Bobby Hamilton Jr. joins Team Rensi Motorsports as co-owner
Bobby Hamilton Jr. and Team Rensi Motorsports have joined forces to form Rensi/Hamilton Racing, which will field entries in the NASCAR Nationwide and Camping World East series, as well as in the Automobile Racing Club of America series.
Hamilton Jr. and Team Rensi made the announcement Thursday.
“My late father started his own race team with the long-term goal of building something very special for me to drive for,” Hamilton said. “With his death nearly two years ago, his dream obviously took a huge hit. Something he had worked very hard for was suddenly gone. By combining forces with [Team Rensi co-owners] Ed Rensi and Gary Weisbaum and merging my teams that I had based in Nashville with their organization, we can put my father’s dreams back into motion.
“He taught me so much about how this sport works and how to own a race team. Now I can bring that knowledge to Ed Rensi and his ownership group, and we can move forward once again. I believe my dad would be very happy to know that I am going to own a Nationwide Series team as well as continue on in the Camping World Series and ARCA.”
Team Rensi was close to closing its doors late in the Nationwide season, but Hamilton Jr. chose to fund the final two races out of his own pocket. Hamilton Jr. has driven for Team Rensi for five years over two segments.
“Bobby is a special friend, and I am very excited to have him take on an ownership role in the organization,” Ed Rensi said. “I promised his father before he passed away that I would always be there to help Bobby with anything he needed. It gives me great pleasure to know we are going to work together to see him reach the dream owned by Bobby Hamilton Sr.”
Sponsor Smithfield decided not to return to the team for the 2009 season, leaving Team Rensi without a backer. The team continues its search for sponsors for Hamilton Jr. and said it “will announce soon a sponsor and driver combination to compete in the No. 35 Rensi/Hamilton Racing Ford.”
