| An unlikely candidate has formed a Craftsman Truck | | | | Aikman, and Roger Staubach are among the latest |
| Series team that will begin racing later this season. | | | | casualties. The superstardom that Moss has sustained |
| With help from Integrity Sports Marketing, LLC, | | | | through a decade of professional football leaves |
| Randy Moss, a record-breaking wide receiver with | | | | skeptics doubting whether he can prolong his interest |
| the New England Patriots, started Moss Motorsports, | | | | in building a NASCAR team from scratch-along with all |
| LLC in late April. He has yet to announce sponsorship | | | | the headaches that come from early frustrations and |
| or which nameplate his team will use. An unnamed | | | | multiple setbacks as more money is pumped into an |
| driver is expected to race a limited schedule for the | | | | operation that may not succeed. |
| remainder of 2008 and run full time in '09. The truck | | | | Moss signed a three-year $27 million deal with the |
| is expected to be No. 81, the same number Moss | | | | Patriots in February. Clearly, the Foxboro franchise |
| wears with the Patriots. | | | | does not want their star receiver to become |
| Moss has played in the National Football League for | | | | distracted on the gridiron. |
| 10 seasons, mostly with the Minnesota Vikings, and | | | | It took three years for Aikman and Staubach to give |
| has been a NASCAR fan for several years. He | | | | up on Hall of Fame Racing, although the team still |
| previously sponsored a local dirt track program in his | | | | exists under new ownership. Proven personnel and |
| home state of West Virginia and recently decided to | | | | first-rate equipment are hard to get and harder to |
| get involved with big time auto racing. He plans to | | | | keep for established teams like Petty Enterprises and |
| continue his association with the Urban Youth Racing | | | | Dale Earnhardt Inc. NASCAR giants such as Jack |
| School in Philadelphia in addition to his involvement | | | | Roush have had to take on partners just to keep up. |
| with American Youth Football. | | | | While NASCAR strives for diversity, Moss also carries |
| Driver candidates have not been mentioned while | | | | considerable baggage after a series of legal and |
| Moss has had preliminary discussions with different | | | | personal problems since his high school days, when he |
| car manufacturers. He would prefer to hire a young | | | | pleaded guilty to a battery charge that caused Notre |
| driver or two once his program is off the ground, | | | | Dame to revoke his scholarship offer. He was later |
| acknowledging that an experienced racer with instant | | | | dismissed from Florida State before transferring to |
| name recognition is the right move initially. | | | | Marshall University, where his record-setting play |
| Other professional athletes have tried to become | | | | placed him fourth in the Heisman Trophy balloting and |
| NASCAR owners in the past with little success. NFL | | | | made him a first-round draft pick by the Vikings after |
| head coach Joe Gibbs made a successful transition, | | | | his sophomore year in 1998. |
| but Hall of Fame quarterbacks Terry Bradshaw, Troy | | | | He has his work cut out for him. |