Mother's Day Paint Schemes
#1
05-07-2005, 03:57 AM
Mother's Day Paint Schemes
Lynda Petty will be on Kyle's pink colored No. 45 Dodge.
Martha hopes to make a call from Victory Lane Saturday.
A childhood picture of Dale Jarrett will be on the UPS Ford.
DARLINGTON, S.C. - This weekend's NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Dodge Charger 500 will be a special one. Not only is it the first night race, but it's also the first race to be held Mother's Day weekend at NASCAR's most historic track. Many of the driver's mothers will be in attendance giving the command to start the engines, but only one will be presented with the ultimate gift - a trip to Victory Lane.
Kyle Petty is one of a handful of drivers that will pay tribute to their mom with a special paint scheme this weekend. The No. 45 Dodge will look like a Mary Kay Cosmetics car as it dons pink paint for Saturday night's race. In 47 races at Darlington, Petty has yet to score a top-five finish there. Kyle hopes his mom, Lynda Petty, will bring him a little luck at "The Track Too Tough to Tame", as images of her will be on the car.
"It's Mother Day's weekend this year, and I've got a lot riding on this race – literally," said Petty. "Having my mother along for the ride is pretty cool. It's important to honor all the mothers in the sport. They have given so much of their time, and given so much support to let us do what we love to do. I feel pretty honored to have my mom on the side of my car this weekend. Hey, I think she looks pretty good in pink!"
Probably the most recognizable mom in the garage area these days would be Martha Nemechek, mother of Joe Nemechek. Her race attire consists of camouflage fatigues, with a patch that reads "G.I. Joe's Mom," and a drill sergeant hat in support of her son's sponsor – the U.S. Army.
"When I first saw my mom come to the race with her fatigues I said to myself, 'Holy Moly -- what do we have here," ' said Nemechek. "But it's cool. She is a special mom and I wouldn't be where I am without her lifelong support."
Although her son has gone to Victory Lane in the Cup Series four times, most recently at Kansas last October, Martha has yet to witness a win live.
"I've been there for his Busch wins, but I have never been at the track when he has won a Cup race," said Martha. "That is my personal goal to be in Victory Lane when he wins a Cup race."
When Martha Jarrett, mother of Dale Jarrett, arrives at the track she will notice a childhood picture of Dale riding in his Dad's racecar on the No. 88 UPS Ford.
"UPS is giving me the opportunity to wish my mom and all the moms out there a Happy Mother's Day with this special paint scheme," said Jarrett. "I think it is going to be a special day because not only will my mom be there but I'll have Kelley there with the kids."
Jarrett's teammate Elliott Sadler will also have his mom, Bell, in attendance on Saturday.
"It's going to be great to have my mom there with me this weekend," said Sadler. "I miss so many holidays, birthdays, or things like that because we travel so much. So I know that it will mean a lot to not only me but to my brother Hermie as well to have her there."
Last year Ryan Newman won the Father's Day race at Michigan and would love to do the same for his Mom, Diane.
"My parents have played such an important role in my racing career," said Newman. "Without their support and encouragement growing up, there is no way I could be here, racing in NASCAR, today. My dad comes to every race, and my mom comes to as many as she can."
Saturday night, 43 drivers will battle for the Mother's Day win, but no matter which driver takes the checkered flag, all of us already know who the real winner is this weekend - Mom.
Source: Jeff Wackerlin
Martha hopes to make a call from Victory Lane Saturday.
A childhood picture of Dale Jarrett will be on the UPS Ford.
DARLINGTON, S.C. - This weekend's NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Dodge Charger 500 will be a special one. Not only is it the first night race, but it's also the first race to be held Mother's Day weekend at NASCAR's most historic track. Many of the driver's mothers will be in attendance giving the command to start the engines, but only one will be presented with the ultimate gift - a trip to Victory Lane.
Kyle Petty is one of a handful of drivers that will pay tribute to their mom with a special paint scheme this weekend. The No. 45 Dodge will look like a Mary Kay Cosmetics car as it dons pink paint for Saturday night's race. In 47 races at Darlington, Petty has yet to score a top-five finish there. Kyle hopes his mom, Lynda Petty, will bring him a little luck at "The Track Too Tough to Tame", as images of her will be on the car.
"It's Mother Day's weekend this year, and I've got a lot riding on this race – literally," said Petty. "Having my mother along for the ride is pretty cool. It's important to honor all the mothers in the sport. They have given so much of their time, and given so much support to let us do what we love to do. I feel pretty honored to have my mom on the side of my car this weekend. Hey, I think she looks pretty good in pink!"
Probably the most recognizable mom in the garage area these days would be Martha Nemechek, mother of Joe Nemechek. Her race attire consists of camouflage fatigues, with a patch that reads "G.I. Joe's Mom," and a drill sergeant hat in support of her son's sponsor – the U.S. Army.
"When I first saw my mom come to the race with her fatigues I said to myself, 'Holy Moly -- what do we have here," ' said Nemechek. "But it's cool. She is a special mom and I wouldn't be where I am without her lifelong support."
Although her son has gone to Victory Lane in the Cup Series four times, most recently at Kansas last October, Martha has yet to witness a win live.
"I've been there for his Busch wins, but I have never been at the track when he has won a Cup race," said Martha. "That is my personal goal to be in Victory Lane when he wins a Cup race."
When Martha Jarrett, mother of Dale Jarrett, arrives at the track she will notice a childhood picture of Dale riding in his Dad's racecar on the No. 88 UPS Ford.
"UPS is giving me the opportunity to wish my mom and all the moms out there a Happy Mother's Day with this special paint scheme," said Jarrett. "I think it is going to be a special day because not only will my mom be there but I'll have Kelley there with the kids."
Jarrett's teammate Elliott Sadler will also have his mom, Bell, in attendance on Saturday.
"It's going to be great to have my mom there with me this weekend," said Sadler. "I miss so many holidays, birthdays, or things like that because we travel so much. So I know that it will mean a lot to not only me but to my brother Hermie as well to have her there."
Last year Ryan Newman won the Father's Day race at Michigan and would love to do the same for his Mom, Diane.
"My parents have played such an important role in my racing career," said Newman. "Without their support and encouragement growing up, there is no way I could be here, racing in NASCAR, today. My dad comes to every race, and my mom comes to as many as she can."
Saturday night, 43 drivers will battle for the Mother's Day win, but no matter which driver takes the checkered flag, all of us already know who the real winner is this weekend - Mom.
Source: Jeff Wackerlin
