And for this week's off the wall story that doesn't involve Roger Clemens: Randy Moss is getting into the NASCAR business.Yes, the New England Patriots wide receiver wants to be NASCAR team owner, initially with the Craftsman Truck Series.
Inspired by the efforts of NFL players who have preceded him into the motorsports arena, New England Patriots All-Pro wide receiver Randy Moss announced plans Tuesday to field a Moss Motorsports team in NASCAR's Craftsman Truck Series. [...]Moss cites Marino and Aikman as NASCAR owners, but Marino is no longer in the NASCAR business after a very unsuccessful attempt and Aikman has since sold his interest in the No. 96 DLP Toyota to an ownership group that also heads the Arizona Diamondbacks.
"There are a lot of NASCAR fans in the locker room," Moss said in a statement released Tuesday. "We've seen a lot of football players get involved - guys like Dan Marino and Troy Aikman, to name a couple. I think it's a good fit and gives some of the companies I am already working with an additional outlet. It's a smart move on the marketing side of things, but on the personal side of things, I think it's going to be a lot of fun."
The statement that Moss released said that they have already put the ball in motion to find sponsorship and a manufacturer to drive for, and hopes to create a team that up-and-coming drivers can utilize.
Latest NASCAR Photos
RICHMOND, VA - MAY 02: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #20 Z-Lines Designs Toyota, burns out after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Lipton Tea 250 at Richmond International Raceway on May 2, 2008 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Getty Images
RICHMOND, VA - MAY 02: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #33 Rheem Chevrolet, races during the NASCAR Nationwide Series Lipton Tea 250 at Richmond International Raceway on May 2, 2008 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Getty Images
RICHMOND, VA - MAY 02: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #20 Z-Lines Designs Toyota, burns out after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Lipton Tea 250 at Richmond International Raceway on May 2, 2008 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Getty Images
RICHMOND, VA - MAY 02: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #20 Z-Lines Designs Toyota, pits during the NASCAR Nationwide Series Lipton Tea 250 at Richmond International Raceway on May 2, 2008 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Getty Images
RICHMOND, VA - MAY 02: Carl Edwards, driver of the #60 Save-a-Lot Ford, races during the NASCAR Nationwide Series Lipton Tea 250 at Richmond International Raceway on May 2, 2008 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Getty Images
RICHMOND, VA - MAY 02: Kasey Kahne, driver of the #9 Lipton Dodge, leads the feild at the start of the NASCAR Nationwide Series Lipton Tea 250 at Richmond International Raceway on May 2, 2008 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Getty Images
RICHMOND, VA - MAY 02: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #20 Z-Lines Designs Toyota, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Lipton Tea 250 at Richmond International Raceway on May 2, 2008 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Getty Images
RICHMOND, VA - MAY 02: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #20 Z-Lines Designs Toyota, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Lipton Tea 250 at Richmond International Raceway on May 2, 2008 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Getty Images
RICHMOND, VA - MAY 02: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #20 Z-Lines Designs Toyota, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Lipton Tea 250 at Richmond International Raceway on May 2, 2008 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Getty Images
RICHMOND, VA - MAY 02: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #20 Z-Lines Designs Toyota, burns out after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Lipton Tea 250 at Richmond International Raceway on May 2, 2008 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)
Getty Images
It's apparently not Moss' first foray into the racing business, either:
The interest in racing isn't new to Moss, a 1998 first-round draft pick out of Marshall. He sponsors a local dirt track program in his native West Virginia and serves as a goodwill ambassador for the Urban Youth Racing School headquartered in Philadelphia.I certainly can't knock a guy who wants to get into the racing business, especially not just to promote himself. I think he's making a smart move by trying his luck first in the Truck series, as it doesn't require near the investment a Sprint Cup does, and the chances of actually making races are much higher.
ADVERTISEMENT
_thumbnail.jpg "NASCAR Cowboy Hats")
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 2)
1. This might be very interesting to watch. I think he's a slash and burn kind of guy. He'll have Nascar in court over something before it's all over.
IMO
I am biased tho. Chad Johnson of the Bengals is planning to sit out the season and I think it's all his agents doing. TO and Chad have the same agent and TO did the same thing with Philly.
Posted at 10:12PM on May 1st 2008 by Susan Ohio
2. Randy Moss is just doing the right move by getting into a line of work that he really enjoys and he should prosper at this business since he taking baby steps into his NASCAR ventures by playing the odds in his favor.
Posted at 12:15AM on May 2nd 2008 by George B Vieto
3. Well if you have the money, why not? I just hope this young man learns about the sport he is buying into before just jumping right in. It sounds to me like Marino just jumped right in and it ended up costing him. Randy Moss appears to have a good head on his shoulders, so we'll just have to see. I love seeing other sports stars interested in my favorite sport, especially those who are considered minorities. More women & other minorities are getting involved in NASCAR and I think it's fantastic! Times, they are a changing, and so is our sport.
Good luck to Moss & his team.
Kim
Posted at 9:25AM on May 2nd 2008 by Kim
4. I just can't stand the thought of Randy Moss getting involved in NASCAR at any level! He is one of the most arrogant, unsportsmanlike characters in sports! While he wouldn't be in the seat he still would garner a great deal of camera time and I don't think that would help improve the image of NASCAR other than (I hate to say this) adding an african-american!
Posted at 6:35AM on May 3rd 2008 by NoWayJose
5. Maybe he could get Obama to drive for him. He used to going left.
Posted at 10:20PM on May 4th 2008 by Paul
6. Britney Spears NAKED again:
http://celebritiesvidz.com/videos.php?v=Britney_Spears
Posted at 6:05AM on May 5th 2008 by Tim
7. good one paul
Posted at 7:20AM on May 5th 2008 by george
8. Randy Moss and his team will do well in time. Im glad he has chosen to pursue this hobby, and I wish the best of luck to his team.
Posted at 8:23AM on May 5th 2008 by Blife
9. If you wanna throw away money just be a nascar owner,or sponsor. That's why aikmen & marino are out of nascar. however, if you have money to throw away like "moss", be our guest. nascar sponsors are fools!
Posted at 8:28AM on May 5th 2008 by jack porter jr.
10. Randy Moss is one of the most unreliable NFL players and to be a part of Nascar that requires the utmost responsiblity doesn't seem like a good fit. Sounds like blockbusting to me.
Posted at 8:43AM on May 5th 2008 by Kit
11. If clinton wasnt ducking sniper fire she'd be a good driver for him. She and her husband are great liars, ( I did not have sex with that woman) ( I was under sniper fire on my trip overseas, I'm extream) and they're use to running around in circles on TV.
Posted at 9:15AM on May 5th 2008 by E
12. nowayjose,its people like you who ruined the image of nascar if you want to improve the image put the beer down get the sausage out of your mouth and take the white hood off your head and get a life.who cares about what race he is can you say (REDNECK)
Posted at 9:20AM on May 5th 2008 by mike
13. Well said, Mike! It's so sad to still see so much racisim & bigotry in this country. We have entered the 21st. century the last time I checked. Isn't it time to put ALL the past behind us, & just be united? Especially with all the violence around the world, the US needs to unite and quit it's infighting! And how the heck did a blog entry about Randy Moss buying a NASCAR team turn into a "let's bash the Democratic candidates blog?" Man, I will be so glad when this presidential election is OVER.
Okay, I will come down off my soap box now. :-)
Kim
Posted at 9:38AM on May 5th 2008 by Kim
14. With floods, cyclones, tornadoes, wars, crimes,
even a man raping his own daughter in a dungeon
for 24 years, I think racism is such a destructive
and distractive force, keeping mankind from moving
to a higher purpose. Let's check our evil gauge.
Turn on our blessings gauge.
Posted at 9:51AM on May 5th 2008 by h. johnson
15. Randy Moss is a great guy and I know him personally. He will do well at this because he has a great passion for what he does. So, I am glad so many people like to pretend they know what kind of guy he is from what the media likes to portray him as. ASk any of his former teammates. 99% will tell you what kind of guy he really is.
Posted at 9:52AM on May 5th 2008 by Beck
16. You're all nuts! Randy Moss is a great guy, and I hate to see him get mixed up with anything as phony as Nascar. He should go to Indy Car where the real 200+ mph racers are, not a bunch of second rate primadonnas who are only in it for the money.
Posted at 10:04AM on May 5th 2008 by Seymour
17. Thats just what nascar needs, another sport that blacks want to get in and start complaining about not enough black drivers,crew chiefs,pit crew workers or owners.Let the sport alone, its one of the only white sports left.Probly running out of white girls to hit on so he needs another hunting spot.
Posted at 10:47AM on May 5th 2008 by gary reynolds
18. He dont have enuff money. NFL player money is chump change to Nascar owners. Good luck to him.
Attention race fans, lock your campers.
Posted at 10:54AM on May 5th 2008 by Chunk
19. Who cares? Watching Toyotas run around in circles is a colossal waste of time. NASCAR is going downhill fast with their foreign drivers and foreign cars and trucks. Or you could switch to IRL and watch Hondas run around in circles with their own foreign drivers.
Posted at 10:56AM on May 5th 2008 by Dan
20. Note to Randy Moss... You want to make a small fortune in Nascar? You have to start with a large fortune!
Posted at 11:52AM on May 5th 2008 by UltraEddie