Beard Motorsports

During his driving career, Mark Beard raced for his own team in ARCA and the NASCAR Busch Series as an owner-driver, but also fielded cars in the 1990s for drivers like Gary Neice, Dana Patten, Bobby Dotter, L. D. Ottinger, Richard Lasater, Butch Miller, and Jim Brinkley Jr.{{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/owner/Mark_Beard|title=Mark Beard – Ownership stats|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=February 1, 2021}} The owner of the oil business Beard Oil, he founded Beard Motorsports in 2009 and began racing in ARCA with Clay Rogers; Beard acquired equipment from Hendrick Motorsports.{{cite news|last=Dickman|first=Jeremy H.|url=https://www.themorningsun.com/sports/beard-ii-making-the-most-of-racing-team/article_1b8e559e-4634-5eee-b5a8-80b89d79ce11.html|title=Beard II making the most of racing team|newspaper=The Morning Sun|date=July 17, 2010|access-date=February 1, 2021}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.mlive.com/sports/bay-city/index.ssf/2012/06/mt_pleasant-based_beard_oil_wi.html|title=Mt. Pleasant-based Beard Oil withdraws from Michigan International Speedway ARCA race|newspaper=MLive.com|access-date=2017-02-07|language=en-US}} The team split time between the numbers 42 and 45 and scored a best finish of fourth at Iowa Speedway.{{Cite web|url=http://racing-reference.info/drivdet/rogercl01/2012/A|title=Driver Clay Rogers 2012 ARCA Racing Series Results - Racing-Reference.info|website=racing-reference.info|access-date=2017-02-07}}

File:Brendan gaughan (47701302772).jpg in the No. 62 at Talladega Superspeedway in 2019]]

Mark Beard founded the team during the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The race team's engine was built with old Hendrick Motorsports parts and with tests at various east coast tracks, including at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The team was on the entry list for the July race at Loudon but withdrew their car before attempting to qualify.{{Cite news|url=http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/clay-rogers-and-beard-motorsports-to-attempt-sprint-cup-debut-this-weekend/|title=Clay Rogers and Beard Motorsports to attempt Sprint Cup debut this weekend|newspaper=Motorsport.com|access-date=2017-02-07|language=en}} The team then attempted to run at Richmond International Raceway two months later with Clay Rogers in the No. 75 Beard Oil Chevrolet;{{Cite web|url=http://www.theracingexperts.com/beard-motorsports-to-attempt-richmond.php|title=Beard Motorsports to attempt Richmond|access-date=2014-12-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151004124735/http://www.theracingexperts.com/beard-motorsports-to-attempt-richmond.php|archive-date=2015-10-04|url-status=dead}} however, they failed to qualify for the race. The last time Beard Motorsports attempted to qualify for a race was at Phoenix International Raceway with Rogers, but weren't able to make the race.{{Cite web|url=http://racing-reference.info/drivdet/rogercl01/2014/W|title=Driver Clay Rogers 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Results - Racing-Reference.info|website=racing-reference.info|access-date=2017-02-07}}

The team did not attempt any races in 2015 or 2016.{{Cite news|url=http://autoweek.com/article/nascar/brendan-gaughan-mark-beard-enter-nascar-daytona-500-childress-support|title=Brendan Gaughan, Mark Beard enter NASCAR Daytona 500 with RCR support|newspaper=Autoweek|access-date=2017-02-07}}

In 2017, Beard Motorsports announced it would run the Daytona 500 with Brendan Gaughan in the No. 75 Beard Oil Chevrolet.{{Cite web|url=http://overtakemotorsport.com/2017/01/13/brendan-gaughan-to-run-the-daytona-500/|title=Brendan Gaughan to run the Daytona 500|last=Nguyen|first=Justin|date=2017-01-13|website=Overtake Motorsport|access-date=2017-02-07}} Gaughan's Richard Childress Racing Xfinity Series pit crew serviced the car and the team used a Childress engine. The team also bought a car from Leavine Family Racing, a Childress satellite; the car had finished 15th in the previous year's Daytona 500 with Michael McDowell.{{cite news|last=Kantowski|first=Ron|url=http://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/motor-sports/las-vegan-brendan-gaughan-will-attempt-race-daytona-500|title=Las Vegan Brendan Gaughan will attempt to race in Daytona 500|newspaper=Las Vegas Review-Journal|date=January 12, 2017|access-date=January 13, 2017}} The team does not possess a NASCAR charter.{{Cite news|url=http://workingonmyredneck.com/index.php/2017/01/13/brendan-gaughan-will-attempt-to-make-the-2017-daytona-500/|title=Brendan Gaughan Will Attempt To Make The 2017 Daytona 500|date=2017-01-13|newspaper=Working On My Redneck|access-date=2017-02-07|language=en-US}} As one of the two fastest non-charter cars in qualifying, Gaughan was able to make the field.

Gaughan then secured an 11th-place finish in the Daytona 500, the first race in the Cup Series for the team.{{cite web|url=http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2017/2/19/who-won-daytona-500-pole-chase-elliott-qualifying-order-daytona-international-speedway.html|title=Chase Elliott Captures Back-to-Back Daytona Poles|work=NASCAR|publisher=Turner Sports Network|author=Staff report|date=February 19, 2017|access-date=February 19, 2017}} The team announced it would enter the other three 2017 restrictor plate races. Gaughan and the team returned at Talladega, finishing 27th. Then on July 1 in the Coke Zero 400, Brendan Gaughan drove the team's car to a seventh-place finish,{{cite web|url=https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/nascar-rcr-affiliates-daytona-925946/|title=RCR and its affiliates fill the top ten at Daytona|last=Utter|first=Jim|work=Motorsport.com|publisher=Motorsport Network|date=July 2, 2017|access-date=July 2, 2017}} despite hitting the wall once in the race. The team's next race was the Alabama 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Gaughan led laps and ended up 17th after avoiding the big one then being collected in the next crash.

The team came back for the 2018 slate of restrictor-plate races, and did the same as well in 2019, using cars from Richard Childress Racing, engines from ECR Engines, and technical support from the Childress crew.{{cite web |last1=Catanzareti |first1=Zach |title='I Love This Family': Gaughan Proud of Talladega Finish with Small Team |url=http://kickinthetires.net/index.php/2019/04/28/i-love-this-family-gaughan-proud-of-talladega-finish-with-small-team/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190501213624/http://kickinthetires.net/index.php/2019/04/28/i-love-this-family-gaughan-proud-of-talladega-finish-with-small-team/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 May 2019 |website=Kickin The Tires |access-date=29 April 2019 }}

2020 marked Gaughan's final season as a driver.{{cite web |url=https://www.jayski.com/2019/12/21/brendan-gaughan-plans-to-make-2020-his-final-season-of-racing/ |title=Brendan Gaughan plans to make 2020 his final season of racing |website=Jayski's Silly Season Site |publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. |date=December 21, 2019 |access-date=December 31, 2019}} He made the field at the 2020 Daytona 500 by posting the second fastest qualifying speed of all the non-charter teams (188.945 mph; 33rd overall).{{cite web |url=https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2020/02/09/justin-haley-brendan-gaughan-daytona-500-qualifying-spots/ |title=Haley, Gaughan exhale after securing Daytona 500 starting spots |first=Zack |last=Albert |website=NASCAR.com |publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. |date=February 9, 2020 |access-date=February 10, 2020}} Gaughan's tenure with the team and career ended in the YellaWood 500 at Talladega, where he finished 35th after being collected in a Stage 2 wreck.{{cite news|url=https://www.talladegasuperspeedway.com/Articles/2020/10/Brendan-Gaughan-Makes-His-Final-NASCAR-Start-in-YellaWood-500-at-Talladega.aspx|title=This Is It: Brendan Gaughan, a Fan Favorite, Makes His Final NASCAR Start in the YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway|work=Talladega Superspeedway|date=October 2, 2020|access-date=November 9, 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://www.speedwaydigest.com/index.php/news/nascar-cup-series-news/59035-crash-leaves-gaughan-35th-in-final-nascar-race|title=Crash Leaves Gaughan 35th in Final NASCAR Race|date=October 5, 2020|access-date=November 9, 2020}}

On January 14, 2021, Beard announced Noah Gragson would attempt to make his Cup debut in the Daytona 500.{{cite news|url=https://truespeedcommunication.com/beard-motorsports-tabs-gragson-for-daytona500/|title=Beard Motorsports Tabs Gragson for Daytona 500|work=Beard Motorsports|publisher=True Speed Communication|date=January 14, 2021|access-date=January 14, 2021}} On January 31, just 14 days before the 500, team owner Mark Beard died at age 72.{{cite web|title=Mark Beard Sr., No. 62 team owner, passes away|url=https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2021/02/01/mark-beard-sr-obituary-nascar-cup-series/|date=February 1, 2021|accessdate=February 1, 2021|website=NASCAR.com|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC}}

On September 7, 2021, Beard Motorsports announced they will return in the 2022 season, entering the No. 62 in all four superspeedway races with Gragson competing in the 2022 Daytona 500.{{cite web |url=https://www.jayski.com/2021/09/07/beard-motorsports-will-attempt-to-qualify-into-2022-daytona-500/ |title=Beard Motorsports will Attempt to Qualify into 2022 Daytona 500 |website=Jayski's Silly Season Site |publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC |date=September 7, 2021 |access-date=September 8, 2021}} Gragson finally made his debut, but he failed to finish being involved in a crash. He achieved sponsorship from Wendy's for Talladega and achieved his first ever top-20 finish in a Cup Series race. Later on, at the August Daytona Race, Gragson finished fifth in the race, giving the team their first top 5 in a NASCAR Cup Series race.

Beard Motorsports attempted to make the 2023 Daytona 500 with Austin Hill, but Hill failed to make the field after a late crash resulted in an 18th place finish in Duel 2 of the 2023 Bluegreen Vacations Duels.{{cite web |url=https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2023/02/16/cup-series-2023-bluegreen-vacations-duel-qualifiers/ |title=Conor Daly, Zane Smith clinch final berths for Daytona 500 field in Duels |first=Zack |last=Albert |website=NASCAR |date=February 16, 2023 |access-date=February 17, 2023}}

For the 2024 season, Beard Motorsports signed Anthony Alfredo to drive the No. 62. Alfredo finished 27th at the 2024 Daytona 500 and scored a career-best sixth place finish at Talladega.{{cite web |url=https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2024/04/21/tyler-reddick-wins-cup-series-race-at-talladega/ |title=Tyler Reddick steals Talladega win as last-lap mayhem unfolds |first=Holly |last=Cain |website=NASCAR |date=April 21, 2024 |access-date=April 22, 2024}} At the 2024 Coke Zero Sugar 400, Parker Retzlaff scored an impressive seventh place finish after pushing Harrison Burton to the lead under an overtime finish.{{cite web |url=https://www.nascar.com/results/racecenter/2024/nascar-cup-series/daytona-international-speedway-2/stn/recap/ |title=Coke Zero Sugar 400 Race Results |website=NASCAR |date=August 24, 2024 |access-date=August 25, 2024}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Racing-Reference owner|Mark_Beard}}
• {{Racing-Reference owner|Beard_Motorsports}}

{{Beard Motorsports}}

{{Richard Childress Racing}}

{{NASCAR Cup Series teams}}

{{Chevrolet in NASCAR}}

Category:NASCAR teams

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Category:American auto racing teams

Category:Auto racing teams established in 2009