Chad Little

Chad Little

Born: April 29, 1963
Age: 61
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Biography

Chad Little (born April 29, 1963 in Spokane, Washington) is a former NASCAR driver. He holds a degree in marketing from Washington State University, and a law degree from Gonzaga University. While attending Washington State University he joined the Delta Upsilon fraternity.

Little currently works as NASCAR as a managing director for technical inspection and officiating. Little had previously been director of the Camping World Truck Series, as well as the director of racing development for Mexico as well as the Whelen Modified Tour. He keeps regular office hours in the sanctioning body's research and development center in Concord, North Carolina. He also was a part-time studio analyst for Speed Channel. He is the father of Jesse Little.

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Early years

Little began racing the short tracks in Washington in the mid-1980s. He soon began racing in the American Speed Association West late model series, the NASCAR Northwest Tour Series and the NASCAR Winston West Series. One year after being named the NASCAR Winston West Rookie of the Year, Little clinched that series' championship in 1987.

Little made his NASCAR Winston Cup debut in 1986 at Riverside International Raceway, driving the No. 28 Ford owned by George Jefferson. He started 25th and finished 13th. He ran the other Riverside race that year, but finished 35th after suffering engine failure. He ran both the Riverside races the next year, finishing 15th both times in the No. 95 Coors Ford.

The following year, Little was eligible for NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year honors and signed to drive the No. 90 for Junie Donlavey. However, his best finish was an eighteenth, at the Coca-Cola 600, and he was released early in the season. In 1989, he missed United Airlines Flight 232. About a third of the passengers aboard the flight perished during its emergency landing in Iowa. In 1990, Little and his father Chuck teamed to field their own entry, the No. 19 Ford sponsored by Bull's Eye Barbecue Sauce. He ran eighteen races and had seven top-twenty finishes, garnering a 33rd-place points finish. The following season, Little made his first full-time attempt at winning the Cup championship, qualifying for 28 out of 29 races and posting a tenth-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway, finishing 27th in points.

Busch Series

In 1992, Little signed to drive the No. 66 TropArctic Ford for Cale Yarborough, but was released six races into the season. Later he caught on to the No. 9 Ford fielded by Melling Racing, and had an eighth-place finish at Talladega. He also made his Busch Series debut that year, starting and finishing 29th in the No. 37 Maxx Race Cards Oldsmobile at Watkins Glen International.

In 1993, Little, along with Greg Pollex and former NFL quarterback Mark Rypien, formed Mark Rypien Motorsports, running the No. 23 If It’s Paper-Bayer Select Ford on a limited basis that year, posting a second-place finish at Dover International Speedway. The next year, the team went full-time and Little had ten top-five finishes, finishing third in points. He also drove the No. 97 Ford at the Daytona 500 that season, finishing 29th. In 1995, Little broke through and won six races during the course of the season, including the first two races of the season, at Daytona and Rockingham, and finished second in points, behind Johnny Benson. His other wins were at Loudon, Charlotte, Talladega and South Boston. Little did not win a race the following season, however, and slipped to sixth in points. He also ran nine Cup races, five in Pollex’s No. 97 Sterling Cowboy Pontiac Grand Prix, and another four for Diamond Ridge Motorsports, posting a twentieth-place finish at Darlington Raceway,

Winston Cup

In 1997, Little returned to the Cup Series, running the No. 97 Pontiac for Pollex with a sponsorship from John Deere. He finished seventh at the Food City 500, but the team struggled to make races. Late in the year, Jack Roush purchased the team to be added to his stable for 1998. Little ended 1997 36th in points.

In 1998, Little drove for Roush full-time with Jeff Hammond as crew chief. Running 32 out of 33 races, he had seven top-tens, including a second-place run at Texas, finishing behind Mark Martin, and finished a career-high 15th in points. He was unable to duplicate that performance in 1999, posting just five top-tens and finishing 23rd in points. After just one top-ten in 2000, Roush announced Little would not drive the 97 the following season. Late in the year, Little was pulled out of the car and replaced by his successor, Kurt Busch with Hammond still as crew chief. During the season, he also ran a handful of races in the Busch Series. Originally running the No. 30 for Innovative Motorsports, he was released and posted a top-ten in a one-race deal with PPI Motorsports.

Little had 217 career Cup starts in all.

Final years as driver

In 2001, Little signed to drive the No. 74 Staff America Chevrolet Monte Carlo for BACE Motorsports in the Busch Series . He had six top-tens and finished ninth in points. He started off 2002 running for BACE, but the team closed after three races due to sponsor issues. He made his final Cup start in a BACE car at Dover that year, finishing 33rd. He has not run NASCAR since.

Post-driving career

Chad later provided competition support for the NASCAR Mexico Corona Series, and became the tour director for the Whelen Modified Tour.

Starting in 2013, Chad took on the role of NASCAR Camping World Truck Series managing director. On February 2, 2015, NASCAR announced that Little would be moving into a new role, as a managing director of technical inspection and officiating. His role as director was replaced by another former driver, Elton Sawyer.

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.)

Winston Cup Series

NASCAR Winston 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 NWCC Pts Ref
1986 Jefferson Racing 28 Ford DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL DOV CLT RSD
POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD
70th 182
1987 95 DAY CAR RCH ATL DAR NWS BRI MAR TAL CLT DOV POC RSD
MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR RSD
ATL 60th 236
1988 Stoke Racing 19 Ford DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV RSD
POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN 45th 405
Autosports Enterprises MCH
BRI DAR RCH DOV
MAR CLT NWS CAR
Jefferson Racing PHO
ATL
1989 Donlavey Racing 90 Ford DAY
CAR ATL
RCH
DAR
BRI NWS MAR
TAL
CLT
DOV SON POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH
BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR PHO ATL 38th 602
1990 Little Racing 19 Ford DAY
RCH
CAR ATL
DAR
BRI
NWS MAR TAL
CLT
DOV SON
POC
MCH DAY
POC TAL
GLN MCH
BRI
DAR
RCH
DOV MAR
NWS
CLT
CAR
ATL
33rd 1632
Moroso Racing 20 Olds PHO
1991 Little Racing 19 Ford DAY
RCH
CAR
ATL
DAR
BRI
NWS
MAR
TAL
CLT
DOV
SON
POC
MCH
DAY
POC
TAL
GLN
MCH
BRI
DAR
RCH
DOV
MAR
NWS
CLT
CAR
PHO
ATL
27th 2678
1992 Cale Yarborough Motorsports 66 Ford DAY
CAR
RCH
ATL
DAR
BRI
NWS MAR TAL CLT 31st 1669
Melling Racing 9 Ford DOV
SON POC
MCH
DAY
POC
TAL
GLN MCH
BRI DAR
RCH
DOV
MAR NWS CLT
CAR
PHO ATL
1993 DAY
CAR RCH ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL SON CLT
DOV POC MCH DAY NHA POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS 51st 216
Mark Rypien Motorsports 19 Ford CLT
CAR PHO ATL
1994 97 DAY
CAR RCH ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL SON CLT DOV POC MCH DAY NHA POC TAL IND GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO ATL 68th 81
1995 DAY
CAR RCH ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL SON CLT
DOV POC MCH DAY NHA POC TAL
IND GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT
CAR PHO
ATL 53rd 146
1996 Pontiac DAY
CAR RCH ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL
CLT
DOV POC MCH DAY NHA POC TAL
IND GLN MCH
CLT
CAR PHO ATL
44th 627
JTC Racing 45 Chevy SON
Diamond Ridge Motorsports 29 Chevy BRI
DAR
RCH
DOV
MAR
NWS
1997 Mark Rypien Motorsports 97 Pontiac DAY
CAR
RCH
ATL
DAR
TEX
BRI
MAR
SON
TAL
CLT
DOV
POC
MCH
CAL
DAY
NHA
POC
IND
GLN
36th 2081
Roush Racing MCH
BRI
DAR
RCH
NHA
DOV
MAR
CLT
TAL
CAR
PHO
ATL
1998 Ford DAY
CAR
LVS
ATL
DAR
BRI
TEX
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
15th 3423
1999 DAY
CAR
LVS
ATL
DAR
TEX
BRI
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
23rd 3193
2000 DAY
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 32nd 2634
2002 BACE Motorsports 74 Chevy DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR BRI TEX MAR TAL CAL
RCH CLT
DOV
POC MCH SON DAY CHI NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH NHA DOV KAN TAL CLT MAR ATL CAR PHO HOM 77th 64
Daytona 500 results
Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish
1989 Donlavey Racing Ford 28 36
1990 Little Racing Ford DNQ
1991 30 14
1992 Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford 14 39
1993 Melling Racing Ford 17 24
1994 Mark Rypien Motorsports Ford 17 29
1995 DNQ
1996 Pontiac 30 33
1997 DNQ
1998 Roush Racing Ford 21 7
1999 26 9
2000 29 23

Busch Series

NASCAR Busch 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 NBGNC Pts Ref
1992 Little Racing 37 Olds 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 HCY 120th 76
1993 Mark Rypien Motorsports 23 Ford DAY CAR RCH DAR
BRI HCY ROU MAR NZH CLT
DOV
MYB GLN MLW TAL
IRP
MCH
NHA
BRI
DAR
RCH DOV ROU CLT
MAR CAR
HCY ATL
32nd 1171
1994 DAY
CAR
RCH
ATL
MAR
DAR
HCY
BRI
ROU
NHA
NZH
CLT
DOV
MYB
GLN
MLW
SBO
TAL
HCY
IRP
MCH
BRI
DAR
RCH
DOV
CLT
MAR
CAR
3rd 3662
1995 DAY
CAR
RCH
ATL
NSV
DAR
BRI
HCY
NHA
NZH
CLT
DOV
MYB
GLN
MLW
TAL
SBO
IRP
MCH
BRI
DAR
RCH
DOV
CLT
CAR
HOM
2nd 3284
1996 Pontiac DAY
CAR
RCH
ATL
NSV
DAR
BRI
HCY
NZH
CLT
DOV
SBO
MYB
GLN
MLW
NHA
TAL
IRP
MCH
BRI
DAR
RCH
DOV
CLT
CAR
HOM
5th 2984
1998 Roush Racing 9 Ford DAY CAR LVS NSV DAR BRI TEX HCY TAL NHA NZH CLT DOV RCH PPR GLN MLW MYB CAL SBO IRP MCH BRI DAR
RCH DOV CLT GTY CAR ATL HOM 108th 73
2000 Innovative Motorsports 30 Chevy DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR BRI TEX
NSV TAL
CAL
RCH
NHA CLT
DOV
SBO MYB GLN MLW NZH PPR GTY IRP 66th 398
PPI Motorsports 97 Ford MCH
BRI DAR RCH DOV
BACE Motorsports 74 Chevy CLT
CAR
MEM PHO HOM
2001 DAY
CAR
LVS
ATL
DAR
BRI
TEX
NSH
TAL
CAL
RCH
NHA
NZH
CLT
DOV
KEN
MLW
GLN
CHI
GTY
PPR
IRP
MCH
BRI
DAR
RCH
DOV
KAN
CLT
MEM
PHO
CAR
HOM
9th 3846
2002 DAY
CAR
LVS
DAR BRI TEX NSH TAL CAL RCH NHA NZH CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI GTY PPR IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM ATL CAR PHO HOM 69th 312

SuperTruck Series

NASCAR SuperTruck Series presented by Craftsman 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 NSTSC Pts Ref
1995 RPM Racing 11 Ford PHO TUS SGS MMR POR EVG I70 LVL BRI MLW CNS HPT IRP FLM RCH
MAR
NWS
SON MMR PHO 69th 162

[ Source: Wikipedia ]


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