United Way 300 presented by Yellow and Sprint - T.J. Bell Notes

Little experience goes a long way in Busch Series
Bell using veterans, crew chief, previous runs at Kansas

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Just a little bit of experience can go a long way in NASCAR’s Busch Series. At least, that’s the thought of T.J. Bell, who will drive the #36 DCT Motorsports Chevrolet in Saturday’s Busch Series race at the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway.

“Going into any track with absolutely no knowledge is not a comfortable feeling. You spend most of your time just learning the place,” Bell said. “But having some experience with a Truck race and some ARCA races at Kansas, I feel like I’m way ahead of the curve.”

Bell finished 25th in his lone NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Kansas, but had a much stronger run going before being swept up in another truck’s crash. His ARCA starts at Kansas were definitely consistently strong.

“ARCA doesn’t translate really well to Busch but it does give you some familiarity with the race track, so I’m glad I have that,” Bell said. “The Truck race probably relates better to the Busch cars than anything.

“Experience doesn’t always have to be direct,” Bell added. “Another advantage I feel like I have is (crew chief) Ricky Pearson. There’s a guy who was not only competed everywhere but has been successful everywhere. To be able to use his knowledge gives me a pretty big advantage.”

Bell’s amiable personality hasn’t hurt his racing either. Already well known as one of the series’ “good guys,” the personable driver has found his friends are more than willing to help him out.

“The veterans in this series have always been good at helping out the younger drivers,” Bell said. “There are a couple of drivers who I go to fairly regularly with questions, and they are always willing to help me out, whether it’s little things or something bigger. But there is hardly a driver in the garage who wouldn’t help a younger driver. All you have to do is ask.

“That has to be unheard of in any other sport. Can you imagine a rookie baseball player going to Barry Bonds and asking for help with his swing? Or a rookie golf pro spending 20 minutes with Tiger Woods? That’s one of the great things about NASCAR racing. You can do stuff like that,” Bell added.

Coming off a 22nd-place finish at Dover, Bell has made a quick name for himself in the Busch Series with consistent runs in his first three races. A native of Sparks, Nev., Bell comes to the Busch Series from the ARCA and Craftsman Truck Series. The 2004 ARCA Rookie of the year while finishing third in the national standings, Bell has 32 ARCA starts with 11 top-five and 18 top-10 finishes. He also has 13 career starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

He joined a team solidly in the top 30 of the NASCAR Busch Series standings. In its first full season as a race team, DCT Motorsports has placed itself among or ahead of many veteran established race teams, and has become more noticeable among racing veterans on a consistent basis.

John and Nancy McGill are the only full-time owners from Cleveland in the history of NASCAR’s top three series. McGill owns and operates McGill Property Group, a major commercial real estate developer. DCT Motorsports was formed in 2003, running their first race in July of that year. Since then, the team has shown a consistent improvement.

DCT Motorsports (www.dctmotorsports.com) is talking with companies regarding sponsorship for some races this season as well as the full 2006 season and beyond. McGill has developed sponsorship packages that could incorporate a full season or blocks of races. Utilizing his own business and marketing acumen, he brings creative and fresh approaches not just to team sponsorship itself but areas such as hospitality, cross-promotions and business-to-business possibilities.