Shaffer
02-11-03, 08:40 AM
The start of the 2003 NASCAR Busch Grand National series is nearing, and the Marine Corps and Team Rensi Motorsports are prepared to continue the success they found in 2002. The team returns with its top-10 finishing 2002 crew, February 15 at Daytona International Speedway for the season opener.
The team finished 8th in points last season, the best finish to date for Team Rensi Motorsports and Team Marines. Last year Bobby Hamilton Jr., driver of the No. 25 Team Marines Ford Taurus, visited victory lane finishing first in the New England 200 at New Hampshire International Speedway. Altogether 2002 was an excellent year for Team Marines Racing with 15 top ten finishes, but the team looks forward to this year. Hamilton Jr., has recently completed preseason testing of the car and feels that both it and him are finely tuned for competition to begin.
"The pre-season tests are a good indicator of where you stand in relation to all of the other guys out there," said Hamilton, Jr. "You get a good feel for the car and what things make you fast and what things make the car handle the best. For a driver, it gets you mentally prepared and ready to jump back in the seat at Daytona. We had a great season last year, and my expectations are to have even better success in 2003."
The team also renews its partnership with the Marine Corps. The 2003 season will mark the Marine Corps' fourth year of involvement in the NASCAR Busch Series and their third year with Team Rensi Motorsports.
"Team Rensi is a first-class organization," said Capt. Robert Geiger, Marine Corps Recruiting Command. "Owners Ed and Sam Rensi and Gary Weisbaum, have all had very successful careers and fully understand our goals and marketing objectives."
In addition to the team's success, Bobby Hamilton Jr. is a young driver who demonstrates the same values as the young men and women that the Marine Corps is looking to recruit.
"Bobby is a young man with unlimited drive to succeed," said Geiger. "His determination, sportsmanship, and fearless attitude mirror the kind of aggressiveness and character that we look for and that we successfully shape and sharpen in the making of Marines."
The partnership with Team Rensi Motorsports and the Marine Corps' involvement with NASCAR continues to be one of the Marine Corps most visible and exciting marketing programs.
"There are similarities between NASCAR and The United States Marine Corps," explained Geiger. "Both include individuals looking for a challenge, working together as a team to reach an established goal, and giving your best every day to succeed in your chosen profession."
The team will continue to provide the Team Marines Racing show car for visits to local community events and high schools in support of Marine recruiters; and offer a venue at races for community leaders and influencers to see what the Marine Corps and Team Marines Racing is all about.
"We have had an opportunity to host a wide variety of educators and business leaders on behalf of the Marine Corps these last two years," said Ed Rensi. "We are looking forward to continuing to represent one of America's finest organizations, the United States Marine Corps, in 2003."
Since the 2002 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Team Marines has been working diligently at the Team Rensi Motorsports shop preparing cars, participating in daily pit stop training exercises and getting mentally prepared for the upcoming 2003 season opener. With the right amount of teamwork both on and off the track, and the help of a few good Marines, the 2003 Busch series will be a success for Team Marines Racing and the Marine Corps.
The team finished 8th in points last season, the best finish to date for Team Rensi Motorsports and Team Marines. Last year Bobby Hamilton Jr., driver of the No. 25 Team Marines Ford Taurus, visited victory lane finishing first in the New England 200 at New Hampshire International Speedway. Altogether 2002 was an excellent year for Team Marines Racing with 15 top ten finishes, but the team looks forward to this year. Hamilton Jr., has recently completed preseason testing of the car and feels that both it and him are finely tuned for competition to begin.
"The pre-season tests are a good indicator of where you stand in relation to all of the other guys out there," said Hamilton, Jr. "You get a good feel for the car and what things make you fast and what things make the car handle the best. For a driver, it gets you mentally prepared and ready to jump back in the seat at Daytona. We had a great season last year, and my expectations are to have even better success in 2003."
The team also renews its partnership with the Marine Corps. The 2003 season will mark the Marine Corps' fourth year of involvement in the NASCAR Busch Series and their third year with Team Rensi Motorsports.
"Team Rensi is a first-class organization," said Capt. Robert Geiger, Marine Corps Recruiting Command. "Owners Ed and Sam Rensi and Gary Weisbaum, have all had very successful careers and fully understand our goals and marketing objectives."
In addition to the team's success, Bobby Hamilton Jr. is a young driver who demonstrates the same values as the young men and women that the Marine Corps is looking to recruit.
"Bobby is a young man with unlimited drive to succeed," said Geiger. "His determination, sportsmanship, and fearless attitude mirror the kind of aggressiveness and character that we look for and that we successfully shape and sharpen in the making of Marines."
The partnership with Team Rensi Motorsports and the Marine Corps' involvement with NASCAR continues to be one of the Marine Corps most visible and exciting marketing programs.
"There are similarities between NASCAR and The United States Marine Corps," explained Geiger. "Both include individuals looking for a challenge, working together as a team to reach an established goal, and giving your best every day to succeed in your chosen profession."
The team will continue to provide the Team Marines Racing show car for visits to local community events and high schools in support of Marine recruiters; and offer a venue at races for community leaders and influencers to see what the Marine Corps and Team Marines Racing is all about.
"We have had an opportunity to host a wide variety of educators and business leaders on behalf of the Marine Corps these last two years," said Ed Rensi. "We are looking forward to continuing to represent one of America's finest organizations, the United States Marine Corps, in 2003."
Since the 2002 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Team Marines has been working diligently at the Team Rensi Motorsports shop preparing cars, participating in daily pit stop training exercises and getting mentally prepared for the upcoming 2003 season opener. With the right amount of teamwork both on and off the track, and the help of a few good Marines, the 2003 Busch series will be a success for Team Marines Racing and the Marine Corps.