E&M Motorsports

NASCAR_Owner_Infobox
Company Name = E&M Motorsports


Owner(s) Name = John Carter
Racing Series = Sprint Cup
Championships = 0
Car Number(s) = #08
Driver(s) = Johnny Sauter
Primary Sponsor(s) = Rhino energy drink
Shop Location = Toccoa, Georgia
Homepage = [http://www.em-motorsports.com/ E&M Motorsports]

E&M Motorsports is a NASCAR Sprint Cup team. The team had partnered with Front Row Motorsports, however the partnership fell through. The team has no driver under contract. It is owned by John Carter. Roger Craven and Dale Davis previously were co-owners of the team.

The team made its debut in 2004 at the Coca-Cola 600, originally as an offshoot of the #89 Victory In Jesus Racing team and working out of a shop previously occupied by Frank Cicci Racing with Jim Kelly. Todd Bodine was the driver, but the team failed to qualify for the race. After a DNQ the next week at Dover International Speedway, the team made the Pocono 500, but finished 42nd after suffering overheating problems. After finishing 36th at the DHL 400, Bodine left the team, and was replaced by Chad Blount. After failing to qualify for the Pepsi 400, Blount made the field at Chicagoland Speedway, where he finished last after suffering electrical failures. Andy Hillenburg and Stanton Barrett came on to attempt races with the team, but failed. Kevin Lepage took over at the Sharpie 500, and ran the rest of the season with the team, his best finish being 27th at Phoenix International Raceway.

In 2005, the team signed sponsors BOSpoker.net and Patrón Tequila and planned to run the full year. Lepage finished ninth in the Daytona 500 but was released midway through the season. After Anthony Lazzaro ran Watkins Glen, Tony Raines took over the ride, and led two laps at Michigan before running out of fuel in the final laps. Following his release after the UAW-Ford 500, Mike Skinner, Mike Garvey, and Jimmy Spencer shared the ride for the balance of the season.

Blount returned to the #37 in 2006 for the Daytona 500, but missed the race. Skinner attempted most of the races with this season, along with Carl Long. In June 2006, a press release said Terance Mathis bought out the operation and renamed it Victory Motorsports, however only Dale Davis joined the ownership of the team. Skinner piloted the car at Indianapolis, and Bill Elliott started 39th and finished 16th at Kansas Speedway, the team's best showing to date. He ran an additional two races for the team, but did not finish higher 31st.

The team ran the 2007 season after partnering with the Front Row Motorsports #61 team. Elliott attempted the 2007 Daytona 500 with the team, but failed to qualify and the Past Champion's Provisional went to Dale Jarrett. John Andretti successfully made the race the next week at California Speedway and finished 34th. The deal with Front Row Motorsports fell through, and the two teams are no longer associated, with Front Row Motorsports retaining the #37. The team was renamed to E&M Motorsports and made its debut with Joe Nemechek, who had been released from Ginn Racing following its merger with Dale Earnhardt Inc.. When Nemechek found a ride with Furniture Row Racing, E&M called upon Burney Lamar, but he DNQ'd all of his attempted races.

It was announced on January 12, 2008 that Carl Long would pilot the teams #08 Dodge, with sponsorship coming from Millstar and Rhino's Energy Drink. Long will pilot the car in at least 2 of the season's first 6 races.

Tony Raines was the next driver to attempt to get the car in the field, however was unsuccessful in his attempts.
Johnny Sauter is the current driver attempting to get this team into the field. Meanwhile Johhny Sauter made the Pepsi 500 Race at Auto Club Speedway finishing 42nd. This was the teams 1st race they made out of 10 starts

External links

* [http://www.em-motorsports.com/ Official Website]
* [http://racing-reference.info/owner?id=cartejo01 John Carter Nextel Cup Stats]
* [http://www.jayski.com/teams/08.htm Jayski Team Page]