Former SMU QB Robert Richardson

[MrMustang1965]

Robert Richardson heads home to Texas this weekend for the running of the Sam's Town 400 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race. Richardson is known in Texas not only his racing accomplishments but for his handling of the pigskin.

Football has long been synonymous in the Longhorn State and Richardson's path in life seemed to be in place as he had been playing football since the age of nine. A quarterback throughout his years at McKinney High School in Texas, Richardson received a scholarship to continue playing football while he attended Southern Methodist University as an Art major. While football was very important, Richardson spent his weekends watching NASCAR on television. While this seemed to be quite a stretch from the gridiron, Richardson felt a calling to the race track very different than any he had felt previously.

"I loved playing football," Richardson said. "My dad was there with me every step of the way - but I knew there was something else out there that I wanted to do more than play football and that was race cars. I knew if I put in the concentration and time like I did with football it wouldn't be long before I could compete professionally."

Richardson unlike most race car drivers started driving only four years ago and had already made a name for himself behind the wheel of a stock car in the state of Texas. Richardson purchased a Legends race car and began competing in the fall of 2001 at the Texas Motor Speedway. In his first racing season ever, Richardson earned the Lone Star Legends Championship. Just as he made a dynamic change from football to auto racing, Richardson then made a jump from Legends racing to the Romco Super Late Model Series where he scored one of the most prestigious wins in the series at his home track of Texas Motor Speedway.

The Super Late Models proved to be of a solid competition level for Richardson as he finished seventh in overall points in the NASCAR Southeast Series, earned a win at the Texas Motor Speedway during the Nextel Cup Series weekend and earned a spot at the 2004 Toyota All-Star Showdown at Irwindale Speedway in California. While competing at Irwindale, Richardson posted the fastest race lap of the entire event along with competing in the top ten throughout much of the event.

Richardson decided to take his racing career once again to a higher level of competition and compete in the ARCA Re/Max Series. He competed in six ARCA Re/Max Series events in the 2005 season completing more than 98 percent of the total laps attempted. While competing in the limited number of ARCA events in 2005, Richardson also made his first career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway. Richardson was able to turn several heads as he made the field for Texas and Homestead on time, sending some talented teams and driver's home from both events. Now Richardson has realized his dream and is happy to have the opportunity to compete fulltime in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

"It's been an unreal opportunity," Richardson said. "We've had some ups and downs this season and I know that is just part of being a Rookie. We really need the seat time and every lap we take in the truck is really beneficial. Things are really coming together on the team and my crew chief, Kevin Caldwell has made a difference already in just a few short weeks. The guys have built an awesome truck for Texas and we're looking forward to a good race."

http://www.truckseries.com/cgi-script/N ... 007306.htm

[jtstang]

Who?

[mrydel]

Who?

Sounds like a Rice cheer Jt.

It seems that our coaches in the past have had the ability to select QBs with great talent. It is a shame that the talent has not been football related.

[jtstang]

Who?

Sounds like a Rice cheer Jt.

It seems that our coaches in the past have had the ability to select QBs with great talent. It is a shame that the talent has not been football related.

Maybe they were just stocking up at tight end.

[SMU Football Blog]

You two should have a comedy routine.

[PK]

Pay attention...they already do have a comedy routine...exclusively on PonyFans for PonyFans.

[jtstang]

As long as I crack me up, that's all that matters...

[mrydel]

I just keep upgrading my seats in hopes that someday Jt will sit in mine. Then I will know I have made it.

[McAndless]

"Bucky" was a walk-on that left the program the first day of off-season his first year. He was never going to play. Tell the journalist to do their homework.

Best of luck regardless.