PENNDEL, PA's Andy Belmont is on top of the world. "I am living my dream," said the Penndel racer over a tuna fish salad lunch the other day. "This is what I have wanted to do all my life."
He is offended, to a degree, by the designation "field-filler" that many in the media have called him and others who have seen an opportunity and taken advantage. There are only 37, maybe 38, Nextel Cup teams planning to make every Cup race this season. That is five or six short of what usually makes up a full starting field for a race. So there is a need for teams to fill out the field.
NASCAR spokesperson Jim Hunter has said that there is nothing that says there has to be 43 race starters. There are no guarantees to the TV networks or to the race organizers that there will be 43 starters. It just happens to be, according to Hunter, that we have been using 43 starters for several years.
And contrary to what has been suggested by many media there is no plan, at present, to cut the field of starters.
So with that in mind NASCAR now sees some independent and, perhaps, under-funded teams showing up to fill out the field for Cup races. At Atlanta Motor Speedway two weeks back just 44 teams were on hand and it was Morgan Shepherd, a winner at Atlanta in the past, who was not able to qualify.
In the field were Kirk Shelmerdine (former crew chief for the late Dale Earnhardt), Andy Hillenburg, Joe Ruttman and……….Andy Belmont. These are names not usually associated with Cup racing. Hillenburg could not even get his car to last until the green flag before it had to be pushed to the garage area.
The opportunity for these so called "field-fillers" is to run some laps in Cup competition and earn a big paycheck. Last place is worth close to $55,000 and for racers like Shelmerdine, Hillenburg, Ruttman and Belmont that is big money.
However Belmont is very serious about the racing. "Our plan was to run the entire race that Sunday. We had the crew ready and we had the tires. It was a broken halfshaft that put us out of the race at Atlanta. (Belmont finished 39th after starting 41st and he earned more than $54,000.) We were looking for a lot better luck at Darlington this past weekend," said the former local dirt track racing star. "Even though some people refer to me as a back-marker (field-filler), I am very serious about Cup racing. But when I hear all those comments about being a field-filler I just laugh and respond with 'I've got a seat at the head table.'" Belmont did not get the better luck at Darlington as mechanical woes earned him a 37th place finish.
This is not the first time for Andy in Cup racing. Prior to the Atlanta race he had not qualified for a Cup race since 1992. He did make four tries in 1994 with no success and since then he has directed his attentions to ARCA RE/MAX Series racing where he has become one of the top stars of that circuit.
Andy has teamed with another veteran Cup racer in Hermie Sadler, older brother to Cup star Elliott Sadler who drives the M&M sponsored Ford, and they share the driving chores and the expenses of fielding the team. Belmont was in the car this past weekend with Continental Fire & Safety (Trenton) as the primary sponsor. At Bristol, this weekend, Hermie will drive and Andy gets back in the car when the Cup Series heads to Texas Motor Speedway the first weekend of April.
And when there is a schedule conflict and Belmont is busy with Cup racing, his wife (Jennifer) will take their Chaser sponsored Ford to the ARCA RE/MAX Series events so that their young protégé Brandon Knupp can continue his chase for the Rookie of the Year honors. The 18-year-old racer, a native of Ohio, is living at the Belmont home in Penndel and working at the Langhorne race shop.
The first conflict happens on April 25th when ARCA is running at Salem, Indiana Speedway and the Cup cars are at Talladega SuperSpeedway.
Sadler and Belmont continue to seek primary sponsorship for their team effort.
And to show that he is not really upset about being called a field-filler Belmont has bought the rights to www.fieldfillers.com and plans to have fun with the new website….with NASCAR's blessing. The site is presently under construction and will take a humorous approach to the field-filler position.
"We're going to try to entertain the writers who throw rocks at us and give them a little (field-filler) fodder," said the 45-year-old racer.
Belmont is on top of the world doing what he has always wanted to do and he is having fun with it all.
AUTO RACING FANS will have the opportunity to see many of their favorite racers as they test and tune their 2004 racing equipment as part of the annual Free-to-the-Public practice session at Grandview Speedway. Activity will get the green flag at 12 noon on Saturday, March 27th and the free (racers will pay a pit fee) action will continue until 5 p.m.
This will be the final chance for racers to get their racing equipment ready for the new season and fans will have the opportunity to see NASCAR Modifieds, Late Models, sprints, midgets and other types of racing equipment.
"Last year the practice session had close to 100 race cars on hand and a good turnout of fans as the weather was very cooperative. We are hoping Ma Nature works with us again this year. It is a great opportunity for fans and it gives those who may not be familiar with auto racing on the short tracks to come out and enjoy all the on track activities," said event organizer Bruce Rogers.
The day also gives racers a chance to sign up for their NASCAR license to avoid any delays on opening night.