A winning team
From 1987 until 2014, Herzog Motorsports competed successfully in a variety of racing series including off-road, NASCAR, ASA, and NHRA and was instrumental in helping launch the careers of such drivers as seven-time NASCAR Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson. The Herzogs left behind a legacy of team ownership, remembered by those who were there as them having the best people, the best equipment, ultimately leading to an impressive record of success. Today, Herzog remains a part of the racing community as an active member of the ownership group for the Music City Grand Prix — an annual festival of events focused on IndyCar racing, music, celebrity, and food, in Nashville, Texas.
Watch Patrons of Horsepower
Produced by veteran motorsports broadcaster Rick Benjamin watch the one-hour documentary on the history of Herzog Motorsports and founders Stanley, Randy and Bill Herzog. Also get to know the life and career of Jimmie Johnson, a seven-time NASCAR champion, who rose to the top of his game with the support of Herzog Motorsports.
Check out the exhibit
Visit the Herzog Motorsports exhibit in Lincoln, NE at the Museum of American Speed featuring an impressive collection of Herzog memorabilia, race vehicles including Baja and Pikes Peak-winning trucks, as well as Jimmie Johnson’s NASCAR Busch Series and ASA Monte Carlos.
It started with a phone call
The story of Herzog Motorsports is an important thread in the Herzog family history, and closely interwoven with the evolution of the enterprise. As Herzog grew from a regional paving business into an international rail maintenance service and transit operations provider, the Herzog’s sense of adventure also grew. Bill, Stan, and Randy Herzog sought another outlet for their inborn competitiveness in off-road desert, stock cars, and drag racing.
Randy Herzog recalled brother Stan calling him from Las Vegas, NV in 1987 and saying he had just seen trucks racing in the desert, and “It’s the damdest thing! We’ve got to find a way to get involved in this.” Stan then started to race with Herzog employee George Wagenblast, who had a Class 7 Ford Ranger pickup truck. Stan won the first time out, in the Plaster City Blast, a smaller club event in Nevada—and that was enough to set the hook.
Randy was pulled in to run logistics, as longer races required crew people, spare parts, and support vehicles being in the right place. A race truck needs to be refueled, have tires changed, and repairs made to keep it in the race, often in the middle of nowhere…a challenge very similar to that faced in keeping railway equipment running.
Stan and Randy also decided at about this time to turn driving over to someone more qualified to win. Meeting the Midwesterners at a golf tournament, a young Danny Ashcraft said “if you like how I golf, I can race even better,” and got the job along with co-driver Dave Mason, and they set off to win. The program turned around and “we went from barely finishing events to winning,” says Dave Mason. Herzog’s first victory with a seasoned driver came in 1990 at the Gold Coast 300 in their Ford Bronco II.
Herzog Motorsports Drivers
George Wagenblast
Years raced: 1987-1989
Dave Mason
Years raced: 1990-1993
Danny Ashcraft
Years raced: 1989-1992
Scott Douglas
Years raced: 1993-1995
1993 SCORE Class 7 Champion
Jimmie Johnson
Years raced: 1996-2001
1996 SODA Off Road Winter Series Champion
1998 ASA Rookie of the Year
Ricky Johnson
Years raced: 1998-2000
1999 ASA Rookie of the Year
Larry Ragland
Years raced: 1997-2000
2016 Off Road Motorsports Hall of Fame
Todd Bodine
Years raced: 2002-2003
1998 SODA/CORR Pro-2
Cruz Pedregon
Years raced: 2004-2010
2008 NHRA Funny Car Champion
Tony Pedregon
Years raced: 2004-2013
2007 NHRA Funny Car Champion
Featured Win
Hills Bros Coffee 300 Chicagoland Busch Race
Jimmie Johnson ran a few Busch races in 1999, but kept his rookie status, and was entered for the whole season in 2000, carrying Alltel sponsorship. 2000 was a year of modest results but the team honed their skills and Jimmie learned how to handle the dynamics of a Busch car on pavement. It all came together for Jimmie and the crew as they found victory at the 2001 Busch race in Chicago, proving to themselves that they were a winning combo.
Music City Grand Prix
In 2021, Herzog joined forces with a special team of investors to bring the inaugural Music City Grand Prix to the streets of Nashville, TN. The IndyCar street circuit race is a unique atmosphere of racing, live music, and local cuisine for fans and families to enjoy.