JAYSKI'S SILLY
SEASON SITE

• Race: Sunday, July 15, 2001 in Joliet, IL
  
  
• NOTE: Joliet, IL is in the Central Time Zone(ct), all times here are Eastern Time(et) 1 hour ahead of ct
  
  
• TV: NBC 2:30pm/et, re-aired on TNT Wednesday, July 18th, 12:00am/et
  
• Pre-Race Show: 2:00pm/et - Hosted by Bill Weber
  
• Announcers: Allen Bestwick, Benny Parsons and Wally Dallenbach
  
  
• Pit Reporters: Bill Weber, Matt Yocum, Marty Snider, Dave Burns
  
  
• Purse: $3,976,953 (new race)
  
  
• Entry List: Entry List for the: Tropicana 400 from NOL
  
  
• 2000 Race Winner: none, new race
  
  
• Race Speed Record: none, new race
  
  
• Track/Race Length: 1.5 mile oval, 267 laps, 400.5 miles
  
  
• Pit Road Speed: 45mph
  
  

  ---

  Practice
  
  
• Practice: Thursday, July 12th, 3:00 - 4:25pm/et and 6:05 - 7:30pm/et; Friday, July 13th 12:00noon - 1:55pm/et; Saturday, July 14th 12:30 - 1:15pm/et
  
• Happy Hour Practice: Saturday, July 14th, 2:00-2:45pm/et, TV-CNN/SI
  
  

  ---

  Qualifying
  
  
• Qualifying Draw: Thursday, July 12th, 2:00pm/et
  
  
• Qualfying Order: Tropicana 400 qualifying order - or Tropicana 400 qualifying order
  
  
• First Round Qualifying:2 laps for positions 1-36, Friday, July 13th at 4:05pm/et, TV-CNN/SI and live via MRN radio/internet(link below)
  
  
• NASCAR.com will have live lap-by-lap coverage of Winston Cup qualifying via the web
  
  
• Second-Round Qualifying: there is no longer a 2nd round of qualifying
  
  
• Track Qualifying Record: none, new race
  
  
• Last Year's Pole Sitter: none, new race
  
  

  ---

  Track Specs:
  1.5 mile tri-oval
  Banking:
  18 degrees in the turns
  11 degrees in the front stretch
  5 degrees in the back stretch
  Attendence: ~75,000 another 10,000 in the infield
  
  
• Track Homepage: Chicagoland Speedway
  
  
• Scanner Frequencies: are linked on my Racing Links Page/ Scanners Section
  
  

  ---

  RACE BONUS INFO

• The NASCAR Winston Cup Leader Bonus is $40,000 at Chicagoland for leading the points and winning the race (Jeff Gordon last won the award, $60,000 at Michigan on June 10, 2001). The $360,000 annual award is paid at $10,000 per race to the point leader at the end of each event if he is also the winner. The award increases by $10,000 each week the it goes unclaimed. If the point leader is not the race winner at the end of the year, the balance of the award is distributed among the top-10 finisher in the point standings(7-7-2001)
  
  

• : Tropicana 400 Race Info
  
  
• CBS Sportsline: Tropicana 400 Preview
  
  
• CNN/SI: Tropicana 400 Coverage/Maiden voyage
  
  
• Crew Chief Club
  
  
• FoxSports: Tropicana 400 preview - Gas and go, go, go
  
  
• Raceday Today - Tropicana 400
  
  
• NASCAR.com: Tropicana 400 Race Page
  
  
• Yahoo: Tropicana 400 - Preview
  
  

• note: this is not to promote gambling but to offer readers odds and ideas on what the 'experts' think about the upcoming race and the Cup series season
  
  
• Don Best Sports - Tropicana 400 and the 2001 Winston Cup Championship
  
  
• NASCAR Odds - Early Odds for the Tropicana 400
  
  
• United Bet - Tropicana 400 Odds
  
  
• Vegas Insider - Tropicana 400 odds
  
  

• Harvick wins at Chicago: #29-Kevin Harvick won the Tropicana 400 at Chicagoland Speedway, his 2nd win of the 2001 season and the 2nd in his 17th Winston Cup start. #77-Robert Pressley had a great run and finished a career best 2nd, his previous best finish of third came in 1998 at Texas and Pressley's first top five since Michigan on June 2000 when he finished 5th. The Winston Cup points lead really tightened up with #24-Jeff Gordon and #88-Dale Jarrett tied with the lead at 2,515 points with #28-Ricky Rudd just 18 behind. Gordon is technically still the points leader - based on more second-place finishes that Jarrett so far this year. See for Tropicana 400 results, Winston Cup points (after Chicago), and Winston Cup race points for Chicago (7-15-2001)
  
  
• How did the Rookies do at Chicagoland?
  #01-Jason Leffler, 180.929, started 15th, finished 24th, 9 rookie points
  #14-Ron Hornaday, 180.923, started 16th, finished 40th, 7
  #19-Casey Atwood, 180.789, started 17th, finished 28th, 8
  #29-Kevin Harvick, 182.182, started 6th, finished 1st, 21
  #96-Andy Houston, 180.953, started 14th, finished 43rd, 6
  #97-Kurt Busch, 179.820, started 31st, finished 8th, 13(7-13-2001)
  
  
• Inaugural Facts: Only nine drivers have competed in all nine inaugural Winston Cup races at new tracks since 1988: Brett Bodine, Bill Elliott, Dale Jarrett, Terry Labonte, Sterling Marlin, Mark Martin, Ricky Rudd, Ken Schrader, and Rusty Wallace. (Daytona Beach News Journal). The Races: 1988-Phoenix(won by Alan Kulwicki); 1989-Sears Point(Rudd); 1993-New Hampshire(R Wallace); 1994-Indianapolis(J Gordon); 1997-Texas(J Burton); 1997-California(J Gordon); 1998-Las Vegas(Mark Martin); 1999-Homestead(Stewart); 2001-Chicago(?)(7-15-2001)
  
  
• Blue Light Special: The Tropicana 400 marks the first time the same sponsor has occupied both slots on the front row since 1984. The Fords of both polesitter Todd Bodine and Jimmy Spencer are sponsored by Kmart. Budweiser-sponsored Chevrolets driven by Darrell Waltrip and Neil Bonnett were the last to pull the feat(Gaston Gazette)(7-15-2001)
  
  
• Happy Hour is over at Chicagoland for the Tropicana 400. #24-Gordon was the fastest at 179.152mph. 2nd fastest was #26-Spencer at 179.081, followed by #1-Park at 178.838, #25-Nadeau at 178.737 and #28-Rudd at 178.678. Slowest is #93-Blaney at 174.972. #43-Andretti pancaked the side of the Cheerios Dodge in turn 2 and the team made repairs and was 16th fastest at 178.130(CNN/SI Happy Hour Coverage), see stories at SpeedVision and Frontstretch Trackside Reports. See for Saturday's final Winston Cup practice speeds(7-14-2001)
  
  
• Best Starts: a few drivers will have their best starting positions of the 2001 season at Chicagoland. #66-Bodine is on the pole, previous best was 2nd at California.#26-Spencer starts 2nd, a 5th at Richmond was his best before. #33-Nemechek starts 5th besting his 8th at Martinsville. #11-Bodine ties his best, a 10th at Rockingham as does #01-Leffer who started 15th at Daytona and will do the same on Sunday. #24-Gordon has his worst starting spot of the year, Las Vegas was his worst at 24th. And #15-Waltrip's 35th at Martinsville was his worse, he uses his first provisional of the year to start 39th(7-14-2001)
  
  
• Saturday's 1st Practice is over. The fastest was #88-Dale Jarrett with a speed of 179.057mph. The rest of the top five as follows: #24-Gordon, #29-Harvick, #25-Nadeau, and #20-Stewart. #93-Dave Blaney wrecked at the beginning of practice, totalled the rear of the car and will go to a backup for Happy Hour and the race, he will have to fall to the back of the field before the start of Sunday's race(Dean from Kenny Wallace Racing at the track and Frontstretch Trackside Reports). See for Saturday's early practice speeds(7-14-2001)
  
  
• Some Notes: #99-Jeff Burton's qualifying attempt lasted one lap, and barely one lap. His engine blew coming out of Turn 4, and he was fortunate to post a speed of 179.736 mph. #12-Jeremy Mayfield's will use his third (not fourth) straight provisional, Mayfield is also running the Sony/Vega scheme this week. The first three accidents of the weekend occurred Friday, with no injuries to #31-Mike Skinner, #1-Steve Park or #44-Buckshot Jones. Skinner smacked the Turn 4 wall in the morning's Winston Cup practice. Park spun between the third and fourth turn and hit the wall rear end first a few minutes into the final Busch series practice. After the green waved again, Jones hit the wall. All three were checked out and released from the infield medical center.(Daily Southtown)(7-14-2001)
  
  
• Todd Bodine wins the pole at Chicagoland for the Tropicana 400. #66-Todd Bodine wins his 2nd career pole with a speed of 183.717mph (his other pole was at Watkins Glen in 1997) and puts himself in the 2002 Budweiser Shootout. Bodine's teammate, #26-Jimmy Spencer is on the outside pole with a speed of 183.412. Bodine's pole is also the first ever for car owner Travis Carter.
  Four drivers missed the race: #27-Mike Bliss(44th in Owners Points); #45-Kyle Petty(43rd); #71-Dave Marcis(46th); and #84-Shawna Robinson(50th).
  #15-Michael Waltrip uses his first Provisional of the 2001 season, leaving only three teams that have started every race and not used a provisional in 2001: #'s 3/29-Dale Earnhardt/Kevin Harvick, #24-Jeff Gordon, and 28-Ricky Rudd. #7-Robby Gordon also used the teams last provisional until Bristol (unless the team can get in the top 25 in Owners Points, currently 31st).
  See for Friday's qualifying results and NASCAR.com for the Tropicana 400 Starting Lineup and at Motorsports One (7-13-2001)
  
  
• Pole Progression: at Chicagoland
  #30-Jeff Green, 1st out to qualify, 180.006mph, starts 29th
  #24-Jeff Gordon, 5th out, 180.036, starts 28th
  #2-Rusty Wallace, 6th out, 180.584, starts 21st
  #11-Brett Bodine, 7th out, 181.684, starts 10th
  #25-Jerry Nadeau, 13th out, 182.008, starts 8th
  #33-Joe Nemechek, 18th out, 182.340, starts 5th
  #9-Bill Elliott(oops missed him), 20th out, 182.772, starts 4th
  #66-Todd Bodine, 22nd out, 183.717, starts 1st (7-13-2001)
  
  
• Chicago Facts: Twelve drivers competed in all eight inaugural races that have been held on the NASCAR Winston Cup Series since 1988: Brett Bodine, Geoffrey Bodine, Bill Elliott, Dale Earnhardt, Dale Jarrett, Terry Labonte, Sterling Marlin, Mark Martin, Ricky Rudd, Ken Schrader, Rusty Wallace and Darrell Waltrip. Bill Elliott, Rusty Wallace and Dale Earnhardt all posted five top-10 finishes in the eight inaugural races, the most of all drivers. Earnhardt did not score a top 10 at Phoenix, New Hampshire or California. Neither Elliott nor Wallace finished in the top 10 in the inaugural race at Texas Motor Speedway, California Speedway or Homestead-Miami Speedway. There have been two NASCAR Winston Cup (Grand National) races in Illinois: on 7/10/54 at Santa Fe Speedway in Willow Springs, IL won by Dick Rathmann and on 7/21/56 at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL won by Fireball Roberts(NASCAR PR)(7-11-2001)
  
  
• Friday Practice at Chicagoland is over. Finally some speeds: #66-Todd Bodine was the fastest at 183.443mph, followed by #25-Jerry Nadeau at 183.206. Slowest were #71-Dave Marcis at 174.995 and #30-Jeff Green at 172.889. See for the Friday Practice Session Results. Heard #31-Mike Skinner hit the wall and may have to go to a backup, but he is ok, he ended up 15th fastest. (Dean of Kenny Wallace Racing.com)(7-13-2001)
  
  
• Robinson hits wall: I hear #84-Shawna Robinson hit the wall in the 2nd practice Thursday, causing minimal damage to the #84 Tropicana Ford. Supposedly the only incident during either Cup practice(7-13-2001)
  
  
• 2nd Thursday Practice is over at Chicagoland. Fastest was #6-Mark Martin at 183.867mph followed by #25-Jerry Nadeau at 183.399. Slowest were #2-Rusty Wallace at 178.012 and #22-Ward Burton at 177.678. #30-Jeff Green and #71-Dave Marcis did not practice(no idea why). See for Winston Cup practice speeds - Thursday #2(7-12-2001)
  
  
• 1st Thursday Practice is over at Chicagoland. Fastest was #9-Bill Elliott at 182.593mph followed by #2-Rusty Wallace at 182.506. Slowest were #88-Dale Jarrett at 175.776 and #84-Shawna Robinson at 174.576. See for Winston Cup practice speeds - Thursday #1(7-12-2001)
  
  
• Qualifying Order is up for the Tropicana 400. See the link(s) above. 47 drivers listed for 43 spots. First scheduled out is #30-Jeff Green, last(and 47th) scheduled out is #77-Robert Pressley. Qualifying is Friday, July 13th (yikes Friday the 13th) at 4:00pm/et and will be televised on CNN/SI (7-12-2001)
  
  
• Entry List is up for the Tropicana 400 at Chicagoland Speedway. See the link above. 47 drivers are listed, including #30-Jeff Green in the AOL Chevy, #71-Dave Marcis in the Realtree Chevy and #84-Shawna Robinson in the Tropicana Ford. The #7 team still has Mike Wallace listed in their Ford. #50-Rick Mast will skip the race(7-11-2001)
  
  
• Qualifying Rules Changed: ESPN2's RPM 2Night mentioned tonight that starting at New Hampshire that qualifying would consist of one lap of qualifying instead of the two laps that have been run this year. The exceptions are tracks smaller then one mile (Bristol, Richmond and Martinsville) and the two restrictor plate tracks, Daytona and Talladega(7-5-2001)
  
  
• an interesting point: When NASCAR officials decided to disallow Jerry Nadeau's qualifying time at Daytona in Feb 2001, it raised an interesting question. With the Winston Cup series having only one round of qualifying the rest of the season, what happens if an unapproved part is found? According to NASCAR, drivers no longer have to post an official qualifying time to use a provisional, they only have to practice. So a driver could have a penalty on a qualifying issue but still have access to one of the seven provisionals for the race(Richmond Times Dispatch)(2-11-2001)
  
  
• How to break a tie during qualifying?(same speed/time) When drivers are tied for a starting spot during qualifying, it is broken by owners points standings(not drivers). For provisionals standings see the Jayski's Provisional Status page
  
  
• Links: Practice speeds, qualifying and results can be found at these sites: NASCAR Online, Racin Network, and
  
  

TRACK/RACE NEWS

• Chicago Backstretch not Straight? When Matt Kenseth came to Chicagoland Speedway for a test last month, he didn't really expect to find that there isn't any back straightaway. "I'm not sure what happened, but the backstretch isn't straight," he said. "The front straightaway is round like Las Vegas, but the back straightaway is hard to explain." Kenseth and his fellow drivers will have a while to get used to the layout in two practice sessions on Thursday()(7-12-2001)
  
  
• Chicagoland Cooler Policy UPDATE no coolers: hearing from a few readers: Chicagoland Speedway has a policy that coolers, food, or beverages are not permitted into the speedway. Complaints/Comments can be directed to www.chicagolandspeedway.com. As stated here many times, I do not do polls, campaigns or the like. On the site, on the ticket order page, it states "For the comfort and security of our guests, coolers are not permitted."(6-28-2001)
  UPDATE: When the NASCAR Winston Cup and Busch Series visit the brand new Chicagoland Speedway the weekend of July 14-15, a new tradition may be started. In addition to hosting its first NASCAR events, it will also break with tradition by allowing no coolers to be brought into the grandstands(NASCAR.com)(7-3-2001)
  
  
• Joliet Hotel Rooms, booked and a hotel fire: The Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet is opening up to ticketholders this weekend for the first time, and hotel rooms are booked all the way to Bloomington for the upcoming weekend of NASCAR racing in July. "We are just so, so busy," said Kathy Fordonski, special event lodging specialist for the Heritage Corridor Convention and Visitor's Bureau, which is coordinating hotels for the event among 12 area convention bureaus. We are sending people south about 90 miles to Bloomington," Fordonski said. "North, it's all the way into the northern (Chicago) suburbs. Everything east of the track is totally full. West, it's all the way to Ottawa." The 2,300 or so rooms in the Joliet area are totally booked for the July 14-15 weekend, when the Speedway will host its inaugural races, the NASCAR Busch Series Hills Bros. 300 and the NASCAR Winston Cup Tropicana 400. Track officials are expecting at least a near sellout of the 75,000 grandstand seats, and more fans are expected in the nearby RV parking areas. It is likely that all 12 convention bureaus, stretching as far as Rockford and the Quad Cities, will have their hotels completely sold out by race weekend, Fordonski said.(Daily Southtown)
  AND A hotel fire that spread through the attic of the Comfort Inn South early Tuesday didn't harm anyone, but put 67 local rooms out of commission less than three weeks before one of the biggest tourist events ever in Joliet. Management expects to find out today what it needs to do to reopen the hotel on South Larkin Avenue and whether it can be done before the first NASCAR races at the new Chicagoland Speedway(Herald News)(6-28-2001)
  
  
• ISC Looking to buy Tracks? International Speedway Corporation appears to be trying to add to its portfolio of race tracks. According to unconfirmed reports, ISC is trying to buy out Tony George's share of the new Joliet-Chicago track, trying to buy Pocono International Raceway, trying to buy Kentucky Speedway, and trying to buy Bob Bahre's New Hampshire Speedway. One report pegs ISC's price point for Pocono at $110 million, to which track owner Dr. Joe Mattioli said "That would be a nice down payment." Mattiolli then denied any sale pending and said he would have two Cup races again next season(Winston Salem Journal)(6-17-2001)
  
  
• Chicagoland BGN Sponsor: Hills Bros Coffee will be the title sponsor of the inaugural BGN race at Chicagoland Speedway. The Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois and Hills Bros agreement designates that the first three BGN races.(Chicagoland PR)(6-14-2001)
  
  
• Tropicana and NASCAR? UPDATE 4 Chicagoland - Tropicana 400: hearing that Tropicana(orange juice....owned by, Pepsi) has some sort of announcement within the next week or so of a major sponsorship in NASCAR(3-7-2001)
  UPDATE: looks like it is some sort of contest where you can win one of 24 Jeff Gordon Signature Chevy Monte Carlo's(3-8-2001)
  UPDATE 2: hearing it could be sponsorship of the Chicagoland Cup race? AND 3-Time Winston Cup Champion Jeff Gordon Will Be On Hand To Help Unveil the Announcement . Chicagoland Speedway and some very special guests will make a MAJOR announcement regarding the upcoming race on Wednesday, March 14, 2001 at 12noon/et(Chicagoland PR)(3-13-2001)
  UPDATE 3: Chicagoland Speedway announced that it has a four-year sponsorship agreement with Tropican Products and unveiled the name if its inaugural Winston Cup race - the Tropicana 400, which is scheduled for Sunday, July 15th 2001 AND NASCAR announced an all-daylong practice sessions for Winston Cup and BGN competitors Thursday, July 12. Practice will begin at 9:00am and conclude at 5:00pm/ct. "NASCAR wanted to give the drivers and teams a full day to test the track and set-up their cars for the race on Sunday", said Joie Chitwood, Chicagoland Speedway vice president/general manager. The Thursday practice will provide fans the first opportunity to see the cars on the track and see the state-of-the-art facility. NASCAR also announced a one-day qualifying round for both Winston Cup and Busch Series on Friday, July 13th. Friday morning will provide a one hour fifty-five minute practice session for both series beginning with the Busch series at 9:00 am. Busch qualifying is scheduled to begin at 1:00 pm with a best of two laps to decide all positions. Winston Cup qualifying is scheduled to begin at 3:00 pm with the same format as the Busch Series(Chicagoland PR). Also hearing Gordon will have a special paint scheme for the event(3-14-2001)
  
  
• How to Calculate Track Speeds: use the formula Speed = Distance divided by Time. Distance is Track Length, and Lap Time into Hours. Once hour is 3600 seconds, so the calculation for a 48 second lap at Daytona(2.5 miles) would be: Speed = 2.5 x (3600/48), = 2.5 x 75 = 187.500mph. For a 19 second lap at Bristol(.533 miles): Speed = .533 x (3600/19), = .533 x 189.474 = a speed of 100.990mph
  
  
• Past track news: posted in the past at Jayski's Past Track News/Rumors - Illinois/Chicago
  
  

DRIVER/TEAM NEWS

• Robinson's Sponsor UPDATE 3: #84-Shawna Robinson's next Cup race attempt will be at the Chicagoland Speedway. Aaron's will not ne the primary sponsor. A sponsor will be named that week for Robinson's effort there, no idea who it is (yet)(FSN Qualifying Coverage on Friday). Aaron's will sponsor Robinson at Indianapolis and Atlanta and possibly at Kansas and Homestead(6-11-2001)
  UPDATE: Event sponsor Tropicana has made a deal with MK Racing to sponsor its #84 Ford in driver Shawna Robinson's planned second Winston Cup event, the July 15 Tropicana 400 at Chicagoland Speedway(NASCAR.com Buzz)(6-19-2001)
  UPDATE 2: not making this up - hearing that Victoria's Secret os talking to Robinson's team about sponsoring her and the team in 2002, not sure as a primary or an assoc(6-21-2001)
  UPDATE 3: Shawna Robinson, the first female to compete in Winston Cup since 1989, may be getting Victoria's Secret as a sponsor next year. Already sponsored by Aaron's for a four-race deal this year, she will have Tropicana orange juice on the car for her next event in Chicago. Rumor has it that the sophisticated lingerie company, known for its eye-appealing catalogs and retail mall stores, has also entered into sponsor negotiations. A spokesperson for Aaron's said they are still in negotiations for next year's sponsorship(NASCAR.com Buzz)(6-23-2001)
  
  
• See the 2001 Team Chart which has links to past news for each team
  
  

PAINT SCHEME NEWS

• #01 Special Scheme UPDATE: hearing that Jason Leffler will be running a Special Olympics logo in June on the #01 Cingular Dodge. Cingular is a Special Olympics sponsor and it is part of this years promo(4-24-2001)
  UPDATE: see an image of the car on my Paint Schemes Gallery(5-23-2001)
  UPDATE 2: Cingular Wireless is racing toward its four-year goal of raising $40 million for Special Olympics by painting its #01 NASCAR Winston Cup race car with a Special Olympics paint scheme, and offering customers the opportunity to support the organization through promotional offers. Cingular, an Official Partner of Special Olympics USA and Official Sponsor of Special Olympics Team USA, is in the second year of its support for Special Olympics. To showcase its commitment to Special Olympics, Cingular’s #01 Dodge Intrepid R/T will display a Special Olympics logo for the months of June and July. The new paint scheme will be debuted at the MBNA Platinum 400 at the Dover Downs International Speedway on June 3. Cingular also will sell limited edition, souvenir, die-cast versions of the #01 racecar to commemorate this unique paint scheme and raise money for Special Olympics(www.specialolympics.org). A percentage of the proceeds generated from the die-cast car sales will go directly to Special Olympics. Cars will be available in Cingular Wireless retail outlets as well as at many Special Olympics Summer Games being held across the United States. In addition, Cingular Wireless is launching a 60-day promotional drive to collect donations on behalf of Special Olympics. During the promotional months of June and July, consumers who donate $20 to Special Olympics and sign up for service at a Cingular Wireless retail store are eligible for: * An exclusive $35 rate plan offer * An Internet-ready Ericsson handset * A co-branded Cingular/BLOCKBUSTER gift certificate for five free movie rentals good at participating BLOCKBUSTER stores. Donations raised by Cingular will support year-round training and competitions for Special Olympic athletes, who participate in the activities free of charge as well as help send Special Olympics Team USA athletes to the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Ireland. Through last year’s “Be a Hero” promotion, Cingular customers successfully raised $8.9 million for Special Olympics.(Cingular PR)(5-30-2001)
  
  
• More Paint Scheme news can be found on Paint Schemes Gallery, choose current news
  
  

STATS and STUFF