Tony Raines

Tony Raines got his first taste of racing following his father around the short tracks of his native Indiana.The Raines duo spent much of their free time helping out stock car teams -– ironic considering that the epicenter of Indy Racing was right in their backyard.

In 1988, Raines entered in five American Speed Association (ASA) races, followed by a full season of ASA racing in 1989. The following year, Raines took on the All-Pro Series. He finished fourth in the series standings and took rookie of the year honors.He returned to the ASA in 1991. By 1995 he had moved to Milwaukee to join crew chief Howie Lettow and Baker Motorsports –- a jump that paid off just two seasons later as Raines claimed the 1996 ASA Championship.

In 1997, Raines entered the Craftsman Truck Series with owner Kurt Roehrig. Raines claimed his first Truck Series victory that season at the I-70 Speedway in just his third career start. He added seven top-10 finishes to earn 15th place in the series standings as a rookie. Raines remained with Roehrig for the 1998 Truck Series season. He visited Victory Lane three times and posted a career high fifth-place finish in the 1998 Craftsman Truck Series point standings.Raines’ consistency opened the door for advancement to the Busch Series in 1999, as Raines was tabbed by BACE Motorsports to drive Bill Baumgardner’s Chevrolets.

BACE, which holds the distinction of being the only team to win three consecutive NASCAR Busch Championships (1995, ’96 & ‘97), gave Raines the firepower he’d need to claim Busch Series Rookie of the Year honors in 1999. After four seasons in the Busch Series, including a sixth-place finish in the 1999 title chase, Raines advanced again -– this time to NASCAR’s elite series. On June 2, 2002 Raines raised some eyebrows in the Cup garage, qualifying 17th in his Cup debut on Dover’s Monster Mile.Away from the track, Raines enjoys golf, hunting, gardening and motorcycle riding.