# Innovative Motorsports

Innovative Motorsports (IMI) is a former NASCAR team. It was owned by George DeBidart and began racing in the Busch North Series in the mid-1990s, before moving to the Busch Series in 1998.

## Winston Cup

Innovative ran four Cup races during its tenure. Using the No. 98 Chevy purchased from Michael Waltrip Racing, Kenny Wallace ran the Pepsi 400, the Tropicana 400, the Brickyard 400, and the Sirius at the Glen. His best finish was 29th.

### Car No. 98 results

Innovative Motorsports No. 98 :
| 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 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | NWCC | Pts |
| 2002 | Kenny Wallace | 98 | Chevy | DAY | CAR | LVS | ATL | DAR | BRI | TEX | MAR | TAL | CAL | RCH | CLT | DOV | POC | MCH | SON | DAY 42 | CHI 29 | NHA | POC | IND 32 | GLN 36 | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | NHA | DOV | KAN | TAL | CLT | MAR | ATL | CAR | PHO | HOM | 54th | 240 |

## Busch Series
### Car No. 47 history

Innovative debuted on the Busch Circuit at the 1998 NAPA Auto Parts 300. Andy Santerre was the driver of the car, the No. 47 Monro Muffler and Brake Chevrolet Monte Carlo, and finished 25th. Santerre was the driver for the whole season, grabbing two top-tens, a pole at Richmond, and NASCAR Busch Series Rookie of the Year honors. The next season, Santerre suffered a broken leg in a crash at Daytona, and missed half of the year. Elliott Sadler filled in for him, posting two top-ten finishes. Santerre returned and won his first career race at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Santerre struggled making the field, and was released. Hermie Sadler finished the year, his best finish a 22nd at Phoenix.
Sadler took over the car full-time in 2000, as it was renumbered the No. 30 and receiving sponsorship from Little Trees. Sadler struggled making races as well, and would soon be released. Chad Little replaced him, but when his performance didn't improve over Sadler's, Sadler came back to finish the year, and posted a seventh-place run at Pikes Peak.
After the team did not run in 2001, it returned in 2002 as the No. 47 with rookie Shane Hmiel driving with sponsorship from Mike's Hard Lemonade. Hmiel had two poles, eight top-tens and a sixteenth-place points finish, finishing behind Scott Riggs and Johnny Sauter for Rookie of the Year. The team closed after that.

#### Car No. 47 results

Innovative Motorsports No. 47 :
| NASCAR Busch 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 | 32 | 33 | 34 | Owners | Pts |
| 1998 | Andy Santerre | 47 | Chevy | DAY 25 | CAR 25 | LVS 26 | NSV 16 | DAR 37 | BRI 11 | TEX 19 | HCY 29 | TAL 38 | NHA 17 | NZH 34 | CLT DNQ | DOV 37 | RCH 43 | PPR 22 | GLN 12 | MLW 23 | MYB 13 | CAL 34 | SBO 15 | IRP 29 | MCH 36 | BRI 16 | DAR 20 | RCH 10 | DOV 38 | CLT DNQ | GTY 4 | CAR 23 | ATL 21 | HOM 40 | | | | 26th | 2609 |
| 1999 | Andy Santerre | 47 | Chevy | DAY 42 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DOV DNQ | SBO DNQ | GLN 30 | MLW 13 | MYB DNQ | PPR 1 | GTY 19 | IRP 35 | | BRI 13 | DAR DNQ | | | | | | | | | | 31st | 2238 |
| 1999 | Mike Swaim Jr. | 47 | Chevy | | CAR 40 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 31st | 2238 |
| 1999 | Elliott Sadler | 47 | Chevy | | | LVS 7 | ATL 42 | DAR 35 | TEX 42 | NSV 16 | BRI DNQ | TAL | CAL 5 | NHA 15 | RCH 35 | NZH 12 | CLT 28 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 31st | 2238 |
| 1999 | Ricky Craven | 47 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | MCH DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 31st | 2238 |
| 1999 | Ward Burton | 47 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | RCH 32 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 31st | 2238 |
| 1999 | Hermie Sadler | 47 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DOV 42 | CLT DNQ | CAR DNQ | MEM 23 | PHO 22 | HOM 30 | | | | 31st | 2238 |
| 2000 | Hermie Sadler | 30 | Chevy | DAY 14 | CAR 20 | LVS DNQ | ATL DNQ | DAR 41 | BRI DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | MLW 17 | NZH 11 | PPR 7 | GTY 27 | IRP 17 | MCH 36 | | DAR 31 | | DOV 27 | | CAR 24 | MEM 23 | PHO 30 | HOM 42 | | | 34th | 2256 |
| 2000 | Chad Little | 30 | Chevy | | | | | | | TEX DNQ | | TAL DNQ | CAL 12 | RCH DNQ | | CLT 31 | DOV DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 34th | 2256 |
| 2000 | Philip Morris | 30 | Chevy | | | | | | | | NSV DNQ | | | | | | | SBO 28 | MYB 36 | | | | | | | | BRI 40 | | RCH 42 | | CLT 32 | | | | | | | | | | 34th | 2256 |
| 2000 | Mike Olsen | 30 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | NHA 26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 34th | 2256 |
| 2000 | Butch Leitzinger | 30 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | GLN 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 34th | 2256 |
| 2002 | Shane Hmiel | 47 | Pontiac | DAY 5 | | | | | | | TAL 21 | | | | | | | | | | DAY 34 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 21st | 3416 |
| 2002 | Shane Hmiel | 47 | Chevy | | CAR 36 | LVS 42 | DAR 19 | BRI 10 | TEX 26 | NSH 19 | | CAL 23 | RCH 21 | NHA 4 | NZH 19 | CLT 31 | DOV 33 | NSH 9 | KEN 19 | MLW 6 | | CHI 23 | GTY 26 | PPR 24 | IRP 39 | MCH 25 | BRI 24 | DAR 29 | RCH 28 | DOV 10 | KAN 14 | CLT 10 | MEM 11 | ATL 20 | CAR 8 | PHO 41 | HOM 16 | 21st | 3416 |
| 2003 | Regan Smith | 47 | Chevy | DAY | CAR | LVS | DAR | BRI | TEX | TAL | NSH | CAL | RCH | GTY | NZH | CLT | DOV | NSH | KEN | MLW | DAY | CHI | NHA | PPR 40 | IRP | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | KAN | CLT | MEM | ATL | PHO | CAR | HOM | 121st | 0 |

### Car No. 48 history

The second Innovative car made its debut in 2000 at Daytona with Mike McLaughlin, sponsored by Goulds Pumps. He wrecked and finished 26th. McLaughlin struggled through the course of the season, and had six top-tens en route to a 24th-place points finish. Just before the 2001 season, McLaughlin quit the team for Joe Gibbs Racing, and was replaced by Kenny Wallace. Wallace had two poles as well as a victory in North Carolina Speedway, finishing 10th in points. After Stacker 2 came on as a sponsor, Wallace improved to seventh in points in 2002 and had thirteen top-tens, but did not win. After the No. 47 team closed its doors, Hmiel moved to the 48 and had ten top-tens and was in eighth in points, when he was suspended by NASCAR for violating its drug policy. Jeff Green, Todd Bodine, Carlos Contreras, Randy LaJoie, and Kerry Earnhardt finished out the year for the team.

#### Car No. 48 results

Innovative Motorsports No. 48 :
| NASCAR Busch 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 | 32 | 33 | 34 | Owners | Pts | Ref |
| 2000 | Mike McLaughlin | 48 | Chevy | DAY 26 | CAR 15 | LVS 43 | ATL 21 | DAR 33 | BRI 42 | TEX 40 | NSV 2 | TAL 14 | CAL 41 | RCH 25 | NHA 33 | CLT 32 | DOV 10 | SBO 24 | MYB 30 | GLN 5 | MLW 28 | NZH 34 | PPR 8 | GTY 36 | IRP 34 | MCH 5 | BRI 28 | | RCH 30 | DOV 34 | CLT 39 | CAR 16 | MEM 24 | PHO 15 | HOM 31 | | | 23rd | 2845 | |
| 2000 | Ward Burton | 48 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DAR 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 23rd | 2845 |
| 2001 | Kenny Wallace | 48 | Chevy | DAY 8 | CAR 4 | LVS 24 | ATL 19 | DAR 4 | BRI 5 | TEX 43 | NSH 36 | TAL 10 | CAL 38 | RCH 8 | NHA 5 | NZH 32 | CLT 30 | DOV 12 | KEN 35 | MLW 16 | GLN 11 | CHI 14 | GTY 6 | PPR 9 | IRP 11 | MCH 22 | BRI 3 | DAR 18 | RCH 23 | DOV 2 | KAN 25 | CLT 32 | MEM 21 | PHO 10 | CAR 1 | HOM 25 | | 12th | 3799 | |
| 2002 | Kenny Wallace | 48 | Chevy | DAY 10 | CAR 12 | LVS 8 | DAR 5 | BRI 6 | TEX 25 | NSH 11 | | CAL 14 | RCH 17 | NHA 26 | NZH 12 | CLT 12 | DOV 7 | NSH 6 | KEN 9 | MLW 18 | | CHI 28 | GTY 19 | PPR 13 | IRP 5 | MCH 18 | BRI 6 | DAR 11 | RCH 10 | DOV 9 | KAN 22 | CLT 22 | MEM 19 | ATL 18 | CAR 9 | PHO 30 | HOM 24 | 8th | 4078 | |
| 2002 | Kenny Wallace | 48 | Pontiac | | | | | | | | TAL 9 | | | | | | | | | | DAY 35 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 8th | 4078 |
| 2003 | Shane Hmiel | 48 | Pontiac | DAY 17 | | | | | | TAL 3 | | | | | | | | | | | DAY 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 13th | 3866 | |
| 2003 | Shane Hmiel | 48 | Chevy | | CAR 35 | LVS 12 | DAR 13 | BRI 7 | TEX 3 | | NSH 14 | CAL 8 | RCH 8 | GTY 13 | NZH 19 | CLT 38 | DOV 13 | NSH 34 | KEN 19 | MLW 18 | | CHI 16 | NHA 15 | PPR 14 | IRP 4* | MCH 9 | BRI 4 | DAR 28 | RCH 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 13th | 3866 | |
| 2003 | Jeff Green | 48 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DOV 39 | | CLT 24 | | | | | | | | | | 13th | 3866 |
| 2003 | Todd Bodine | 48 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | KAN 29 | | | ATL 18 | | CAR 19 | | 13th | 3866 | |
| 2003 | Randy LaJoie | 48 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | MEM 30 | | | | | | | | 13th | 3866 | |
| 2003 | Kerry Earnhardt | 48 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | PHO 25 | | | | 13th | 3866 | |
| 2003 | Carlos Contreras | 48 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | HOM 17 | 13th | 3866 | |

## Craftsman Truck Series

In 2004, Innovative closed its Busch teams, and signed with Toyota to field entries in the Craftsman Truck Series, the No. 12 driven by Robert Huffman and the No. 21 driven by Hank Parker Jr. Huffman, a rookie, had six top-tens, but failed to finish nine races and ended up twenty-third in points. Parker Jr. had four top-tens and finished 17th in points. Due to a lack of funding, Innovative closed up for good at the end of the season, with Huffman's team being sold to Darrell Waltrip Motorsports, and Parker's team to Capital Motorsports.

### Truck No. 12 Results

Innovative Motorsports No. 12 :
| NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Year | Team | 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 | NCTS | Pts |
| 2004 | Robert Huffman | 12 | Toyota | DAY 36 | ATL 29 | MAR 34 | MFD DNQ | CLT 16 | DOV 11 | TEX 28 | MEM 16 | MLW 36 | KAN 24 | KEN 10 | GTW 27 | MCH 9 | IRP 23 | NSH 8 | BRI 32 | RCH 6 | NHA 32 | LVS 31 | CAL 17 | TEX 29 | MAR 10 | PHO 31 | DAR 9 | HOM 35 | 25th | 2363 |

### Truck No. 21 Results

Innovative Motorsports No. 21 :
| NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Year | Team | 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 | NCTS | Pts |
| 2004 | Hank Parker, Jr. | 21 | Toyota | DAY 18 | ATL 33 | MAR 12 | MFD 19 | CLT 22 | DOV 3 | TEX 23 | MEM 12 | MLW 17 | KAN 21 | KEN 22 | GTW 5 | MCH 29 | IRP 15 | NSH 15 | BRI 6 | RCH 20 | NHA 9 | LVS 21 | CAL 15 | TEX 13 | MAR 31 | PHO 23 | DAR 35 | HOM 17 | 17th | 2737 |