G2 Auto Racing

Johnson gets 2nd straight victory, Griffin Motorsports takes small lead

2007-03-21T14:32:00.000-05:00

After 4 weeks being dead even, Griffin Motorsports takes a one point lead thanks to Jimmie Johnson's second straight victory. Held on a windy afternoon in Atlanta, Jimmie dominated the race along with Tony Stewart, the two combining to lead over 75 percent of the race. After a late caution, Jimmie took the lead again with 3 laps to go and never looked back.

FBG Racing driver Matt Kenseth earns first victory of the year.

2007-02-27T12:22:00.000-05:00

On the wide surface of California Speedway, Matt Kenseth won the Auto Club 500 easily holding off the rest of the pack after a restart near the end of the race. After one of the most vicious hits ever recorded, David Reutimann's car was dismantled along the speedway forcing NASCAR to throw the red flag while cleaning the track. During the red flag, 2nd place car Kevin Harvick inexplicably got a flat tire and that left Kenseth with no true competition as he sailed to the finish.

An Unbelievable Finish!

2007-02-19T15:30:00.000-05:00

If the first race is any indication, the 2007 Cup season could be a hell of a good one. On the last lap of the Dayton 500, Griffin Motorsports driver Kevin Harvick seemingly came out of nowhere to win over Mark Martin in one of the closest finishes ever. Only leading 3 laps earlier in the race, Harvick while running with the front pack never truly seemed capable of having a car good enough to win. On the closing lap, Harvick got a great push from Matt Kenseth who had Jeff Burton behind him. With the push Harvick soared to the front of the field, nearly getting squeezed by Kyle Busch, before the dragrace to the line with Martin. Out of the 6 G2 Auto Racing drivers, Harvick was actually the only one to finish the race unscathed. All other drivers including Tony Stewart, who clearly had the best car and was favored to win, were innvolved in accidents throughout the race.

2007 Season Underway

2007-02-19T14:30:00.000-05:00

With Tony Stewart taking the checkered flag at the 2007 Budweiser Shootout, FBG Racing officially got the first pick of the G2 Auto Racing Cup Series Draft. Unsurprisingly, owner Frank Gordon selected Matt Kenseth. Kenseth has been a stalwart of FBG Racing since its inception. To match, Griffin Motorsports selected its cornerstone, Jimmie Johnson. The biggest surprises of the draft were not who got selected, but rather who did not. For the first time, 4 time champion Jeff Gordon will not be a full time driver, instead being listed as an alternate for FBG. Others who have been full time members not selected were Greg Biffle, Mark Martin, Kurt Busch, Jamie McMurray, and Casey Mears. The following illustrates the starting lineups for 2007.

2006-07-02T00:47:00.000-05:00

July 1 - For the second year in a row, FBG Racing captain Tony Stewart dominated the Summer night race at Daytona International Speedway when won the Pepsi 400 on Saturday. Stewart ran up front for most of the evening, and took the final lead from polesitter Boris Said with two laps to go.

2006-06-28T01:57:00.000-05:00

June 25th: FBG Racing's Jeff Gordon notched his first win of the 2006 season and his 9th road course win on Sunday when he took the checkered flag at the Dodge-SaveMart 350 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California.

2006-06-19T14:06:00.000-05:00

June 18th: Barely beating Carl Edwards off of pit road during a caution for rain, FBG Racing's Kasey Kahne recorded his fourth win of the 2006 season when NASCAR called the 3M Performance 400 due to rain on Sunday. Kasey's car was easily contending for the win despite the dreary conditions, and although winning due to weather is not a fan a favorite, FBG Racing notched another win nonetheless.

2006-06-02T02:19:00.000-05:00

June 1 - A statement released from the FBG Racing headquarters on Thursday stated that FBG Racing alternate Mark Martin will sub for injured captain Tony Stewart on Sunday. Stewart was injured after taking hard crashes in both the Busch Series and Cup Series races in Charlotte last Sunday, and a hairline fracture of the right scapula was reveiled. FBG Racing CEO and founder Frank Gordon stated, "Dover's a pretty tough track, and while Tony insists that he can run it, and I'm sure he could, we'd just as soon have him at 100% with no worries for the upcoming races at Michigan and Infineon. While Ricky Rudd has agreed to finish the race for Tony after the first caution, we're going to go ahead and put Mark in the captain's chair this weekend." Martin has an excellent history at Dover International Speedway, with 1 win and 4 top 5's in his last four races there.

2006-06-02T02:07:00.000-05:00

May 28 - FBG Racing's Kasey Kahne won his third victory of the 2006 season Sunday as he held off Griffin Motorsports veteran Jimmie Johnson to win the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte. Kahne, who was not only re-signed last month during the trade session but who also took Ryan Newman's spot on the acitve driver list, sending Newman to alternate status, is having a stellar year.

2006-05-08T12:05:00.000-05:00

A record setting night in Richmond, VA. as Griffin Motorsports drivers finish 1, 3, 4 under the lights Saturday night. "Damn, what a birthday this has been" said Lincoln Griffin who turned 28 the day of the race. Team Captain Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the race with Kevin Harvick and Greg Biffle placing 3rd and 4th respectively. "Its awesome to see Jr. and the Budweiser #8 in Victory Lane again, Kevin continues to race very well, and Greg finally has a finish to show how good he has run all year" Griffin stated.

2006-05-06T23:23:00.000-05:00

May 6 - Griffin Motorsports CEO and owner Lincoln Griffin had multiple reasons to smile Saturday as he celebrated his birthday by watching team captain Dale Earnhardt, Jr. capture his first win since last July when he won the Crown Royal 400 at Richmond with GM drivers Kevin Harvick and Greg Biffle hot on his heels. Earnhardt and Harvick had the dominant cars of the evening, with Biffle pushing hard for the front in the closing laps of the race. With the exception of a 6th-place effort by captain Tony Stewart, FBG Racing had an abyssmal race, with two racers well off the pace within the first 40 laps. Adding insult to injury, Griffin Motorsports pulled off the first "perfect" weekend in G2 Auto Racing history, scoring all five drivers in top ten qualifying positions (including the pole-sitter), with all three finishers in the top five, all three having led laps, all three finishing in the top G2 points spots and having a driver win the race. FBG Racing CEO Frank Gordon was recorded as saying "Ouch."

2006-05-06T13:14:00.000-05:00

May 1 - Griffin Motorsports' Jimmie Johnson blew by Brain Vickers on the final lap and held off FBG Racing captain Tony Stewart to win the rain-delayed Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on Monday. This was Johnson's third win of the season, and his second restrictor plate win this year following his controversial Daytona 500 win in February.

2006-04-03T12:08:00.000-05:00

April 2nd: With yet another strong showing at NASCAR's shortest track, FBG Racing captain Tony Stewart took the checkered at the DirectTV 500 at the paperclip known as Martinsville Speedway on Sunday with FBG Racing's Jeff Gordon close on his heels. This is the third consecutive race at Martinsville in which FBG drivers have finished 1-2. It was good day for G2 Auto Racing, with both Griffin Motorsports's Jimmie Johnson captain Dale Earnhardt, Jr. finishing in the top 5, despite significant damage to Earnhardt's car.

2006-02-26T20:45:00.000-05:00

February 26th: FBG Racing's Matt Kenseth held off Griffin Motorsports's Jimmie Johnson to win the Auto Parts 500 in Fontana, California. After the two strongest cars on the track both went to the garage for engine troubles (GM's Greg Biffle and FBG captain Tony Stewart), Kenseth made a two-tire pit stop in the dwindling laps of the race and beat Johnson to the line during a green-white-checkered finish.

2006-02-20T20:15:00.000-05:00

February 19th: After much controversy over his rules infraction and the ejection of his crew chief from all Daytona procedings and possibly more races to come, Griffin Motorsports veteran Jimmie Johnson held off Ryan Newman during a green-white-checkered finish to claim his first Daytona 500 win and the first of win of the 2006 season for Griffin Motorsports. Johnson had a rather subdued race at Daytona in comparison to his past restrictor plate events, but as the final laps came to a close, the Lowe's Chevrolet took the checkered, the coveted win and gave Griffin Motorsports an early lead in the points race.

2006-02-13T02:41:00.000-05:00

February 12 - With the 2006 season up and running, FBG Racing CEO Frank Gordon was eager to start recruitment. He quickly resigned 4-time NASCAR Champion Jeff Gordon (#24, Dupont), as well as veteran FBG driver and 2003 NASCAR Champion Matt Kenseth (#17, DeWalt). After successfully negotiating a change in sponsorship, Jamie McMurray (#26, Crown Royal) was resigned to FBG Racing. In a somewhat surprise move, former Griffin Motorsports veteran Ryan Newman was drawn from the GM garage and signed with FBG. As alternates, veteran Mark Martin (#6, AAA) and rookie Martin Truex, Jr. (#1, Bass Pro Shops) will anxiously await their chance to earn points for the team, as two-time NASCAR Champion and FBG Racing captain Tony Stewart looks to lead his teammates to a second G2 Championship.

2006-02-13T02:29:00.000-05:00

February 12 - With a first round pick for the 2006 draft following the Budweiser Shootout, Griffin Motorsports CEO Lincoln Griffin immediately resigned veteran G2 driver Jimmie Johnson (#48, Lowe's) to his team once again. Former alternate-turned-driver Greg Biffle (#16, National Guard) was also signed, as well as former FBG Racing alternate Carl Edwards (#99, Office Depot). Kevin Harvick (#29, GM Goodwrench), another veteran Griffin Motorsports team member, was also resigned for the 2006 season. Sophomore Kyle Busch (#5, Kellog's) and rookie Denny Hamlin (#11, Fedex/Kinko's) were brought to the GM garage as alternates. Griffin Motorsports looks forward to a promising year with it's new roster of drivers and captain Dale Earnhardt, Jr. at the helm.

2006-02-13T02:23:00.000-05:00

February 12 - The 2006 G2 Auto Racing Nextel Cup Series kicked off this evening with the Budweiser Shootout. G2 Team Owners will have the much-anticipated draft later this evening to determine which drivers could possibly take their team to the Championship in November.

2005-11-21T13:17:00.000-05:00

November 20 - After a heated year-long battle between reigning G2 Auto Racing Champion Griffin Motorsports and FBG Racing, G2 Auto Racing has a new Champion. With the help of a stellar year by Team Captain Tony Stewart, FBG Racing managed to hold on to a marginal points lead during the last few races of the season to become the 2005 G2 Auto Racing NASCAR Cup Series Champion. "I was on the edge of my seat until the final lap," says FBG Racing founder and CEO Frank Gordon. "Every week since the [NASCAR] Chase began, I watched Griffin Motorsports cut into an already meager points lead. I think it was as low as 10 or 11 points at one time, which can dissolve in a second in this sport. But Tony [Stewart] took it easy and Jeff [Gordon] stepped it up a notch, and in the end we came out on top. I'm really proud of my guys and can't wait until next season."

It was a season of ups and downs for both G2 Teams. Champion Griffin Motorsports was coming off of an extremely strong season, with Team Captain Dale Earnhardt, Jr. winning 6 races and driver Jimmie Johnson winning a record 8. In addition, 2004 NASCAR Champion Kurt Busch was added to the stable of talent. FBG Racing brought 4-time NASCAR Champion Jeff Gordon on board, who also came off a strong season with 6 wins. 2004 NASCAR ROTY Kasey Kahne and top-10 expert Jamie McMurray were picked up as well. After the first quarter of the season, however, it was sure to an unpredictable year. Due to internal structuring, Earnhardt's team seemed to have setback after setback, while FBG's Jeff Gordon recorded a career record number of DNF's. Changes in the Dodge areo-package brought a long learning curve for Dodge drivers Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne and Jamie McMurray, and Jimmie Johnson started and ended the season strong, but couldn't quite seem to get a rhythm going during the middle of the year. Both team owners had to adapt to a new style of racing new rules packages set down by both NASCAR and G2.

In the roughly two-month-long break before the 2006 season, team owners will keep a diligent eye on all active drivers who, with the exception of Team Captains Earnhardt and Stewart, become free agents again, as well as some of the NASCAR drivers who came into their own during the 2005 season and upcoming talent from the Busch Series. The G2 Auto Racing NASCAR Cup Series will begin again next February with the Budweiser Shootout

2005-11-21T12:43:00.000-05:00

November 20 - With five wins, a record 25 top tens and an average finish of 9.9 this season, FBG Racing Captain Tony Stewart won his second NASCAR Championship. FBG Racing founder and CEO Frank Gordon was quoted as saying "Tony has always been the foundation of this team, and was the momentum for us this year in the G2 standings. It's only fitting for him to be able to take home a Nextel Cup to set next to his Winston Cup." Stewart was lauded as the best driver of his generation by his peers, and FBG's Gordon states that he just needs to take some time off and relax, although he's sure all Tony will do is race between now and Daytona.

2005-11-21T12:37:00.000-05:00

November 20 - Griffin Motorsports' Greg Biffle won a season-high sixth race on Sunday when he inched ahead of Mark Martin after a nose-to-nose battle during the closing laps of the Ford 400 in Homestead, FL. With the G2 Auto Racing Championship on the line, Biffle did what would help his team most...he took the checkered.

2005-11-14T10:13:00.000-05:00

IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS... After 35 races, no one would guess that the final race would settle 2 Championships. It seems fitting that going into the Homestead Miami Speedway, both FBG Racing and its captain Tony Stewart are being chased closely by Griffin Motorsports and its most consistent driver, Jimmie Johnson. In the Owners Championship, FBG leads by 14 points and in the Driver Championship, Stewart is ahead by 52. In both cases, Lincoln Griffin realizes that something is going to need to happen for them to wind up on top, "when you look at the way we have run over the past month, the team overall has been very consistent. Yet even with that consistency, we have only been able to chip away a little of the lead. That just shows how consistent FBG has been, especially Tony. He has had a hell of a good year. It is going to take something out of the ordinary for us to win this thing". The 2005 season comes to an end Sunday in Miami.

2005-11-14T09:35:00.000-05:00

Busch Gone, Harvick Back In Griffin Motorsports announced that Kurt Busch was being released from his G2 Auto Racing contract for the remaining two races in the 2005 season. Busch, who was uncooperative during a traffic stop in Arizona and cited for reckless driving, will be replaced on the active driver list by Griffin Motorsports favorite Kevin Harvick. Harvick who had previously been a team stalwart, was bumped from the starting rotation in favor of Greg Biffle. Owner Lincoln Griffin stated, "it was a move that was very hard to do because I am such a fan of Kevin. The teams performance needed a boost, and that was the move that I decided to go with. I am thrilled to have him back though, and look forward to our future endeavours".

2005-09-16T00:46:00.000-05:00

September 10 - Saturday's Rock 'N Roll 400 at Richmond had numerous ups and downs for G2 Auto Racing Chase contenders, but in the end, the night belonged to Griffin Motorsports driver Kurt Busch, who recorded his third win of the year.

2005-09-12T16:57:00.000-05:00

HEADLINE NEWS A surprise press conference was held in Flowery Branch earlier this afternoon at the headquarters of Griffin Motorsports. Owner, Lincoln Griffin made his first public appearance in over 4 months, and had the following to say " First, I want to apologize to the teams and fans of Griffin Motorsports. In this time of struggle, when the organization has needed me the most, I have been a sideline particapant forgetting the hardwork that it took to capture the Championship last year. Well this will not continue, and I vow to my team, and my dedicated drivers that I will be behind them once again with all the fire and brimstone that propelled us to the top last year." The announcement was heavily applauded and there were sighs of relieve all around the Griffin Motorsports complex today. Speculation had abounded since Lincoln had all but disappeared fro mthe track, allowing most of the management decisions to be handled by subordinates within the organization. Clearly, this was having an effect on the team with only 2 main drivers making it into the Chase (Greg Biffe was a mid year addition to the team) Most profoundly though is the absence of Team Captian Dale Earnhardt Jr., whose team had been admist controversy througout the year with various shufflings of personel. After the conference, Griffin took a few questions, but most telling was when he was asked about the coveted G2 Championship. "Well obviously we are behind right now, but it is not an insurmountable lead. We have 10 races to get this organization back on top, and that is my plan. A few bits of luck may have to drop our way, but myself and my drivers do not want that trophy going anywhere, so we will do whatever it takes to ensure it stays at home."

2005-08-31T17:21:00.000-05:00

August 31 - Executing their final trade sessions of the season, Griffin Motorsports CEO Lincoln Griffin announced today that he would move Kevin Harvick to alternate status and activate Greg Biffle. Biffle is having a stellar year, with 5 wins and 13 top-10 finishes coming into this weekend's race at California. No changes were made to the FBG Racing roster.

2005-08-28T10:15:00.000-05:00

August 27 - Breaking a losing streak that has lasted since Las Vegas last March, FBG Racing's Matt Kenseth dominated the field to win the Sharpie 500 at Bristol from the pole. Kenseth led 415 of 500 laps, and the 17 team is now in contention for the Chase after struggling through much of the year. This is Matt's first win at Bristol Motor Speedway.

2005-08-18T14:45:00.000-05:00

August 14th - Continuing his red-hot streak, FBG Racing captain Tony Stewart completely dominated the Sirius At The Glen in New York, posting his 5th win in the last 7 races. With qualifying rained out, Tony was able to start at the front of the line as the current points leader, and from the green flag put distance between himself and the rest of the field. A broken alternator gave the Home Depot crew some cause for concern, but after switching batteries and turning off all cooling systems in the car, Tony was able to take the green-white-checkered in stride, and bring home another victory.

2005-08-07T19:25:00.000-05:00

August 7 - FBG Racing captain Tony Stewart made history and fulfilled a boyhood dream when he won the Brickyard 400 (Allstate) at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Tony and fellow teammate Kasey Kahne battled for over 30 as the race closed to an end, and crossed the finish line 1-2. This is Stewart's 4th win in 6 races, allowing him to take the Nextel points lead.

2005-07-24T20:40:00.000-05:00

July 24 - After his second place finish last week in New Hampshire, Kurt Busch brought his A-game, and secured another win for Griffin Motorsports by winning the Pennsylvania 500 in Pocono this weekend. Busch led 131 of 200 laps and took the checkered for his second win of the 2005 season.

2005-07-18T14:43:00.000-05:00

July 17th - Tony Stewart scored his third win in 4 races on Sunday when he took the checkered in Loudon at the New England 300. Kurt Busch, one of the favorites to win after he swept the track last season, overcame an early spin and pit problems to battle his way back to the top five, where he passed Stewart for the lead, only to brush the wall and lose it to the FBG Racing Captain, who held off the hard-charging Griffin Motorsports racer to the final lap. Tony once again climbed the fence at the finish line, waving the checkered from the flag stand, an old Indiannapolis tradition.

2005-07-13T21:17:00.000-05:00

July 10 - After struggling all season, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. managed his first win since the Fall race in Phoenix last year when he won the USG Sheetrock 400. Junior climbed through the field all day, and took on two tires during the last pit stop, putting him ahead of FBG Racing's Matt Kenseth, who had led most of the race. A late caution kept the hard-charging Kenseth, Johnson and Stewart at bay, and Junior took the checkered with a comfortable lead. Clouds of dust were seen nation-wide as bandwagon fans dusted off their Budweiser apparell.

2005-07-03T10:51:00.000-05:00

July 2nd - Tony Stewart completely dominated the Pepsi 400 in Daytona, leading 151 of 160 laps from the pole. Stewart broke the record for the most laps led in a 400 mile race, as well as notching his first career restrictor plate race win. This was the FBG Racing captain's second win in two weeks after last week's Dodge/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway, and he is looking forward to Sunday's race at Chicagoland Speedway, where he got his first win of 2004.

2005-06-26T19:25:00.000-05:00

June 26th: FBG Racing captain Tony Stewart notched his first win of the season when he edged Ricky Rudd for the checkered at the Dodge/Save Mart 350 in Sonoma, California. The race was plagued with transmission problems for G2 racers Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, whose transmission issues took them from the front of the field early in the race. Stewart has recorded 4 wins out of his last 9 road course races, and looks forward to the upcoming race at Watkins Glen in August.

2005-06-20T10:14:00.000-05:00

May 30 - Griffin Motorsports put a notch in the 'Win' column on Saturday as Jimmie Johnson edged Bobby Labonte on the final lap of the Coca-Cola 600 to become the first driver in NASCAR history to win three of the same races in a row, and the longest race of the season, no less. Unlike his dominating presence at Lowe's Motor Speedway last Fall, Johnson took his time and moved quietly but steadily through the field, and used a five lap restart to move up the four spots to take the checkered.

2005-05-14T22:26:00.000-05:00

After 16 career top 5's and 6 2nd-place finishes in the Nextel Cup Series, Kasey Kahne recorded his first Cup Victory at the Chevy American Revolution 400 in Richmond on May 14th after holding off numerous furious charges from FBG Racing captain Tony Stewart. Kahne led the most laps on Saturday, and was the class of the field.

2005-05-02T08:40:00.000-05:00

After a hectic yet typical day at Talladega, involving the Big One which collected 25 cars and a late wreck involving 6 cars, Jeff Gordon managed to finish the Aaron's 499 unscathed, and crossed the finish line 1-2 with FBG Racing captain Tony Stewart to record his 72nd career win and his 3rd of the season.

2005-04-25T20:51:00.000-05:00

G2 Auto Racing Team Owners Lincoln Griffin and Frank Gordon held their first trade session of the 2005 Nextel Season this morning. Both owners apparently had their eyes on the same small list of drivers who were not yet driving for them, yet were performing well. As points leader, Griffin Motorsports utilitized their first trade when they released alternate Joe Nemecheck and took on Greg Biffle, who has two wins in eight starts this year. FBG Racing alternate Jason Leffler was released from his contract duties with the team, and [Frank] Gordon signed Carl Edwards, one of his Busch Series primaries, to the vacant position. Edwards has one win so far this season in the Nextel Series. Neither owner utilized their second trade, and the next G2 Trade Session is scheduled for Monday, August 28th.

With Trade Session Looming, Owners And Drivers Prepare For Good Showing

2005-04-22T13:35:00.000-05:00

April 22 - Saturday night's Subway Fresh 500 under the lights at Phoenix International Raceway may be the last time some drivers race under the coveted G2 Auto Racing name, yet it will most likely be an unnecessary nail-biting affair.
Sunday afternoon, G2 Auto Racing Nextel Series team owners Lincoln Griffin and Frank Gordon will convene to utilize a new clause that was initiated this year: a trade session. Each owner will get two "trades" each. They are allowed to move an active driver to alternate status, activate an alternate driver, or release a driver outright and replace him with any non-G2 Auto Racing competitor.
This weekend's trade session is the first of two for the season that is designed to help the owners get a feel for some of the younger drivers who were brought up from the Busch Series this year, or to relieve teams with personnel changes. "This isn't a witch hunt," claims FBG Racing CEO Frank Gordon. "It's very possible that these two trade sessions will come and go with nothing happening at all. But the opportunity is there, and that's a relief. You can't always tell who's going to be doing what 3 months down the road."
Any new G2 drivers will have only a few days to cut their teeth under their new administration before making preparations for the Aaron's 499 in Talladega on May 1st.

2005-04-11T08:22:00.000-05:00

Jeff Gordon captured his sixth win at the Martinsville half-mile oval Sunday when he crossed the checkered to take the Advance Auto Parts 500. After going three laps down early in the race, Gordon slowly but surely brought the Dupont Chevrolet back onto the lead lap, and passed Sterlin Marlin for the lead with 34 laps to go. This is Gordon's 71st career win and his second win of the season with FBG Racing.

2005-04-05T23:20:00.000-05:00

Kevin Harvick, after starting from the rear of the field at Bristol for unapproved car repair, showed the Tennessee fans that he had the car to beat on Sunday as he took the checkered flag at the Food City 500. The race itself was pandemonium, with more cars damaged and in the garage area than on the lead lap. Harvick kept his car pristine, however, and recorded his first win of the 2005 season for Griffin Motorsports.

2005-02-28T13:01:00.000-05:00

An up and down day for both G2 Auto Racing owners. FBG Racing saw a potentially huge points day go for not in the waning laps under the California sun. With all three drivers running strong throughout the day, two of the drivers would go on to not even finish the race. Kasey Kahne got loose in turn four and destroyed the back end of his Mountain Dew Dodge. He admitted later that it was his mistake of driving to hard into the corner. Jeff Gordon lost a cylinder like several Hendrick motors throughout the day. While he tried to stay on the track, he was eventually black flagged for not keeping a safe minimum speed.

2005-02-22T09:27:00.000-05:00

Sunday, Feb. 20th: Secretly, FBG Racing CEO Frank Gordon was hoping that this would be his captain's weekend. Having won a Gatorade Duel and his first career Busch win, Tony Stewart seemed primed to take home the trophy for the Great American Race. And for the first 175 laps, that seemed quite possible. Yet like most restrictor plate races, the real action didn't start until the cars ran down the final laps.
"I had complete confidence that G2 Cars would be contenders for this race," said [Frank] Gordon. "Daytona has always been a favorite track for both Jeff and Dale, and Stewart and Johnson have had success here, as well. But I was hoping to see an FBG Racing car in the new Victory Lane, and sure enough, I got to." Gordon and Stewart were one-two for much of the last half of the race. When Gordon began to try to get a run on Stewart, eventually Griffin Motorsports drivers Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Jimmie Johnson joined the action. When Gordon attempted to pass Stewart on the outside, Earnhardt stayed tucked behind Stewart, and two drafting "trains" were formed. Earnhardt took advantage of the draft to pass Stewart on the outside, but was later passed on a green-white-checkered finish by Jeff Gordon and newly-acquired Griffin Motorsports driver Kurt Busch. Despite his best efforts to catch up with Gordon, Earnhardt finished third and Jeff took the checkered.
After trading paint with Griffin Motorsports driver Jimmie Johnson, who finished fifth, Stewart finished inside the top ten with a seventh place finish. Griffin Motorsports sophomore Ryan Newman finished 20th after battle with traffic, and FBG Racing's Jamie McMurray was forced into the garage earlier on after The Big One, and finished 32nd.
The Daytona 500 puts Griffin Motorsports into an early points gain with a 33-30 lead over FBG Racing. Both G2 Auto Racing team will compete in the Auto Club 500 at Fontana next week.

Budweiser Shootout Beneficial For FBG Racing, Who Gets First Draft Pick For 2005 Season

2005-02-13T10:11:00.000-05:00

Although there were some reservations around the garage area about FBG Racing CEO Frank Gordon's choice of Jeff Gordon to represent him in the Budweiser Shootout, [Frank] Gordon insists that it was the right call. And now everyone agrees with him.
"I'm glad that Tony did as well as he did," says Gordon, "Just seeing him run through the pack like that right from the start was very reassuring to me. Sure, at superspeedways like Daytona and Talladega, you're going to see a lot of back-and-fourth movement along the drafting lines, but Tony made some great moves and had a hell of a race."
Shortly after the conclusion of the Budweiser Shootout, G2 Auto Racing began its draft for the 2005 Season. FBG Racing immediately added NASCAR veteran driver and four-time Winston Cup Champion Jeff Gordon to its ranks, followed by 2004 Raybestos Rookie of the Year Kasey Kahne. For the fourth spot in his active driver pool, Gordon acquired Jamie McMurray, whose consistency in putting top 5 and top 10 finishes on the board caught Gordon's eye last year. 2003 Winston Cup Champion Matt Kenseth was resigned to the FBG Racing roster, as well. As for alternates, Gordon gave a nod to 2004 FBG Racing driver Bobby Labonte and Winston and Busch Series regular Jason Leffler to fill the last of the FBG ranks.
"I couldn't be happier with the draft for this year," says Gordon. "I have a very balanced team, and we'll be a much stronger force in the qualifying points this year, despite the reduction in points."
FBG Racing's 2005 team will begin its points accumulation with the Daytona 500 Bud Pole Qualifying at 1:00PM later today.

G2 Auto Racing Sanctioning Body To Meet In Early February

2005-01-24T18:30:00.000-05:00

G2 Auto Racing founders Lincoln Griffin of Griffin Motorsports and Frank Gordon of FBG Racing will bring the sanctioning body of G2 Auto Racing to a meeting in Dacula, Georgia on the 5th of February to finalize plans for the 2005 season. Among the items on the racing organization's agenda is the finalization of G2 scoring procedures for both qualifying and racing, as well as numerous amendments to the present set of G2 Auto Racing rules that will help to iron out any "grey areas" during the season. "We are expounding a bit on the use of alternates," says FBG Racing's Frank Gordon. "We put a clause in the rules for the use of an alternate driver, but honestly didn't expect to use them. When Earnhardt was injured at mid-season last year, Lincoln and I were a little confused as to how to go about initiating an alternate driver. Hopefully this will take the guess work out of it, as we quickly learned that alternates are a very important part of any race team." Yet another item up for finalization is the use of trade sessions during the course of the season. When asked about this, Griffin Motorsports CEO stated, "The trade sessions are still something we're considering for the 2005 season, but nothing has been set in stone just yet. With so much young talent coming up from the Busch Series this year, the drivers, their crews and even the team owners themselves occasionally need a time of adjustment. The trade sessions will maximize each team's potential." Although some teams may opt not to utilize the trade sessions, they have nonetheless been proposed. If adopted, they are rumored to occur just prior to the Food City 500 in early April at Bristol and the Pepsi 400 at Daytona Speedway. Finally, G2 Auto Racing announced last week that it will begin a Busch Series, and that at least one new team will be competing along with FBG Racing and Griffin Motorsports. Due to the unpredictability of Busch Teams and the extreme nature of the Series "Silly Season", an almost completely new set of rules will need to be drafted for the G2 Auto Racing Busch Series. The sanction body of G2 Auto Racing plans to have all matters for both its Nextel and Busch Series competitions finalized by the end of their meeting in Dacula so that they may go into Daytona Speed Weeks as smoothly as possible.

Jeff Gordon To Make Shootout For FBG Racing

2005-01-20T10:12:00.000-05:00

2004 Griffin Motorsports alternate and now free agent Jeff Gordon has been picked to represent FBG Racing in the Budweiser Shootout for G2 Auto Racing on February 12 at Daytona International Speedway. This is a crucial event for the G2 teams, as the highest-ranking driver will give his respective team first pick in the 2005 G2 Auto Racing draft.
"We're all very excited to kick off the season," said FBG Racing's found and CEO Frank Gordon. "Jeff posted some very strong numbers during testing, and given his success at Daytona in the past, we thought we'd give him a shot." There have been rumors circulating about why FBG Racing front man Tony Stewart was not picked to compete in the Shootout, but Gordon insists that they are completely unfounded. "I am well aware of Tony's skill here at Daytona, and the decision not to have him compete for us in the Shootout was not an easy one. However, given to the new changes that NASCAR has made concerning the aerodynamics of the car, Jeff has more seat time in the new setup, and was consistently at the top of the field during testing. Tony is looking forward to Speed Weeks at Daytona, and is ready to make the 2005 G2 Auto Racing season a great one for FBG Racing. I, for one, can't wait to see what he does at the Daytona 500."
There has been a buzz for days around the Daytona garage area about the G2 draft, with which drivers will be picked for the G2 Auto Racing teams. With rules changes from both NASCAR and G2 taking effect this season, team owners Frank Gordon and Lincoln Griffin will both need to make careful choices as to who will compete for the coveted G2 Auto Racing Championship.

2005-01-03T16:03:00.000-05:00

With the holiday season officially over, G2 Auto Racing continued preparations for Speedweeks 2005 with testing sessions at Daytona. Seen here are Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart, who drive for Griffin Motorsports and FBG Racing, respectively. Earnhardt Jr. was the fastest of the session today with Stewart coming in at a close second.

2005-01-03T15:57:00.000-05:00

Enjoying the Holiday break, Frank and Lincoln live it up G2 Auto Racing style in Gatlinburg, TN. for New Year's

2004-12-09T15:32:00.000-05:00

It was quite an event when the owners of G2 Auto Racing met in historic Victory Lane at Daytona Speedway to conclude the weeklong festivities following the 2004 season. The week saw many celebrations, a foosball tournament, good food, good fun and more than anything a fitting end to such a tremendous first year. The highlight though was the anticipated rewarding of the championship jacket. Won this year by Lincoln Griffin, owner of Griffin Motorsports, he was absolutley thrilled when he finally go to put it on. "What a relief and what an honor"' he stated. "To be able to win this in our first year really goes beyond anything I expected. It came down either us or FBG Racing, and to be able to battle it out with not only a respected fellow owner but a friend was a lot of fun. We plan on enjoying this for about a week, but then its back to business b/c now that I have a taste of this, I do not want to let it go".

2004-11-24T13:35:00.000-05:00

In an announcement today that surprised no one, Kasey Kahne won the Raybestos Rookie of the Year Award. Kahne was by far the most dominate rookie on the scene this year racking up 4 Bud poles, 13 top 10 finishes including 5 second place finishes, and finishing 13th in points.

2004-11-19T10:08:00.000-05:00

The Dale Earnhardt Jr., Budweiser # 8 gets pushed to the inspection area before qualifying gets underway in Miami.

Griffin, Gordon To Attend Ford 400

2004-11-18T11:19:00.000-05:00

As fate would have it, the remaining five contenders for the first Nextel Cup Championship are all G2 Auto Racing drivers: Two alternates from Griffin Motorsports (Gordon, Martin), two primaries from Griffin Motorsports (Johnson, Earnhardt) and a primary form FBG Racing (Busch). With the Championship hinging on the last race of the year, both G2 owners have decided to attend the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway to oversee their teams as they attempt to bring the Cup back to their respective G2 Garages.
Lincoln Griffin, founder and CEO of Griffin Motorsports, as well as Frank Gordon, founder and CEO of FBG Racing, will not be attending the Ford 300, having decided to lend all of their support to the drivers who are competing for the Nextel Cup. "We couldn’t be happier with the success of G2 Auto Racing in its initial year," says Gordon. "Although we were certain that many of our drivers would be amoung the leading contenders in the Chase, Lincoln and I were both very happy to see 9 G2 drivers in those coveted spots. I think it says a lot about the organization."
When asked if he was worried that his one competing driver for the cup was contending so closely against two drivers from Griffin Motorsports, FBG Racing’s CEO did not seem overly concerned. "Of course I’m anxious to see how it all turns out, but Kurt [Busch] has the easiest job. He’s in the lead, so as long he can finish better than the other contenders, he should be fine."

2004-11-18T10:29:00.000-05:00

With one race remaining, the coveted Championship jacket is in sight for the owners of G2 Auto Racing. With both owners being present in Miami, it should be a memorable time as the inaugural season comes to its conclusion.

2004-11-17T13:32:00.000-05:00

In this rare photo taken before the creation of Griffin Motorsports, team owner Lincoln Griffin is shown behind the wheel of the #9 Penzoil machine. After an uninspiring top speed of 142 though, Griffin decided his talents would be best utilized outside of the car.

2004-11-12T21:35:00.000-05:00

After losing a bet to fellow owner Frank Gordon, Lincoln Griffin reluctantly shotguns his second Budweiser.

2004-11-12T21:32:00.000-05:00

The women behind G2 Auto Racing

2004-11-12T21:30:00.000-05:00

After an exhausting day of running a total of 14 teams, the owners of G2 Racing get ready for a couple of beers.

2004-11-12T15:43:00.000-05:00

Lincoln Griffin, owner of Griffin Motorsports, announced today that Dale Earnhardt Jr. would still be allowed to race in the American Le Mans series along with other series if he so desired. Griffin stated, " Obviously we have a concern for Jr., but he is a driver and a grown man. If he wants to drive in series outside of Nextel, not only would I support him, I would try to help in anyway possible". Dale Jr replied, "well, you know it is nice to have that kind of support from top to bottom. I just drive what ever is put in front of me man. After Sonoma, I really was not sure if I wanted to get back in one of those Vettes, but now that some time has passed, I can see myself doing it again. They are alot of fun, shit, you can just drive the wheels off of em."

2004-11-12T15:35:00.000-05:00

Griffin Motorsports has had a spectacular year in its rookie season. Five of their seven drivers are in the Chase for the Championship, and Rookie of the Year Kasey Kahne shows that they may be able to continue their domination for some time.

2004-11-12T15:14:00.000-05:00

Frank Gordon, owner of FBG Racing, enjoys the Tony Stewart machine at the top of the field.

2004-11-11T17:12:00.000-05:00

After his win at Phoenix, Dale Earnhardt Jr. moved within 47 points of Kurt Busch for the Cup Championship

Griffin Motorsports and FBG Racing announce the creation of the G2 Racing Web Page

2004-11-11T16:46:00.000-05:00

With its inagaural season winding down, G2 Racing announced the creation of its first web page to ensure the continuation of it's racing league.