Greg Sacks

Gregory Sacks (born November 3, 1952) is an American former stock car racing driver. He has previously competed in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, the NASCAR Busch Series, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and the ARCA Re/Max Series.

Sacks has spent most of his career as a research and development (R&D) driver for many NASCAR teams. He won the 1985 Firecracker 400 at Daytona International Speedway acting as an R&D driver for DiGard Motorsports.

Modifieds Early in his racing career, Sacks was a successful driver in what is now the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. Competing from 1980 to 1983, he won seventeen races at Stafford Motor Speedway. 1982 was an especially good year for him, as he won the track championship that year, as well as the Spring Sizzler, The Labor Day 200 and the Fall Final. Sacks also won the Dogwood Classic at Martinsville Speedway, the Bud Classic at Oswego Speedway, the Thompson 300 at Thompson International Speedway, the World Series of Asphalt at Thompson Speedway and the Race of Champions at Pocono Raceway.

In 1983, Sacks made his NASCAR Winston Cup Series debut in the Pepsi 400 at Daytona in the No. 5 car owned and sponsored by his father, Arnie. He only completed nineteen laps until experiencing engine failure, finishing 38th out of forty cars. Sacks competed in four more events that season, posting a best finish of seventeenth in the Champion Spark Plug 400 at Michigan International Speedway, the only race he finished that year.

Success in the 1980s

In 1984, Sacks made a full attempt at the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, once again in a car owned by his father, only now it ran as No. 51. Sacks made 29 out of the thirty races, finished 19th in points and runner-up to Rusty Wallace for the NASCAR Rookie of the Year award. 1985 got off to a rough start for Sacks. After the first four races, his father's team folded.

Seven races later, Sacks was able to drive the No. 49 car owned by 1966 NASCAR Rookie of the Year James Hylton. Before the Firecracker 400, DiGard Motorsports asked Sacks to drive their R&D car. Sacks qualified ninth and defeated pole-sitter Bill Elliott to earn his only NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory. The win was considered to be one of NASCAR's biggest upsets, as Sacks's car was only scheduled to run a set number of laps before going behind the wall to make changes, but his car kept competing for the win, therefore DiGard decided to let Sacks race as normal. After DiGard's regular driver Bobby Allison quit the team days after the race, the team let Sacks finish the season in their regular car. The next year, Sacks found himself running a limited schedule as DiGard slowly went bankrupt.

In 1987, Sacks signed on to drive the No. 50 Pontiac for the Dingman Brothers, where he struggled with qualifying for each race. Three-quarters of the way through 1988, Sacks left the team to drive for Buddy Baker's team, the No. 88 Oldsmobile. He came close to a victory at Bristol in 1989, where he led 119 laps only to lose the lead to Rusty Wallace with forty laps to go. Although he posted two top-ten finishes in the first ten races of the 1989 season, Sacks was replaced by rookie Jimmy Spencer. Sacks was unemployed for a brief period, then joined on with Tom Winkle's No. 48 Pontiac for most of the season, joining with Hendrick Motorsports for the Autoworks 500 at Phoenix International Raceway as part of the driving team gathering in-race footage for the "Days of Thunder" movie.

1990–1997 Sacks started off 1990 in a familiar situation with no ride, driving part-time for Hendrick's development team. He participated in the Busch Clash at Daytona and at Darlington in the TranSouth 500, driving the No. 46 'City Chevrolet' Lumina "Days of Thunder" movie car. Four races later, Sacks was rewarded with a part-time ride at Hendrick, driving the No. 18 Ultra Slim-Fast Chevrolet, finishing second at Talladega Superspeedway in the Winston 500. After Darrell Waltrip was injured in a practice crash at Daytona, Sacks drove the No. 17 car for three races—the Champion Spark Plug 400, Busch 500, and the Heinz Southern 500, with a best finish of second at Michigan during this three-race stretch. The highlight of his season was winning the pole position at the Pepsi Firecracker 400. Following a crash in practice by teammate Waltrip, NASCAR officials noted that several teams had made modifications, and NASCAR made the teams spot-weld the blocks back into place, causing a loss of power. Trying to make up for lost speed, Sacks caused a 23-car pileup at the end of the first lap, taking out eight cars, including Sacks. No one was seriously hurt in that race, but it gave Sacks a reputation of being an excellent qualifier, as shown in 1989, when he won the pole in just his second Busch Series race. Sacks was signed to a three-year deal to drive the No. 18 for Hendrick and Paul Newman, with backing from Ultra Slim-Fast, but following the season Ultra Slim-Fast pulled out, the team was folded, and Sacks was released.

Sacks started off 1991 at the Daytona 500 driving his own No. 18 car, but crashed early in the race. He ran ten more races that year in the No. 47 Oldsmobile for Derick Close, posting two top-twenty finishes. He started 1992 with Larry Hedrick Motorsports, but suffered injuries in a lap five crash at the Champion Spark Plug 400, and only drove one race for the rest of the season. He moved on to Tri-Star Motorsports in 1993, and finished sixth at the DieHard 500. In 1994, Sacks set the track record at Atlanta when he won the pole. Nineteen-ninety four also marked the second time in his Cup career that he completed the full schedule, piloting the No. 77 Ford owned by D.K. Ulrich. Sacks raced part-time in the Cup and Busch series over the next two years, winning a Busch Series event in a one-race deal for Diamond Ridge Motorsports at Talladega Superspeedway in 1996. The next year, he started out driving the No. 20 Ford for championship owner Harry Ranier, but was soon released as sponsorship funding ended; following his release, he sued the team, claiming breach of contract. Later in the season, he filled in for rookie driver Robby Gordon, who had suffered burns in the Indianapolis 500. After Gordon was released later in the year, Sacks finished the season for the team.

Struggles In 1998, it looked like Sacks had finally found a steady ride, driving the No. 98 Ford for Cale Yarborough. However, on lap 136 of the Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, Sacks lost control of his car and wrecked, suffering life-threatening injuries. He missed the rest of the season.

Sacks made his return in 1999 in the Busch Series, but only qualified for one of the several races he attempted. Sacks tried his hand at Winston Cup again in 2000, attempting that year's Daytona 500 in the No. 96 Chevrolet. He did not make the field. After making sporadic races in modifieds, Sacks announced his return to the Winston Cup Series and Busch Series in the summer of 2002, driving the No. 05 Chevy. Sacks teamed with Loren Fossie to form "Team Franchisit/Sacks Racing". Originally set to debut at the Brickyard 400, the date was pushed to the fall race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Nothing was ever heard from the team since, and it is not clear if the team was originally planned as a marketing tool for Franchisit.

In 2004, Sacks formed Daytona Speed Inc., with Ed Raabe and James Wilsberg. Making its first attempt at Chicagoland Speedway, the team did not make a race until the Pennsylvania 500 the next month. In February 2005, Raabe departed to form his own race team (Chevrolet), leaving all of the (Dodge) Daytona Speed equipment in the care of Sacks. Sacks ran both Pocono races in 2005, and finished 43rd in both of them.

The team attempted a part-time schedule in 2006, but failed to make the field for any race. In early 2007, an arbitrator forced his sponsor Who's Your Daddy? to pay over a million dollars to Sacks after a contract violation.

2008–present

2008 Sacks was to attempt a partial schedule in the ARCA/ReMAX series in 2008. He tried to qualify for the ARCA race at Daytona but missed the field after posting the 48th best qualifying time.

2010 Sacks drove the No. 88 car owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the Nationwide Series Subway Jalapeño 250 on July 2 at Daytona. Sacks finished 21st after qualifying seventh.

Sacks and his family, who own Grand Touring Vodka, sponsored JR Motorsports for the 2011 Nationwide Series season.

Personal life Sacks is married and has three children. He lives in Ormond Beach, Florida. He and his sons are partners in Grand Touring Vodka.

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.)

Nextel Cup Series NASCAR Nextel 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 1983 Sacks & Sons 5 Chevy DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR NWS MAR TAL NSV DOV BRI CLT RSD POC MCH DAY38 NSV POC29 TAL MCH17 BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT30 CAR ATL38 RSD 47th 359 1984 51 DAY18 RCH24 CAR34 ATL16 BRI NWS18 DAR21 MAR17 TAL14 NSV29 DOV24 CLT38 RSD32 POC22 MCH32 DAY39 NSV29 POC24 TAL29 MCH22 BRI9 DAR37 RCH21 DOV25 MAR30 CLT18 NWS24 CAR35 ATL31 RSD16 19th 2545 1985 DAY6 RCH CAR13 ATL10 BRI DAR NWS MAR TALWth DOV 25th 1944 Hylton Motorsports 49 Chevy CLT35 RSD36 POC16 MCH DiGard Motorsports 10 Chevy DAY1 77 Buick POC34 TAL15 MCH33 BRI28 DAR35 RCH20 DOV29 MAR14 NWS16 CLT11 CAR10 ATL9 RSD21 1986 10 Pontiac DAY35 RCH19 CAR37 TAL10 DOV 41st 579 Chevy ATL25 BRI DAR NWS MAR CLT39 RSD POC MCH DAY39 POC TAL GLN MCH38 BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD 1987 Dingman Brothers Racing 50 Pontiac DAY20 CAR30 RCH ATL37 DAR26 NWS BRI MAR TAL26 CLT36 DOV POC36 RSD MCH29 DAY25 POC35 TAL GLN MCH19 BRI DAR38 RCH DOV MAR24 NWS CLT42 CAR27 RSD ATL26 33rd 1200 1988 DAY40 RCH CAR ATLDNQ DAR31 BRI NWS MAR TAL17 CLT10 DOV RSD POC MCH DAY10 POC34 TAL38 GLN MCH42 BRI DAR 37th 1237 Baker-Schiff Racing 88 Olds RCH13 DOV MAR12 CLT29 NWS10 CAR12 PHO38 ATL28 1989 DAY23 CAR9 ATL26 RCH34 DAR25 BRI7* NWS21 MAR28 TAL37 CLT30 DOV SON POC 32nd 1565 Winkle Motorsports 48 Pontiac MCH39 DAY POC30 TAL GLN MCH35 BRI30 DAR38 RCHDNQ DOV MAR19 CLT35 NWS CAR18 ATL29 Hendrick Motorsports 46 Chevy PHO38 1990 DAY RCH CAR ATLDNQ DAR37 BRI NWS MAR 32nd 1663 18 TAL2 CLT14 DOV SON POC7 MCH26 DAY37 POC33 TAL18 GLN40 RCH23 DOV21 MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO12 ATL10 17 MCH2 BRI20 DAR30 1991 Daytona Speed Inc. 18 Chevy DAY42 RCH CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR 39th 791 Close Racing 47 Olds TAL39 CLT39 DOV SON POC MCHDNQ DAY39 POC17 TAL19 GLN MCH BRI DAR21 RCH32 DOVDNQ MARDNQ NWS CLT31 CAR29 PHO ATL26 1992 Larry Hedrick Motorsports 41 Chevy DAY14 CAR34 RCH32 ATL31 DAR28 BRI13 NWS21 MAR12 TAL35 CLT16 DOV19 SON43 POC11 MCH14 DAY26 POC29 TAL19 GLN31 MCH41 BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR33 PHO ATL 30th 1759 1993 Melling Racing 9 Ford DAY CAR RCH ATL23 DAR BRI NWS MAR 35th 1730 TriStar Motorsports 68 Ford TAL33 SON CLT17 DOV38 POC18 MCH22 DAY15 NHA32 POC32 TAL6 GLN MCH12 BRI19 DAR25 RCH31 DOV20 MAR28 NWSDNQ CLT32 CAR32 PHO ATL24 1994 U.S. Motorsports Inc. 77 Ford DAY6 CAR28 RCH28 ATL7 DAR30 BRI11 NWS34 MAR29 TAL6 SON24 CLT27 DOV24 POC24 MCH33 DAY37 NHA25 POC36 TAL29 IND18 GLN39 MCH32 BRI27 DAR19 RCH27 DOV38 MAR26 NWS35 CLT35 CAR39 PHO26 ATL39 31st 2593 1995 Dick Brooks Racing 40 Pontiac DAYDNQ CAR41 RCH19 ATL29 DAR22 BRI36 NWS35 MAR22 TAL35 SONDNQ CLTDNQ DOV28 POC33 MCHDNQ 39th 1349 Junior Johnson & Associates 27 Ford DAY17 NHA POC TAL Active Motorsports 32 Chevy IND33 GLN MCH40 MARDNQ NWSDNQ CLT33 CAR37 PHO43 ATL34 A.G. Dillard Motorsports 31 Chevy BRI25 DAR38 RCH37 DOVDNQ 1996 Leo Jackson Motorsports 33 Chevy DAY CAR RCH ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL SON CLTQL† DOV27 POC MCH 42nd 710 Diamond Ridge Motorsports 29 Chevy DAY39 NHA30 POC29 TAL25 IND32 GLN MCH30 BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS Team SABCO 40 Chevy CLT24 CAR PHO Pontiac ATL18 1997 Ranier-Walsh Racing 20 Ford DAY37 CAR39 RCHDNQ ATL27 DAR29 TEX40 BRIDNQ MAR SON TAL25 CLT DOV 45th 778 Team SABCO 40 Chevy POC42 MCHDNQ CAL27 DAY NHA TAL39 CAR39 PHO21 ATLDNQ LJ Racing 91 Chevy POCDNQ IND31 GLN MCH BRI DARDNQ RCH NHA DOV MAR Bud Moore Engineering 15 Ford CLTDNQ 1998 Yarborough-Burdette Motorsports 98 Ford DAY39 CAR36 LVS25 ATL31 DAR42 BRI36 TEX38 MAR TAL CAL CLT DOV RCH MCH POC SON NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI NHA DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT TAL DAY PHO CAR ATL 53rd 400 2000 Petty-Huggins Motorsports 96 Chevy DAYDNQ CAR LVS ATL DAR BRI TEX MAR TAL CAL RCH CLT DOV MCH POC SON DAY NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH NHA DOV MAR CLT TAL CAR PHO HOM ATL NA - 2004 Sacks Motorsports 13 Dodge DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR BRI TEX MAR TAL CAL RCH CLT DOV POC MCH SON DAY CHIDNQ NHA POC42 INDDNQ GLN MCH BRI CAL RCHDNQ NHADNQ DOVDNQ TAL KAN CLT41 MARDNQ ATLDNQ PHO DAR HOM42 71st 114 2005 DAYDNQ CAL LVS ATL BRI MAR TEX PHO TAL DAR RCH CLTDNQ DOV POC43 MCH SON DAY CHI NHA POC43 IND GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH NHA DOV TAL KANDNQ CLT MAR ATL TEX PHO HOM 79th 68 2006 Ford DAY CAL LVS ATLDNQ BRI MAR TEX PHO TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV NA - Front Row Motorsports 34 Chevy POCDNQ MCH SON DAY CHI NHA POCDNQ IND GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH NHA DOV KAN TAL CLT MAR ATL TEX PHO HOM† - Qualified for Robert Pressley

Daytona 500 Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish 1984 Sacks & Sons Chevrolet 20 18 1985 13 6 1986 DiGard Motorsports Pontiac 26 35 1987 Dingman Brothers Racing Pontiac 42 20 1988 7 40 1989 Baker-Schiff Racing Oldsmobile 37 23 1991 Daytona Speed Inc. Chevrolet 25 42 1992 Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevrolet 9 14 1994 U.S. Motorsports Inc. Ford 31 6 1995 Dick Brooks Racing Pontiac DNQ 1997 Ranier-Walsh Racing Ford 34 37 1998 Yarborough-Burdette Motorsports Ford 24 39 2000 Petty-Huggins Motorsports Chevrolet DNQ 2005 Sacks Motorsports Dodge DNQ

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 1987 Falk Racing 04 Pontiac DAY HCY MAR DAR BRI LGY SBO CLT DOV IRP ROU JFC OXF SBO HCY RAL LGY ROU BRI JFC DAR RCH DOV MAR CLTDNQ CAR MAR NA - 1989 Baker-Schiff Racing 87 Pontiac DAY CAR25 MAR HCY DAR41 BRI NZH SBO LAN NSV CLT22 DOV ROU LVL VOL MYB SBO HCY DUB IRP ROU BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT CAR MAR 69th 225 1990 Hendrick Motorsports 46 Chevy DAY3 RCH CAR MAR HCY DAR BRI LAN SBO NZH HCY CLT12 DOV ROU VOL MYB OXF NHA SBO DUB IRP ROU BRI 45th 654 Darrell Waltrip Motorsports 17 Chevy DAR33 RCH31 DOV35 MAR Hendrick Motorsports 15 Chevy CLT2 NHA CAR MAR 1995 Sacks Motorsports 33 Pontiac DAY CAR RCH ATL NSV DAR BRI HCY NHA NZH CLT34 DOV MYB GLN MLW TALDNQ SBO IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH30 DOV CLT44 CAR HOM36 70th 220 1996 Diamond Ridge Motorsports 29 Chevy DAY CAR RCH ATL NSV DAR BRI HCY NZH CLT DOV SBO MYB GLN MLW NHA TAL1 IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT CAR 57th 338 BACE Motorsports 7 Chevy HOM31 1997 Laughlin Racing 45 Chevy DAY6 CAR16 RCH30 ATLDNQ DAR16 TEX14 BRI33 NSV TAL34 NHA NZH18 CLT15 DOV38 SBO GLN MLW MYB GTY IRP 34th 1420 Ford LVS6 HCY15 Bobby Jones Racing 50 Pontiac MCHDNQ BRI DAR RCH DOV Shaver Motorsports 49 Chevy CLT42 CAL CAR29 HOM33 1999 GTS Motorsports 90 Chevy DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR TEX NSV BRI TAL CAL NHA RCH NZH CLT DOV SBO GLN MLW MYB PPR GTY IRP MCHDNQ BRI DARDNQ RCH DOV CLT34 CAR MEM PHODNQ HOMDNQ 123rd 61 2000 Petty-Huggins Motorsports 84 Chevy DAYDNQ CAR LVS ATL DAR BRI TEX NSV TAL CAL RCH NHA CLT DOV SBO MYB GLN MLW NZH PPR GTY IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT CAR MEM PHO HOM NA - 2004 Davis Motorsports 0 Chevy DAY CAR LVS DAR BRI TEX NSHDNQ TAL CAL GTY RCH NZH CLT DOV40 NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI NHA PPR IRP MCH BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM ATL PHO DAR HOM 144th 43 2005 GIC-Mixon Motorsports 7 Chevy DAY CAL MXC LVS ATL NSH BRI TEX PHO TALDNQ DAR RCH CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI NHA PPR GTY IRP GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM TEX PHO HOM NA - 2010 JR Motorsports 88 Chevy DAY CAL LVS BRI NSH PHO TEX TAL RCH DAR DOV CLT NSH KEN ROA NHA DAY21 CHI GTY IRP IOW GLN MCH BRI CGV ATL RCH DOV KAN CAL CLT GTY TEX PHO HOM 113th 100

Craftsman Truck Series NASCAR Craftsman 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 Pts Ref 2004 Ron Rhodes Racing 48 Dodge DAYDNQ ATLDNQ MAR MFD CLT DOV TEX32 MEM MLW KAN KEN GTW MCH IRP NSH BRI RCH NHA LVS CAL TEX MAR PHO DAR HOM 106th 67

ARCA Re/Max Series (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.) ARCA Re/Max 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 Pts Ref 1985 5 Chevy ATL DAY ATL TAL40 ATL SSP IRP CSP FRS IRP OEF ISF DSF TOL NA 0 2003 Bobby Jones Racing 88 Ford DAY7 ATL NSH SLM TOL KEN CLT BLN KAN MCH LER POC 40th 680 Dodge POC26 NSH ISF WIN DSF CHI2 SLM TAL CLT19 SBO 2004 DAY28 NSH38 SLM KEN TOL CLT KAN POC MCH SBO BLN KEN GTW POC LER NSH ISF TOL DSF CHI SLM TAL 139th 135 2005 DAY NSH SLM KEN TOL LAN MIL POC MCH KAN KEN BLN POC GTW LER NSH MCH ISF TOL DSF CHI17 SLM TAL 127th 145 2008 Bobby Jones Racing 50 Dodge DAYDNQ SLM IOW KAN CAR KEN TOL POC MCH CAY KEN BLN POC NSH ISF DSF CHI SLM NJE TAL TOL NA -