Rick Minter, Senior Writer
Rick Minter joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 1991, where he covered motorsports as well as serving as a bureau chief. From 2000-2008 he focused on racing exclusively, traveling the NASCAR circuit as the paper’s motorsports writer and winning awards from several organizations including the Georgia20 Automobile Racing Hall of Fame Association and the City of Atlanta. Minter and his wife Joanne live on the family farm in Inman, Ga. In his spare time he collects and restores antique tractors and trucks.
Articles by Rick Minter
By Rick Minter | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
A few observations as the Sprint Cup circuit head back to NASCAR’s traditional stomping grounds…
Picking a favorite in the Chase has become as easy as “1,2,3.”
That’s Jimmie Johnson’s respective finishes in the past three races, once he got his bad race – a 25th at New Hampshire – behind him. [...]
By Rick Minter | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Despite all the hype about the most competitive Chase ever, the storyline for this year’s title run appears headed for an old familiar line as Jimmie Johnson and his No. 48 team are beginning to look like the same outfit that won the past four in a row.
Johnson already has [...]
By Rick Minter | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Flowery Branch, Ga. – The first sure signs that the 13th annual Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta was going to be a real happening came about four miles down Interstate 85 from the exit to the race track Saturday morning. That’s where the traffic slowed to anywhere from a [...]
By Rick Minter | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
With balloting for the NASCAR Hall of Fame just around the corner, there’s already speculation about who’ll make the second class. Surely David Pearson, who was passed over the first time around, will be a shoo-in. Likewise, Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip should go it, which could make for an [...]
By Rick Minter | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
There are lots of questions out there surrounding the penalties placed on Clint Bowyer and his No. 33 team, penalties that not only dropped him from second to last in the Chase standings but also likely took him out of the running for the title.
Besides the 185 points he has [...]
By Rick Minter | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Hampton, Ga. – With Atlanta Motor Speedway celebrating its Golden Anniversary it’s natural to look back on your own personal experiences over the years, especially if you live within earshot of the track.
Standing in the garage Saturday afternoon, looking across the way at the backstretch, which once was the frontstretch, [...]
By Rick Minter | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Hampton, Ga. – Two entities that have been beaten down in recent times emerged victorious on Saturday night at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Jamie McMurray, the driver Roush Fenway Racing decided to put on the street to meet NASCAR’s limit of four drivers per race team, outran the Nationwide Series’ best drivers [...]
By Rick Minter | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Hampton, Ga. – In his interview session at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday, Carl Edwards weighed in on a subject that has always been one of great intrigue in motorsports – and other sports too for that matter.
His comments point out the fact that a driver’s skill level doesn’t always [...]
By Rick Minter | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
A few random thoughts as the NASCAR circuit heads to the home turf, Atlanta Motor Speedway:
The prospect of a Chase field with more than its share of non-winners – and a no-win champion for that matter – looms large with just two races left to run before the start of [...]
By Rick Minter | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Bristol, Tenn. – There are few places in the NASCAR world more friendly to the dwindling print and Internet media corps than Bristol Motor Speedway. Lori Worley and the rest of the staff there seem really to enjoy and appreciate the presence of the people who earn a living dragging [...]