Race dogs common site during NASCAR weekends

Many traits define our NASCAR drivers: talent, sponsorships, teams, car numbers and so forth; however, few think to identify the sport's top wheelmen by their four-legged companions.

Considered to be a best friend off the track, drivers' dogs are becoming a larger part of a his persona and celebrity status.

Beyond Pit Road

TNT's Matt Yocum talks to Ryan Newman about his animal foundation and finds NASCAR fans of the four-legged kind.

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• Ryan Newman Foundation

Oftentimes, NASCAR fans can tell you which dog belongs to which driver, the breed of said dog, its name and at least one distinguishing personality trait.

They know that Denny Hamlin's dog, Missy, can bounce a basketball, they know A.J. Allmendinger's dog played a part in the movie Marley & Me and that Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s dog, Killer, has his own line of merchandise including a stuffed version of itself whose sales rival some of Earnhardt's own product lines.

The dogs are stealing the show, and rightfully so. These canines have their own endearing star power and receive tons of exposure traveling with their human owners on the NASCAR circuit every weekend and have acquired a fan following.

"When people walk past the motorhome lot and I'm walking our dogs, they yell their names. They know who they are and I've autographed things for fans before. I sign Lola or Ginger and then draw a tiny paw print," said Eva Busch, wife of driver Kurt Busch. The couple owns Ginger, a Yorkshire Terrier, and Lola, a Norwich Terrier, and both dogs have appeared in NASCAR pet calendars and books.

"I think that is part of the reason why the dogs have become so popular, they've gained a new level of exposure in the infield with things like the Greg Biffle Foundation calendar. We also take our dogs to autograph sessions that Kurt has when we can," Eva said.

Emily Dinunzio, executive director for the Greg Biffle Foundation, which supports animal causes and has produced a pet calendar featuring drivers' dogs every year since 2005, says it has become a must-have item for NASCAR fans.

The 2010 calendar is at the print shop this week and sales begin in August.

"The dogs in the calendars have become an extension of the drivers' personality so naturally the fans want to know them," Dinunzio said. "And seeing the driver in a relaxed setting away from the car and sponsor atmosphere is unique; these pets are family members. It's an inside look into the driver's life and fans like that."

So it's not bizarre for a NASCAR fan to want to know how Clint Bowyer is enjoying puppy-hood with his new Australian Shepherd or what kind of dog parent Earnhardt is. Seemingly, Earnhardt's Boxer is a pampered pooch.

"He has his own bed, but he prefers to sleep in the big bed," Earnhardt said of Killer. "And if he gets to bed first he ain't getting up. You just have to take whatever available space there is. He's funny like that and I really enjoy having him. He's a good dog. He has the same attitude and personality that I have. We don't clash and he listens well."

Superstore

The 2010 NASCAR Pets calendar comes out in August. Until then, you can shop for other pets-related items.

• Book: Pit Road Pets
• Other pet products

For the most part, Killer goes wherever Earnhardt goes.

"When I head toward to the door, he wants to go, too," he said.

And when he does go on the road, Earnhardt said he visits family.

"Killer's parents are Greg Biffle's dogs, so at the track he always spends a couple hours over at their motorcoach," Earnhardt said. (Note: Gracie is a sister and Foster is Killer's dad.) "I feel pretty lucky to have Killer because when you get a pet the first thing on your mind is what kind of animal am I getting? Am I going to get a pain in the butt or is this going to work out? You know, are we going to get along? So I was really lucky. Killer is an easy-going dog."

Taking the family pet on the road is a recent luxury afforded to drivers since the advent of team and private planes as well as motorhomes.

For the Busches, having the dogs at the track makes the motorhome feel more like an actual home.

"They are our children because no matter how bad a day Kurt is having, he's always happy to see the puppies. They love you all the time, unconditionally no matter what happened on the track," Eva said. "They just wag their stubby little tails and are happy to be with you."

Bowyer recently brought home his new dog named, fitting to his personality, Trip.

"He's just man's best friend," Bowyer said. "He goes everywhere with us and I just really have been enjoying him. He's got a good temperament to him and good attitude and he behaves well."

For Bowyer, the dog provides an extreme amount of comfort at the track, kind of like a furry form of therapy on four legs.

"I think just spending a lot of time with animals is the best thing you can do," Bowyer said. "He's been a really good puppy so far, and little to no trouble. And you know, you couldn't ask for much more out of a puppy his age. But I have really been enjoying him a lot. He's the dog I always kind of wanted growing up, so he's quite the handful."

The dogs are a handful on the road, yes, but there's a built-in community inside NASCAR's motorhome lot filled with other pet owners willing to sit and help out when they can.

Race dogs, as Eva Busch calls them, enjoy life on the NASCAR circuit and have developed unique talents to keep them entertained.

"They know the national anthem," she said. "When the Nationwide Series race comes on and the anthem begins, tails start to wag and they run around because they know fireworks or the flyover is coming soon and they start running back and forth waiting in anticipation."

Dale Earnhardt Jr. feels at ease with Killer by his side; Clint Bowyer doesn't take a trip without Trip.