not much here but am hearing a head coach from a major college sports program will get involved with a new NASCAR team, probably in the Busch Series. There might be an announcement in the next couple of weeks.(10-13-2004)
UPDATE: hearing the coach is University of Kentucky’s Tubby Smith working with Joe Nemechek on a driver devolopment Busch deal. Jamie Mosley driving?(10-16-2004)
UPDATE 2: there will be an announcement on Tuesday, Oct 19th.(10-18-2004)
UPDATE 3: Two of the winningest names in their respective sports – and two national champions – are putting together a new
NASCAR Busch Series team with driver Jamie Mosley beginning in 2005. Mosley will drive a Chevrolet fielded by a partnership involving the driver, University of Kentucky basketball coach Tubby Smith and his wife Donna, and NEMCO Motorsports, which is owned by former NASCAR Busch Series champion and Cup driver Joe Nemechek. Smith, whose Kentucky Wildcats won the 1998 NCAA championship, is the sixth-winningest active coach in Division 1 men’s basketball. Smith and his wife, Donna, have partnered with Mosley and NEMCO, the 1992 NASCAR Busch Series national champions led by Joe Nemechek, who has 16 career wins in the series and is a leading driver in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series.
Said Coach Smith, “I am very excited to be partnering with a young driver like Jamie Mosley and a proven winner like Joe Nemechek. This is a unique opportunity to expand the scope of our efforts with the Tubby Smith Foundation, to further the education of many children in need and to bridge the knowledge gap that exists for many of our young people today.”
Mosley is a native of Hazard, Ky., and brings an experienced resume to the NASCAR Busch Series, including nine earlier career starts. Mosley has also competed successfully in the ARCA ReMax Series, after a winning stint at short tracks throughout the upper Southeast. The 34-year-old has driven everything from Busch Series cars to single-seat off-road buggies to go-karts.
Smith’s achievements have added to an eye-popping resume. Since arriving at Kentucky in 1997, Smith has led the Wildcats to a national championship, four SEC crowns and five SEC Tournament titles, with five Sweet 16 finishes in his seven seasons. Over his 13 seasons as a head coach, the 52-year-old has had 11 consecutive 20-win seasons. In 2004, he joined an elite group when he became the sixth head coach to win 300 games in 13 seasons or less, joining the likes of Roy Williams, Jim Boeheim and Nolan Richardson. Smith’s career record is now 315-114, and his 73.4 winning percentage is sixth among active coaches entering the 2004-05 season.(Williams Company)(10-19-2004)
