The Red & Black

TALLADEGA, Ala. — When NASCAR driver Ernie Irvan wrecked his Pontiac on lap 49 at Talladega Superspeedway Sunday, the upbeat and jovial attitudes of three University alumni were eradicated in one simple twist of the steering wheel.
The wreck lasted mere seconds, but for Read Morton, Nelson Bowers and Tom Beard, owners of MB2 Motorsports, it was the culmination of a week of hard work by their team and a string of bad luck at the track known for high speeds. In fact, Irvan crashed in the second race there last year and was hospitalized for a short time afterward.
“I’ve got a few problems in my stomach going back to Talladega today,” said Morton, who obtained his law degree from the University in 1974.
Together, the three friends started a Winston Cup team three years ago and have experienced the trials of one of the nation’s most fiercely competitive sports and popular campus pastimes.
Bowers, a 1967 University graduate who played linebacker for the Bulldogs before fracturing a vertebra, said they got into NASCAR through his friend Rick Hendrick, who fields three teams, including that of defending Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon.
“We woke up one day and we were in the NASCAR business,” Bowers said.
While all three said going to the races is fun, they are committed to putting together a team that can compete at the highest levels.
“Our philosophy is to get the best equipment, the best driver and the best team and leave them alone,” said Tom Beard, class of 1969. Morton joked that they provide nothing more than money and moral support.
That philosophy doesn’t necessarily mean the owners aren’t into the racing. Tom Beard could be seen before the race with clenched fists waiting in eager anticipation for the race to begin.
“I’m really emotionally into it,” he said. “I want to win.”
Each owner travels to 12 to 13 races a year in addition to their regular jobs, and they all understand the business behind the sport.
“You have Fortune 500 companies who see the benefits of spending money for maximum exposure,” Bowers said. “And they get 34 weekends a year to get that exposure.”
As for the MB2 team, they said it will expand as well.
“We’re going to be in a positive position,” Bowers said. “We’re in the right kind of situation, and with the resources we are getting and giving, we can win a race and finish in the top 10.”
They also acknowledge the popularity of the sport. Morton said more than 40 percent of the fans are women and the fan base is growing nationwide.
“People have a stereotype about people who like this sport,” Morton said. “But it has a universal appeal.”