Disappointment at Daytona

Dan Harvey — 05 Jul 2010 6:08 pm

Carl Long and the Fleur-de-lis Motorsports team headed to Daytona with high hopes only to have them crushed as soon as the #68 Chevrolet got on track. After a tremendous effort to build this car from scratch, it was discovered that the Cross Member was coming into contact with the rough Daytona pavement scrubbing off speed in each corner. The suspension was adjusted so as to allow additional clearance for the Cross Member but the added height hurt the aerodynamics of the car which slowed it's speed even more. The Cross Member is a major component of the car's structure and cannot be easily re-located, "it is definitely not something you would do at the track" says Craig Partee, team owner. "Our plan to run four races this year is to get all the bugs worked out before we run a full season next year." Carl and FDL Motorsports next attempt will be at Michigan International Speedway on August 14th for the Carfax 250.

Long, Fleur-De-Lis Motorsports Ready for Daytona

Press Release — 28 Jun 2010 2:11 pm

New Nationwide Team experiences "Miracle Month" preparing for debut! Mooresville, NC (June 28, 2010) … It’s been nothing short of a miracle, but Carl Long and the Fleur-De-Lis Motorsports team are ready for their NASCAR Nationwide Series debut in the Subway Jalapeno 350 powered by Coca-Cola at the Daytona International Speedway on July 2nd. Fleur-De-Lis Motorsports was formed by Craig Partee to compete in the four NASCAR Nationwide Series COT races in 2010. After months and months of planning, Partee purchased a former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series COT chassis from DEI, Inc. on Tuesday, June 1st. That same day, Partee arranged a motor deal with Automotive Specialist Racing Engines. With basically three men – Partee, Crew Chief Morris Van Vleet, and driver Carl Long – the team cut the body off the car, fixed the roof, and had the front horns and rear wheel hubs changed to meet NASCAR requirements for the Nationwide Series COT. The car was taken to the NASCAR Research & Development (R & D) Center on Monday, June 14th, for certification. Later that afternoon, the car was approved and taken to the body shop for further preparation. Van Vleet, Partee, and Long picked up the car from the body shop and took it to the paint shop on Saturday, June 19th. They got their Chevrolet from the paint shop Tuesday night, June 22nd, and began building the car in Van Vleet’s Mooresville, North Carolina shop on Wednesday, June 23rd. Seven days later on Tuesday, June 29th, Fleur-De-Lis Motorsports will unveil their #68 Chevrolet at Daytona International Speedway. For those of you counting, that’s 29 days from purchasing the chassis to rolling the newly-finished COT entry out of the hauler at Daytona. The feat is even more amazing when you consider that Fleur-De-Lis Motorsports had only three men working on this project. Of course, this project would not have been possible without the support of several businesses. Fleur-De-Lis Motorsports will have the support of Marro’s Truck & Welding, A+ Plimbing and Heating, Fleur-De-Lis Farms, Fleur-De-Lis Construction, and The Garlic Garage for the Subway Jalapeno 350 at Daytona. “It’s been a very hectic and fast-paced month,” Partee stated. “I’m approaching this team just like I’ve done with my business – with long hours and hard work. My company believes in “turning dreams into reality” for home and business owners. I’ve turned my dreams into reality with this race team, and I believe that I can do the same for our team members, sponsors, and supporters.” “I’m excited about the opportunity to drive for Craig (Partee) and Fleur-De-Lis Motorsports,” Long added. “I’ve known Craig for several years and have worked with Morris (Crew Chief Van Vleet) in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this year in selected races. I know how hard these guys have worked to make this dream come true. It’s really been a ‘labor of love’ for all of us.” For information about motorsports marketing and sponsorship opportunities with Fleur-de-lis Motorsports, please contact Craig Partee at fleurdelismotorsports@hotmail.com / (315) 651-3260 or Dennis Punch at dpunch37@aol.com / (828) 994-1631.

Daytona Paint Layout Released

Dan Harvey — 25 Jun 2010 12:54 pm

Fleur de lis Motorsports has released the paint layout for their #68 Daytona entry. Craig Partee of Fleur-de-lis Motorsports reports they are working hard to get the car ready for Daytona which will be sponsored in part by Fleur-de-lis Farms. Driver Carl Long is involved in the assembly of the car and reports the work is going well. Click here to see layout

Press Release

FDL Motorsports — 08 Jun 2010 5:05 pm

Seneca Falls, NY (June 8, 2010) … Craig Partee announced today that his Fleur-de-lis Motorsports Team will make their NASCAR debut at Daytona International Speedway in July. The newly-formed Nationwide Series Team will compete in the Subway Jalapeno 250 Powered by Coca-Cola at DIS on July 2nd. Partee, owner of Fleur-de-lis Construction in Seneca Falls, New York, has an extensive background in motorsports and looks forward to the debut of the #68 Chevrolet at Daytona. I love NASCAR and have been involved with different teams for over twenty years, Partee stated. I’ve been a driver in SCCA as well as a crewmember in the NASCAR K&N East, Nationwide, and Sprint Cup Series. I decided that I’m ready to step up for my next challenge ownership. Plans are for Fleur-de-lis Motorsports to compete in the Carfax 250 at Michigan International Speedway on August 14th, the Richmond 250 at Richmond International Raceway on September 10th, and the Dollar General 300 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 15th in addition to the Daytona race. All four races will be Nationwide Series COT (Car of Tomorrow) events. In 2011, Fleur-de-lis Motorsports plans to run the complete NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule. Carl Long has been named the driver and Morris Van Vleet will serve as Crew Chief for Fleur-de-lis Motorsports. The team will be based in Van Vleet’s Mooresville, North Carolina shop and be powered by Automotive Specialists Racing Engines. As an owner, I expect my team to participate at a competitive level, Partee added. I’m going into this new venture all out. I want to be competitive and successful at each of the four Nationwide COT races this year. I’m starting small and running my team like I’ve managed my construction business for over twenty years with hard work and long hours. My business believes in ‘turning dreams into reality’ for home and business owners, Partee continued. I turned my dreams into reality and know that I can do the same for my team members and sponsors by making races, pricing sponsorship dollars competitively, and providing a great racing experience for everyone. I am also carrying over my other business motto of ‘taking pride in America’ by buying supplies from American companies. For information about motorsports marketing and sponsorship opportunities with Fleur-de-lis Motorsports, please contact Craig Partee at fleurdelismotorsports@hotmail.com / (315) 651-3268 or Dennis Punch at dpunch37@aol.com / (828) 464-6677. - Fleur-de-lis Motorsports, Press Release

New Website

Dan Harvey — 3/6/2010 12:43 pm

Please report any glitches you find on this site to Dan Harvey. Thanks