SS Green Light Racing
ABOUT US
SS Green Light Racing was founded by and is operated by Bobby Dotter, a second-generation driver who began his racing career as a teenager in the Chicago, IL area. Credited for bringing Dewalt into NASCAR, Dotter has turned to developing young drivers in the sport. Over the years many talented drivers have been with Dotter at SS Green Light Racing including Tim Sauter, Mike Bliss, Chad McCumbee, Butch Miller, Jason White, David Starr, Ross Chastain, Ray Black Jr., Joey Gase, and Spencer Boyd.
Our History
Team Owner & General Manager – Bobby Dotter
Bobby Dotter is a second-generation driver who began his racing career as a teenager in the Chicago, IL area. His father Bob was a three-time ARCA driving champion who excelled despite the loss of an arm in an industrial accident earlier in his life. Bobby got his start racing as a sixteen year old in 1977 driving one of his dad’s Late Model cars at the Waukegan Speedway and Raceway Park in Blue Island, IL. Success came instantly for the youngster winning twenty-three late model features in his rookie year. He went on to win
numerous division championships at the local tracks. In 1982, he moved to the ASA Series, honing his abilities at tracks throughout the Midwest. He won races in the ASA Series, the All Pro Series and the All American Challenge Series before moving south to take on stock car racings finest competitors.
Bobby was involved in one of the most frightening crashes ever seen at Daytona International Speedway during the ARCA race in 1989. While driving his father’s racecar he suffered a flat tire, the car hit the wall and caught fire. He climbed out of the car while still at speed to avoid the flames, riding on the roof until the car slowed so that he could jump off, suffering serious burns.
Dotter soon worked his way into the NASCAR Busch Series where he scored a victory at New River Valley Speedway in 1992 and finished in the top-ten in the drivers point standings on several occasions. Over thirteen seasons Dotter accumulated 209 starts with twelve top-fives and forty-two top-tens in NASCAR’s second circuit.
In 2000 Bobby partnered with owner Gene Christensen and won four of the twelve races in the NASCAR Winston West Series finishing second in the points standings.
Dotter began to hand the wheel to younger drivers over the next few seasons as the team then known as Green Light Racing became a developmental hub for drivers looking to break into NASCAR’s traveling ranks. Bobby eventually hung up his helmet to oversee the race-to-race operations of the growing team. Over the years many talented drivers have been behind the wheel of a Green Light Racing truck including Rich Bickle, Tim Sauter, Mike Bliss, Chad McCumbee, Butch Miller, Jason White and David Starr.
In 2008 Indianapolis businessman Ken Smith bought out Christensen and brought his highly successful SS Racing late model team to the Mooresville, NC raceshop forming SS Green Light Racing and together Dotter and Smith developed the team into a top-five contender each weekend in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The team has earned its first pole position, four top-fives and fifteen top-ten finishes. In 2010 both Jason White and David Starr finished in the top-ten in the drivers point standings.
Bobby Dotter, purchased 100% controlling interest of SS Green Light Racing from his longtime partner Ken Smith in July, 2017. “Ken came along in a time that I needed support to keep the team heading in the right direction” said Dotter. “I would not be here today if it was not for his steady hand throughout the years, but I am looking forward to the exciting new chapter.”
Over forty years since his humble beginnings at a Chicago-area short track, Bobby Dotter is now one of the most familiar faces in the NASCAR garage, he has earned the respect of his fellow competitors with his hard work and common sense approach to managing and getting the most from his race teams. SS Green Light Racing has made over 500 NASCAR National Touring Series starts under Dotter’s guidance and the future has never looked brighter.
Contact Bobby Dotter
glr0708@aol.com or 704-664-0808
