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
Daytona Beach, Fla. – The economy is bad, there’s no doubt, and it seems to be as hard on NASCAR as any other industry. But some things about a bad economy can bring about a breath of fresh air.
For instance, this year’s Raybestos Rookie of the Year battle in the [...]
By Rick Minter | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
If you’ve been watching the History Channel’s “Madhouse” series about short track racing at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston Salem, N.C., and wonder if all the buzz about an in-town short track has been contrived for the cameras, don’t bet the grocery money on it.
A little history lesson from down [...]
By Rick Minter | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
The Wood Brothers Racing Team has been one of the backbones of NASCAR since the sport was founded. The Woods, from Stuart, Va., have been racing continuously in the division now known as Sprint Cup since 1953 and have 96 wins to their credit.
In a RacinToday exclusive series, Eddie Wood, [...]
By Rick Minter | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
The Wood Brothers Racing Team has been one of the backbones of NASCAR since the sport was founded. The Woods, from Stuart, Va., have been racing continuously in the division now known as Sprint Cup since 1953 and have 96 wins to their credit.
In a RacinToday exclusive series, Eddie Wood, [...]
The common theme in the early rounds of NASCAR media and fan events this season has been the sport’s efforts to give the fans what they want. Rules changes are being made in response to fans’ complaints about “boring” races. The very fact that events such as Preseason Thunder at Daytona and Speed and Sound [...]
By Rick Minter | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
For most of his 23 years, Reed Sorenson’s story was a textbook lesson on how to groom an aspiring young race driver and propel him to a ride in the elite Sprint Cup Series. But the latest chapter in his career, one in which he’s having to step back to [...]
By Rick Minter | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Daytona Beach, Fla. – Kevin Harvick, whose driving contract with Richard Childress Racing ends at the conclusion of the 2010 season, shed absolutely no light on his future plans during the media portion of his appearance at Preseason Thunder at Daytona International Speedway.
“I’m not getting in the middle of it,” [...]
Daytona Beach, Fla. – NASCAR’s “Junior Nation” can take heart in some of the comments coming out of the Preseason Thunder media sessions at Daytona International Speedway.
The general thinking among Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s fellow drivers is that his sagging fortunes are headed for a turn-around.
Earnhardt finished 25th in points last year with two top-five and [...]
By Rick Minter
RacinToday.com
Daytona Beach, Fla. – Daytona International Speedway president Robin Braig saiid Saturday that former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin has requested credentials for the Daytona 500.
Braig said he ran the request by the France family, which controls the speedway and NASCAR, and got the go-ahead to host Palin, who will be in Daytona [...]
By Rick Minter | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Daytona Beach, Fla. – Midway through the first flush of the fan and media appearances that signal the start of another Sprint Cup season, there seems to be one small group that isn’t quite ready to concede a fifth straight championship to Jimmie Johnson and his No. 48 team.
That group [...]