Ricky Gonzalez

Richard Gonzalez (born February 3, 1966) is an American former professional stock car racing driver who competed in one NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race in 2004 and a number of ARCA Re/Max Series races from 2004 to 2007. He became the first Hispanic-American driver to compete in ARCA and NASCAR.

Racing career Early career and Truck Series Gonzalez became interested in racing when he attended a race that his father's friend was competing in at Flemington Speedway. Gonzalez started racing motocross bikes and moved up the racing ladder, where he would then progress to racing go-karts, microstocks, and Legends cars. He then competed in the American Race Trucks Series and the (now defunct) NASCAR Goody's Dash Series. In order to have enough money to move up the ranks, Gonzalez had to sell all his equipment from the previous series he had raced in, as well as his own personal motorcycle. Gonzalez would not make another start in the Truck Series either, and the rest of his stock car starts came in the ARCA Re/Max Series.

ARCA Gonzalez made his ARCA debut at Chicago in Wayne Peterson Racing's No. 06 Chevrolet, and would make one other start in that car in the next race at Salem. He crashed out of both races and would finish 27th and 26th, respectively. With these starts, Gonzalez became the first Hispanic American to start an ARCA race.

Goody's Dash Series NASCAR Goody's Dash Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pts Ref 2002 N/A 13 Pontiac DAY HAR ROU LON CLT KEN MEM GRE SNM SBO MYB BRI MOT ATL 45th 220 2003 DAY OGL CLT SBO GRE KEN BRI ATL 38th 216

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 2004 Wayne Peterson Racing 06 Chevy DAY NSH SLM KEN TOL CLT KAN POC MCH SBO BLN KEN GTW POC LER NSH ISF TOL DSF CHI SLM TAL 114th 195 2005 6 DAY NSH SLM KEN TOL LAN MCH KAN 25th 1885 16 MIL POC DSF 06 KEN BLN POC GTW LER NSH MCH ISF TOL CHI Ricky Gonzalez 06 Chevy SLM 16 TAL 2007 Wayne Peterson Racing 0 Chevy DAY USA NSH SLM KAN WIN KEN TOL IOW POC MCH BLN KEN POC NSH ISF GTW 106th 205 Richardson-Netzloff-Harmon Racing 94 Chevy MIL Darrell Basham Racing 94 Chevy GTW DSF CHI SLM TAL TOL