Success in NASCAR racing usually starts with consistency. Consistency usually doesn’t happen unless there’s some kind of repetition, routine – and normalcy.
Paul Menard never had much of that. His full-time career began in 2007 with Dale Earnhardt Inc. He spent two full years with the team, with only one top-10 finish to show for it.
Next stop: Yates Racing, an outfit known for power under the hood. He stayed for a year, 2009, without a single top 10.
It was time to move on, time to get going. Next up: Richard Petty Motorsports. This was his best season to date. He scored a top five, at Atlanta, and six top 10s.
That’s when the keen eye for talent – eyes belonging to Richard Childress – scooped him up, signing him to drive a fourth car for Richard Childress Racing for the 2011 season. He brought along Menard’s crew chief, veteran Slugger Labbe, as well.
So, really, it’s no surprise that Menard did what he did on Sunday, winning the Brickyard 400. He had a top crew chief, a top organization, and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series-worthy skill.
Already this season, Menard has four top fives and six top 10s, which is as much as any previous season in his career.
Menard may have needed 167 races to nab his first win – matching Bobby Hamilton for the 10th-longest stretch before a first NASCAR Sprint Cup points win – but as his resiliency and performance suggest, it won’t be that long until the next one.
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