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. – Michael Waltrip can be kind of goofy at times, clowning for the cameras in commercials and on TV broadcasts of races and on televised racing shows.
But at the core, he’s a serious racer, and that side of him showed on Thursday as he failed to earn [...]
By Rick Minter | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Daytona Beach, Fla. – There weren’t many wrecks in Thursday’s Gatorade Duels, but they still were considered exciting races by most of those who really watched it.
From the top of a transporter in the garage area, it was readily apparent that once the tires became worn, drivers were really struggling [...]
Daytona Beach, Fla. – I’m not sure why I arrived at the track in a contrary mood this morning. I woke up on the right side of the fold-away bed in the Homewood Suites. I had a nice breakfast and a pleasant drive into the track.
But as the teams are outside the media center preparing [...]
By Rick Minter | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Daytona Beach, Fla. – NASCAR is doing its best to spice up things this season, with new rules, or lack thereof, on aggressive driving and bump drafting. And now there’s a good chance that there will be more than one try at a green-white-checkered-flag finish if the situation warrants.
But will [...]
Daytona Beach, Fla. – Many of the same media members who picked Carl Edwards as the top challenger to Jimmie Johnson last year are picking Denny Hamlin as the most likely to dethrone this year.
Although the pre-season picks don’t mean much, especially considering Edwards was never a championship threat last year and didn’t even win [...]
Daytona Beach, Fla. – Driving into Daytona International Speedway this morning, running a bit late due to traffic in Jacksonville, I drove right by the first tunnel to the infield.
I’d rather lose a few minutes than break a decades-long tradition of driving into the track through the old, narrow corrugated-metal tunnel in Turn 4.
Just seeing [...]
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
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, [...]