# Spears Motorsports

Spears Motorsports was a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team owned by Wayne and Connie Spears of Agua Dulce, California. The team is most notable for its longevity in the Truck Series, running all but two races before their closure, their commitment to running with Chevrolet and for always running their white and blue No. 75.
Wayne Spears is a 2009 inductee of the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame.

## Winston Cup

Spears Motorsports debuted in 1987 at Riverside with road racer Tommy Kendall driving the No. 76 Spears Manufacturing Buick. However, they would last only 26 laps before being hit with oil troubles. Kendall and Spears returned to Riverside in '88, and improved their results to 18th, leading one lap. Kendall would be released in favor of Bill Sedgwick, debuting at Phoenix but finishing 36th with ignition troubles. Sedgwick and Spears would only make 8 starts between 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series and 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup Series due to Sedgwick also running in the Winston West Series. Ron Hornaday would make his Cup debut with Spears in 1993, also at Phoenix finishing 22nd. Sedgwick returned to the team the following year without much success. Taking a leap at the newly formed SuperTruck Series, the Spears' sold off their Cup equipment at season's end.

### Car No. 76 History

NASCAR Winston Cup Series results :
| Year | Driver | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| 1987 | Roman Calczynski | 76 | Buick | DAY | CAR | RCH | ATL | DAR | NWS | BRI | MAR | TAL | CLT | DOV | POC | RSD DNQ | MCH | DAY | POC | TAL | GLN | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | MAR | NWS | CLT | CAR | | | | |
| 1987 | Tommy Kendall | 76 | Buick | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | RSD 38 | ATL | | |
| 1988 | Tommy Kendall | 76 | Buick | DAY | RCH | CAR | ATL | DAR | BRI | NWS | MAR | TAL | CLT | DOV | RSD 18 | POC | MCH | DAY | POC | TAL | GLN | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | MAR | CLT | NWS | CAR | PHO | ATL | | |
| 1989 | Bill Sedgwick | 76 | Buick | DAY | CAR | ATL | RCH | DAR | BRI | NWS | MAR | TAL | CLT | DOV | SON DNQ | POC | MCH | DAY | POC | TAL | GLN | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | MAR | CLT | NWS | CAR | PHO 36 | ATL | | |
| 1990 | Bill Sedgwick | 76 | Chevy | DAY | RCH | CAR | ATL | DAR | BRI | NWS DNQ | MAR 24 | TAL | CLT | DOV | SON 36 | POC | MCH | DAY | POC | TAL | GLN | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | MAR | NWS | CLT | CAR | PHO 20 | ATL | | |
| 1991 | Bill Sedgwick | 76 | Chevy | DAY | RCH | CAR | ATL | DAR | BRI | NWS DNQ | MAR 19 | TAL | CLT | DOV | SON 15 | POC | MCH | DAY | POC | TAL | GLN | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | MAR | NWS | CLT | CAR | PHO 21 | ATL | | |
| 1992 | Bill Sedgwick | 75 | Chevy | DAY | CAR | RCH | ATL | DAR | BRI | NWS | MAR | TAL | CLT | DOV | SON 19 | POC | MCH | DAY | POC | TAL | GLN | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | MAR | NWS | CLT | CAR | PHO 27 | ATL | | |
| 1993 | Bill Sedgwick | 76 | Chevy | DAY | CAR | RCH | ATL | DAR | BRI | NWS | MAR | TAL | SON 26 | CLT | DOV | POC | MCH | DAY | NHA | POC | TAL | GLN | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1993 | Ron Hornaday Jr. | 76 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | MCH DNQ | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | MAR | NWS | CLT | CAR | PHO 22 | ATL | |
| 1994 | Ron Hornaday Jr. | 76 | Chevy | DAY | CAR | RCH | ATL | DAR | BRI | NWS | MAR | TAL | SON 39 | CLT | DOV | POC | MCH | DAY | NHA | POC | TAL | IND DNQ | GLN | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | MAR | NWS | CLT | CAR | PHO 34 | ATL |

## Craftsman Truck Series
### Early struggles

In 1995, Bill France Jr. announced the official formation of the NASCAR SuperTruck Series by Craftsman. With Hornaday already signed to drive Dale Earnhardt Incorporated's No. 16 truck, the Spears family turned back to Bill Sedgwick, who would debut their white No. 75 Spears Manufacturing Chevrolet at PIR for the Copper World Classic. Sedgwick would finish 12th in the first ever truck race. Spears proved its competitiveness by winning the pole at Mesa Marin Speedway. Spears Motorsports's first season in the trucks netted them 1 pole, 6 top 5s, and 13 top 10s for a seventh-place points finish. Sedgwick left for Darrell Waltrip Motorsports in 1996, and Spears brought on driver Bobby Gill, who was a consistent top 20 finisher but released after Louisville despite gaining four top tens. Gill was replaced by Busch Series driver Nathan Buttke, who had 7 top 10 starts, but only 3 top 10 finishes and 7 DNF's. Buttke was released for Dan Press who also struggled and had 4 DNF's. Press was soon replaced by another West Series driver, Kevin Harvick, who had made two previous starts in the No. 79 Chevrolet at Tucson and Louisville, finishing in the top 20. Harvick would struggle with only an average season of mid pack finishes but garnered two 8th-place finishes. Harvick ran the full 1998 season except for Nashville, where Lonnie Rush Jr. drove the No. 75 truck but crashed. Despite three consecutive DNF's at the beginning of the year, Harvick and team rallied back to finish 17th in points, with 3 top 5s and 5 top 10s. Harvick would leave Spears for Jim Herrick's team in 1999, and was replaced by Rush, who struggled and was replaced by Marty Houston, who gave the team a top 10 at Nazareth. Houston returned in 2000, scoring 1 top 5 and 10 top 10s to finish 12th in points. His success raised the eyebrows of Armando Fitz, who got him into his Busch Series car for 2001. Another future USAR driver, Billy Bigley, took the reins of the No. 75, resulting in 1 top 5 and 8 top 10s for a 13th-place points finish.

### David Starr era

Despite Bigley's points finish, he would be replaced for 2002 by David Starr. Despite making only 5 starts in 2001, Starr had 4 top 5 finishes with John Menard Jr.'s truck team. Given a full-time ride, the combination of Starr and Spears would prove to be one of the most famous in the Truck Series. Starr gave the team its first ever win at Vegas holding off eventual champion Mike Bliss. Their first season with Starr proved to be their best with 8 top 5s and 16 top tens resulting in a 5th-place points finish along with the Most Popular Driver award. In 2003, Starr was tenth in points after finishing 6th at Texas when he was injured, forcing him to miss four races. Starr was replaced by Busch Series driver Hank Parker Jr. who had two top 10s. Starr returned at Gateway, but could not find victory lane again and dropped to 13th in points. In 2004, the team would have its most successful seasons, taking the pole at Charlotte, along with 2 wins, 8 top 5s and 16 top 10s and a 6th-place points finish. 2005 gave the team only four top 5s and ten top 10s and a 7th-place points finish. Starr announced his departure from Spears and move to Red Horse Racing in 2006.

### Success and demise

Joe Gibbs Racing owner Joe Gibbs contracted Spears to field their Cuban American development driver Aric Almirola for Rookie of the Year in 2006. Almirola would become the first ROTY contender to drive the famous No. 75. However, Almirola struggled in his transition and mustered only 3 top 10s. Almirola would move up to the Busch Series part-time. For 2007, Spears would hire "Short Track Slayer" Dennis Setzer, the so-called bridesmade of the Truck Series for finishing 2nd in points three years in a row with the struggling Morgan-Dollar Motorsports. Setzer lived up to his name by winning at Mansfield on a no stop strategy. That would be the last top five for Spears as Setzer did not break into the top 10 after that race and was released prior to Vegas. USAR driver Clay Rogers would step into the No. 75 but would not crack the top 10. At season's end Wayne and Connie Spears posted a letter on their website's homepage announcing that Spears Motorsports would not return for 2008 due to financial difficulties.

#### Truck No. 75 History

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results :
| Year | Driver | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | NCTC | Pts |
| 1995 | Bill Sedgwick | 75 | Chevy | PHO 12 | TUS 8 | SGS 3 | MMR 2 | POR 7 | EVG 15 | I70 8 | LVL 11 | BRI 5 | MLW 5 | CNS 4 | HPT 15 | IRP 27 | FLM 5 | RCH 33 | MAR 8 | NWS 25 | SON 6 | MMR 9 | PHO 10 | | | | | | | | | |
| 1996 | Bobby Gill | 75 | Chevy | HOM 23 | PHO 9 | POR 20 | EVG 26 | TUS 7 | CNS 11 | HPT 15 | BRI 7 | NZH 18 | MLW 6 | LVL 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1996 | Nathan Buttke | 75 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | I70 7 | IRP 8 | FLM 19 | GLN 29 | NSV 28 | RCH 6 | NHA 17 | MAR 28 | NWS 21 | SON 27 | MMR 14 | PHO 25 | LVS 33 | | | | | | |
| 1997 | Dan Press | 75 | Chevy | WDW 28 | TUS 32 | HOM 14 | PHO 27 | POR 18 | EVG 21 | I70 28 | NHA 30 | TEX 26 | BRI 21 | NZH 12 | MLW 25 | LVL 28 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 23rd | 2324 |
| 1997 | Kevin Harvick | 75 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CNS 20 | HPT 30 | IRP 23 | FLM 23 | NSV 16 | GLN 23 | RCH DNQ | | SON 33 | MMR 8 | CAL 20 | PHO 34 | LVS 8 | | 23rd | 2324 |
| 1997 | Rick Markle | 75 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | MAR DNQ | | | | | | | | | | 23rd | 2324 |
| 1998 | Kevin Harvick | 75 | Chevy | WDW 18 | HOM 13 | PHO 13 | POR 14 | EVG 31 | I70 26 | GLN 29 | TEX 4 | BRI 22 | MLW 11 | NZH 14 | CAL 30 | PPR 15 | IRP 11 | NHA 7 | FLM 9 | | HPT 5 | LVL 13 | RCH 25 | MEM 15 | GTY 11 | MAR 25 | SON 17 | MMR 5 | PHO 18 | LVS 20 | 15th | 3086 |
| 1998 | Lonnie Rush Jr. | 75 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NSV 27 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 15th | 3086 |
| 1999 | Lonnie Rush Jr. | 75 | Chevy | HOM 24 | PHO 12 | EVG 17 | MMR 20 | MAR 28 | MEM 33 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 20th | 2539 |
| 1999 | Marty Houston | 75 | Chevy | | | | | | | PPR 29 | I70 26 | BRI 23 | TEX 26 | PIR 12 | GLN 21 | MLW 23 | NSV 13 | NZH 6 | MCH 21 | NHA 21 | IRP 20 | GTY 32 | HPT 20 | RCH 20 | LVS 13 | LVL 20 | TEX 17 | CAL 20 | | | | 20th | 2539 |
| 2000 | Marty Houston | 75 | Chevy | DAY 18 | HOM 10 | PHO 21 | MMR 22 | MAR 19 | PIR 9 | GTY 25 | MEM 17 | PPR 10 | EVG 25 | TEX 7 | KEN 4 | GLN 17 | MLW 6 | NHA 10 | NZH 19 | MCH 8 | IRP 13 | NSV 18 | CIC 20 | RCH 14 | DOV 7 | TEX 19 | CAL 8 | | | | 12th | 2942 |
| 2001 | Billy Bigley Jr. | 75 | Chevy | DAY 26 | HOM 24 | MMR 9 | MAR 16 | GTY 10 | DAR 9 | PPR 25 | DOV 25 | TEX 22 | MEM 11 | MLW 7 | KAN 5 | KEN 10 | NHA 15 | IRP 29 | NSH 23 | CIC 32 | NZH 7 | RCH 10 | SBO 15 | TEX 18 | LVS 16 | PHO 32 | CAL 11 | | | | 15th | 2718 |
| 2002 | David Starr | 75 | Chevy | DAY 7 | DAR 6 | MAR 8 | GTY 5 | PPR 5 | DOV 4 | TEX 3 | MEM 7 | MLW 6 | KAN 24 | KEN 8 | NHA 3 | MCH 5 | IRP 34 | NSH 11 | RCH 13 | TEX 3 | SBO 7 | LVS 1 | CAL 11 | PHO 18 | HOM 8 | | | | | | 5th | 3144 |
| 2003 | David Starr | 75 | Chevy | DAY 36 | DAR 9 | MMR 9 | MAR 12 | CLT 17 | DOV 3 | TEX 6 | | | | | GTW 6 | MCH 13 | IRP 11 | NSH 4 | BRI 18 | RCH 32 | NHA 8 | CAL 5 | LVS 2 | SBO 9 | TEX 31 | MAR 9 | PHO 6 | HOM 3 | | | 10th | 3292 |
| 2003 | Hank Parker Jr. | 75 | Chevy | | | | | | | | MEM 15 | MLW 8 | KAN 11 | KEN 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 10th | 3292 |
| 2004 | David Starr | 75 | Chevy | DAY 12 | ATL 36 | MAR 9 | MFD 9 | CLT 3 | DOV 8 | TEX 29 | MEM 10 | MLW 33 | KAN 19 | KEN 3 | GTW 1 | MCH 21 | IRP 16 | NSH 2 | BRI 7 | RCH 23 | NHA 8 | LVS 10 | CAL 4 | TEX 4 | MAR 29 | PHO 1 | DAR 7 | HOM 3 | | | 6th | 3298 |
| 2005 | David Starr | 75 | Chevy | DAY 8 | CAL 27* | ATL 5 | MAR 22 | GTY 21 | MFD 9 | CLT 19 | DOV 8 | TEX 9 | MCH 12 | MLW 11 | KAN 24 | KEN 10 | MEM 5 | IRP 17 | NSH 17 | BRI 8 | RCH 21 | NHA 13 | LVS 3 | MAR 21 | ATL 11 | TEX 4 | PHO 14 | HOM 11 | | | 8th | 3148 |
| 2006 | Aric Almirola | 75 | Chevy | DAY 32 | CAL 21 | ATL 18 | MAR 18 | GTY 10 | CLT 9 | MFD 30 | DOV 12 | TEX 32 | MCH 36 | MLW 13 | KAN 18 | KEN 22 | MEM 18 | IRP 21 | NSH 22 | BRI 32 | NHA 29 | LVS 10 | TAL 22 | MAR 16 | ATL 30 | TEX 20 | PHO 22 | HOM 23 | | | 21st | 2471 |
| 2007 | Dennis Setzer | 75 | Chevy | DAY 19 | CAL 19 | ATL 7 | MAR 13 | KAN 26 | CLT 22 | MFD 1 | DOV 19 | TEX 16 | MCH 24 | MLW 19 | MEM 19 | KEN 18 | IRP 13 | NSH 26 | BRI 26 | GTW 19 | | | | | | | | | | | 16th | 2262 |
| 2007 | Clay Rogers | 75 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NHA 12 | LVS 11 | TAL 15 | MAR 26 | ATL 34 | TEX 33 | PHO 16 | HOM 27 | | | | 16th | 2262 |

#### Truck No. 79 History

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results :
| Year | Driver | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | NCTC | Pts |
| 1997 | Kevin Harvick | 79 | Chevy | WDW | TUS 21 | HOM | PHO | POR | EVG | I70 | NHA | TEX | BRI | NZH | MLW | LVL 11 | CNS | HPT | IRP | FLM | NSV | GLN | RCH | MAR | SON | MMR | CAL | PHO | LVS | | |