D'Hondt cashes in from other teams downsizing

By D.C. WILLIAMS
Correspondent Daytona Beach News Journal

DAYTONA BEACH -- Amid the economic clouds found across the motorsports world today, some like ARCA RE/MAX Series team owner Eddie D'Hondt are realizing a silver lining found within.

"It's funny how life is," D'Hondt said, "The economy took a little bit of a turn for the worst in the Charlotte area, but we've kind of benefitted from it here by being able to pick up a lot of top-flight people for our team.

"Our crew chief was the same for Bill Elliott when I was general manager (at Bill Elliott Racing)," D'Hondt said while pointing out Jerry Pitts, who now directs the D'Hondt Motorsports' No. 19 Toyota of driver Alli Owens.

Though now gaining from the industry's recent consolidations, D'Hondt knows the flip side of that coin, too. He lost his general manager role at Robert Yates Racing in early 2006 -- among the first NASCAR teams to start reorganizing.

It didn't stop there for D'Hondt.

While developing his team ownership role since 2007, D'Hondt also spotted for Bobby Labonte's No. 43 Petty Enterprises car. D'Hondt was handed his walking papers when Petty Enterprises recently furloughed its employees.

"I know what it's like to be on top of the world one day and down the next," D'Hondt said. "But while we're maybe young to the (ARCA) series, we're definitely not young in experience with the group we have here because just about everybody working for us has spent time in the Cup or Nationwide series."

According to Owens, a Daytona Beach native, that wealth of experience already has paid huge dividends for her.

"I was floored to get a car that worked so well right out of the box," Owens said after having scored among the fastest times in the car's qualifying and race setups.

"To see my name up there as No. 1 for awhile was a shock because I'd never been there before," Owens said of her Friday lap times around the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway.

Of the more than 40 cars on hand, Owens eventually finished fourth in qualifying simulations and was 12th fastest in Saturday's drafting sessions.

Serving as Owens' spotter during the test, D'Hondt also worked with Owens to hone her driving skills.

"He let me know who else was out there, where they were, what they were doing and even worked with me to correct some bad habits, which he'd catch right away," Owens said. "I've never had that before, and it really leaves me looking forward to what we'll do in February (in the ARCA race at DIS)."

D'Hondt characterized Owens as a hardworking, charismatic driver who has given the crew newfound hope, where weeks ago little existed.

"We're keeping them employed, they're paying the bills and we've got top-flight quality guys who now know they've got the same in an up-and-coming driver," he said.