While several NFL players and former players briefly have tested the waters of NASCAR ownership, Moss says his NASCAR venture is a long scoring drive, not a Hail Mary. (Photo: Geoff Burke, Getty Images) ยป More Photos
With quarterback Tom Brady out due to injury, Randy Moss has been forced to step up and rally his fellow New England Patriots, and he has found encouragement in some of the strangest places.
The New England Patriots All-Pro wide receiver announced in July he had joined forces with veteran NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team owner David Dollar to form Randy Moss Motorsports.
The No. 81 Randy Moss Motorsports Chevrolet team will close out the season’s five remaining NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races with rookie Donny Lia behind the wheel, beginning with Saturday’s event at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway (3 p.m. ET live on SPEED; NCTS Setup with Krista Voda at 2:30 p.m. ET).
In eight starts as the newly-formed organization, RMM has logged two top-10 finishes with five different drivers, including two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series defending champion and current points leader Jimmie Johnson; Marc Davis (18-year-old African-American who finished 16th in NCTS debut); Landon
Cassill (scored team’s season best finish of sixth Oct. 4 at Talladega); Willie Allen (2007 Truck Series Rookie-of-the-Year) and Lia, who scored his first Truck Series victory in May at Mansfield (Ohio) Motorsports Park.
Moss spends most of his time on the football field but still finds himself in the company of fellow NASCAR fans in Foxborough, Mass., especially amongst his offensive line. In fact, many of the team members watch NASCAR on television in the team hotels during game weekends.
“I have (as NASCAR fans) my long snapper, Lonnie Paxton; I have Dan Copen, my center, and also I have one of my coaches, Mattie Patricious,” Moss said. “I’m getting a lot of positive feedback from my teammates and I think their biggest question is ‘when can we come?’ So I think they are just as excited as I (about) knowing someone on a personal level, their teammate, owns a racing team. Hopefully, you’ll see them at a couple races with me.”