The Spotter Stand – NASCAR News | NASCAR Notes | NASCAR Blog

Grant Enfinger is a true, modern day story of hard work and perseverance; but on a shoestring budget. In a sport where drivers have been alligned or affiliated with the mega teams of NASCAR through developmental deals signed early on in their career, there stands a driver who is a throwback to the days when racing meant putting food on the table or paying the rent. That driver is Grant Enfinger. You see not only is Enfinger the driver of the #83 Ford Fusion in the ARCA/REMAX Series…he is the owner, hauler driver, and the “guys back at the shop.” 

In a sport where millions of dollars will simply get you by, Enfinger has managed to find success being nothing more than a one man operation. Granted some volunteer help has popped up along the way, but what Enfinger has managed to accomplish with the limited resources available to him is nothing short of spectacular.

Hailing from Fairhope, Alabama, Enfinger decided long ago this is what he wanted to do. Like most young drivers, his career took off racing Legends and go-karts. After 50 wins in the 15-18 year old division of the Legends series, Enfinger made the transition to Super Late Models. Success came early and often for Enfinger. In 2008, he won the Rattler 250 at South Alabama Speedway and beat out nearly 60 drivers for the pole in Pensacola’s world famous Snow Ball Derby. He would go on to finish 2nd that day.

From there Enfinger decided to set his sights on the ARCA/REMAX Series. Enfinger spent a good bit of the ‘08 season as a test driver for Andy Belmont’s ARCA/REMAX team. Even though most of ‘08 was spent testing and doing odd jobs for Belmont (including driving the hauler), Enfinger found time to get on the track. He made his ARCA/REMAX Series debut at Iowa and turned heads in the season finale at Toledo with a solid 5th place qualifying effort.

Enfinger, with mentoring from Camping World Truck Series driver Rick Crawford, realized his window of opportunity was shrinking with every passing race. Enfinger went out and leased a shop on the campus of David Ragan Incorporated after the end of the ‘08 season. Using contacts gained from working next door to David Ragan, Enfinger purchased four cars and motors from Roush-Yates Racing. If he was going to make this dream a reality now was the time.

Coming into tonight’s Kansas Lottery 150 at Kansas Speedway Enfinger has turned some heads and people are talking. After a less than stellar debut at Rockingham, Enfinger rebounded with a 3rd place finish at Talladega and most recently had people on the edge of their seats with two spectacular runner-up finishes at Kentucky and Chicagoland Speedway.

Talent and ability aside, what makes Grant Enfinger unique is that in a business where you cut the throat of whoever you can to make it big Enfinger has never forgot who his friends are. Fellow ARCA/REMAX Series driver and competitor Tom Hessert III is his roommate; Enfinger pitched in a helping hand to Truck and Nationwide Series Team Owner Corrie Stott at Las Vegas where he manned the catch can during a race; And even qualified a car for John Wes Townley during a race earlier this year.

In a sport where it’s become more about who you know, how well you talk or how polished you look it’s loyalty such as this that makes Enfinger’s story that much more impressive; not to mention the young man knows how to get it done behind the wheel of a race car. Grant Enfinger’s journey is not just another feel good story….it embodies exactly what this sport was built on decades ago.

For more NASCAR news and notes visit us at www.thespotterstand.com