Bobby Hamilton Jr. appeared to be a driver on the verge of greatness as the 2000 season concluded. In his first full season in the series, the 23-year-old son of Winston Cup driver and CTS team owner Bobby Hamilton won his career first pole position in the Homestead season finale and ended up 19th in the point standings for Carroll Racing, which competed for the balance of the season without sponsorship. Despite that, Hamilton Jr. scored a top-5 and three top-10 finishes in 32 races.

Hamilton Jr.'s performance was rewarded with a full sponsorship from Dr Pepper for 2001 for the No. 26 Chevrolets. The former Nashville Speedway USA Late Model Stock Car driver diversified into the ARCA RE/MAX Series in 2000 and scored a fifth place in his first start and five top-5s in his first six starts.

He had 10 top-10 starts and enjoyed a season-best fourth place finish at Talladega. Hamilton Jr., who made his Winston Cup debut at Homestead in a family-run car from Bobby Hamilton Racing, was as high as 17th in the point standings following the Pikes Peak event.