When NFL wide receiver Randy Moss announced back in 2008 that he would become the co-owner of a team in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, many were left surprised. What did a football player have to do with motorsports? The answer lay in the region of West Virginia where Moss grew up as a child and the strong racing affliction that he developed at the time.
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He joined hands with David Dollar, co-owner of Morgan-Dollar Motorsports, and purchased a 50% stake in the existing organization. He renamed it Randy Moss Motorsports and set the ball rolling on July 19, 2008, at Kentucky Speedway.
Dollar was skeptical of partnering with a football player, of all. He believed Moss was into racing as a publicity stunt but all it took was one meeting to break that thought.
His interest in the sport was apparent and Dollar was more than happy to sign the papers after his interaction with Moss. “I knew he was in this for the right reasons,” he said.
The team expanded to a two-car operation in 2009 and gained attention with the aid of veteran driver Mike Skinner. Travis Kvapil drove for it in 2011 and brought in several top-10 results as well.
Once talking about his rather contrasting pairing with NASCAR, Moss said, “To be point-blank, NASCAR is a country, redneck sport. And you know, that’s where I’m from. That’s me. These are my people.” The NASCAR fandom met him with the same warmth.
I've always felt like Randy Moss Motorsports was pretty cool, they were really competitive and Randy genuinely cared about the sport a ton and wasn't just in it for the money.
I also love how the greatest WR of all time is just a good ol' boy lol pic.twitter.com/XaflGtwCtq
— Nathan 😀👍 (@KensethFan17_20) December 7, 2024
Randy Moss Motorsports’ association with Jimmie Johnson
Seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson made his sole Truck Series start in his entire career with Randy Moss’ team. He drove the #81 Chevrolet Silverado at Bristol Motor Speedway and finished 34th. It serves as an iconic moment in both the team and Johnson’s legacy.
The team originally began in 1997 under the name of Morgan-Dollar Motorsports, participating in Pro-Stock, Modified, and Late Model races till 2004. It was based in Oklahoma before moving to North Carolina and NASCAR’s nationwide series. A total of 13 wins came the team’s way before it shut doors in 2012.
Moss’s goal in the sport was to create a powerhouse as Joe Gibbs had done. He truly believed in the cause and stated that he wanted to win championships as well.
But at the end of the day, he was there to enjoy his stay. He loved being among the thousands of Southern fans who gathered to have a good time on the weekends.
