Bill Davis sells off majority of team, engine company (cont'd)

Dave Blaney, driver of the No. 22 Toyota in the Cup Series since 2006, had two top-10 finishes in 35 starts in 2008. He finished 30th in points.

In the Truck Series, Benson, Mike Skinner and Scott Speed combined to win seven races and Davis' first championship. Benson left BDR at season's end and will drive for Red Horse Racing next year in the Truck Series. Speed will drive for Red Bull Racing Team in the Cup Series in 2009.

Davis, a native of Arkansas, broke into NASCAR with Mark Martin, who finished fourth in the No. 06 Ford in the Nationwide Series' Goody's 300 on Feb. 13, 1988. Martin also had been the driver for Davis' ASA team in the Midwest.

In 1991, Davis signed Jeff Gordon to drive in the Nationwide Series. He posted five top-five finishes and 10 top-10s in the No. 1 car. The next year, Ray Evernham came on board and Gordon won three races with 10 top-fives and 15 top-10s and finished fourth in points. It proved to be the springboard to a Cup Series career for Gordon, now a four-time series champion.

Davis made the leap to the Cup Series in 1993 with another future series champion, Bobby Labonte. He raced two seasons with Davis in the No. 22, posting one top-five finish and eight top-10s in 61 starts.

Burton gave the team its first Cup Series victory on Oct. 22, 1995, at Rockingham. Burton also provided Bill Davis Racing with its benchmark Cup Series win -- the 2002 Daytona 500 -- among his five victories with the team from 1995-2003.

What will be your most enduring memory of BDR?
• Your Voice: Join the discussion!

The Associated Press contributed to this report.