Travis Carter Enterprises

Travis Carter Enterprises
Owner(s)	Travis Carter, Carl Haas ; Sam Belnavis (2003 only) ; Mari Hulman George, Mike Lanigan (2007 only)
Base	Statesville, North Carolina
Series	Winston Cup, Busch Series
Race drivers	Darrell Waltrip, Geoffrey Bodine, Jimmy Spencer, Todd Bodine, Joe Nemechek
Sponsors	Winston, Kmart, Eli Lilly and Company, Walgreens, Discover Card
Manufacturer	Chevrolet, Ford
Opened	1990
Closed	2007
Career
Drivers' Championships	0
Race victories	0

Travis Carter Enterprises (later known as Haas-Carter Motorsports, K Mart Racing, BelCar Motorsports and Richardson-Haas Motorsports) was a NASCAR and USAR Pro Cup team. It was mostly owned by former crew chief Travis Carter and Carl Haas. The team previously fielded entries in the Winston Cup Series before closing. It returned in 2007 to field a full-time entry for rookie Kyle Krisiloff.

Winston Cup

Beginnings

After purchasing Mach 1 Racing from Hal Needham following the 1989 season, Travis Carter Enterprises debuted at the 1990 Daytona 500, as the No. 98 Chevrolet sponsored by Winn-Dixie. Butch Miller was the driver, who finished 22nd. Miller drove the car in 23 races that year, posting one top-ten finish before he was replaced by Rick Mast, who finished out the year and garnered an additional top ten. In 1991, Jimmy Spencer took over as Banquet Foods was the sponsor, and finished 25th in points. Spencer ran just seven races with the car in 1992, before the team suspended operations temporarily.

Multi-car

Spencer's 1997 Camel Ford

Waltrip's No. 66 Ford Taurus at the 1999 Brickyard 400

Travis Carter Enterprises returned in 1994 as the No. 23 Camel Cigarettes-sponsored Ford Thunderbird driven by Hut Stricklin. After posting one top ten finish that year, Stricklin was removed as Spencer returned to the team again. Spencer ran in the car for several years, the big change coming when Winston became the sponsor in 1998.^[1] That year, Spencer looked poised for a top-ten finish in points, but injuries kept him from doing that as he was replaced by Ted Musgrave and Frank Kimmel while he nursed his wounds. At the end of the year, Carter announced he would expand his team to a multi-car operation, with three-time champion Darrell Waltrip driving the No. 66 Kmart Ford and Haas coming on board as a partner.^[2] The new team had previously been the No. 27 owned by David Blair Motorsports. Waltrip amassed the largest number of DNQ's he had ever had during his career. In 2000, he retired from the Winston Cup, his lone highlight being an outside-pole qualifying effort at the Brickyard 400. Kmart also sponsored Spencer's car beginning in 2000, after the team's previous sponsorship agreement with R.J. Reynolds expired, with the team switching to No. 26 after acquiring the number from Roush Racing. Waltrip's replacement was Todd Bodine (who drove a third car in Waltrip’s final race, the No. 46) who won three pole positions and finished 29th in points. After 2001, Spencer departed, and Joe Nemechek signed on to replace him. Unfortunately, during the offseason, Kmart went into bankruptcy, and the team's status was in danger. Nemechek ran a mere handful races that year before his team was folded,^[3] and after subbing in several races afterward he signed with Hendrick Motorsports to drive the No. 25 car. Bodine attempted the first few races in the No. 66 and qualified on the pole for the Las Vegas race, but he eventually was parked for several weeks while the team looked for a sponsorship.^[3] Frank Kimmel returned for six races in the No. 26 with his National Pork Board sponsorship from the ARCA series. Bodine eventually returned to race the No. 26 after Haas-Carter found full-time sponsorship from Discover Card and split time in the ride with his older brother Geoffrey. The 66 car returned part-time later in the year, with Japanese racer Hideo Fukuyama running a handful of races.

BelCar Motorsports

The Alternative K-Mart Racing Branding during the 2 car team years.

In 2003, HCM merged with minority owner Sam Belnavis to form BelCar Motorsports. The No. 26 team switched to No. 54 with the U.S. National Guard as the sponsor.^[4] Bodine struggled, posting one-top ten finish and finishing 31st in points.^[4] Fukuyama, meanwhile, made an attempt at Rookie of the year honors in the No. 66, but that was soon aborted due to a lack of funding. At the end of the season, the Army/National Guard and Belnavis left for Roush Racing.^[4] Still, the team looked like it might come back. Carter teamed up with a British-based motorsports group called TorqueSpeed. The team was to be known as TorqueSpeed Carter and run a limited Cup schedule in 2004 with John Mickel as the driver. However, this new alliance never saw the track.

Rebirth

In 2004, Carter left NASCAR's top division to focus on mentoring his son Matt Carter who was working his way up the stock car ranks in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series. For two years, Carter drove for other teams while under his father's guidance.^[5] In 2007, Travis Carter announced his return to NASCAR with the help of Newman/Haas Racing co-owner Carl Haas, Indianapolis Motor Speedway chairman Mari Hulman George, and Mi-Jack Products founder Michael A. Lanigan. Their driver was Kyle Krisiloff and they carried the No. 14 with ppc Racing's No. 22's owner points from 2006. Sponsorship was originally limited to Clabber Girl, owned by Hulman & Company. Later in the season Walgreens and Eli Lilly and Company signed on to sponsor the car. At one point in the 2007 campaign, the team was to be merged with Yates/Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing as a part of a deal between team owner Carl Haas and Nextel Cup owner Robert Yates. The team was to be the second Busch team for YNHL until Robert Yates announced his retirement following the 2007 season and ended the partnership with Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing. Krisiloff was released at the end of the season, and the team lost its sponsors as well. The team began the 2008 season under the banner of Richardson-Haas Motorsports, and the team ran at Daytona in 2008 with David Gilliland sponsored by Music City Illinois but crashed out. The team was to run at Auto Club Speedway with Eric Norris but withdrew.

Results

Primary Car 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	32	33	34	35	36	Owners	Pts
1990	Butch Miller	98	Chevy	DAY 22	RCH 28	CAR 13	ATL 20	DAR 17	BRI 14	NWS 25	MAR 18	TAL 16	CLT 18	DOV 14	SON 31	POC 23	MCH 23	DAY 23	POC 8	TAL 34	GLN 25	MCH 12	BRI 16	DAR 29	RCH 19	DOV 17														26th	2987
1990	Rick Mast																										MAR 31	NWS 32	CLT 34	CAR 22	PHO 7	ATL 29								26th	2987
1991	Jimmy Spencer			DAY 40	RCH 34	CAR 38	ATL 16	DAR 11	BRI 8	NWS 3	MAR 6	TAL 9	CLT 31	DOV 28	SON 29	POC 14	MCH 32	DAY 10	POC 37	TAL 37	GLN 27	MCH 36	BRI 15*	DAR 31	RCH 15	DOV 18	MAR 28	NWS 23	CLT 23	CAR 22	PHO 7	ATL 38								25th	2790
1992	Jimmy Spencer			DAY DNQ	CAR 20	RCH 12	ATL 37	DAR 36	BRI DNQ	NWS 26	MAR DNQ	TAL 32	CLT 27	DOV	SON	POC	MCH DNQ	DAY	POC	TAL	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT	CAR	PHO	ATL								42nd	674
1994	Hut Stricklin	23	Ford	DAY 33	CAR 26	RCH DNQ	ATL 17	DAR 17	BRI 14	NWS 20	MAR 20	TAL 18	SON 20	CLT 12	DOV 9	POC 13	MCH 22	DAY 42	NHA 36	POC 22	TAL 25	IND 36	GLN 30	MCH DNQ	BRI 35	DAR 14	RCH 30	DOV 32	MAR 23	NWS 22	CLT 21	CAR 27	PHO 24	ATL 16						26th	2711
1995	Jimmy Spencer			DAY DNQ	CAR 30	RCH 24	ATL 32	DAR 36	BRI 16	NWS 27	MAR DNQ	TAL 9	SON 17	CLT 27	DOV 29	POC 41	MCH 30	DAY 9	NHA 12	POC 17	TAL 10	IND 23	GLN 18	MCH 14	BRI 18	DAR 29	RCH 31	DOV 16	MAR 18	NWS 36	CLT 12	CAR 26	PHO 33	ATL 6						26th	2809
1996				DAY 11	CAR 27	RCH 29	ATL 7	DAR 32	BRI 13	NWS 31	MAR 19	TAL 40	SON 21	CLT 17	DOV 6	POC 8	MCH 4	DAY 10	NHA 17	POC 24	TAL 5	IND 12	GLN 19	MCH 10	BRI 7	DAR 23	RCH 30	DOV 30	MAR 19	NWS 20	CLT 16	CAR 10	PHO 18	ATL 14						15th	3476
1997				DAY 35	CAR 40	RCH 22	ATL 32	DAR 22	TEX 39	BRI 15	MAR 11	SON 14	TAL 7	CLT 18	DOV 22	POC 19	MCH 15	CAL 5	DAY 31	NHA 12	POC 7	IND 24	GLN 34	MCH 19	BRI 27	DAR 28	RCH 11	NHA 7	DOV 36	MAR 33	CLT 42	TAL 24	CAR 43	PHO 14	ATL 24					20th	3079
1998				DAY 15	CAR 4	LVS 7	ATL 41	DAR 21	BRI 14	TEX 7	MAR 30	TAL 2	CAL 21	CLT 13	DOV 24	RCH 14	MCH 11	POC 10	SON 29	NHA 25	POC 19	IND 32	GLN 20			NHA 13	DAR 34	RCH 9	DOV 27	MAR 19	CLT 10	TAL 4	DAY 12	PHO 26	CAR 30	ATL 21				14th	3464
	Frank Kimmel																							MCH 31
	Ted Musgrave																								BRI 20
1999	Jimmy Spencer			DAY 41	CAR 25	LVS 26	ATL 17	DAR 20	TEX 28	BRI 17	MAR 16	TAL 16	CAL 36	RCH 29	CLT 38	DOV 23	MCH 43	POC 14	SON 5	DAY 27	NHA 9	POC 20	IND 26	GLN 16	MCH 8	BRI 2	DAR 15	RCH 37	NHA 24	DOV 14	MAR 17	CLT 28	TAL 24	CAR 20	PHO 17	HOM 20	ATL 42			20th	3307
2000		26		DAY 30	CAR 26	LVS 30	ATL 17	DAR 23	BRI 18	TEX 15	MAR 28	TAL 5	CAL 40	RCH 17	CLT 25	DOV 22	MCH 15	POC 36	SON 34	DAY 32	NHA 41	POC 9	IND 17	GLN 31	MCH 7	BRI 24	DAR 32	RCH 33	NHA 15	DOV 34	MAR 7	CLT 15	TAL 38	CAR 39	PHO 13	HOM 5	ATL 33			22nd	3188
2001				DAY 27	CAR 30	LVS 10	ATL 25	DAR 4	BRI 19	TEX 38	MAR 9	TAL 36	CAL 7	RCH 16	CLT 6	DOV 37	MCH 11	POC 17	SON 27	DAY 19	CHI 5	NHA 4	POC 12	IND 13	GLN 38	MCH 11	BRI 35	DAR 31	RCH 8	DOV 13	KAN 22	CLT 11	MAR 14	TAL 43	PHO 31	CAR 26	HOM 18	ATL 40	NHA 14	16th	3782
2002	Joe Nemechek			DAY 40	CAR 33	LVS 19	ATL 25	DAR 17	BRI 43				CAL 25																											36th	2830
	Frank Kimmel									TEX 33	MAR 40	TAL 35		RCH 42	CLT 26
	Todd Bodine															DOV 18	POC 18		SON 26	DAY 7	CHI 26	NHA 6		IND 34	GLN 8	MCH 26	BRI 43	DAR 33	RCH 5	NHA 42	DOV 40	KAN 34	TAL 23	CLT 37	MAR 30	ATL 41	CAR 42	PHO 22
	Geoff Bodine																	MCH 19					POC 34																HOM 32
2003	Todd Bodine	54		DAY 18	CAR 42	LVS 20	ATL 28	DAR 43	BRI 40	TEX 11	TAL 28	MAR 37	CAL 25	RCH 23	CLT 23	DOV 12	POC 11	MCH 37	SON 23	DAY 13	CHI 33	NHA 19	POC 8	IND 23	GLN 35	MCH 43	BRI 37	DAR 17	RCH 42	NHA 35	DOV 17	TAL DNQ	KAN 11	CLT 29	MAR 40	ATL 42	PHO 22	CAR 16	HOM 11	31st	2976

Secondary Car 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	32	33	34	35	36	Owners	Pts
1999	Darrell Waltrip	66	Ford	DAY 21	CAR 27	LVS 25	ATL 20	DAR 41	TEX 25	BRI 32	MAR 12	TAL 26	CAL 15	RCH 25	CLT 43	DOV DNQ	MCH 39	POC 34	SON 12	DAY 38	NHA 33	POC 25	IND 42	GLN 15	MCH DNQ	BRI 14	DAR 29	RCH 32	NHA DNQ	DOV DNQ	MAR 23	CLT DNQ	TAL DNQ	CAR 34	PHO 26	HOM 43	ATL DNQ			37th	2158
2000	Darrell Waltrip			DAY 32	CAR 39	LVS 38	ATL 31	DAR 43	BRI 31	TEX 24	MAR 43	TAL 26	CAL 29	RCH DNQ	CLT DNQ	DOV 33	MCH DNQ	POC DNQ	SON 28	DAY 27	NHA 33	POC 22	IND 11	GLN 20	MCH DNQ	BRI 42	DAR 42	RCH DNQ	NHA 29	DOV 31	MAR 27	CLT 30	TAL 35	CAR 37	PHO 33	HOM 36	ATL 34			36th	1981
2001	Todd Bodine			DAY DNQ	CAR 34	LVS 5	ATL 18	DAR 33	BRI 32	TEX 35	MAR 43	TAL 41	CAL 28	RCH 30	CLT 37	DOV 15	MCH 42	POC 25	SON 33	DAY 12	CHI 14	NHA 15	POC 43	IND 24	GLN 5	MCH 23	BRI 32	DAR 40	RCH 18	DOV 15	KAN 42	CLT 17	MAR 12	TAL 41	PHO 29	CAR 41	HOM 17	ATL 16	NHA 31	29th	2960
2002	Todd Bodine			DAY 31	CAR 32	LVS 29	ATL	DAR	BRI	TEX	MAR	TAL	CAL	RCH	CLT	DOV	POC	MCH	SON	DAY	CHI																			47th	345
	Geoff Bodine																					NHA 43	POC	IND	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	NHA
	Hideo Fukuyama																														DOV 39	KAN	TAL	CLT	MAR 42		CAR DNQ	PHO	HOM
	Frank Kimmel																																			ATL DNQ
2003	Hideo Fukuyama			DAY	CAR	LVS 33	ATL	DAR	BRI	TEX	TAL	MAR	CAL DNQ	RCH Wth	CLT	DOV	POC	MCH	SON 43	DAY	CHI	NHA	POC	IND	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	NHA	DOV	TAL	KAN	CLT	MAR	ATL	PHO	CAR	HOM	63rd	98

References

^ "Winston to Sponsor Jimmy Spencer's 1998 Travis Carter Winston Cup Ride". The Auto Channel. October 2, 1997. Retrieved 2014-03-01.
^ Macur, Juliet (December 4, 1998). "Waltrip To Drive For Haas, Carter". Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, FL. Retrieved 2014-03-01.
^ ^a ^b "NASCAR Sprint Cup Red Light For Haas-Carter". Motor Racing Network. March 27, 2002. Archived from the original on March 5, 2014. Retrieved 2014-03-01.
^ ^a ^b ^c Alleyne, Sonia (April 1, 2004). "The New Face of NASCAR: Race, money, and politics in motor sports' fast lane". Black Enterprise. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
^ USAR Pro Cup :: News

External links

[1] "Winston to Sponsor Jimmy Spencer's 1998 Travis Carter Winston Cup Ride". The Auto Channel. October 2, 1997. Retrieved 2014-03-01.

[2] Macur, Juliet (December 4, 1998). "Waltrip To Drive For Haas, Carter". Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, FL. Retrieved 2014-03-01.

[MRN01-3] "NASCAR Sprint Cup Red Light For Haas-Carter". Motor Racing Network. March 27, 2002. Archived from the original on March 5, 2014. Retrieved 2014-03-01.

[BlackEnterprise-NewFaceNASCAR-2004-4] Alleyne, Sonia (April 1, 2004). "The New Face of NASCAR: Race, money, and politics in motor sports' fast lane". Black Enterprise. Retrieved 11 August 2016.

[5] USAR Pro Cup :: News

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