Dennis Setzer

Dennis Howard Setzer (born February 27, 1960) is an American former professional stock car racing driver. He has driven in all three of NASCAR's top series, scoring two wins in the Xfinity Series in 1994 and eighteen wins in the Craftsman Truck Series from 1995 to 2012, where he had his greatest success from 2003 to 2005, where he scored nine of his eighteen wins and finished second in the final championship standings three years in a row.

Beginnings Setzer made his NASCAR debut in the Busch Series in 1991 in the All Pro 300. He started fifth in his own No. 4 Ford Thunderbird, but crashed on lap nine and finished fortieth. He ran another race the following year, at Hickory Motor Speedway in a car owned by Bill Davis. He wrecked in that race as well but still managed to finish 26th. In 1993, he ran four races for Daniel Welch, and had a top-ten run in the Advance Auto Parts 500. He was also a notable competitor in the Sportsman Division.

Sprint Cup Series

Setzer got a job in Bill Elliott's secondary rides, the No. 13 and the No. 89 in 1998. Sponsorship was provided by Elliott's team, which was McDonald's McRib and FirstPlus Financial. In Setzer's eight attempted starts, he posted one DNQ, one DNF and a best finish of nineteenth at Talladega Superspeedway. After a four-year absence, Setzer returned to the Winston Cup Series in 2002. He lined up with Travis Carter, owner of his own ailing team, Haas-Carter Motorsports. Setzer drove his No. 66 Discover Card-sponsored Ford at New Hampshire International Speedway and DNQ'd. That would be his only start of the year. In 2003, he would try again at Martinsville Speedway in Hermie Sadler's No. 02 GoTeamVA.com-sponsored Chevrolet. Setzer failed to qualify for the event. He returned in 2009, driving the Romeo Guest Construction No. 46 Dodge at Martinsville Speedway owned by Carl Long. He failed to qualify once again. In 2010, Setzer formed a relationship with Brian Keselowski of K-Automotive Motorsports, leading him to make a start for him in Cup. He raced at Martinsville Speedway in his No. 92 Dodge but failed to qualify again. In 2011, he expanded his schedule to four races for Keselowski. He broke the spell of failing to qualify when he successfully qualified the No. 92 at Bristol Motor Speedway, and finished 38th. Setzer failed to qualify in his other three 2011 starts, including his last ever attempted race in the Sprint Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway.

Busch Series Setzer made his first full-time run in 1994, driving the No. 59 Alliance Training Centers-sponsored Chevrolet for Welch once again. Setzer won in his 23rd career start at South Boston Speedway, then won again two races later at Hickory Motor Speedway. By the end of the year, he was ninth in points and was runner-up to Johnny Benson for Rookie of the Year. In 1995, the team switched to Fords; Setzer struggled in the adjustment. After he won the pole at the Milwaukee Mile, he was released from the ride, and spent the rest of the season making fill-in starts. At the same time, he began running part-time in the newly formed Craftsman Truck Series. He finished second in his debut at Milwaukee, along with seven other starts that year.

In 1996, Setzer signed to drive the No. 38 Lipton Tea-sponsored Ford for Akins-Sutton Motorsports. Despite two top-ten finishes, he was released from the ride, and spent he rest of the year driving the Mark III Financial car. He started the 1997 season in that ride, but was released after five races, and spent the rest of the season in the No. 43 Lance Snacks-sponsored Chevy owned by David Ridling, posting four top-tens and finishing nineteenth in points.

Truck Series After 1997, Setzer did not have a ride for 1998. He started the season doing work for Gloy-Rahal Motorsports in the Trucks, but only for a handful of races. After three DNF's in the Busch Series, Setzer was selected by K Automotive Racing to replace driver/team owner Bob Keselowski, who had been injured in a wreck. Setzer had eighth-place finishes in the truck while filling in. After that, he signed with Bill Elliott Racing, replacing Jerry Nadeau for eight races. His best finish in seven starts (he DNQ'd at Dover) was nineteenth at Talladega Superspeedway. After a brief hiatus from the trucks, Setzer returned to K Automotive to finish the season, and collected a win at Mesa Marin Raceway.

In 1999, K Automotive provided Setzer with a full-time ride in the No. 1 Mopar-sponsored Dodge Ram. Setzer won three races and was in the thick of the championship hunt, but an early wreck at the season finale at California Speedway took him out of the running. Nevertheless, he was named the series' Most Popular Driver for 1999. His performance slipped in 2000, as he won just one race and dropped to seventh in points. After that season, he left the team.

Recent years In 2001, Setzer joined Morgan-Dollar Motorsports. In his first year with the team he won two poles, one race, and finished ninth in points. After another quiet year in 2002, things started improving, as Setzer won three races in 2003. Setzer went on a tear, finishing a career-best second in the point standings for three seasons in a row (2003, 2004, & 2005). After failing to win a race in 2006, he departed Morgan Dollar to join Spears Motorsports. In 2007, Setzer won the City of Mansfield 250 at Mansfield Motorsports Speedway after running the entire 250 lap race without a pitstop. The Mansfield victory was his first victory in 41 races, his last coming in the Power Stroke Diesel 200 at O'Reilly Raceway Park on August 1, 2005.

Late in the 2007 season, Setzer parted ways with Spears and raced at New Hampshire for Green Light Racing, and at Las Vegas for Bobby Hamilton Racing. He drove the No. 18 Dodge Ram Truck to a victory in the 2008 Kroger 250 at Martinsville. It was Setzer's eighteenth career win, and BHR's first win since Bobby Hamilton Sr. won in Mansfield in 2005. Furthermore, it was the final win for the Dodge nameplate in the Truck Series before they pulled out of NASCAR following 2012. After BHR shut down at the end of 2008, Setzer found himself out of a job entering the season.

Setzer began the 2009 Truck Series season driving one race apiece for GunBroker Racing and Fast Track Racing Enterprises, before being named the driver for MRD Motorsports. He had two second-place finishes and was in the Top 10 in points before he was forced to miss six races due to sponsorship issues. Setzer also returned to K-Automotive Racing in the Nationwide Series, driving the No. 96 ConelyAuto.com-sponsored Dodge on a part-time basis before moving to the other team car, the No. 92.

During the 2010 Aaron's 312 Nationwide Series race in Talladega on the last lap, Setzer, driving the No. 92, was involved in a huge crash which sent him up the wall and into the catch fence. He then hit a fence pole and spun around, and with a fiery explosion, landed on all four wheels. Setzer was okay after the crash.

Setzer did not have a full-time ride to begin 2011. In March, he was named a substitute driver for Brian Keselowski in the Sprint Cup Series, who was recovering from gallbladder surgery. Setzer successfully qualified for the Bristol race, his first Cup series event since 1998. He went on to finish 38th, the team's best finish to date. Brian Keselowski has since returned to action. After several weeks, Setzer began driving the cars for Jay Robinson Racing in the Nationwide Series. Setzer also attempted a handful of races with ML Motorsports and R3 Motorsports. His best finish of the year was eighteenth at Road America. Setzer was to attempt the fall Cup race at Martinsville, but qualifying was rained out and the field was set by owner's points, and Setzer and his K-Automotive Motorsports team went home.

Motorsports career results

NASCAR (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Sprint Cup Series NASCAR Sprint Cup Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Pts Ref 1998 Elliott-Marino Racing 89 Ford DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR BRI TEX MAR TAL19 CAL CLT 51st 502 13 DOVDNQ RCH MCH POC SON NHA POC IND GLN MCH35 BRI39 NHA24 DAR29 RCH29 DOV MAR38 CLT TAL DAY PHO CAR ATL 2003 SCORE Motorsports 02 Chevy DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR BRI TEX TAL MARQL† CAL RCH CLT DOV POC MCH SON DAY CHI NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH NHA DOV TAL KAN CLT MAR ATL PHO CAR HOM NA - 2009 Carl Long Racing 46 Dodge DAY CAL LVS ATL BRI MARDNQ TEX PHO TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV POC MCH SON NHA DAY CHI IND POC GLN MCH BRI ATL RCH NHA DOV KAN CAL CLT MAR TAL TEX PHO HOM NA - 2011 K-Automotive Motorsports 92 Dodge DAY PHO LVS BRI38 CAL MARWth TEX TAL RCH DAR DOV CLT KAN POC MCH SON DAY KEN 76th 01 Chevy NHADNQ IND POC GLN MCH BRI ATL RCH CHI NHA DOV KAN CLT TAL MARDNQ TEX PHO HOM† - Qualified for Hermie Sadler

Nationwide Series NASCAR Nationwide Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 Pts Ref 1991 Dennis Setzer 4 Ford DAY RCH CAR MAR VOL HCY DAR BRI LAN SBO NZH CLT DOV ROU HCY MYB GLN OXF NHA SBO DUB IRP ROU BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT40 NHA CAR MAR 110th 43 1992 Bill Davis Racing DAY CAR RCH ATL MAR DAR BRI HCY LAN DUB NZH CLT DOV ROU MYB GLN VOL NHA TAL IRP ROU MCH NHA BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT MAR CAR HCY26 112th 85 1993 Shepherd Racing 21 Ford DAY CAR RCH DAR BRI HCY ROU MAR NZH CLT22 DOV MYB GLN MLW TAL IRP MCH NHA BRI DAR RCH DOV ROU CLT 53rd 458 Alliance Motorsports 59 Chevy MAR10 CARDNQ HCY11 ATL22 1994 DAY37 CAR9 RCH26 ATL8 MAR24 DAR31 HCY26 BRI17 ROU2 NHA8 NZH9 CLT17 DOV33 MYB14 GLN14 MLW9 SBO1 TAL36 HCY1* IRP4 MCH6 BRI21 DAR10 RCH23 DOV12 CLT21 MAR21 CAR17 9th 3273 1995 Ford DAY24 CAR36 RCH14 ATL20 NSV19 DAR19 BRI24 HCY6 NHA6 NZH35 CLT26 DOV20 MYB3 GLN MLW4 TAL 23rd 2036 M.P.H. Racing 08 Chevy SBO31 Team SABCO 42 Pontiac IRP23 MCH RCH31 DOV CLT22 CAR Group III Racing 18 Ford BRI25 DAR Moroso Racing 20 Ford HOM30 1996 Akins-Sutton Motorsports 38 Ford DAY27 CAR31 RCH22 ATLDNQ NSV37 DAR36 BRIDNQ HCYDNQ NZH20 CLTDNQ DOV33 SBO11 MYB8 GLN11 MLW24 NHA24 TALDNQ IRP6 MCH BRI 27th 1567 Porter Racing 48 Ford DAR40 RCH Mark III Racing 77 Chevy DOV15 CLTDNQ CAR18 HOM41 1997 South Coast Racing 71 Ford DAYDNQ 19th 2541 Mark III Racing 78 Chevy CAR20 RCH ATL31 LVS Ridling Motorsports 43 Chevy DAR23 HCY18 TEX29 BRI23 NSV9 TAL37 NHA11 NZH10 CLTDNQ DOV28 SBO12 GLN27 MLW28 MYB20 GTY10 IRP14 MCH37 BRI18 DAR35 RCH27 DOV18 CLT37 CAL8 CAR27 HOM11 1998 Phoenix Racing 4 Chevy DAY CAR LVS NSV DAR BRI TEX HCY31 TAL 100th 107 Porter Racing 48 Ford NHA42 NZH CLT Washington-Erving Motorsports 50 Ford DOV41 RCH PPR GLN MLW MYB CAL SBO IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT GTY CAR ATL HOM 1999 Jarrett/Favre Motorsports 11 Ford DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR TEX NSV BRI TAL CAL NHA RCH NZH CLT DOV SBO GLN MLWDNQ MYB PPR GTY IRPQL† MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT CAR MEM PHO HOM NA - 2006 Hendrick Motorsports 5 Chevy DAY CAL MXC LVS ATL BRI TEX NSH PHO TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV NSH KEN MLWQL‡ DAY CHI NHA MARQL‡ GTY IRP GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM TEX PHO HOM NA - 2009 Whitney Motorsports 96 Dodge DAY CAL42 LVS43 BRI38 TEXQL± PHODNQ TAL RCH DARDNQ CLT38 DOV42 NSH KEN MLW41 NHA DAY IRPDNQ IOW GLN MCH42 BRIDNQ CGV ATL RCH34 CAL36 57th 775 26 NSH20 CHI30 GTY 92 DOV38 KAN CLT42 MEM TEX42 PHO42 HOM41 2010 K-Automotive Motorsports 96 Dodge DAYWth CAL42 LVS43 BRIDNQ HOM42 49th 797 92 NSHDNQ PHO43 TEX43 TAL17 RCH DAR43 DOVQL± CLT39 NSH43 KEN43 ROA NHA43 DAY CHI43 GTY42 IRP43 IOW42 GLN MCH ATL41 RCH DOV42 KAN CAL42 CLT GTY TEX43 PHO42 26 BRI42 CGV 2011 Jay Robinson Racing 70 Dodge DAY PHO LVS BRI CAL36 TAL29 DAR23 DOV28 ROA18 DAY35 NHA32 GLN33 CGV 28th 218 49 Chevy TEX38 NSH37 RCH38 CHI35 MCH43 KEN43 28 IOW25 70 CLT32 ATL34 23 Dodge NSH34 IRP34 IOW Chevy BRI35 48 RCH39 CHI41 DOV KANDNQ CLTDNQ TEXDNQ PHO HOM† - Qualified for Kenny Irwin Jr. · ‡ - Qualified for Kyle Busch . ± - Qualified for Brian Keselowski

Camping World Truck Series NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Pts Ref 1995 Grandaddy Racing 30 Dodge PHO TUS SGS MMR POR EVG I70 LVL BRI MLW2 CNS12 HPT IRP10 FLM21 RCH34 28th 850 Redding Motorsports 89 Chevy MAR26 NWS16 SON MMR PHO35 1997 Harry Brix 56 Dodge WDW TUS HOM36 PHO POR EVG I70 NHA TEX BRI NZH MLW LVL CNS HPT IRP FLM NSV GLN RCH MAR SON MMR CAL PHO LVS 134th 55 1998 M-R Motorsports 04 Chevy WDWDNQ HOMDNQ PHO POR EVG 27th 1728 Gloy/Rahal Racing 55 Ford I7031 GLN TEX14 BRI K Automotive Racing 29 Dodge MLW21 NZH11 CAL25 PPR8 IRP8 NHA FLM NSV HPT LVL RCH MEM GTY13 MAR6 SON14 MMR1 PHO6 LVS13 1999 1 HOM34 PHO5 EVG7 MMR6 MAR15 MEM5 PPR16 I702 BRI5 TEX1 PIR9 GLN22 MLW6 NSV1 NZH7 MCH8 NHA1 IRP7* GTY2 HPT12 RCH3 LVS4 LVL8 TEX3 CAL29 3rd 3639 2000 DAY8 HOM32 PHO6 MMR8 MAR4 PIR2* GTY16 MEM3 PPR5 EVG6 TEX33 KEN12 GLN7 MLW26 NHA33 NZH1 MCH5 IRP7 NSV2 CIC29 RCH8 DOV9 TEX5 CAL11 7th 3214 2001 Morgan-Dollar Motorsports 46 Chevy DAY24 HOM17 MMR31 MAR19 GTY9 DAR14 PPR8 DOV13 TEX6 MEM1 MLW11 KAN3 KEN5 NHA3 IRP8 NSH8 CIC2 NZH15 RCH3 SBO2 TEX6 LVS10 PHO29 CAL4 9th 3306 2002 DAY34 DAR11 MAR1 GTY6 PPR7 DOV11 TEX14 MEM5 MLW15 KAN2 KEN2 NHA2 MCH14 IRP13 NSH5 RCH20 TEX10 SBO2 LVS3 CAL8 PHO8 HOM6 6th 3132 2003 DAY7 DAR28 MMR1* MAR1 CLT23 DOV9 TEX5 MEM3 MLW5 KAN3 KEN3 GTW8 MCH8 IRP8 NSH8 BRI5 RCH5 NHA4 CAL3 LVS3 SBO1* TEX8 MAR3* PHO3 HOM7 2nd 3828 2004 DAY6 ATL11 MAR2 MFD2 CLT1 DOV18 TEX1 MEM4 MLW3 KAN25 KEN11 GTW2 MCH10 IRP12 NSH19 BRI16 RCH13 NHA6 LVS7 CAL9 TEX8 MAR2 PHO9 DAR17 HOM10 2nd 3578 2005 DAY16 CAL10 ATL4 MAR33 GTY2 MFD7 CLT7 DOV13 TEX3 MCH1* MLW1* KAN11 KEN1 MEM4 IRP1* NSH14 BRI16 RCH34 NHA2 LVS14 MAR19 ATL13 TEX18 PHO5 HOM18 2nd 3480 2006 85 DAY13 CAL10 ATL11 MAR9 GTY23 CLT7 MFD7 DOV20 TEX6 MCH8 MLW7 KAN11 KEN20 MEM10 IRP2 NSH35 BRI14 NHA14 LVS8 TAL11 MAR23 ATL14 TEX32 PHO12 HOM9 13th 3129 2007 Spears Motorsports 75 Chevy DAY19 CAL19 ATL7 MAR13 KAN26 CLT22 MFD1 DOV19 TEX16 MCH24 MLW19 MEM19 KEN18 IRP13 NSH26 BRI26 GTW19 13th 2851 Green Light Racing 08 Chevy NHA30 Bobby Hamilton Racing 18 Dodge LVS7 TAL5 MAR10 ATL13 TEX15 PHO9 HOM29 2008 DAY10 CAL16 ATL13 MAR1* KAN25 CLT7 MFD34 DOV18 TEX11 MCH16 MLW11 MEM12 KEN4 IRP26 NSH18 BRI8 GTW2 NHA16 LVS16 TAL13 MAR2 ATL19 TEX13 PHO15 HOM5 8th 3197 2009 GunBroker Racing 21 Dodge DAY18 18th 2483 Fast Track Racing Enterprises 48 Chevy CAL26 MRD Motorsports 8 Chevy ATL28 MAR7 KAN15 CLT10 DOV2 TEX17 MCH9 MLW2 MEM15 KEN10 IRP4 NSH8 BRI21 CHI6 IOW GTW NHA11 LVS MAR7 TAL8 TEX PHO HOM 2010 Team Gill Racing 46 Dodge DAY3 ATL29 26th 1049 RBR Enterprises 92 Chevy MARDNQ NSH26 KAN DOV CLT30 TEX MCH IOW IRP12 POC NSH DAR16 BRI12 CHI KEN15 NHA18 LVS MAR29 TAL TEX PHO HOM Team Gill Racing 95 Dodge GTY35 2011 RSS Racing 93 Chevy DAY PHO DAR MAR NSH DOV CLT KAN TEX KEN IOW NSH IRP POC MCH BRI ATL36 CHI33 NHA KEN LVS TAL MAR TEX 106th 01 27 HOMDNQ 38 HOM34 2012 DAY MAR CAR KANDNQ CLT34 DOV35 TEX CHI33 BRI35 ATL36 IOW36 MARDNQ 38th 124 93 KEN35 IOW19 POC28 MCH31 LVS31 TAL TEX35 PHO32 HOM 37 KEN35

Season still in progress Ineligible for series points

ARCA SuperCar Series (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.) ARCA SuperCar Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Pts Ref 1991 R.L. Brown & Associates 4 Ford DAY ATL KIL TAL TOL FRS POC MCH KIL FRS DEL POC TAL HPT MCH ISF TOL DSF TWS ATL33 145th - 1992 DAY FIF TWS TAL TOL KIL POC10 MCH FRS KIL NSH DEL POC12 HPT FRS ISF TOL DSF TWS SLM ATL11 71st -

Images