Finished a career-best 15th in the points race and had seven top-10 finishes, but he also failed to finish seven races. If Little can improve on the latter statistic, the number of top-10 finishes could go up and Little could enjoy more days like the one he had last year at Texas Motor Speedway, where he finished second to Roush teammate Mark Martin.
Career
Chad Little won the NASCAR Winston West championship in 1987 before moving to North Carolina in 1988 to pursue a NASCAR Winston Cup career. After the 1992 season, he established Mark Rypien Motorsports with co-owners Greg Pollex and NFL quarterback Mark Rypien.
Finished eighth at Bristol in April, but failed to qualify
five times and failed to finish that many more in 1997. Wound up 37th in points
driving a Pontiac for team owned by Greg Pollex and NFL quarterback Mark
Rypien before being sold to Roush. Team actually flirted with idea of
staying with Pontiacs, but is making switch to Fords.
Little returned to Winston Cup racing after finishing fifth in driver points in Busch competition in 1996.
In 1997, he finished eighth at Bristol in April, but failed to qualify
five times and failed to finish that many more. Wound up 37th in points
driving a Pontiac for team owned by Greg Pollex and NFL quarterback Mark
Rypien before being sold to Roush. Team actually flirted with idea of
staying with Pontiacs, but is making switch to Fords.
He entered his third full season of BGN competition in 1996 on the heels of a career-best second-place finish in the point standings. Little had six Busch wins, 11 top-five and 13 top-10 finished in 1995.
He was the most winning driver on NASCAR Busch Series in 1995 with six wins, including first career victory on series. He won two of series' highest-paying races at Daytona and New Hampshire, and also won at Charlotte, Talladega and South Boston. In contention for series point title until late in season; finished second behind champion Johnny Benson.
Has run on short tracks in his native Washington and the high-banked superspeedways of the NASCAR Winston Cup and Busch Grand National circuits.
Little has a law degree from Gonzaga University in Washington State. He actually won the NASCAR Winston West title while still a law student. Wife Donna is former model for series sponsor Busch Beer.
Sources: NASCAR Press Guides, Star and News staff reports.
