Last thoughts on the Daytona 500

[kaw500]

So many things happened during my trip to Daytona but one thing I forgot to mention is the performance of a true privateer Kirk Shelmerdine #27. After his 150 race he assumed he was out and pulled up behind his hauler to load up and head home. Then a NASCAR official came up to him and told him to get his car to tech that he was in. Kirk was a former crew chief and has been going it alone for the last several years he only has two paid crew members. #27 finished 20th on the lead lap and made 272K there was a great story in a Florida paper about him making it in the 500 on Friday and how he struggles to make it being an under funded team. We noticed in the garage area the morning of the 500 his team adding decals on the car up to race time, Childress Vineyards was on the quarter panel. I kept my eye on him running in the back staying out of trouble and then finishing on the lead lap. That was my feel good story of the week to be able to stand with the giants was a real cool thing to see.

I hope to post pictures later this week and thanks for letting me babble..

[FlyHiFlyLo]

So many things happened during my trip to Daytona but one thing I forgot to mention is the performance of a true privateer Kirk Shelmerdine #27. After his 150 race he assumed he was out and pulled up behind his hauler to load up and head home. Then a NASCAR official came up to him and told him to get his car to tech that he was in. Kirk was a former crew chief and has been going it alone for the last several years he only has two paid crew members. #27 finished 20th on the lead lap and made 272K there was a great story in a Florida paper about him making it in the 500 on Friday and how he struggles to make it being an under funded team. We noticed in the garage area the morning of the 500 his team adding decals on the car up to race time, Childress Vineyards was on the quarter panel. I kept my eye on him running in the back staying out of trouble and then finishing on the lead lap. That was my feel good story of the week to be able to stand with the giants was a real cool thing to see.

I hope to post pictures later this week and thanks for letting me babble..


Yes, it was good to see Robby "Bump" Kurt's time into the field. Better that, than some other stronger team racing their way in. By RG finishing where he did in the 150 it kept Skinner and his Bill Davis car out.

I like Kurt's determination! (Talk about "Never say Die" kind of guy.)

I heard (on TV) a bunch guys pooled their $$ so he could get a crew and tires for the race.

I'm sure the 1/4 million he won will keep him going for at least a dozen more races.

Yeah, a cool story for sure. Kaw500, thanks for bringing that up. Very cool.

[spalind]

Yup...was good to see a guy like that out with the big money players...He does have his own site if people have more interest...

http://www.kirkshelmerdine.com/

and looks like the $250K+ that he made in that one race is roughly 1/5 of the money he's made in his entire career in the top NASCAR series....

[REEVESRacing]

KAW500...enjoyed all your posts...my kids got me XM for XMAS...The Shelmerdine story was very cool and I heard his interview on XM....it added a great touch getting a Dez Racers perspectives, Thanks!

Keep us posted on your PT and let us know when you want to come down to San Diego and race on 4 wheels!

[Hemp]

I heard on tv that dei helped him out with the tire bill

[Offspring]

From Jayski
Shelmerdine got some help UPDATE: #27-Kirk Shelmerdine was rolling his car toward his hauler to get ready to go home following Thursday's qualifying races when a NASCAR official told him to roll it to the inspection line. He didn't know it, but out of the 58 cars trying, he was one of the 43 that had qualified for the Daytona 500. Shelmerdine, who crew-chiefed for the late Dale Earnhardt in the 1980s, is a one-man team with no sponsor, no pit crew and no money for tires. He didn't find a sponsor, but he did find a pit crew and received a donation for the tires from a random family in the infield. Earnhardt's former boss, Richard Childress, flew Shelmerdine's son, who had never been to Daytona, on his private plane. In turn, Shelmderdine put Childress Vineyard on the hood of his car. ''Without a big corporate deal it was hard to pull off,'' Shelmerdine said. ''People jumped in and helped like the Lopez family. ... They paid the whole tire bill, but I don't think they want us to talk about that. They are some devoted Dale Sr. fans.'' Shelmerdine not only finished on the lead lap, but wound up 20th. ''We couldn't keep up with the other cars, but I guess we beat all the wrecked ones,'' he said. ''I'll be glad to go home and rest. It's been a heck of a week.''(Allentown Morning Call (http://www.mcall.com/sports/motorracing/all-car-notesfeb20,0,7580687.story?coll=all-sportsmotorracing-hed))(2-20-2006)

[Vtr_Racing]

Great job for the Shelmerdine team......I think he was with Dale Earnhardt in the 80s... Thats was way cool of DEI to pick ip the bill.