Penske-Jasper Racing
| Owner(s) | D. K. Ulrich, Doug Bawel, Mark Wallace, Mark Harrah, Bobby Hillin, Jr., Roger Penske |
|---|---|
| Base | Statesville, North Carolina |
| Series | Winston Cup |
| Car numbers | 2, 6, 41, 55, 67, 77 |
| Race drivers | Tim Richmond, Ernie Irvan, Dave Blaney, Robert Pressley |
| Sponsors | Kodak, Jasper Engines & Transmissions, US Air |
| Manufacturer | Ford, Dodge, Chevrolet |
| Opened | 1971 |
| Closed | 2006 |
| Career | |
| Debut | 1971 Maryville 200 (Maryville) |
| Latest race | 2005 Ford 400 (Homestead) |
| Races competed | 876 |
| Drivers' Championships | 0 |
| Race victories | 0 |
| Pole positions | 2 |
Jasper Motorsports was a NASCAR Winston Cup team. It was owned by a variety of owners including D.K. Ulrich and Doug Bawel.
The car started in 1971 at what turned out to be the only Winston Cup race at Smoky Mountain Raceway as the No. 41 Ford owned and driven by Ulrich, who finished 29th out of 30 cars for heating problems on the 4th lap. Ulrich ran full-time for a couple of years, but normally he stepped aside and let other drivers race for him. During his tenure as an owner, he employed many younger drivers. Sterling Marlin, Tim Richmond, Morgan Shepherd, and Mark Martin all went on to successful careers after piloting Ulrich's car.
In 1987, Ulrich noticed a young short track driver from California named Ernie Irvan, who qualified 20th in a Dale Earnhardt-sponsored car for a race that Ulrich didn't make. Ulrich put the aggressive young Irvan in his car for three races that year, with Irvan's partner Marc Reno as crew chief. When Ulrich was able to get Kroger as a full-time sponsor for the team, he fielded the car full-time in 1988 with Irvan competing for NASCAR Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year in the No. 2 Chevrolet/Pontiac, finishing 59 points behind Ken Bouchard for Rookie of the Year. In 1989, Irvan posted 4-top ten finishes and ending the season 22nd in points, three better than the previous year. Unfortunately, Kroger decided not to renew its contract, and Irvan had no choice but to leave the team. Ulrich was able to get several different sponsorships together for 1990, and the team ran most of the races.
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