Orleans Racing

NASCAR team

Orleans/South Point Racing

Owner(s)| Michael Gaughan, Walker Evans, Bill McAnally
Base| Las Vegas Valley
Series| Craftsman Truck Series, NASCAR West Series
Race drivers| Brendan Gaughan, Steve Park, Scott Lynch (CTS)
Austin Cameron, Hershel McGriff, Scott Lynch (West)
Manufacturer| Chevrolet, Dodge
Opened| 2000
Closed| 2007
Career
Drivers' Championships| 3 (West Series)
Race victories| 9 (Craftsman Truck), 11 (West)

Orleans Racing (also known as South Point Racing), was a NASCAR team that competed in the Craftsman Truck Series and the NASCAR West Series. It was owned by businessman Michael Gaughan for most of its existence, although others have had a partial interest in the team. The team fielded the No. 62 and No. 77 Dodges for Michael's son, Brendan, fellow West Series driver Scott Lynch, and former Nextel Cup driver Steve Park. The team was notable for being the only NASCAR team based in the state of Nevada, on the grounds of Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

## Beginnings

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### Winston West

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SPR debuted in the Winston West Series in a partnership with famous West Series owner Bill McAnally and famous racer Walker Evans. Running the famous No. 16 Chevrolet sponsored by NAPA Auto Parts and with former off-road racer Brendan Gaughan at the wheel, the combination scored nine victories and back-to-back West Series championships in 2000 and 2001. The team would later move Gaughan up to the Truck Series while running Scott Lynch in the West Series. McAnally would continue his West team with drivers such as Austin Cameron and Brian Ickler. Lynch continued to drive for the team, winning both Rookie of the Year and the West Series Championship in 2003.

## Glory days

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### Craftsman Truck Series

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#### Truck No. 62 History

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Gaughan and his Orleans Racing team would move up to the Trucks full-time in 2002 with NAPA and the number 62 to contend for Rookie of the Year honors. Despite the criticisms of many who said that a team based in the Western United States would not make it in NASCAR, Gaughan proved all of his detractors wrong by winning both races at Texas en route to an 11th-place finish in the points and the 2002 ROTY crown. In 2003 Orleans Racing would only improve, as Gaughan would win a series high six races, including his second consecutive sweep at Texas and a hometown victory at Vegas, heading into the season finale at Homestead. In an ironic twist, lady luck would deal the Orleans team a bad hand, as Gaughan was taken out in a wreck on lap 101 with Marty Houston and finished fourth in points behind Travis Kvapil. The team's underdog status moved Gaughan up into the Nextel Cup Series, to drive for Roger Penske in 2004. While Gaughan was in Cup, Orleans tapped former Cup driver Steve Park to wheel their No. 62. Park would take his first career Truck Series win at Fontana in 2005, but struggled with consistency and was released before season's end. Scott Lynch would take over the No. 62 for the last races of the season, but like Park, struggled and was released. With the reduction in manufacturer support from Dodge, Orleans was forced to downsize to only the No. 77 truck in 2006.

#### Truck No. 62 results

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Year  | Driver  | 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  | Owners  | Pts

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2002 | Brendan Gaughan | 62  | Dodge | DAY
13 | DAR
20 | MAR
9 | GTY
11 | PPR
26 | DOV
7 | TEX
1* | MEM
13 | MLW
4 | KAN
27 | KEN
11 | NHA
5 | MCH
18 | IRP
29 | NSH
6 | RCH
16 | TEX
1 | SBO
11 | LVS
8 | CAL
3 | PHO
13 | HOM
11 |  | 11th  | 2893
2003 | DAY
10 | DAR
3 | MMR
3 | MAR
16 | CLT
2 | DOV
18 | TEX
1 | MEM
8 | MLW
1* | KAN
9 | KEN
22 | GTW
1* | MCH
1* | IRP
4 | NSH
5 | BRI
4 | RCH
7 | NHA
5 | CAL
2 | LVS
1* | SBO
15 | TEX
1* | MAR
11 | PHO
12 | HOM
29 | 4th  | 3797
2004 | Steve Park | DAY
27 | ATL
12 | MAR
26 | MFD
27 | CLT
12 | DOV
13 | TEX
10 | MEM
11 | MLW
4 | KAN
4 | KEN
6 | GTW
31 | MCH
17 | IRP
22 | NSH
5 | BRI
9 | RCH
12 | NHA
14 | LVS
3* | CAL
8 | TEX
12 | MAR
23 | PHO
6 | DAR
5 | HOM
23 | 9th  | 3138
2005 | DAY
23 | CAL
1 | ATL
35 | MAR
24 | GTY
13 | MFD
20 | CLT
5 | DOV
36 | TEX
16 | MCH
31 | MLW
7 | KAN
32 | KEN
8 | MEM
12 | IRP
30 | NSH
15 | BRI
15 | RCH
18 | NHA
12 | LVS
30 |  | 20th  | 2636
Scott Lynch |  | MAR
30 | ATL
25 | TEX
23 | PHO
18 | HOM

#### Truck No. 77 History

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The No. 77 truck debuted as the No. 61 truck driven by West Series driver Scott Lynch, who scored 12th-place finishes at Homestead and Phoenix. After his release from Penske, Brendan returned to Orleans Racing in 2005. However, the season proved difficult due to the increase in competition and Gaughan could only muster a 19th-place finish in the points. In 2006, the team changed its name from Orleans Racing to South Point Racing, due to Michael's acquisition of South Coast Casino in exchange for selling Coast Casinos to Boyd Gaming. A high for the newly named South Point Racing was a second-place finish at Homestead and a 15th-place finish in points. The team, switching manufacturers to Chevrolet, climbed to 11th in points, with a near win at Texas.

#### Truck No. 77 results

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Year  | Driver  | 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  | Owners  | Pts

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2003 | Scott Lynch | 61  | Dodge | DAY | DAR | MMR | MAR | CLT | DOV | TEX | MEM | MLW | KAN | KEN | GTW | MCH | IRP | NSH | BRI | RCH | NHA | CAL | LVS
12 | SBO | TEX | MAR | PHO | HOM
12 | 63rd  | 254
2004 | DAY | ATL | MAR | MFD | CLT | DOV | TEX | MEM | MLW | KAN | KEN | GTW | MCH | IRP | NSH | BRI | RCH | NHA | LVS
19 | CAL | TEX | MAR | PHO | DAR | HOM | 62nd  | 106
2005 | Brendan Gaughan | 77  | DAY
30 | CAL
21 | ATL
DNQ | MAR
DNQ | GTY
22 | MFD
15 | CLT
8 | DOV
16 | TEX
27 | MCH
11 | MLW
5 | KAN
8 | KEN
29 | MEM
3 | IRP
8 | NSH
6 | BRI
36 | RCH
11 | NHA
10 | LVS
35 | MAR
24 | ATL
15 | TEX
32 | PHO
23 | HOM
16 | 19th  | 2662
2006 | DAY
24 | CAL
36 | ATL
13 | MAR
6 | GTY
14 | CLT
14 | MFD
17 | DOV
19 | TEX
26 | MCH
16 | MLW
19 | KAN
4 | KEN
3 | MEM
17 | IRP
16 | NSH
5 | BRI
17 | NHA
34 | LVS
15 | TAL
12 | MAR
19 | ATL
26 | TEX
17 | PHO
21 | HOM
2 | 16th  | 2894
2007 | Chevy | DAY
21 | CAL
21 | ATL
6 | MAR
25 | KAN
11 | CLT
35 | MFD
9 | DOV
36 | TEX
24 | MCH
3 | MLW
28 | MEM
22 | KEN
22 | IRP
10 | NSH
12 | BRI
2 | GTW
10 | NHA
25 | LVS
30 | TAL
16 | MAR
11 | ATL
8 | TEX
2 | PHO
13 | HOM
19 | 17th  | 2204

## Demise

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For 2008, SPR was to merge with Toyota team Wyler Racing to form Wyler-Gaughan Racing. The partnership, however, would involve the Gaughans leaving their home state of Nevada for Mooresville, North Carolina and switching manufacturers to Toyota, along with having a teammate, Richard Johns. However, for unknown reasons, the deal fell through and South Point Racing was disbanded, with only Brendan and 10–12 of his crew remaining, eventually moving to Circle Bar Racing. The shop was inactive for three months but was most recently used by Cup teams as a shelter during the extremely rainy Auto Club 500.

## External links

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* Official Website

* v
* t
* e

Orleans Racing

Years active|

2000–2007

Personnel|

* Michael Gaughan
* Walker Evans
* Bill McAnally

Former drivers|

* Austin Cameron
* Brendan Gaughan
* Scott Lynch
* Steve Park

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