Butch Mock is one of the lucky ones, because he's found peace and contentment in a life without racing.

Mock once devoted his very existence to NASCAR. The former car owner can remember a time when he received personal phone calls from Bill France Jr., who was just checking on how things were going and if Mock needed anything. Mock can remember the good times on the track with drivers like Neil Bonnett, who gave Mock and Rahmoc Enterprises co-owner Bob Rahilly four wins.

Mock, though, can also remember banging his head against the wall, almost literally, in frustration over the direction the sport was taking. He can remember well-known newcomers to the sport -- like Joe Gibbs -- getting better deals. In the end, Mock sold his team to Tennessee businessman Darwin Oordt in October 1999.

Life without racing has gone on for Mock. He and brother Michael own and operate the Mooresville, N.C.-based Mock Properties and Mock Investments, companies dedicated to commercial real estate design, development and management. How well is Mock doing? One of the projects that's taking up a lot of his time these days is the development of a $30 million medical business park.

Cha-ching ...

Even better than that, though, is the fact that Mock is married now, got married his last year in the sport at the age of 46. He and wife Wendi have two children, Lauren, 8, and Darin, who is 4. He has an entirely different perspective on life.

"I was married to racing more than half my life," Mock said. "I was married to that career. Family was the furthest thing from my mind. I have a whole new appreciation now for guys that are on the road, that have young families and what they're missing. When you're in [the sport] and doing it, you don't realize you're missing [a family life]. Now that I've experienced that, I don't think I could get up and go every weekend." (Continued)