Akins Motorsports, formerly Akins-Sutton Motorsports[4] was a NASCAR team based in Mooresville, North Carolina, which is near Charlotte. The team was formed in 1992 by Brad Akins, owner of several car dealerships in Georgia and team pit crew member,[2][4] and Bob Sutton who served as the team's financial manager.[4] At the time the team was sold to Braun Racing in 2006, it was owned by longtime team general manager Doug Stringer.[3][5][1] The team was known for its Great Clips-sponsored #38 team in the Busch Series (now the Xfinity Series), which was later fielded by Braun Racing and Turner Scott Motorsports.[6]

Akins Motorsports
Owner(s)Brad Akins
Bob Sutton
Doug Stringer
BaseMooresville, North Carolina
Concord, North Carolina[1]
SeriesBusch Series
Craftsman Truck Series
Race driversKasey Kahne, Mark Green, A. J. Foyt IV, Tyler Walker, Elton Sawyer, Christian Elder, Bobby Hamilton
SponsorsGreat Clips, Deka Batteries, Channellock, Lysol, Barbasol
ManufacturerFord, Dodge
Opened1992[2]
Closed2006 (merged with Braun Racing)[3]
Career
Race victories3

Busch Series

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Car #38 history

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Akins Motorsports debuted in 1993, running the #38 Country Time Ford Thunderbird driven by Bobby Hamilton. They ran two Winston Cup races with Hamilton driving, posting a tenth-place finish at Dover International Speedway. They also ran a pair of Busch Races with Elton Sawyer driving, his best finish a 25th at Richmond International Raceway.

Sawyer went full-time with the team in 1994 with sponsorship from Ford Credit. They had six top-tens, as well as winning at Myrtle Beach Speedway, finishing fourteenth in championship points. The following season, they moved to ninth in points and Sawyer won the pole at Indianapolis Raceway Park. At the end of the year, Sawyer was replaced with Dennis Setzer with Lipton Tea sponsorship for 1996. He had two top-tens, before Sawyer came back to the team to finish out the year, posting one top-ten.

In 1997, Barbasol became primary sponsor, and Sawyer finished a then-career-best sixth in points, before moving up to fifth the following season.

Glenn Allen Jr. took over the #38 for the 1999 season,[1] and had a fourth-place finish at The Milwaukee Mile, but was replaced during the season by Hut Stricklin,[7] who ended the season with a pole at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The 38 team was forced to shut down at the end of the season due to sponsor Barbasol departing.[7]

Rookie Christian Elder drove the #38 in 2001 with Great Clips/Deka Batteries sponsorship for sixteen races that year, posting a best finish of 20th twice. Elder drove the 38 for eight races in 2002, sharing the ride with Mark Green before Green took over the ride permanently, posting three top-fifteen finishes.

In 2003, Akins hired Ford development driver Kasey Kahne as the team's driver.[2] Kahne finished seventh in points and won his first career race at the Ford 300. He would take over the 9 Dodge in the Winston Cup Series for Evernham Motorsports' for the 2004 season,[8][9] but continued to run Akins' Busch team, as they switched to Dodge Intrepids. He went winless in 2004, but had two poles and finished eleventh in points.

In 2005, team manager Doug Stringer assumed full ownership, and Kahne shared the car with Tyler Walker. He had two wins and three poles, while Walker did not finish better than 14th, and was released in August 2005. Mike Wallace and A. J. Foyt IV shared the driving duties with Kahne for the balance of the season.

Foyt IV was to compete for Rookie of the Year in the #38 Akins ride in 2006 but was released from the team when Doug Stringer merged Akins Motorsports with Braun Racing.[6][10]

Car No. 38 results

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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 NBSC Pts
1993 Bobby Hamilton 38 Ford DAY CAR RCH DAR BRI HCY
23
ROU MAR
31
NZH CLT DOV MYB GLN MLW TAL IRP
9
MCH NHA BRI DAR
Elton Sawyer RCH
25
DOV ROU CLT
36
MAR CAR HCY ATL
1994 DAY
20
CAR
12
RCH
4
ATL
DNQ
MAR
22
DAR
13
HCY
28
BRI ROU
31
NHA
DNQ
NZH
2
CLT
21
DOV
13
MYB
1
GLN
35
MLW
8
SBO
17
TAL
21
HCY
14
IRP
22
MCH
20
BRI
15
DAR
9
RCH
31
DOV
13
CLT
5
MAR
19
CAR
39
1995 DAY
39
CAR
32
RCH
15
ATL
10
NSV
30
DAR
38
BRI
18
HCY
26
NHA
2
NZH
8
CLT
27
DOV
12
MYB
10
GLN
22
MLW
14
TAL
10
SBO
7
IRP
2
MCH
13
BRI
26
DAR
8
RCH
10
DOV
17
CLT
20
CAR
14
HOM
12
1996 Dennis Setzer DAY
27
CAR
31
RCH
22
ATL
DNQ
NSV
37
DAR
36
BRI
DNQ
HCY
DNQ
NZH
20
CLT
DNQ
DOV
33
SBO
11
MYB
8
GLN
11
MLW
24
NHA
24
TAL
DNQ
IRP
6
Elton Sawyer MCH
25
BRI
12
DAR
16
RCH
22
DOV
8
CLT
19
CAR
14
HOM
15
1997 DAY
16
CAR
12
RCH
11
ATL
2
LVS
31
DAR
17
HCY
6
TEX
11
BRI
32
NSV
17
TAL
42
NHA
4
NZH
23
CLT
43
DOV
9
SBO
5
GLN
19
MLW
6
MYB
5
GTY
4
IRP
3
MCH
16
BRI
34
DAR
13
RCH
31
DOV
16
CLT
22
CAL
19
CAR
12
HOM
32
8th 3419
1998 DAY
28
CAR
14
LVS
30
NSV
10
DAR
11
BRI
4
TEX
27
HCY
27
TAL
10
NHA
27
NZH
36
CLT
8
DOV
8
RCH
18
PPR
4
GLN
11
MLW
2
MYB
11
CAL
12
SBO
25
IRP
8
MCH
8
BRI
18
DAR
12
RCH
33
DOV
3
CLT
13
GTY
38
CAR
32
ATL
13
HOM
26
5th 3533
1999 Glenn Allen Jr. DAY
16
CAR
DNQ
LVS
DNQ
ATL
9
DAR
30
TEX
27
NSV
29
BRI
26
CAL
21
NHA
28
RCH
26
NZH
14
CLT
DNQ
DOV
24
SBO
DNQ
GLN
29
MLW
4
MYB
DNQ
PPR
37
GTY
33
IRP
24
MCH
DNQ
BRI
DNQ
26th 2358
Chevy TAL
13
Hut Stricklin Ford DAR
22
RCH
DNQ
DOV
16
CLT
21
CAR
DNQ
MEM
42
PHO
29
HOM
21
2001 Christian Elder DAY
DNQ
CAR LVS
23
ATL
26
DAR BRI
20
TEX NSH TAL
26
CAL
24
RCH NHA NZH
28
CLT
37
DOV
20
KEN
24
MLW GLN CHI
29
GTY
30
PPR IRP MCH BRI
35
DAR RCH DOV KAN
27
CLT
40
MEM PHO
28
CAR HOM
43
41st 1259
2002 DAY
36
CAR
37
LVS
38
TEX
31
TAL
43
CAL
43
KEN
26
DAY
29
CHI
INQ
31st 2351
Mark Green DAR
17
BRI
17
RCH
28
NHA NZH
33
CLT
35
DOV
15
NSH
12
MLW
22
CHI
41
GTY
22
PPR
19
IRP MCH BRI
37
DAR RCH
16
DOV
20
KAN
16
CLT
30
MEM
38
ATL
28
CAR
19
PHO
14
HOM
30
2003 Kasey Kahne DAY
8
CAR
26
LVS
11
DAR
8
BRI
13
TEX
9
TAL
37
NSH
29
CAL
4
RCH
18
GTY
31
NZH
12
CLT
6
DOV
8
NSH
25
KEN
11
MLW
16
DAY
38
CHI
28
NHA
9
PPR
10
IRP
14
MCH
2
BRI
14
DAR
6
RCH
12
DOV
4
KAN
30
CLT
8
MEM
15
ATL
7
PHO
27
CAR
18
HOM
1
9th 4104
2004 Dodge DAY
43
CAR
26
LVS
2
DAR
11
BRI
27
TEX
32
NSH
3
TAL
38
CAL
5
GTY
13
RCH
10
NZH
16
CLT
25
DOV
7
NSH
6
KEN
17
DAY
6
CHI
4
NHA
4
MCH
5
BRI
34
CAL
4
RCH
9
DOV
3
KAN
13
CLT
36
ATL
4
PHO
11
DAR
11
HOM
18
7th 4219
Shane Hmiel MLW
4
IRP
12
Tyler Walker PPR
27
MEM
12
2005 Kasey Kahne DAY
5
LVS
20
ATL
5
TEX
1
DAR
34
DOV
13
DAY
25
CHI
12
MCH
27
CLT
12
23rd 3213
Tyler Walker CAL
39
MXC
24
NSH
17
BRI
35
PHO
42
RCH
28
CLT
14
NSH
19
KEN
19
MLW
40
NHA
19
PPR
23
GTY
17
IRP
37
GLN
36
Casey Mears TAL
26
Mike Wallace BRI
14
CAL
29
RCH
26
DOV
31
KAN
21
A. J. Foyt IV MEM
32
TEX
39
PHO
42
HOM
24
2006 DAY
42
CAL
38
MXC
21
LVS
37
ATL
33
BRI
35
TEX
41
NSH 18th 3554
Ryan Moore Chevy PHO
29
TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI NHA MAR GTY IRP GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM TEX PHO HOM

Car #58 history

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Akins added a second car to its stable in 2005, with Brent Sherman driving a Serta Mattress and Hickory Farms-sponsored Dodge. However, following the sale of team to Doug Stringer the team consolidated its operations to the #38 and sold the #58 to Glynn Motorsports.[11]

Car No. 58 results

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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 NBSC Pts
2004 Brent Sherman 58 Dodge DAY CAR LVS DAR BRI TEX NSH TAL CAL GTY RCH NZH CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI NHA PPR IRP MCH BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN
37
CLT MEM
37
ATL PHO DAR HOM
30
75th 177
2005 DAY
DNQ
CAL
32
MXC
23
LVS
32
ATL
31
NSH
23
BRI
36
TEX
34
PHO
24
TAL
9
DAR
32
RCH
DNQ
CLT
34
31st 2738
Regan Smith DOV
20
NSH
15
KEN
41
MLW
29
DAY
19
CHI NHA PPR GTY IRP GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM TEX PHO HOM

Car #98 history

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In 1999, Akins formed a second car, the #98 with Lysol sponsorship with Elton Sawyer driving.[1] He won his second race at New Hampshire International Speedway and finished fifth in points again.[1]

In 2000, Sawyer continued to drive the 98, posting fourteen top-tens.

In 2001, clothing brand Starter and Hot Tamales came on board as sponsor and in April 2001 Akins sold the #98 team to Michael Kranefuss in order to focus on the #38. Sawyer posted a career-best nineteen top-ten finishes and finished 5th in points. At the end of the year, Starter and Hot Tamales left and unable to find a sponsor, Kranefuss was forced to disband the #98 team.

Car No. 98 results

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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 NBSC Pts
1999 Elton Sawyer 98 Chevy DAY
21
DAR
2
NSV
8
TAL
41
5th 3891
Ford CAR
7
LVS
26
ATL
8
TEX
12
BRI
3
CAL
7
NHA
1
RCH
34
NZH
32
CLT
8
DOV
9
SBO
23
GLN
11
MLW
34
MYB
7
PPR
8
GTY
13
IRP
8
MCH
26
BRI
7
DAR
14
RCH
16
DOV
26
CLT
19
CAR
14
MEM
3
PHO
15
HOM
13
2000 DAY
30
CAR
12
LVS
25
ATL
18
DAR
9
BRI
12
TEX
28
NSV
13
TAL
18
CAL
9
RCH
34
NHA
9
CLT
9
DOV
9
SBO
3
MYB
3
GLN
7
MLW
6
NZH
2
PPR
25
GTY
10
IRP
6
MCH
31
BRI
29
DAR
3
RCH
19
DOV
33
CLT
29
CAR
19
MEM
2
PHO
11
HOM
40
7th 3776
2001 DAY
43
CAR
29
LVS
8
ATL
35
DAR
9
BRI
17
TEX
21
NSH
5
TAL
6
CAL
12
RCH
40
NHA
9
NZH
11
CLT
19
DOV
6
KEN
4
MLW
6
GLN
6
CHI
8
GTY
8
PPR
30
IRP
4
MCH
7
BRI
5
DAR
2
RCH
8
DOV
11
KAN
16
CLT
9
MEM
26
PHO
38
CAR
10
HOM
2
5th 4100
2003 Mark Green DAY CAR LVS DAR BRI TEX TAL NSH CAL RCH GTY NZH
16
CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI NHA PPR IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM ATL PHO CAR HOM 95th 115

Craftsman Truck Series

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Truck #38 history

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During the 1995 season, Akins/Sutton also fielded a Craftsman Truck Series team with Sammy Swindell full-time driving with sponsorship from Channellock, posting five top-tens and a 4th place run at Bristol, finishing twelfth in points. The team racked up an astounding 7 DNFs during the 20-race season. Akins/Sutton never fielded a truck again.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "BUSCH: Akins Motorsports Names General Manager". Concord, North Carolina: motorsport.com. May 12, 1999. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  2. ^ a b c "BUSCH: Kasey Kahne signs with Akins Motorsports". Mooresville, North Carolina: motorsport.com. December 19, 2002. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  3. ^ a b Braun Racing (January 18, 2007). "BUSCH: Braun Racing expands to three-car entry". Mooresville, North Carolina: motorsport.com. Archived from the original on 2016-01-24. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  4. ^ a b c NASCAR Online (July 20, 1998). "BUSCH: Fontana Akins Injury Report". Fontana, California: motorsport.com. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  5. ^ "Turner Motorsports acquires Braun Racing". motorsport.com. Mooresville, North Carolina: motorsport.com. September 24, 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  6. ^ a b Braun-Akins Racing (April 25, 2006). "BUSCH: Jason Leffler transfers points to new number". Mooresville, North Carolina: motorsport.com. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  7. ^ a b NASCAR Online (August 30, 1999). "BUSCH: Hut Stricklin Sings with Akins Motorsport". Bristol, Tennessee: motorsport.com. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  8. ^ "Kahne and Elliott share No. 9 in 2004". motorsport.com. motorsport.com. December 6, 2003. Archived from the original on 2015-06-04. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
  9. ^ Jenkins, Chris (May 30, 2004). "Rookie's rise has familiar ring". USA Today. Concord, North Carolina: USA Today. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
  10. ^ Braun Racing (April 19, 2006). "BUSCH: Braun Racing changes announced". Mooresville, North Carolina: motorsport.com. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  11. ^ "BUSCH: Akins Motorsports, Glynn Motorsports announce merger". Charlotte, North Carolina: motorsport.com. March 18, 2005. Retrieved 20 August 2015.