal to drive at Talladega Superspeedway
, and ended up winning the race. Soon afterwards, Bechtel signed driver Elliott Sadler and ran the rest of the year, and had three top-ten finishes.
Geared up for a full run in 1997
, Diamond Ridge & Sadler went from unsponsored to receiving backing from Phillips 66
. The extra funding made a difference as Sadler captured his first career victory at Nazareth Speedway
. He went on to post additional victories at Myrtle Beach
and Gateway
. He finished fifth in points that year. Diamond Ridge also expanded to a three car operation in 1997, purchasing the #1 DeWalt Tools team and fielding a car for Sadler's older brother, Hermie
. Hermie had two poles and finished tenth in points in 1997. Diamond Ridge also fielded the #8 for Jeff Green, who won at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
and ran fourteen races before he moved to Cup. In 1998
, Elliott's team switched to #66 in order to accommodate their sponsor while Hermie moved into the #29. Hermie had a season virtually identical to 1997, posting two top-fives and having another tenth-place finish in the championship. Elliott scored three victories and finished eighth in points. Unfortunately, Elliott, who Diamond Ridge hoped would be their future in Cup, signed with Wood Brothers Racing
. Still, hope was not lost. In 1999
, Bechtel merged his Busch program with Joe Gibbs Racing
, to field the #4 Lance Snacks Chevy for Jeff Purvis
. While Purvis did not win that year, he had twelve top-ten finishes. The team fielded the #29 briefly as a second car for Curtis Markham
, but sponsorship problems kept that from turning into a full-time ride. During the season, Bechtel eventually lost interest in the team, and sold the whole of the operation to Gibbs. Diamond Ridge Motorsports never returned to Cup as planned. The number 29 later went to Kevin Harvick
in his first season in the Cup Series replacing the late Dale Earnhardt
.
In November 2009, Bechtel returned as partner of Michael Waltrip Racing to form Diamond-Waltrip Racing. The team will field the #99 Toyota Camry
for Trevor Bayne full time in 2010. There will be part-time sponsorship from Aaron's.
It was announced on March 17, 2010 that Ryan Truex, 2009 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East champion and brother of MWR driver Martin Truex, Jr, will race six races in 2010 and will attempt a full season in 2011.
It was also announced late in 2010 that the team has formed a partnership with Rally driver and motocross star Travis Pastrana
for him to race in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2011 and 2012. Pastrana will run 7 races in 2011 under the banner of Pastrana-Waltrip Racing. Pastrana will be sponsored by Boost Mobile
. Pastrana was to debut at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis to promote the 2011 X Games
and Pastranathon, but was injured while performing the 'Toilet Paper Roll' at the Staples Center in L.A. on July 28, 2011. He sustained a broken right foot and ankle, which will require surgery at a later date. It is likely that he will make his debut at Richmond in September, which would have marked his second career NNS start. It was later announced that has Nationwide debut has been postponed to 2012 due to the injuries he suffered at the X Games.
NASCAR
The 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...
Nationwide Series team that competed in the Winston Cup and Busch Series
Busch Series
The NASCAR Nationwide Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It is promoted as NASCAR's "minor league" circuit, and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big leagues"; the Sprint Cup circuit...
from 1990 to 1999, and revived as a Nationwide Series team in 2010. The original Diamond Ridge team was owned and operated by Gary Bechtel. Despite modest success in the Busch Series, the team was never able to maintain a competitive level in the Winston Cup Series. The team was revived as a partnership with Michael Waltrip Racing in 2010 as Diamond-Waltrip Racing, running full-time in the Nationwide Series with Trevor Bayne. For 2011, the team has partnered with rally driver Travis Pastrana
Travis Pastrana
Travis Alan Pastrana is an American motorsports competitor and stunt performer who has won championships and X Games gold medals in several events, including supercross, motocross, freestyle motocross, and rally racing. He runs a show called Nitro Circus with some of his friends...
to form Pastrana-Waltrip Racing to run the #99 Boost Mobile
Boost Mobile
Boost Mobile is a brand of wireless prepay service run by Sprint Nextel, operating within the Sprint Prepaid Group along with Virgin Mobile USA, Assurance Wireless, and payLo by Virgin Mobile. Boost Mobile uses GSMand iDEN networks...
/Aaron's, Inc. Toyota Camry
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry is a series of mid-size automobiles manufactured by Toyota since 1982, and sold in the majority of automotive markets throughout the world...
for Pastrana, Waltrip, Martin Truex, Jr. and his brother Ryan
Ryan Truex
Ryan Truex is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #20 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Nationwide Series.-Early Racing Career:...
.
Winston Cup
Diamond Ridge Motorsports made its NASCAR debut at the 19901990 in NASCAR
The 1990 NASCAR Winston Cup began on Sunday February 11 and ended on Sunday November 18. Because of a highly controversial penalty to Mark Martin early in the season, Dale Earnhardt with Richard Childress Racing was crowned the Winston Cup champion for the fourth time, edging out Martin by 21...
Coca-Cola 600
Coca-Cola 600
The Coca-Cola 600, formerly known as the World 600, is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held each year at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina on Memorial Day weekend...
as the #68 Country Time
Country Time
Country Time is the name of a brand of lemonade drinks. It is a non-carbonated lemon-flavored drink mix and soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines. The powdered mix is produced by Kraft Foods...
Pontiac Grand Prix
Pontiac Grand Prix
Picking up where the Pontiac Ventura model left off, the Grand Prix first appeared in the Pontiac line for 1962. It was essentially a standard Pontiac Catalina coupe with minimal outside chrome trim and a sportier interior...
. Bobby Hamilton
Bobby Hamilton
Charles Robert Hamilton, Sr. was a driver and owner in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series circuit and the winner of the 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship. Hamilton owned Bobby Hamilton Racing, which fielded three entries in each NCWTS event...
qualified eighth for the race, but crashed early in the race and finished 39th. Phil Parsons
Phil Parsons
Phil Parsons , is a former NASCAR driver and owner of MSRP Motorsports . He is also the younger brother of the late 1973 Winston Cup champion and former NBC/TNT commentator Benny Parsons. Years later, he returned to the Busch Series, where he enjoyed modest success...
also drove the #29 for Diamond Ridge at the Miller Genuine Draft 400
Miller Genuine Draft 400
At one time, two different NASCAR races were known as the Miller Genuine Draft 400:* Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400, at Michigan International Speedway from 1990 to 1995* Air Guard 400, at Richmond International Raceway from 1990 to 1995...
, the DieHard 500
DieHard 500
Two NASCAR races at Talladega Superspeedway have been called the DieHard 500:* For the race from 1990 to 1997, see AMP Energy Juice 500* For the race from 1998 to 2000, see Aaron's 499...
, and the Heinz Southern 500, his best finish being 22nd.
After failing to run a race the following year, Diamond Ridge returned in 1992
1992 in NASCAR
The 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Season began on February 9, 1992 and ended on November 15, 1992. Independent owner/driver Alan Kulwicki of AK Racing won the Winston Cup championship in the closest championship battle in NASCAR history to-date....
, with John Krebs driving Chevrolets at Sears Point
Infineon Raceway
Infineon 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 Phoenix
Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix International Raceway, also known as PIR, is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. The track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the Indycar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series...
, finishing 31st and 23rd, respectively. Krebs returned to run Sonoma and Pocono
Pocono Raceway
Pocono Raceway also known as the Tricky Triangle, is a superspeedway located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania at Long Pond...
the next year as well, but DNF-d in both races. Andy Hillenburg
Andy Hillenburg
Andy 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. He currently owns Fast Track Racing Enterprises, a racing team that competes in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and ARCA...
drove one race for the team at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Sprint All-Star Race...
, but had a DNF as well. Diamond Ridge ran one more race that year, at Phoenix, with Steve Grissom
Steve Grissom
Steve Grissom is a NASCAR driver. Grissom was the 1993 Busch Series champion and has eleven Busch wins in 185 starts. He turned down a scholarship to play quarterback at the University of Alabama to focus a career on racing....
driving. He finished 29th.
In 1994
1994 in NASCAR
The 1994 NASCAR Winston Cup Season began on Sunday February 20 and ended on Sunday November 13. Dale Earnhardt of Richard Childress Racing was crowned champion at season's end, winning consecutive Winston Cups for the third time in his career and tying Richard Petty for the record of most top-level...
, Diamond Ridge mounted its first full-time attempt at a Cup championship, hiring Grissom to drive for the team. Despite failing to qualify for the golden races of the Cup schedule(the Daytona 500
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
and the Brickyard 400), Grissom posted three top-tens and finished 28th in points, runner-up to Jeff Burton
Jeff Burton
Jeffrey Brian "Jeff" Burton , also referred to as JB or The Mayor, is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver who drives the #31 Caterpillar Chevrolet Impala for Richard Childress Racing. Burton is the younger brother of Ward Burton, who is a former Sprint Cup driver...
for Rookie of the Year
NASCAR Rookie of the Year
The 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....
. Krebs returned for a final race with Diamond Ridge, finishing 42nd in the #9 Channellock
Channellock
Channellock is an American company that produces hand tools. It is best known for its pliers—the company manufactures more than 120 types of pliers—particularly its eponymous style of tongue-and-groove, slip-joint pliers...
car. He crashed on lap 2 and flipped over in the dirt embankment. He did not suffer any injuries.
Grissom returned in 1995
1995 in NASCAR
The 1995 NASCAR Winston Cup Season began on February 12 and concluded November 12. Jeff Gordon of Hendrick Motorsports won his first career championship.- Overview :...
and got off to a strong start, posting three top-tens in the first seven races of the season, but only finished one spot higher in the points standings. After that season, Meinke left, and Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
joined the team as Team Wacky Racing. Despite a fifth-place finish at Rockingham Speedway, Grissom was released from the ride after the spring Michigan
Michigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway is a two-mile moderate-banked D-shaped superspeedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than in 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 Texas...
race. Greg Sacks
Greg Sacks
Greg Sacks is a NASCAR driver. He is married to his wife Vicky and lives in Ormond Beach, Florida. Together they had three children: Paul, Brian, and Rachel. He and his sons are partners in Grand Touring Vodka.Sacks has spent most of his career as a Research & Development driver for many NASCAR...
took over for the next six races, his best finish being a 29th at Pocono. Butch Leitzinger
Butch Leitzinger
Robert Franklin "Butch" Leitzinger is a professional racecar driver. He is best known as an ALMS driver with Dyson Racing, but he has also driven for a variety of other teams and race series....
, Chad Little
Chad Little
Chad Little is a former NASCAR driver. He holds a degree in marketing from Washington State University, and a law degree from Gonzaga University...
, Robert Pressley
Robert Pressley
Robert Pressley is a former NASCAR driver who is now the promoter at Kingsport Speedway.-Beginnings:...
, and Jeff Green
Jeff Green (NASCAR)
Jeffery Green is an American stock car driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He currently drives part time in the Nationwide Series for Tri-Star Motorsports in their #44 entry and the Sprint Cup Series for Front Row Motorsports in their #55 entry.Green's 1990 Nashville Speedway USA championship...
shared the driving duties in turns for the rest of the year.
In 1997
1997 in NASCAR
- 1997 Team Chart :- Busch Clash :The Busch Clash, a race for polewinners from the previous season, and drivers who have won the event before, was run on February 9 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Terry Labonte drew the pole...
, Diamond Ridge chose Pressley as its driver for the season. Pressley struggled and after the Winston 500
Winston 500
Winston 500 may refer to the following NASCAR Sprint Cup races:* Aaron's 499, held at Talladega Superspeedway from 1971 to 1993 and in 1997* Good Sam Club 500, held at Talladega Superspeedway from 1998 to 2000...
, he was released from his ride. Jeff Green returned to take his place. After missing the first ten races of the year, Green had two top-tens and finished 39th in the points. Unfortunately, at the end of the year, Cartoon Network announced it would not return as sponsor. The team attempted a few races with Green as Team Monte Carlo
Chevrolet Monte Carlo
The Chevrolet Monte Carlo was an American-made two-door coupe introduced for model year 1970, and manufactured over six generations through model year 2007. It was marketed as a personal-luxury coupe through most of its history, with the last model version being classified as a full-sized coupe...
sponsoring, but they only qualified for three races, and Green left the organization. The team ran the #92 later in the season for Elliott Sadler
Elliott Sadler
Elliott William Barnes Sadler is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet Impala for Kevin Harvick Inc. in the Nationwide Series. He is one of only 23 drivers to have won in each of NASCAR's top three series...
in two races. After the year came to a close Diamond Ridge announced it was suspending the operations for its Cup team, and would return to the Busch Series for a planned return to Cup in 2001.
In 2009, Bechtel became a co-owner of Tommy Baldwin Racing
Tommy Baldwin Racing
Tommy Baldwin Racing is a NASCAR team based in Mooresville North Carolina. The team is owned by former crew chief Tommy Baldwin Jr., son of late modified driver Tom Baldwin...
, but left the team after several months.
Busch Series / Nationwide Return
Diamond Ridge's Busch program began running with Grissom in 1995, when they purchased Grissom's Busch operation. Channellock and Meineke were sponsors and Grissom won twice during his abbreviated season. He ran eight races in 1996 with WCWWorld Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
sponsoring and had another visit to victory lane, but he was released during the season. Bill Ingle, the team's crew chief, took over driving duties at South Boston Speedway
South Boston Speedway
South Boston Speedway or "SoBo" is a short track located just outside South Boston, Virginia, U.S.A.. SoBo is located approximately sixty miles east of another area familiar to most NASCAR fans, Martinsville. It is owned by Mattco, Inc, the Mattioli family trust that owns Pocono Raceway, with...
and Loudon
New Hampshire International Speedway
New 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 an IndyCar weekend and the oldest motorcycle race in North America, the Loudon Classic...
, finishing 22nd and 26th respectively. Greg Sacks signed a one race deal to drive at Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama, United States. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base just outside the small city of Lincoln. It was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in...
, and ended up winning the race. Soon afterwards, Bechtel signed driver Elliott Sadler and ran the rest of the year, and had three top-ten finishes.
Geared up for a full run in 1997
1997 in NASCAR Busch Series
The 1997 NASCAR Busch Series Season began February 15 and ended November 9. Randy LaJoie of BACE Motorsports won the championship.See also: 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, 1997 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series-1997 Team chart:...
, Diamond Ridge & Sadler went from unsponsored to receiving backing from Phillips 66
Phillips 66
Phillips 66 is a brand of gasoline and service station in the U.S. It is owned by the ConocoPhillips Company.Phillips 66 will also be the name of the future downstream company created when ConocoPhillips repositions its integrated assets and businesses into two independent, publicly-traded...
. The extra funding made a difference as Sadler captured his first career victory at Nazareth Speedway
Nazareth Speedway
Nazareth Speedway was an auto racing track in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania which operated from 1910 to 2004. The track is often associated with local drivers Mario and Michael Andretti. It was associated with Frankie Schneider in its earlier dirt track history....
. He went on to post additional victories at Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach Speedway
The Myrtle Beach Speedway, originally named Rambi Raceway, was built in 1958 and is located on U.S. Route 501 near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.The speedway is a semi-banked asphaltic oval track that spans...
and Gateway
Gateway International Raceway
Gateway Motorsports Park is a race track in Madison, Illinois, USA, just east of St. Louis, Missouri. After being shuttered by former owner Dover Motorsports Inc., on Nov. 3, 2010, it was announced Sept. 8, 2011, that the facility would re-open and host an NHRA Full Throttle Series event Oct. 5-7,...
. He finished fifth in points that year. Diamond Ridge also expanded to a three car operation in 1997, purchasing the #1 DeWalt Tools team and fielding a car for Sadler's older brother, Hermie
Hermie Sadler
Herman Marion Sadler III is an American race car driver/announcer and professional wrestling promoter from Emporia, Virginia. He is also an advocate for autism research, as his daughter Hailie Dru, was diagnosed with the disorder in 2001...
. Hermie had two poles and finished tenth in points in 1997. Diamond Ridge also fielded the #8 for Jeff Green, who won at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway, located in Clark County, Nevada near Las Vegas, is a complex of multiple tracks for automobile racing. The complex is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.-History:...
and ran fourteen races before he moved to Cup. In 1998
1998 in NASCAR Busch Series
The 1998 NASCAR Busch Series Season began on Saturday February 14 and ended on Sunday November 15. Dale Earnhardt Jr. of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. was crowned champion at season's end.See also: 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, 1998 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series...
, Elliott's team switched to #66 in order to accommodate their sponsor while Hermie moved into the #29. Hermie had a season virtually identical to 1997, posting two top-fives and having another tenth-place finish in the championship. Elliott scored three victories and finished eighth in points. Unfortunately, Elliott, who Diamond Ridge hoped would be their future in Cup, signed with Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing is an American auto racing team that competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide, and Camping World Truck Series. The team was formed in 1950 by the sons of Walter and Ada Wood, thus the Wood Brothers...
. Still, hope was not lost. In 1999
1999 in NASCAR Busch Series
The 1999 NASCAR Busch Series season began on February 13 and ended on November 13. Dale Earnhardt Jr. of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. won the season points championship.See also: 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, 1999 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series-1999 Team chart:...
, Bechtel merged his Busch program with Joe Gibbs Racing
Joe Gibbs Racing
Joe Gibbs Racing is a group of NASCAR racing teams owned and operated by former Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs, who first started racing on the NASCAR circuit in 1991, and J. D. Gibbs, his son...
, to field the #4 Lance Snacks Chevy for Jeff Purvis
Jeff Purvis
Jeff Purvis is a former race car driver in NASCAR's Nationwide Series. He is a 15-year veteran with four wins and 25 top-five finishes. Purvis is still recovering from a massive brain injury suffered in 2002. He races "Late Model Crates" at Golden Isles Speedway.- Winston Cup Series Career :Purvis...
. While Purvis did not win that year, he had twelve top-ten finishes. The team fielded the #29 briefly as a second car for Curtis Markham
Curtis Markham
Curtis Markham was born on September 21, 1959 in Richmond, Virginia. He was a former NASCAR driver in all three top series.He made his Busch debut in 1983 driving the #94 Frank Edwards Pontiac with a best finish of 18th in three starts. In 1984 he made one start in the #85 J.R. Racing Olds and...
, but sponsorship problems kept that from turning into a full-time ride. During the season, Bechtel eventually lost interest in the team, and sold the whole of the operation to Gibbs. Diamond Ridge Motorsports never returned to Cup as planned. The number 29 later went to Kevin Harvick
Kevin Harvick
Kevin Michael Harvick is an American stock car auto racing race car driver and car owner currently competing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Richard Childress Racing, driving the No. 29 Budweiser/Jimmy John's/Rheem/Okuma/Realtree Outdoors/Bad Boy Buggies Chevrolet Impala...
in his first season in the Cup Series replacing the late Dale Earnhardt
Dale Earnhardt
Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was an American race car driver, best known for his involvement in stock car racing for NASCAR...
.
In November 2009, Bechtel returned as partner of Michael Waltrip Racing to form Diamond-Waltrip Racing. The team will field the #99 Toyota Camry
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry is a series of mid-size automobiles manufactured by Toyota since 1982, and sold in the majority of automotive markets throughout the world...
for Trevor Bayne full time in 2010. There will be part-time sponsorship from Aaron's.
It was announced on March 17, 2010 that Ryan Truex, 2009 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East champion and brother of MWR driver Martin Truex, Jr, will race six races in 2010 and will attempt a full season in 2011.
It was also announced late in 2010 that the team has formed a partnership with Rally driver and motocross star Travis Pastrana
Travis Pastrana
Travis Alan Pastrana is an American motorsports competitor and stunt performer who has won championships and X Games gold medals in several events, including supercross, motocross, freestyle motocross, and rally racing. He runs a show called Nitro Circus with some of his friends...
for him to race in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2011 and 2012. Pastrana will run 7 races in 2011 under the banner of Pastrana-Waltrip Racing. Pastrana will be sponsored by Boost Mobile
Boost Mobile
Boost Mobile is a brand of wireless prepay service run by Sprint Nextel, operating within the Sprint Prepaid Group along with Virgin Mobile USA, Assurance Wireless, and payLo by Virgin Mobile. Boost Mobile uses GSMand iDEN networks...
. Pastrana was to debut at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis to promote the 2011 X Games
X Games
The X Games is a commercial annual sports event, controlled and arranged by US sports broadcaster ESPN, which focuses on action sports. The inaugural X Games was held in the summer of 1995 in Rhode Island....
and Pastranathon, but was injured while performing the 'Toilet Paper Roll' at the Staples Center in L.A. on July 28, 2011. He sustained a broken right foot and ankle, which will require surgery at a later date. It is likely that he will make his debut at Richmond in September, which would have marked his second career NNS start. It was later announced that has Nationwide debut has been postponed to 2012 due to the injuries he suffered at the X Games.