Goodson Racing To Make USAR Hooters Pro Cup Debut

Goodson Racing
August 3, 2007

PENSACOLA, Fla.– Goodson Racing, one of the top short-track teams in the Southeast, will make its USAR Hooters Cup debut Aug. 4 at Hickory Motor Speedway with Future Stars Marketing handling the operation's marketing and public relations, team owner Tracy Goodson and Future Stars President/CEO Rolfe Schnur announced Tuesday.

"My heart is in this. I love this and I want to be a successful team owner," Goodson said. "I wanted to find somebody that could do my marketing and PR for me. I felt like I needed to go somewhere to kind of get in the Cup, Busch scene and someone that can get me in the right direction as far as sponsorship."

"Having the opportunity to work with Tracy and his team adds another dimension to what we do," commented Schnur. "We are excited about the projects we are working on and look forward to being an integral part of their success for years to come."

Piloting the Goodson entry will be Steven Davis, from Satsuma, Ala., who has earned championships in Bomber, Superstock, Super Modified, Pro Late Model and Super Late Model.

"I feel like he is a very intelligent guy," Goodson said about Davis. "What attracts me to Steven is that he knows what goes on with the car. He can go around for three laps, get out of the car and he won't have to tell anyone what is wrong; he'll just do it himself. He is going to be successful.

"He gets up on the wheel. He drives aggressively but he is cautious, if that makes sense. Sometimes we have to calm him down."

For Goodson, the move to Hooters Cup is another step up the racing ladder for the former driver turned team owner, who began racing at his hometown track – Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola – in 1988. In only his second season of competition, Goodson won 20 of the 26 races in which he competed as well as the track championship in the Superstock Division at Five Flags.

Goodson continued to advance his driving career and Goodson Racing, progressing through the ranks at the local level. That included winning the 1996 Super Late Model Championship at Five Flags Speedway – the track's fastest and most prestigious division.

Having won the championship at the highest level of local racing, Goodson took his self-owned team to his first touring series in 1998, winning the Southern All Star Rookie of the Year title and narrowly missing the overall championship in only his first year of competition. In 2000, he raced in a limited schedule in the ASA-AC Delco Series with big plans for continued success through the motorsports ranks.

However, Goodson's driving career came to a screeching halt when he was diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm and lost one of his legs. Goodson easily transitioned to team owner and has continued to bring Goodson Racing to the next level. With veteran Ronnie Sanders taking over the driving chores for Goodson Racing, the team continued to find victory lane.

Because of Goodson Racing's reputation of fielding the best cars and finest equipment, many drivers wanted the opportunity to drive the car. The team decided to focus on young drivers from the area and help make a name for the driver and team. The program was an immediate success and helped launch the driving career of Cale Gale, who now drives for Kevin Harvick Inc. in NASCAR's Busch Series.

"I expect us to put together a top notch race team," Goodson said. "I want to know that we have the equipment and the power there to win the race or at least have the ability to win. My dream is to move forward so that we can get to the Busch Series. It's a stepping stone to get to where we want to be."