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
Concord, N.C. – There was a time when a 600-mile NASCAR race was a grueling test of man and machine.
Now with drivers more fit and cars essentially bullet-proof, Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 is in some respects just a race with another 100 miles to run.
Yes, most drivers hydrate themselves in the [...]
By Rick Minter | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Concord, N.C. – Two guys who know all about Tony Stewart the car owner say they’re not surprised at his early success as a driver/owner in the Sprint Cup Series
Donny Schatz and Kraig Kinser, who wheel Stewart-owned sprint cars on the World of Outlaws circuit, joined Stewart for his media [...]
By Rick Minter | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Concord, N.C. – The other half of Stewart Haas Racing, Gene Haas, met with the media on Thursday for the first time since he returned to racing after serving prison time for tax evasion.
Haas, seated on the podium in the Lowe’s Motor Speedway media center between his partner, Tony Stewart, [...]
By Rick Minter | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Concord, N.C. – The good times continue to roll for Stewart Haas Racing. Four days after team co-owner Tony Stewart gave the team its first win, in the Sprint All-Star race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, teammate Ryan Newman returned to the track and won the pole for the 50th running [...]
By Rick Minter | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Mooresville, N.C. – Don Miller has gone from working with some of the sport’s fastest cars and most talented current drivers to working with cars and drivers that likely will never race again.
And he absolutely loves it.
As president of Penske Racing South, Miller was the overseer for the preparation of [...]
By Rick Minter | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Concord, N.C. – Carl Long is a little guy with a big problem. He’s facing one of the most severe penalties in NASCAR history – 200 points, 12 weeks suspension and a $200,000 fine for his crew chief, Charles Swing. The part-time team was hit after the engine in their [...]
By Rick Minter | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Saturday night dirt tracks are as much a part of Americana as country churches, state parks and mom-and-pop stores.
For the past 40 years, Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, Ga., has been entertaining fans with good old-fashioned rock-em, sock-em dirt track racing. The track will celebrate its anniversary on Memorial Day weekend.
First [...]
By Rick Minter | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Concord, N.C. – When it comes to passion and picking talented drivers from the hordes of hopefuls out there, there are few people in NASCAR that can match Mike Mittler.
Mittler is the owner of a machine and tool company in Foristell, Mo., and a part-time Camping World Truck Series owner/crew [...]
By Rick Minter | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
The life and times of the flashy Frank Mundy came to a sad end last week at an Atlanta nursing home. Mundy died at age 90 from complications from a fall.
Reporters who found their way to Mundy’s home in an upscale Atlanta neighborhood, always got a great interview from a [...]
By Rick Minter | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Concord, N.C. – From listening to Tony Stewart talk about winning Saturday’s Sprint Cup All-Star race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, it’s clear that he’s operating according to a philosophy that will continue to serve him well as a driver/owner.
The recurring theme of Stewart’s comments was: “It’s not all about me.”
Stewart [...]