Private Jets No Luxury For NASCAR Teams

Business travel can be a grind, But for NASCARLearjet is N8JR, and Jeff Gordon's Hawker is N24JG.
drivers and race teams who are on the road for 36The corporate Embraer at Dale Earnhardt, Inc. is
races per year travel is unavoidable.N500DE.
If these teams had to rely on commercial airlineNASCAR has come to rely on private jet travel so
schedules travel would be a nightmare, if not amuch that many tracks are located right next to
logistical impossibility. That's why most of the top tierairports. Daytona International Speedway is located
drivers own private jets, and race teams operateright next to Daytona Beach International Airport
fleets of small aircraft to transport pit crew memberswhere private jets and commercial flights arrive daily.
and team executives to the racetrack each week.While most tracks are not located so close to a
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. owns a LearJet 60, which is themajor international airport, some tracks have built
top of the LearJet line, and their largest jet. It's atheir own airports. Right next to Atlanta Motor
business jet that can seat up to 10 passengers.Speedway sits Tara Field, a small general aviation
Thanks to the jet Earnhardt can leave his home inairstrip that sees little traffic until race week, when
North Carolina and be at the racetrack in Daytona ormore than 600 planes descend on this tiny airfield.
Texas a couple of hours later -- about the time itHowever, some tracks are not as convenient, but
would take to drive to a major airport and clearwhen that happens expect the NASCAR drivers to
security.come up with a solution. When NASCAR descends on
NASCAR rookie and former Formula One driver Juana track like Dover Delaware some drivers like Dale
Pablo Montoya also owns a LearJet 60. 2006Earnhardt bypass race traffic by flying from the
champion Jimmie Johnson owns a Learjet 31A, andairport to the racetrack in a chartered helicopter,
Jeff Gordon owns a British Aerospace Hawker 800.landing directly in he infield.
Most of the drivers leave the flying to professionalSome people consider private air travel a luxury, but
pilots, but Mark Martin is a licensed pilot who oftenwith the hectic schedule of today's drivers it is a
pilots his own Cessna Citation. Martin lives in a uniquenecessity. Following a Sunday afternoon race a driver
community near Daytona Beach called Spruce Creek.can hop on his jet and be home by Sunday night.
It's a fly in community with it's own airport. ResidentsThis means they can meet with the crew chiefs and
have aircraft hangars in the yard where most of usteam owners Monday morning to review the
have garages. Martin can literally park his jet in theprevious race, and develop a strategy for the
garage.following race. During the week drivers are often on
The race teams operate larger planes to ferry the pitthe jet again, meeting with sponsors, shooting TV
crews and team executives to the track. Roushcommercials, making public appearances, and testing.
Racing operates a fleet of planes, including a BoeingWithout a jet this schedule would be impossible. Most
737 and several smaller business jets. Dale Earnhardt,,drivers agree that having a private jet gives them
Inc. flies it's pit crew on an Embraer 120, a mid-sizeone to two days per week of productive time, or
turbo-prop that seats 30 passengers.just allows an occasional day off.
While cars have vanity license plates, NASCAR teamsYou can see pictures of these jets at and get more
have vanity aircraft registration numbers. Dale Jr'sdetailed information on each airplane.