Ty Norris

Early career

Norris started in NASCAR as a sports writer after studying journalism at Delaware State University. After covering several races for the Delaware State News, Norris left journalism for a job as the manager of media relations and event operations with RJ Reynolds in 1990.

Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (1996-2004)

Norris caught the attention of Dale Earnhardt as the 7-time champion began building his own organization Dale Earnhardt, Inc. In 1996, Earnhardt hired him to serve as executive vice president of motorsports for DEI. He played an integral role in helping the organization prepare for its entry into NASCAR's top level of competition in 1998. During the next 8 years, he, Earnhardt, and others helped build DEI into a motorsports juggernaut with the team winning 65 NASCAR races and 4 championships from 1996 to 2004.

Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (2004-2012)

In 2004, successful businessman Bruton Smith hired Norris to serve as the vice president of special projects for Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (SMI). Norris oversaw the special projects associated with Smith's motorsports conglomerate, which features ownership of tracks in Atlanta, Georgia; Bristol, Tennessee, Charlotte, North Carolina; Las Vegas, Nevada; Fort Worth, Texas; and Sonoma, California; as well as of several industry-supporting companies, such as the Performance Racing Network (PRN), The Source International (QVC's motorsports merchandise partner), and SMI Properties.

Michael Waltrip Racing (2013-2015)

In 2013, Norris was involved in controversy after the Federated Auto Parts 400, where he was serving as spotter for Brian Vickers. After MWR driver Clint Bowyer spun out to force a caution, Norris directed Vickers to pit on the restart in order to help another MWR driver Martin Truex, Jr. win the tiebreaker for a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup with Ryan Newman. As it developed, Newman was pushed so far back in the pitting cycle that he lost several positions and ultimately finished third, not high enough to break the tie with Truex. On September 9, NASCAR decided to suspend Norris indefinitely, determining that his order to have Vickers pit was a deliberate attempt to manipulate the Chase standings. It also docked all three MWR teams 50 driver/owner points before all point totals were reset for the Chase—a move which knocked Truex, Jr. out of the Chase in favor of Newman. MWR was also fined a NASCAR-record $300,000.

Departure From NASCAR

After the event at Richmond, which resulted in a substantial fine, NASCAR imposed an indefinite suspension on Norris from all forms of competition. Norris's suspension was lifted after ten races, allowing him to return to Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR). He initially resumed his role as a spotter for Brian Vickers for several races before moving into a role focused on public and sponsor relations. Despite these efforts, Michael Waltrip Racing struggled to overcome the impact of the penalties and ultimately ceased operations in 2015.

Personal life

Norris is a huge Boston Red Sox fan.