Cook Out Summer Shootout is where future stars rise — and where veterans come back to where it all began. Each summer, more than 180 drivers from across the country battle it out at Charlotte Motor Speedway, taking on the toughest grassroots competition on the iconic quarter-mile. Among them this year is Shawn Parker — once a key member of NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon’s legendary Rainbow Warriors pit crew, now trading the pit box for the driver’s seat.
Parker’s journey through motorsports spans decades. A small-town kid from Canandaigua, New York, he got his start driving and working on dirt modifieds before making a key connection with team owner Bob Lutz. That relationship led to an opportunity of a lifetime—a job in the engine shop at Hendrick Motorsports in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was a small foot in the door, but one that launched a long and accomplished career at NASCAR’s highest level.
“I was more of a car guy; I wanted to be in a car shop, but at the time I was going to do whatever it took to get my foot in the door,” Parker said. “I didn’t really know what to expect other than what I saw on TV, cars zooming down pit road, high excitement, energy everywhere.”
In 1992, Parker joined rising star Jeff Gordon and crew chief Ray Evernham. That group became one of NASCAR’s most iconic crews, nicknamed the Rainbow Warriors. As Gordon’s rear tire changer from 1992 to 1995, Parker was part of the team that captured the 1995 Cup Series title and memorable wins like the 1994 Coca-Cola 600, the first-ever Cup Series victory for the future Hall of Fame hotshoe.
“My very first job in NASCAR was with the original Rainbow Warriors,” Parker said. “That name still means something. I’ll always remember being part of those two-tire pit stops that won the (Coca-Cola) 600.”
Parker’s work on pit road opened doors in the garage. He became an assistant car chief, then a crew chief, with stints at Penske Racing and Roush Racing. Along the way, he worked with some of NASCAR’s biggest stars like Rusty Wallace, Mark Martin and a young Kurt Busch.
After decades behind the scenes, Parker found himself pulled back to the driver’s seat this past winter. Nearly 30 years after driving a Legend Car for the first time, Parker bought one, reigniting his passion — this time not as a rising prospect, but as a dad, sharing the experience with his son.
“It's interesting, but it’s so much fun. We get to spend this time together and you can never get that time back,” said Parker.
Now a rookie in the Cook Out Summer Shootout but a veteran in every other way, Parker spends his Monday and Tuesday nights racing on the same track where NASCAR legends got their start. With big names like Bubba Wallace and Shane van Gisbergen in the field, he now finds himself lining up against Kyle Busch in the American Rebel Ale Masters division, a driver he once watched climb the ranks, and now competes against under the lights.
“To see him, how he has developed and grown and matured into the champion that he is of this sport, is pretty cool, and I get to go out and race against him on a Monday or Tuesday night, “ said Parker.
For Parker, Cook Out Summer Shootout is all about fun — getting behind the wheel and enjoying the moment with his family by his side. Staying close to the sport he’s been part of for decades, reliving memories from NASCAR’s biggest stages and making new ones at the track.
ABOUT COOK OUT SUMMER SHOOTOUT:
Celebrating its 32nd season, the Cook Out Summer Shootout is a 10-race showcase of speed, featuring eight racing divisions of Legend Cars and Bandoleros. Races are held each Tuesday night under the lights with championship points on the line all summer long.
TICKETS:
Tickets are just $10; kids 12 and under get in FREE. All summer long, fans who bring a canned food donation will receive $2 off as part of Blue Cross NC’s “Drive Out Hunger” campaign. For tickets, schedules and more details about all the happenings at Charlotte Motor Speedway, visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.
KEEP TRACK:
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