Cautions: 5 for 31 laps

Jayski's Lowe's Motor Speedway Qualifying / Starting Grid page

TRACK/RACE NEWS

• Sam Bass Pays "Tribute" to Winston with UAW-GM Quality 500 Program Cover: NASCAR artist Sam Bass' 40th consecutive program cover art for Lowe's Motor Speedway celebrates this week's first nighttime running of the UAW-GM Quality 500 and offers a sneak peek at Saturday's pre-race Farewell Winston "Victory Lap" featuring the Chevrolets of Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt. Titled "Tribute," the illustration depicts the planned pre-race ceremony in which the flamed-front No. 24 and black-and-silver No. 3 cars - both wearing "Victory Lap" paint schemes - speed down the Lowe's Motor Speedway backstretch while thousands of fans honor Winston for 33 years of sponsorship. All 14 Winston Cup champions since 1971 are represented by car design on an imaginative, record-setting "thank you" note held by fans in the illustration: Richard Petty, Benny Parsons, Cale Yarborough, Earnhardt, Darrell Waltrip, Bobby Allison, Terry Labonte, Bill Elliott, Rusty Wallace, Alan Kulwicki, Gordon, Dale Jarrett, Bobby Labonte and Tony Stewart. Because Gordon and Kannapolis-born Earnhardt were such fierce competitors on the track, placing their two cars together on the race program cover will spark many fans' favorite memories. The #3 Chevy will be driven by the Earnhardt's longtime team owner and friend, Richard Childress. "The fall Charlotte race is always an exciting one," Bass said, "but I think the spectators will take home in their heads the image of two historical rivals making that "Victory Lap" together. "That's the type of emotional charge I wanted to put on the cover." As part of the ongoing "Victory Lap" program, Bass creates a special commemorative framed piece of artwork to be presented to the honored drivers during pre-race ceremonies.(Sam Bass PR)(10-8-2003)
  
  
  
  
  
• In Concord for the races? Check out..... "Shades Of Greatness...", one of the most popular trios of paintings Sam Bass has ever created to commemorate the Earnhardt racing legacy, will be displayed for the first time during the days leading up to the UAW-GM Quality 500 NASCAR Winston Cup race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The three-part "Shades" set comprises Dale Earnhardt in "Ready To Rumble!", Dale Earnhardt Jr. in "Tradin' Paint!" and both drivers in "...The Shadow Of Greatness." This triad of fan favorites, which has recently been released in a framed collage format featuring a specially displayed title created by Bass for this piece - "Shades of Greatness..." - will occupy a prominent place in the gallery's entrance during race week. The walls of the Sam Bass art gallery, located less than a lap away from Lowe's Motor Speedway's high-banked oval, are alive with vivid recollections of racing's most exciting and endearing events. The 10,000-square-foot building on Performance Drive in Concord that is currently home to the Sam Bass collection of original paintings and fine art, limited-edition prints also gives visitors a look at some of the artist's rare personal racing mementos such as historic driver helmets and uniforms, diecast cars, models and a display of memorabilia paying tribute to his second passion - rock 'n' roll. A tour of the Sam Bass Gallery is a pilgrimage thousands of race fans a year eagerly anticipate. Adjacent to Lowe's Motor Speedway, the gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, year round. Visit www.sambass.com on the Internet or phone 800/556-5464 for more information about tours or the "Shades Of Greatness..." series. Admission is free. Tours may be arranged through the gallery coordinator.(PR)
  Other places to check out: [Jayski just got back from Mooresville, lots to see for a race fan]:
  Visit many of the race shops, for address' see my Team Address page; some shops I have toured in Dec 2002 and Sept 2003 include: Ganassi Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, Petty Enterprises, just last week I checked out DEI and the brand new Richard Childress Racing Museum. All are worthwhile to say the least. Earnhardt Fans may wanna make the trip up to Welcome. NC and check it out, it is worthwhile and maybe you'll catch a glimpse of Chocolate Myers there.
  some local museums in Mooresville include the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame [see the #7 Underbird there] and Memory Lane Museum. Plus Lowe's Motor Speedway itself has a lot to see.
  Also race fans visiting the UAW-GM Motorsports display this week at Lowe's Motor Speedway will not only receive a free fine art poster created by NASCAR artist Sam Bass, they'll also have a chance to meet the artist himself during a round of autograph sessions. The painting, Bass' eighth in a series celebrating the theme of teamwork, uses a split screen effect to combine the on-track action of the UAW-GM Quality 500 Winston Cup race with the people who create, assemble and own General Motors products. Bass will be signing autographs at the UAW-GM display from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and 6 to 7 p.m. on Saturday.(10-7-2003)
  
  
• Emergency Info at Lowe's: Drivers and crew members participating in the UAW-GM Quality 500 Week events Oct. 8-11 at Lowe's Motor Speedway hope they do not need the services provided by emergency personnel. But if they do, a staff of highly trained fire and medical professionals are ready for action. When NASCAR or ARCA officials dispatch the safety and medical crews to the scene of an on-track accident, they are in position within seconds and quickly assess the situation. The drivers involved are then transported via ambulance to the Carolinas HealthCare System Infield Care Center and, in a short time, most emerge for the obligatory media interviews. But what happens while the drivers are in the Care Center? Carolinas HealthCare System is the official healthcare provider for Lowe's Motor Speedway and staffs the infield facility with six doctors and two nurses during each event. The medical facility, located under the scoring stand in turn four, operates very much like a hospital emergency room.
  But the Carolinas HealthCare System Infield Care Center isn't just for the competitors. "Only about two to three percent of our patients are competitors," said Norrie Baird, emergency services director at Lowe's Motor Speedway. "Most of the patients treated by emergency personnel are race fans. We're likely to treat about 175 patients during an October race weekend," Baird explained. "In the past, a high percentage of those were treated for heat-related problems, but that number will drop considerably this year with all three events being run at night." Baird added that treatments are common for falls, burns and general illnesses among race fans. For more info and to see what the Carolinas HealthCare System Infield Care Center staff does and provides, see the Lowe's Motor Speedway site.(10-7-2003)
  
  
• National Anthem at the UAW-GM Qualifty 500: Grammy award-winning J Records recording artist, Monica, will sing the national anthem prior to the UAW-GM Quality 500 NASCAR Winston Cup race Saturday night at Lowe's Motor Speedway. It will be the first time the 22-year-old superstar has attended a NASCAR race. In addition to her vocal skills, Monica has expanded her creativity into acting. Her credits include a starring role in the 2000 MTV movie, "Love Song," and the 2001 Miramax release, "Boys & Girls," starring Freddie Prince Jr. and Jason Biggs. She was also featured on the best-selling soundtrack for the 2001 Chris Rock movie "Down to Earth." The Atlanta native was named one of The 50 Most Beautiful People in The World in 1999 by People magazine and voted one of the 21 Hottest Stars Under 21 by Teen People magazine. Monica is the final addition to a star-studded lineup scheduled to participate in UAW-GM Quality 500 Week activities. Tuesday night's Winston Extreme Tribute Concert and Party features ZZ Top, former CMA Entertainer of the Year Hank Williams Jr. and "Mr. Vegas," Wayne Newton. The popular band 3 Doors Down will perform a concert during pre-race festivities on Saturday night while multi-faceted entertainer Carmen Electra will serve as grand marshal.(LMS PR)(10-6-2003)
  
  
• 3 Doors Down to Rock Oct. 11 UAW-GM Quality 500: 3 Doors Down, one of the most popular groups on today's music scene, will rock race fans during pre-race festivities for the UAW-GM Quality 500 NASCAR Winston Cup race Saturday night, Oct. 11, at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Presented by the Carolina Chevy dealers, the band is scheduled to play a one-hour set at 5:30 p.m., a portion of which is slated to air during NBC's pre-race show. The concert will be the fifth stop on 3 Doors Down's 24-city tour that runs through late November. The five-man band from Escatawpa, Miss., was formed in 1996, and includes: Brad Arnold, vocals; Matt Roberts, guitar; Todd Harrell, bass; Chris Henderson, guitar; and Daniel Adair, drums. The members of 3 Doors Down are NASCAR fans, and their video for "The Road I'm On" features Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr. and a portion of the video was shot this summer in downtown Concord [see video links on my Driver Appearance page - TV section].(LMS PR)(10-6-2003)
  
  
• Carmen Electra Named Grand Marshal for Oct. 11 UAW-GM Quality 500: Multi-faceted entertainer Carmen Electra has been named grand marshal for the Oct. 11 UAW-GM Quality 500 NASCAR Winston Cup event at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Electra joins a star-studded pre-race show that includes a concert by 3 Doors Down and a parade lap by the No. 3 "Victory Lap" Chevrolet driven by Richard Childress. In her role as grand marshal for one of the country's largest, single-day sporting events, Electra will attend the NASCAR Winston Cup drivers' meeting prior to the race, give the "Gentlemen, Start Your Engines" command and ride "shot gun" in the Chevrolet Monte Carlo pace car leading the field before the green flag. A crowd of 150,000 is expected for the 500-mile race, the first run under the lights in October. Perhaps best known for replacing Pamela Anderson on the hit television series "Baywatch" in 1997, Electra has enjoyed tremendous success as an actress and model. She has appeared on several television shows and special events, including as host of MTV's "Loveline" and "Singled Out." In addition to her grand marshal duties, Electra will join the "Livin' Large" production crew for a visit with the stars of NASCAR and a "behind-the-scenes" look at Lowe's Motor Speedway during the UAW-GM Quality 500. Born Tara Leigh Patrick in White Oak, Ohio, Electra was "discovered" by Prince while pursuing a singing career.(LMS PR)(10-4-2003)
  
  
• Lowe's Parking Improvements: Five months after a May deluge mired Lowe's Motor Speedway's campgrounds in a muddy orange muck and forced hundreds of waterlogged campers to new sites, the speedway is slapping down new asphalt to prevent future flooding. More than $1.5 million in new pavement and re-seeded grass is being installed in the speedway's surrounding parking lots and campgrounds. The work – the speedway's biggest capital improvement project so far this year – should be finished this week, in time for the Oct. 11 UAW-GM Quality 500. Two weeks after the May races – during which about 500 campsites had to be evacuated – speedway officials began the project. The improvements should stop future storms from making campgrounds and parking lots unusable, said Speedway spokesman Scott Cooper. The 130,000 cubic yards of new pavement mixture, Cooper said, will prevent the muddiness that in May plagued the campgrounds' gravel roads. Traffic will also move smoothly, Cooper said: If cars aren't getting stuck, there will be fewer backups. The speedway also replaced its fescue grass with stronger Bermuda grass, which Cooper said won't get saturated as easily. Speedway camping manager Ann Robinson said she expects 20,000 to 25,000 people to stay on the speedway's campgrounds for next weekend's race. But so far, the weather forecast looks sunny for the UAW-GM, and Robinson reported hearing positive comments from campers who found out about the upgrades.(ThatsRacin.com)(10-3-2003)
  
  
• LMS Promoter of the Year: Tom Curley, the flamboyant promoter of Thunder Road International Speedbowl in Barre, Vt., will be honored as the Lowe's Motor Speedway Promoter of the Year during pre-race festivities for the UAW-GM Quality 500 Saturday night, Oct. 11. Thunder Road International Speedbowl is a quaint, quarter-mile asphalt oval tucked away in the scenic hills of upper Vermont. But Curley's focus on entertaining his customers and offering a fun environment for his competitors has grown the facility into a short-track racing showcase. Under Curley's direction, Thunder Road features a weekly Thursday night program from early June through mid-August with special events sprinkled throughout the season. The specials include visits by the American-Canadian Tour, which Curley also organizes, and the NASCAR Busch Grand National North Series along with the season-ending Milk Bowl in late September where the winner kisses one of racing's most unique trophy queens-a cow. Curley adds entertainment to his weekly racing programs with such events as a Kids' Tricycle Triathlon, a Port-A-Potty Grand Prix, Kids' Race Car Rides and fireworks. Former recipients of the Lowe's Motor Speedway Promoter of the Year Award include Ned Jarrett, Bill Donoho, Dick and Bob Bahre, Charles PoweII, Mickey Swims, Earl Baltes and last year's honoree Ralph Capitani, who manages Iowa's Knoxville Raceway.(LMS PR)(9-16-2003)
  
  
• PRI's Steve Lewis to Receive Bobby Isaac Memorial Award: Steve Lewis, publisher of Performance Racing Industry magazine and organizer of the annual Performance Racing Industry Trade Show, will receive the 2003 Bobby Isaac Memorial Award during pre-race ceremonies for the UAW-GM Quality 500 NASCAR Winston Cup race Saturday night, Oct. 11, at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The Bobby Isaac Memorial Award is presented annually by Lowe's Motor Speedway to an individual or group in recognition of outstanding contribution to short-track racing. Isaac, one of the sport's outstanding racers, was well known for his short-track exploits and commitment, and it is in his honor the award is named. Launched in 1986 and based in Laguna Beach, Calif., Lewis' Performance Racing Industry magazine has a monthly circulation of over 26,000 racing industry professionals. The PRI Trade Show, held each December in Indianapolis, features 1,300 companies and has developed into the worldwide meeting place for over 40,000 racing businesspeople. In addition, Lewis has been a USAC midget owner since 1979. His white No. 9 midgets, driven by such stars as Stan Fox, Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Jason Leffler, Mike Bliss, Kenny Irwin Jr. and Kasey Kahne, have earned over 110 feature victories and eight USAC National Midget Series championships. In 2002, Lewis became an auto racing promoter, creating the Twin 25s midget spectacular. Now held at Indianapolis Raceway Park and California's Irwindale Speedway, the unique Twin 25s have generated increased exposure for USAC midget racing.(LMS PR)(9-12-2003)
  
  
• Lowe's Pole Ticket: Popular radio personalities John Boy & Billy, hosts of the nationally syndicated "The John Boy & Billy Big Show," are featured on the commemorative Bojangles' Pole Night ticket released today by officials at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Longtime supporters of NASCAR racing and events at Lowe's Motor Speedway, the Charlotte-based duo's morning radio program has been starting the day for audiences in the Charlotte area for 24 years. Today, John Boy and Billy are heard on 110 radio stations in 23 states and continue to bring the latest racing news to fans across America. The ticket, designed by Billy and the 23rd in a series of Pole Night ducats, features caricature renderings of the morning personalities created by motorsports artist Sam Bass. The ticket is good for admission to Bojangles' Pole Night on Thursday, Oct. 9. The night features qualifying for the UAW-GM Quality 500 NASCAR Winston Cup race and the "Little Trees" 300 NASCAR Busch Series event. In addition to qualifying, the evening concludes with the EasyCare Vehicle Service Contracts 150 ARCA RE/MAX Series season finale. Priced at $15 in advance ($20 day of event), a limited number commemorative tickets are available at the speedway ticket office or by calling 800-455-FANS.(LMS PR)(9-11-2003)
  
  
• Veteran Broadcaster Ken Squier Earns Prestigious Smokey Yunick Award: Ken Squier, a pioneer in motorsports broadcasting, will receive the 2003 Smokey Yunick Award recognizing lifetime achievement in auto racing during pre-race ceremonies for the UAW-GM Quality 500 Saturday night, Oct. 11, at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The award, instituted several years ago by legendary car owner and mechanic Smokey Yunick who passed away May 11, 2001, annually recognizes an individual whose lifelong efforts have had a major impact on the motorsports industry. Squier was literally born into broadcasting. His father, Lloyd, owned and operated radio station WDEV in Waterbury, Vt., and the younger Squier was an on-air announcer by age 12. By age 15, he was working as the public address announcer at various local race tracks, laying the foundation for his career. Squier founded the Motor Racing Network and was a CBS Sports television announcer and host for 25 years. He and partner Fred Rheinstein also founded World Sports Enterprises, the first television production company specializing in motorsports. While Squier's motorsports activities have been scaled back during recent years, he continues to oversee the day-to-day operations of WDEV and its parent company, Radio Vermont. He also owns two race tracks, Thunder Road International Speedbowl in Barre, Vt., and Airborne International Raceway in Plattsburgh, N.Y. Previous winners of the Smokey Yunick Award include Bill Simpson, Ralph Moody, Banjo Matthews, Bud Moore, Cotton Owens and Junie Donlavey.(LMS PR)(9-9-2003)
  
  
• 2004 All Star Race to stay at Lowe's Motor Speedway: NASCAR's annual all-star race will return to Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., next season, ThatsRacin.com has learned. The race, called The Winston since its inception in 1985, will be run on May 22, 2004 - the traditional Saturday night spot on the schedule prior to the track's first Winston Cup race of the season, the May 30 Coca-Cola 600, sources confirmed Thursday. A formal announcement of the race date will likely come in the next few weeks. The name of the race remains unclear. Track officials would not confirm the race date Thursday. "Nothing can officially be said until NASCAR releases its 2004 schedule," said track spokesman Jerry Gappens. "Obviously, we feel very positive it will return to its rightful place in 2004." Lowe's signed a one-year extension to host the all-star race this [2003] season. Last year, NASCAR suggested it might rotate The Winston to other cities, news that did not go over well with community leaders across the Charlotte region. The race generates $75 million for the track area's economy, a 1999 UNC Charlotte study found. Since then, The Winston has grown even more popular, and this year attracted a record crowd of 150,000. A nonprofit group organized to promote the race this year raised $650,000 and used the theme, "There's No Place Like Home." Most drivers and race teams live in the region, and the track has hosted the race every year since 1987. The departure of series sponsor Winston - announced in June - ensured the race would at least change in name, and possibly in location. Nextel Communications, based in Reston, Va., signed a 10-year agreement to begin sponsoring what is now known at the Winston Cup Series, beginning in 2004. At the time of their announcement, Nextel officials said they would be involved in the all-star race, but said they would leave the location up to NASCAR. There had been a lot of speculation in recent months that the race could end up at some point at Richmond International Raceway, since it is the closest Cup track to Nextel's headquarters. Last month, Lowe's officials confirmed they had signed a sanctioning agreement with NASCAR to host a Truck series race on May 21, an indicator that the all-star race would return next season. The track hosted its first Truck race this season on the night before The Winston and it was a success with more than 40,000 in attendance. Speedway officials said then they did not plan to hold a Truck race as a stand-alone event and planned it to once again coincide with the all-star race.(ThatsRacin.com)(9-4-2003)
  
  
• Announcment at Lowe's Today UPDATE: Today, Monday, Aug. 11th at 2:00pm/et at Lowe's Motor Speedway, Bruton Smith, chairman of Speedway Motorsports Inc., Charles Ison, chairman of Creative Network Studios, Ned Leary, president of Sports Marketing Enterprises, Jeff Byrd, president and general manager of Bristol Motor Speedway and other motorsports industry officials will make an announcement regarding a major entertainment event being added to the UAW-GM Quality 500 Week schedule at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The press conference will outline plans for the largest stand-alone event recognizing R.J. Reynolds' contributions to the sport of NASCAR Winston Cup racing.(LMS PR)(8-11-2003)
  UPDATE: Billing it as "the greatest farewell concert and party in motorsports history," industry officials announced plans today for the Winston Cup Extreme Tribute Party, an eight-hour entertainment party, featuring top recording artists and other celebrities, on Tuesday night, Oct. 7, at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The event, produced by Charlotte-based Creative Network Studios, kicks-off UAW-GM Quality 500 Week. It will be the largest stand-alone event recognizing R.J. Reynolds' contributions to motorsports and serve as a thank you for its Winston brand's 33-year sponsorship of the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Utilizing the turn two area of the 1.5-mile superspeedway, including the massive Diamond Tower Terrace grandstands, the event will run from 3:00 to 11:00pm/et. VIP boxes will be located near the stage with festival-style accommodations positioned in the infield to create the ultimate party atmosphere. Confirmed stage entertainment includes former CMA "Entertainer of the Year" and ultimate "party man" Hank Williams Jr. and the complete Las Vegas stage act of legendary entertainer Wayne Newton. Tickets will go on sale Saturday morning, Aug. 16, through all Ticketmaster outlets. Detailed seating options and prices will be released later this week. Sponsorship packages and VIP box seating are available through Creative Network Studios by calling (704) 523-9272. Net proceeds from the event will be donated to the Speedway Children's Charities in honor of RJR and utilized for children-related causes in various communities.(more info at the Lowe's Motor Speedway site)(8-11-2003)
  
  
• Richard Childress to Unveil No. 3 "Victory Lap" Car: On Tuesday, Aug. 12 at 2:00pm/et at Lowe's Motor Speedway, six-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion car owner Richard Childress and four-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon will attend a special press conference concerning the Lowe's Motor Speedway portion of the "Victory Lap" program which is recognizing R.J. Reynolds' contributions to the sport. H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway, and Mark Dyer, vice president of licensing and consumer products for NASCAR, will also participate in the press conference which will conclude with the unveiling of the specially painted #3 Chevrolet Monte Carlo that Childress will drive during pre-race festivities for the UAW-GM Quality 500 on Saturday night, Oct. 11. In what promises to be one of the most memorable moments of the "Victory Lap" tour, Gordon will drive a specially painted #24 Dupont Chevrolet alongside Childress and the #3 during the pre-race festivities. Gordon's "Victory Lap" car will also be on display.(LMS PR)(8-11-2003)
  
  
• 2004 All-Star Race still at Lowe's? heard from many readers that got ticket renewals which included this "NASCAR officials have not released the 2004 Winston Cup Schedule. While sanction agreements indicate dates for the CARQUEST Auto Parts 300 on May 29 and the Coca-Cola 600 on May 30, the date and site for the 2004 running of NASCAR's All Star Race presented by Nextel (Formerly The Winston) has not yet been finalized. Lowe's Motor Speedway officials are making preparations to again host this great event on May 22, including renewing ticket orders. Should the anticipated date and site change, you will be notified and credit/refunds would be processed immediately. We strongly advise you to renew your seats to ensure your priority seating preferences."(8-10-2003)
  
  
• Lowe's: Paved Parking and a Poncho: When Lowe's Motor Speedway president H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler said he was sorry about the muddy mess at his track during the Coca-Cola 600 weekend, he meant it. Last week, Wheeler and his crew mailed every ticket customer a package that contained a poncho, a card with a photo of the start of the race -- which many fans missed due to the wet weather -- and the words "I survived the Coca-Cola 600." The packet also contained a letter apologizing for the problems caused by eight inches of rain during race week and detailing the improvements the track plans to make before the next event Oct. 8-11. Wheeler said the track is spending $600,000 to pave every aisle in the camping and parking lots and to reseed areas with a hybrid grass that will better endure the traffic of a race weekend. Jerry Gappens, a spokesman for the track, said the mailing cost was close to $100,000, and that most feedback has been positive. "We did have one person write back to say, 'I didn't survive the Coke 600,' " he said.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(7-19-2003)
  
  
• Pit Crew Luxury Seats at Lowe's: With the introduction of Lowe's Motor Speedway's Pit Crew Luxury Seats, race fans can enjoy the track's October NASCAR events in the style and comfort normally reserved for corporate executives. Pit Crew Luxury Seats are available for the Oct. 11 UAW-GM Quality 500 NASCAR Winston Cup race, the Oct. 10 "Little Trees" 300 NASCAR Busch Series event and Bojangles' Pole Night, which includes the EasyCare Vehicle Service Contracts 150 ARCA RE/MAX Series season finale, on Oct. 9. All three events will run at night under the lights for the first time. With a Pit Crew Luxury Seat in the Diamond Tower Suites, fans will enjoy premium chair seating, a showcase buffet with soft drinks, wait staff to cater to their needs and a cash bar. Pre-race pit access is included with each ticket. For information, or to purchase Pit Crew Luxury Seats, contact the Lowe's Motor Speedway Sales and Marketing department at (704) 455-3203.(LMS PR)(7-17-2003)
  
  
• Past track news: posted in the past at Jayski's Past Track News/Rumors - Lowe's Motor Speedway
  
  

DRIVER/TEAM NEWS

• #74 gets sponsor for Lowe's: Aaron’s Sales & Lease Ownership will rejoin BACE Motorsports and NASCAR driver Tony Raines for this weekend’s UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. For the second time this season, the Atlanta-based corporation will transform the #74 BACE Chevrolet into the Aaron’s Dream Machine. “It’s a great honor to have Aaron’s back on our car,” said Raines. “Their first race with us was at the Brickyard in August, obviously a prestigious race and special to me hailing from Indiana. This weekend they’ll join our team again at another key race for our sport, as Charlotte is home to a majority of the teams. We’ve worked hard all year to be competitive and earn sponsorship for this team,”Raines added. “So when a company like Aaron’s rewards our efforts with another sponsorship program, it’s a great compliment to our team and it makes the hard work worthwhile – especially for two of the most prominent races on the schedule.” Raines first ride in the Aaron’s Dream Machine this season at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the Brickyard 400 resulted in a 25th place finish, one of 10 top-25s posted by the Raybestos Rookie candidate this year. “Tony Raines and the BACE Motorsports team did a tremendous job representing Aaron’s at the Brickyard,” said Ken Butler, President, Aaron’s Sales & Lease Ownership. “When the need arose for us to expand our presence in the sport this weekend, it was only natural that we would return to BACE to run the Dream Machine in Charlotte. It’s really hard to believe that this is the first year for Tony and BACE in Winston Cup, and that they’ve been able to be consistently competitive each week on the strength of their internal funding.” For more information on Aaron’s visit www.shopaarons.com.(BACE Motorsports PR)(10-8-2003)
  
  
  
  
  
• RCR cars have “SOWF” decals this week All five Richard Childress Racing entries scheduled to compete in Friday night’s NASCAR Busch Series’ Little Trees 300 and Saturday night’s UAW-GM 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway will carry decals of the Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF). The SOWF began in 1980 as the Col. Arthur D. "Bull"Simons Scholarship Fund and was created after the Iranian hostage rescue attempt to provide college educations for the 17 children that survived the nine men killed or incapacitated at Desert One. A tax-exempt 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization, SOWF is dedicated to providing college scholarships and educational counseling to the children surviving Special Operations personnel killed as a result of an operational mission or training accident. These services are provided throughout the United States, or overseas, depending upon where the surviving children reside. To date, 455 children of fallen Special Operations personnel are involved in the program, of which 65 are currently attending college. RCR's relationship with the SOWF is a continuation of the support Richard Childress and Richard Childress Racing have for the United States armed forces. Childress and long-time RCR crew member Danny "Chocolate" Myers visited with U.S. troops in Europe last January as guests of the Tennessee Air National Guard.(SOWF site)(10-8-2003)
  
  
• Double Duty for McMurray: Jamie McMurray will be pulling double duty this weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway as he will run in both the NASCAR Winston Cup and Busch Series events. McMurray will pilot a #40 Havoline Dodge in Friday night's Little Trees 300 before climbing behind the wheel of the #42 Havoline Dodge for Saturday's UAW-GM Quality 500. Braun Racing is fielding McMurray's #40 Havoline Dodge entry in Friday night's Busch Series race. Patrick Donahue will serve as the crew chief.(Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates PR)(10-8-2003)
  
  
• Green stays in the #43 for Kansas, Fittipaldi in the #44; possibly longer: Jeff Green will be behind the wheel of the #43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge again this week when the NASCAR Winston Cup Series heads to the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway. And he will be in the car on a race-to-race basis the rest of the season. Following two steady runs in the #43, Green has been named driver of the Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge on a race-to-race basis. Kyle Petty, CEO of Petty Enterprises, made the announcement. Christian Fittipaldi will drive the #44 Bugles Dodge in the races already scheduled for 2003. “Jeff has done a good job for us the past few weeks, and we are excited to have him in the car at Kansas,” Petty said. “His winning attitude, the way he has quickly adapted to Petty Enterprises and the way he has been readily accepted by the guys on the team has already shown on the race track. Jeff’s history as a winner is already showing. Christian also has some good results this year, including qualifying seventh at Michigan and running well in several races,” Petty continued. “He has done an amazing job jumping in for us this year earlier than we had planned. Christian is a big part of our program going forward. We already had Christian scheduled for a few more #44 Bugles races the remainder of this season, and keeping the #43 team together with one driver should help us finish strong,” Petty added.
  “I am really excited to be able to continue what we’ve started,” said Green. “I’ve started to get to know the ‘Helping Hand’ crew some over the past two weeks, and they’ve gotten to know me. We’re starting to get a pretty good relationship going, and that’s going to help us as we move on to Kansas and, hopefully, on down the line.”(Williams Company PR)(10-2-2003)
  
  
• Ribbon on the #88: Along with tens of thousands of race fans [including Jayski], Dale Jarrett's #88 NASCAR Winston Cup Taurus will again wear the pink ribbon of breast cancer awareness in support of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Race Fans for a Cure. For this weekend's UAW-GM Quality 500 at Kansas Speedway, the 7½" x 14" Race Fans for a Cure decal will replace the Ford Credit decal behind the "88" on both sides of the car. Race Fans for a Cure is a charitable initiative which benefits the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and is sponsored by Ford Credit (Ford Racing). More info about Race Fans for a Cure and the Ford Credit's Fan Challenge/Race Fans for a Cure on my Racing Charities page.(10-2-2003)
  
  
• See the 2003 Team Chart which has links to past news for each team and info on each team and the 2004 Team Chart for next season.
  
  

PAINT SCHEME NEWS

Car#/Driver	Sponsor/Scheme/Promo	Race/Date	Image?
#02-Hermie Sadler	James Madison Univ	Lowe's - Oct	Car #'s 0-23 page
#7-Jimmy Spencer	Three Stooges 75th Anniversary	Lowe's - Oct	Car #'s 0-23 page
#10-Johnny Benson	Zerex	Lowe's - Oct	none
#17-Matt Kenseth	Carhartt	Lowe's - Oct	Car #'s 0-23 page
#21-Ricky Rudd	Rent-A-Center	Lowe's - Oct	Car #'s 0-23 page
#24-Jeff Gordon	Victory Lap/Winston Tribute	Lowe's - Oct	Victory Lap page
#38-Elliott Sadler	Halloween M&M's	Lowe's - Oct	Cars #'s 24-99 page
#41-Casey Mears	Energizer Batteries	Lowe's - Oct	none
#43-Jeff Green	Dinner Made Easy	Lowe's - Oct	Cars #'s 24-99 page
#44-Christian Fittipaldi	Bugles	Lowe's - Oct	Cars #'s 24-99 page
#45-Kyle Petty	Hands of Victory	Lowe's - Oct	Cars #'s 24-99 page
#97-Kurt Busch	Irwin Tools	Lowe's - Oct	Cars #'s 24-99 page




• Energizer Paint Scheme: #41-Casey Mears will have a special Energizer paint scheme this weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway.(Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates PR)(10-8-2003)
  
  
• Hands of Victory Charity: hearing #45-Kyle Petty will run a "Hands of Victory" scheme at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Oct. A portion of all sales will be donated to the Hands of Victory Charity - not sure what that is.(6-23-2003)
  
• Easy Dinner Scheme: The #43 Petty Enterprises Dodge will run a Dinner Made Easy scheme at Lowe's Motor Speedway under the lights in October, Jeff Green will drive since Fittipaldi will be in the #44 Bugles Dodge at that race.(8-19-2003)
  
  
• #97 and Irwin Tools UPDATE 2: hearing that Kurt Busch will run a #97 Irwin Tools scheme at Daytona in July, Chicago, Talladega in Oct and Lowe's in Oct.(2-5-2003)
  UPDATE The Box: at Michigan Internation Speedway on Saturday, June 14th, Kurt Busch will open some sort of 'big box' in a press conference with sponsor Rubbermaid [it was for Irwin Tools], Busch drivers the #97 Rubbermaid/Sharpies Ford.(6-14-2003)
  UPDATE: While race fans have grown accustomed to seeing Kurt Busch's red, black and silver #97 Rubbermaid Racing Ford running up front in the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, they will get an exciting surprise in four races, kicking off the second-half of the season. It was announced today that Busch's #97 Roush Racing Ford will don the new trademark blue and yellow colors of IRWIN Industrial Tools beginning with the NASCAR Winston Cup race at Daytona International Speedway on July 5, 2003. IRWIN will also be the primary sponsor of the #97 Roush Racing Ford for the Chicagoland Speedway race on July 13th as well as the races at Talladega SuperSpeedway (Sept. 28th) and Lowe's Motor Speedway (Oct. 11th). The formal announcement was made at Michigan International Speedway, site of this weekend's NASCAR Winston Cup Series event. Just like the #97 IRWIN car, both product and packaging feature IRWIN's new trademark blue and yellow color scheme. IRWIN brand products are available at industrial and contractor supply houses, hardware stores, home centers and automotive tool distributors worldwide.(Irwin Tools PR). See images of the car on my Paint Scheme Gallery.(6-14-2003)
  
  
• Stooges scheme? Michael Waltrip will run a Three Stooges scheme in a Busch Series race.(2-28-2003)
  UPDATE: and #7-Jimmy Spencer will run a Three Stooges 75th Anniversary scheme at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Oct. See images on my Cup page and my Busch page.(5-26-2003)
  
  
• Halloween M&M"s: #38-Elliott Sadler will run a special Halloween M&M's scheme at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Oct, under the lights.(5-16-2003)
  
  
• More Paint Scheme news can be found on Paint Schemes Gallery
  
  

• No Racing to the Caution Rule and Q&A
  
  
• New rule for measuring minimum height: NASCAR issued a technical bulletin this week outlining changes in how the minimum height is measured of Winston Cup cars in pre-qualifying and pre-race inspections. Beginning with this weekend's race at New Hampshire, teams presenting cars for inspection of the minimum body height and minimum ground clearance must remove their front shock absorbers before the measurements are taken. The absorbers can be reconnected after the car has passed inspection.(ThatsRacin.com)(9-12-2003)
  
  
• NASCAR to require Cup, Busch, Truck teams to add fuel cell area fire extinuisher: NASCAR officials announced today that all vehicles in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will require an additional fire-extinguishing cylinder solely dedicated to the fuel cell area, effective Aug. 13 but recommended immediately. An automatic, thermally activated discharge nozzle recommended by the manufacturer for this application must activate the cylinder, which is required to be made of DOT-approved metal. The automatic system may have a manual and/or pneumatic override from the driver-activated system. The cylinder must be mounted in the driver's compartment and will attach to a steel bracket welded to the frame and/or roll cage of the vehicle. When discharged, the extinguisher releases Halon in the area of the fire. Halon, a proven and extremely effective fire suppressant, is a liquefied compressed gas that stops the spread of fire by chemically disrupting combustion. A minimum of 10 pounds of fire extinguishing agent is required in the cylinder for the fuel cell area. In addition to the fire extinguisher cylinder being added for the fuel cell area, NASCAR has enhanced its requirements and specifications for the current on-board driver protection system as well as the fuel cell vent area. The cockpit extinguisher, a manually controlled push or pull knob that activates a fully charged fire-extinguishing pressurized cylinder, now must contain a minimum of five pounds of extinguishing agent. Should the cylinder also be used for fire extinguishing in the engine compartment, it must contain a minimum of 10 pounds of extinguishing agent. The cylinder also must be securely mounted to the frame and/or roll cage, and hose clamps, worm drive clamps and cable ties are not permitted. In addition, all discharge lines and fittings for the cylinders must be steel or steel-reinforced hose although the nozzles may remain aluminum. A maximum length for the neck of the fuel cell check valve vent hose has been set at three inches. By limiting length, it will make the component more impact resistant. The neck connects the fuel cell to the fuel cell vent hose and is located inside the trunk area of the vehicle. To accommodate the maximum neck length standard, fuel cell vent hoses will increase in length from 60 inches to a maximum of 66 inches.(NASCAR PR)(7-30-2003)
  
  
• New Gas Can Rule: Beginning with the July 13 race at Chicagoland Speedway, NASCAR will prohibit teams from throwing or tossing gas cans or gas catch cans over the pit wall during a pit stop. The change was announced in Sunday's prerace drivers' meeting. If a violation happens under caution, the driver will have to restart at the end of the longest line. If it occurs under green-flag conditions, the driver must return to pit road to serve a 15-second penalty. The change is being made to reduce the liklihood of gas spills during pit stops.(ThatsRacin.com)(6-22-2003)
  
  

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