Ling Racing

Ling Racing was a racing team that participated in the NASCAR Busch Series until 1998 and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series until 1997. They also fielded an entry for Martin Truex Sr. in the Busch North Series from 1998 to 2000. The team ran Oldsmobile-branded stock cars from 1988 until mid 1991, when they would switch to Pontiacs through 1995. They would field a Ford in their only race of 1997, and Martin Truex Sr. would drive a Chevrolet in the team's final race, the 1998 First Union 200. They would also run Chevrolet-branded trucks in their only 3 Truck Series starts, which came in 1997.
Busch Series history
Ling Racing was founded by Don Ling Sr. and began fielding Busch Series entries in 1988 for Donny Ling Jr.. Ling Jr. completed all 4 races he attempted, driving the #66 Oldsmobile with sponsorship from D & D Competition and Clark Cooling. In 1989, Ling Jr, would compete in 7 races, with sponsorship coming from Just Say No in the first 5. However, after 3 DNFs in his first 5 starts, Royal would become the primary sponsor for Ling Jr.'s final 2 races, where he would crash out of the first but come back to finish 16th at Martinsville. Ling Jr. would be entered into 10 races in 1990, but would DNQ twice and be replaced by Steve Grissom in the first race he attempted. Once again, most sponsorship in the 1990 season would come from Just Say No, with Big Mama Meat Snacks sponsoring the race in which he switched with Grissom, and Say No To Drugs being the sponsor on the car for the NE Chevy 250 instead of the regular Just Say No slogan, and a few races being unsponsored, with the official sponsor listing instead being Ling Racing. Donny Ling Jr. would only attempt 4 more races with the team, all in 1991, where he would finish all 3 races he qualified for, all of which were unsponsored. The final 2 of his attempts came in a Pontiac instead of the usual Oldsmobile. Ling Jr. would DNQ at Loudon despite the funding from Super 8 and Townsend. Jamie Tomaino would also make a start for the team at the second Loudon race, unsponsored, and finished 41st after engine troubles. The team would only attempt 2 races in 1992, both with Martin Truex Sr., and both unsponsored. Mike Stefanik would make 3 starts with the team in 1993 with sponsorship from Auto Palace. Robbie Crouch made 2 starts for the team in 1994, with Auto Palace sponsorship, both races and additional sponsorship from Valvoline in his second start, which came at Nazareth. Crouch made the only two attempts for the team in 1995, but did not qualify for the race at Loudon. Both of Crouch's attempts were sponsored by Auto Palace. Ling Racing would take a hiatus in 1996 before returning in 1997 to make one start with Crouch again, with the sponsorship coming from Auto Palace, and this time driving a Ford. Ling Racing's final Busch Series start came in 1998 with Martin Truex Sr., now sponsored by AutoZone, which had acquired Auto Palace. Truex drove a Chevrolet in Ling Racing's final start in the series, but would finish 40th in the field of 43 after handling issues took him out after just 41 of the 200 laps. Ling Racing ceased Busch series operations after Truex's start at Nazareth, and would never attempt another race in the series.
Truck Series history
Ling Racing only ever made 3 starts in the Craftsman Truck Series, Pete Brittain would race at Flemington. Finally, Donny Ling Jr. returned to the team to run at Mesa Marin, and was the only driver out of the three to be running at the finish. All three of Ling Racing's Truck Series starts were sponsored by Auto Palace. They would also attempt a race with Ling Jr. in 1998 at Martinsville, but failed to qualify. Ling Racing ceased Truck Series operations after the Martinsville race and would never attempt another race in the series.
Busch North Series history
Ling Racing's listed owner in this series was Donny Ling Jr. and fielded the #6 car for Martin Truex Sr from 1998 to 2000. Truex had previously ran as an owner-driver, but won the pole for his first North race with the team, which was at Lee USA Speedway. Truex ran for Ling Jr. in all the Busch North Series races in 1998 except for the 6th race of the season, which he did not enter. Truex had season long sponsorship from Auto Zone and Blount Seafood. In 1999, Truex only made 14 starts in the 20 race season, and was unsponsored for nearly all of them. The team's listed sponsor at Thompson, Holland, and Stafford was "Sponsor Wanted". Two other times, they ran under the sponsorship of Ling Racing, but spent most of the season completely unsponsored. Blount Seafood would return to the team for the season finale at Lime Rock, and Truex would finish a strong 10th. Truex made his final series start and his final with the team at Loudon in 2000 and in a field of 42 cars, Truex started 4th and finished 6th, with sponsorship coming from Red Lobster Restaurant. Truex was likely the only driver to compete for Ling Racing in the series.

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