Several famous personalities from outside NASCAR have desired to become a part of the sport in a professional capacity. Few have succeeded. One of the most notable characters among them is NFL legend Randy Moss.
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The 48-year-old icon bought into Morgan-Dollar Motorsports, renamed it to Randy Moss Motorsports, and served as a co-owner from 2008 to 2012. However, his interest wasn’t just for the sake of popularity or financial gain.
Growing up in West Virginia, he caught the racing bug at an early age. He truly believed that he had a deeper connection to stock car racing and its fans. “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,” he once said.
Among those impressed with his love for racing is Dale Earnhardt Jr. The popular driver was engaged in a long discussion with Todd Bodine in a recent episode of The Dale Jr. Download when they got to talking about Moss.
Junior said, “I have seen him at Daytona. He’s walking through the garage, and he goes, ‘Yo, Dale! It’s Moss, baby!'” Junior couldn’t quite believe that it was, in fact, Randy Moss. He continued, “I can’t believe he knows who I am. He was a badass.”
Moss’ team did not achieve spectacular results on the track in the short life it had. But it has the recognition of being the team that gave Jimmie Johnson his first and only Truck Series start which came at Bristol in 2008.
Todd Bodine holds Randy Moss in high regard
In 2011, Bodine was moved from Germain Racing to race for Randy Moss Motorsports in the middle of the Truck Series season. He piloted the No. 5 truck and brought in several top-10 finishes for the team. Ultimately, he achieved sixth place on the points table for his efforts. Now years later, he only has positive words about his former team owner.
“After getting to know him,” Bodine said. “What a motivational speaker. What an incredibly intelligent person. He understood the sport.” Bodine had a proper view of the person that Moss was after Bodine’s wife picked an argument with Moss about Tom Brady being overrated. Moss had put forth arguments which genuinely impressed Bodine.
He continued to Junior, “He was just so intelligent in the things he was saying. It was very impressive. But anyway, great guy. Funny as hell.” It was revealed last year that Moss had undergone a procedure to address bile duct cancer. By his own admission, he is now cancer-free after undergoing chemotherapy and radiation.
