PAST NEWS AUGUST 2-8, 1999
(8-8-1999)
- Schrader: Ken Schrader, who finished 18th, is the only driver in the six-year history of the Brickyard to complete every lap of every race(Infobeat/AP)(8-8-1999)
- Another Musgrave: Ted Musgrave Jr made his ASA debut in the AC Delco/Duro Stop 300 at La Crosse, Wisconsin on Sunday(TNN's Raceday)(8-8-1999)
- Rudd Top 10 UPDATE engine: Ricky Rudd got his first Top 10 of the 1999 season in the #10 Tide Ford(8-7-1999) -- UPDATE: Rudd ran a Pro Motor in the car at the Brickyard and will supposedly switch back to Pro Motors for the rest of the 1999 season. Rudd used Pro Motor in 1998 and had switched to Penske Motors for 1999. A quote from Rudd in a Pro-Motor/Cox PR: "We had a Pro-Motor Engineering engine in the car today and it was really great. We've been lacking all year on that deal and that really helped us. The Pro-Motor guys did a great job for us. From where we've been, we made big gains today. This was the first time I used Pro-Motor engine all year and it was the best motor I've had all year. I don't want to look at any negatives on the Penske engines. But the motors we were getting (from Penske) wouldn't run on our chassis dyno. We had to do something. We'll run a Pro-Motor engine the rest of the year."(8-8-1999)
- #75 Crew UPDATE 3: hearing that Shock Specialist Danny Tompkins has parted ways with the #75 team after Pocono(7-27-1999) -- UPDATE: Also hearing that crew chief Jon Wolfe will part with the #75 team after the Brickyard 400(7-29-1999) -- UPDATE 2: Crew chief Jon Wolfe will leave the team after Saturday's Brickyard 400, and country.com sources say the team's goal is to name a new crew chief before the Frontier at the Glen at Watkins Glen International in two weeks(TNN Site)(8-6-1999) -- UPDATE 4: Crew chief Jon Wolfe is leaving Butch Mock's team to take a job with car owner Felix Sabates(PitNow)(8-8-1999)
(8-7-1999)
- Crew Chief news UPDATE: Tommy Baldwin Jr. laughed off questions about his Winston Cup future. Ward Burton's crew chief has been offered a contract by current team owner Bill Davis, but he has not signed it yet. The young upstart crew chief has reportedly received many offers and is talking with Ray Evernham about working with Jeff Gordon's team. Baldwin is one of three crew chiefs that Evernham is talking with about a future at Hendrick Motorsports(Times-Disptach) and from PitNow: Evernham is considering Baldwin and two other crew chiefs. But Greg Zipadelli, Tony Stewart's crew chief, isn't one of them, who is in the middle of negotiations for a five-year deal with car owner Joe Gibbs. And neither is Kevin Hamlin, Dale Earnhardt's crew chief. Davis and Burton are already considering new crew chiefs in case Baldwin does leave, and one of the first men they've considered is Jimmy Elledge, crew chief for car owner Andy Petree and driver Kenny Wallace. Elledge's father, Terry, heads Davis' engine program(8-7-1999)
- Unser Out, Moore In: Well that ends all the Greg Moore speculation. Greg Moore and Gil de Ferran have signed to drive for Roger Penske's CART team in 2000. Al Unser, Jr will leave the team. Unser has announced no plans for 2000, but he will be(an is) in the Cup rumor mill bigtime(Cal Wells, Yates, the #30). So there will be no Greg Moore to Cup in 2000, well at least full time(first saw on RPM2Nite) see story at the Racer Mag Site(8-7-1999)
- Irwin/Yates: Even while rumors were spreading to the contrary, car owner Robert Yates insisted Saturday morning the driver of his #28 Ford, Kenny Irwin, could still salvage his ride. From an Article that was at the Gaston Gazette by Monte Dutton(8-9-1999)
- LJ Racing News: MCI WorldCom will sponsor LJ Racing's #91 Chevrolet Monte Carlo for the Watkins Glen Winston Cup Series race on August 15, 1999. Road race specialist Jack Baldwin will be in the driver's seat for the race(PR)(8-7-1999)
- Another sponsor to leave UPDATE: #41 team owner Larry Hedrick said that Kodiak would not return to the team next year. He said he's known Kodiak would not re-sign "for some time." Hedrick said the team is talking to several companies(News and Record)(8-6-1999) -- UPDATE: Hedrick said Kodiak may look elsewhere, either to another Cup team or in Busch(Racer Mag)(8-7-1999)
- Tyler Jet News UPDATE: Former NASCAR crew chief and engine builder Waddell Wilson is talking with #45 owner Tim Beverley about joining his planned second team(Times-Disptach) -- UPDATE: sources tell me the team has not spoken to Wilson about joining the team at all(8-7-1999)
- No #90: Junie Donlavey does not plan to compete at Watkins Glen next weekend with his #90 Ford team(Times-Disptach)(8-7-1999)
- Texaco boss: Robert Yates has a new boss. Michael Hargrave, formerly senior manager, sports marketing group, for Anheuser-Busch, will take over as director of sponsorships for Texaco, effective Sept. 1. Hargrave will direct all of Texaco’s sponsorship activities, including those of Yates, Newman/Haas, the Texaco Grand Prix of Houston and the Olympics. It is not known how the move will affect the racing programs(Racer Mag)(8-7-1999)
- Missed Practice: Rick Mast's #98 team didn't have time after 2nd round qualifying to change into the race motor and used the qualifying motor during Happy Hour, which blew, so Mast was not able to practice the car(Times-Disptach)(8-7-1999)
- Martin/Wallace incident: Robin Pemberton, crew chief for Rusty Wallace, says NASCAR officials have apologized for directing Wallace on to the track and into Mark Martin's way Thursday. The two hit in the final practice session, causing moderate damage to both cars(News and Record)(8-7-1999)
- Invinca-Shield news: not sure how this will effect the sponsorship of the #91 LJ Racing team if at all but...Control Racing announced that it is dropping Invinca-Shield Inc. as its primary sponsor. Invinca-Shield Inc., an Elkin, NC based company that manufactures protective 3M film kits, supposedly has failed to comply with their financial commitment to the Control Racing team. The #49 NASCAR Goody's Dash Team with driver and owner, Rusty Wise, has not raced since the May Charlotte Race due to lack of financial support(Control Racing Site)(8-7-1999)
(8-6-1999)
- Yaborough partner/2nd Team? Cale Yarborough is working to sell part of his team this season. Earlier this year, Yarborough paired with Darlington, S.C., auto dealer Wayne Burdette. But the deal failed, and Yarborough regained control. He signed Universal Studios(Team Woody Woodpecker) as a sponsor in June for his #98 Ford, which is driven by Rick Mast. Yarborough is working with Orlando, Fla., businessman Bob Lane and a host of investors and partnering in ownership. The team plans to make an announcement in September, but Lane and his associates already are working with Yarborough on future plans. Team spokesman Ed Maull said Yarborough's role with the group would remain crucial. Lane and Yarborough plan to add a second Winston Cup team with ARCA driver Mike Ciochetti, hopefully prior to the end of this season(Times-Dispatch). Also from this weeks Winston Cup Scene - Lane owns Winners Circle, which is not involved with the deal. If this happens, Ciochetti will run up to five races in 1999 and run for ROTY on 2000(8-6-1999)
- Andretti/Rudd/Yates: Cal Wells is interested in John Andretti(for his Tide? Cup team), who drives for Richard Petty, but sources say that Robert Yates is, too. Part of Wells' interest could be the prospect of an Indy 500 ride too. Ricky Rudd is also under consideration for the ride with Yates, and according to sources, Rudd has discussed options with Yates(PitNow)(8-6-1999)
- Rudd Deadline UPDATE: Ricky Rudd has set a deadline to find a sponsor at September 15th or he plans to shut down his RPM #10 Team and find jobs for his employees(WC Today Radio)(8-5-1999) -- UPDATE: Ricky Rudd says that if he doesn't find a sponsor to replace Tide, he will have to close his shop or sell his team and drive for someone else next season. Rudd has set a deadline of Sept. 15 on making that decision. Rudd's deadline is so his employees have time to apply for other jobs if the team ceases. But, he noted that the team has "some really good companies interested in us." Rudd's decision to close his shop or sell it would only be a last resort(News and Record)(8-6-1999)
- Goodyear and NASCAR UPDATE: NASCAR and Goodyear have an announcement planned for 8pm on Thursday, August 5 in Indianapolis, not sure what it's for. New Road Racing series? Extension of their exclusive contract?(runs out this year) Sponsorship?? (7-28-1999) -- UPDATE: the announcement was that Goodyear will
start selling a passenger tire with Eagle #1 Gold lettering, that looks similar to the Cup tires. The tire also says NASCAR on the side, but not in it's colors. The announcement was made by Goodyear and NASCAR VP Mike Helton jointly - drivers on hand: Dave Marcis, Joe Nemechek, Bobby Labonte, Jeremy Mayfield, Jimmy Spencer, Steve Park and Sterling Marlin were also present earlier to speak to goodyear dealers(8-6-1999)
- Gentilozzi to Cup UPDATE: Paul Gentilozzi, defending SCCA Trans-Am Champion will attempt the two road course events at Watkins Glen and Sears Point(TNN's Raceday)(4-18-1999) -- UPDATE 1: Paul Gentilozzi, reigning champion in the Trans-Am Series, plans to make his Cup debut in the Frontier at the Glen, Aug. 15 at Watkins Glen. He will be in a Ford Taurus bought from NASCAR team owner Jack Roush. Gentilozzi is also considering becoming a Cup team owner when his driving days are over. The car will be sponsored by Homelink a Johnson Controls electronic device for activating garage doors, estate gates and lighting(That's Racin')(6-18-1999) -- UPDATE 2: Another road racer readying for the Glen is Paul Gentilozzi, the SCCA Trans Am champion who drives a Ford Mustang Cobra. He'd bought a Ford Taurus from Jack Rousch -- an ex-Mark Martin development car that had some innovative chassis work -- but in tests, neither Gentilozzi nor anybody else who drove it could get it up to speed through the corners, and he ended up crunching the #92 Ford into the wall. They decided not to fix the car, so he's renting a car from the Roehrig(a Pontiac) stables that he thinks will get him into the show(SpeedVision/Steve Smith)(8-6-1999)
- Marcis: I don't report much IROC stuff, but thought this was interesting: True Value International Race Of Champions officials have announced that longtime test driver Dave Marcis will replace the injured Adrian Fernandez in the 40-lap IROC at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway today. Fernandez was injured this morning during practice for Sunday's Championship Auto Race Teams event at Detroit. Fernandez is currently undergoing X-rays for arm and wrist injuries. The extent of his injuries is unknown. This is Marcis' first IROC start since June 17, 1978 at Michigan Speedway. Marcis will start today's IROC at Indy in fourth position(StockCarFans/Ron Felix)(8-6-1999)
- The 'stache: Dale Earnhardt immediately began growing back the mustache
he shaved last week, and with good reason. The last year Earnhardt ran without a mustache, 1982, he recorded 18 DNFs and blew 15 engines(many sources and stories)(8-6-1999)
- New Cup Team..eventually? Doc Watson, a Pennsylvania racer who has driven in the ARCA series, is combining with Minnesota Vikings coach Dennis Green to start a new racing team. Known as Watson Green Motorsports, the team plans to enter five or six ARCA races this year, according to Watson. Next year, they'll run a full ARCA schedule. Eventually, they hope to move into NASCAR's BGN or Cup series(That's Racin')(8-6-1999)
- Alliance: NASCAR's first Hispanic-owned team has formed a business alliance with Winston Cup owner Larry Hedrick. Hispanic Racing Team (HRT) owners Rudy Rodriguez and Mike Vazquez said their first appearance with Hedrick, owner of the Kodiak Chevrolet driven by David Green, will be in the BGN race on Nov. 13 at Homestead-Miami Speedway(That's Racin') hmm, what about Felix Sabates, owner of the #'s 01,40 and 42(8-6-1999)
- Mock? Pizza Hut? UPDATE 6: rumor has it that Pizza Hut may be the next sponsor on the #75 Butch Mock(?) team(7-26-1999) -- UPDATE: hearing Butch Mock has sold the team but will finish out the season as the owner(7-27-1999) -- UPDATE 2: Butch Mock will reportedly complete the sale of a percentage of his #75 Cup team on August 1st. Mock's new partner is expected to eventually acquire full ownership(WC Scene Magazine)(7-30-1999) -- UPDATE 3: Hearing it was reported on the LTN Hour in Wisconsin, from Jack Flowers(Speedway Cup Scene) that Eddie Cheever (IRL Owner-Driver) will buy the full interest of the #75 team(8-1-1999) -- UPDATE 4: while other sources say #40 BGN owner Darwin Oordt will buy the team(8-2-1999) -- UPDATE 5: this weeks Winston Cup Scene reports that Darwin Oordt has entered into an agreement to purchase an interest in Mock's Cup operation. Plans call for Oordt to take full control of the team, most likely next season(Winston Cup Scene) and from NOL: Butch Mock Motorsports announced Thursday that the team is merging with Galaxy Enterprises with the eventual goal of forming a two-car team. Galaxy is, in essence, Darwin Oordt, who owns the #40 Channellock Chevy driven by Butch Miller in the BGN. Plans have Mock handling the racing end of the company while Oordt lines up sponsors and handles the business. Oordt will gradually obtain full control of the team. Current #75 driver Ted Musgrave will finish out the 1999 season in the car and a decision on Musgrave or another driver will be made later on the season. Yates engines will continue to be used. Oordt said the team is close to making a sponsorship announcement(NOL)(8-5-1999) -- UPDATE 6: see the press release at the Ted Musgrave Fan Page, also - The pair said they intend to honor driver Ted Musgrave's contract but added there are many "options" in the contract that either the owners or the driver could exercise. Oordt plans to add a second Winston Cup team, possibly before the end of the 2000 season, as well as adding a second Busch car to his arsenal. Remington is contracted as Mock's sponsor through the end of this year. Oordt said the team, which will still be called Butch Mock Motorsports, is talking with two or three potential sponsors(Times-Dispatch)(8-6-1999)
- One Year: Tim Beverley, owner of Tyler Jet Motorsports and the #45 10-10-345 Pontiac, celebrated his one-year anniversary as a car owner yesterday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Beverley bought his team from Darrell Waltrip last year(Times-Dispatch) Waltrip ran the #35 Tabasco Chevy at Indy last year, also to note: the team did run Ron Hornaday at Sears Point in the #17-NAPA chevy before everything was finalized(8-6-1999)
(8-5-1999)
- Ford Taurus and RPM2Nite UPDATE: Jeff Burton will debut the 2000 Ford Taurus on Wednesday's ESPN2's RPM2Nite(8-3-1999) -- UPDATE: see an image of the car and a story at: the Ford Motorsports Site (8-5-1999)
- Testing: On Wednesday, for the first time a NASCAR racing car was tested on Reynard Motorsport's new seven-post shaker test rig in its recently-opened Auto Research Center here in Indianapolis. Race teams can now rent the use of either the seven-post "vehicle dynamics rig" or the rolling road-wind tunnel at the Auto Research Center (ARC). The "shaker" simulates the chassis movements that the race car undergoes on the track -- but in the controlled environment of the test facility. With essentially all the variables under control, the test procedure can produce consistent and reproducible results. On Wednesday, one of Steve Park's Dale Earnhardt Inc. #1 cars was placed on the rig for a demonstration run for the media. See full story(a lot more than I could post here) at goRacing: Reynard Brings New Technology to NASCAR Teams by George Webster(8-5-1999)
- DW Announcement UPDATE 2 OFFICIAL: look for Darrell Waltrip to announce that the 2000 season will be his final one. The announcement will take place in Indy at the Brickyard 400 on Aug 4th. Calling it Calling it "DW's Victory Tour 2000" will supposedly have merchandise for the announcement and the Brickyard 400 weekend, then put it away until January 2000(6-23-1999) -- UPDATE: Tennessean story reports the same and has some info on DW: Waltrip set to retire after next season(7-30-1999) -- UPDATE 2: more info - Career highlights -- Darrell Waltrip(CBS)(8-1-1999) -- TODAY: is the announcement, see a Tennessean story: Waltrip to announce retirement today by Larry Woody -- OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: from NOL: Waltrip makes it official: 2000 his last year(8-5-1999)
- Dallenbach Looking: Speedwords is hearing that Wally Dallenbach is not letting the Hendrick door hit him in the butt on the way out and has have been told he has already had discussions with Melling and Robert Yates and at least one other team who "might be in need of a driver" in the near future. That means somebody is about to lose their ride but doesn't know it yet. Watch for Dallenbach and probably other drivers to change teams before the year is out. It's getting common for teams outside the top 10 in points to make changes near the end of the current year rather than wait for Daytona. This way they have some time to get everyone aquatinted an hopefully get a better start in 2000(Speedwords)(8-5-1999)
- Nike in Cup? UPDATE 2: From That's Racin' - Nike, the giant athletic shoe and apparel company has a news conference scheduled for 9:15am Thursday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the site for Saturday's Brickyard 400. The release about the news conferences promises the announcement of "an innovative performance based concept" involving "three 'top 5' Winston Cup teams and more(8-3-1999) -- UPDATE: I hear the drivers involved will be Dale Jarrett, Tony Stewart, and Bobby Labonte -- UPDATE 2: From NOL -
Nike will launch a line of shoes for race fans at the 2000 Daytona 500. In the meantime, Cup drivers Dale Jarrett, Tony Stewart and Bobby Labonte and BGN driver Adam Petty, as well as their crews, will wear a hi-tech, $200-plus version(8-5-1999)
- #62 News UPDATE: Californian Jeff Davis is competing in the Fenley Motorsports #62 Ford(the former #15 Bud Moore team), whose listed sponsor is Big Daddy's BBQ, the company initially slated to sponsor Junie Donlavey's team this season(Times-Dispatch) but failed to make it's payments, hopefully the Fenley team got paid up front -- UPDATE: FMI purchased Davis Racing (Jeff Davis's Winston West team) and Bud Moore's #15 Cup team. Prior to purchasing the Bud Moore team, they entered into an agreement with Dan Lloyd at Big Daddy's BBQ for a one race deal at Indy in which payment was received. The team hopes that an announcement will be made soon on a permanent sponsor(8-5-1999)
- #9 Sponsor: current Melling primary sponsor, the Turner television system (Cartoon Network, TBS, TNT, World Championship Wrestling, etc.), is obligated only through the end of the year, and that negotiations for an extension have been complicated by Nadeau's impending departure. The next goal is to find a new driver. Nadeau will continue until the end of the season. Owner Mark Melling indicates that he has no plans to sell the team at this time.SpeedNet)(8-5-1999)
- Hamilton Announcement: Bobby Hamilton has some sort of announcement scheduled for Thursday, 8/5 with "Just Born Candies" at 1:10pm in Indy. Here is the deal: Bobby Hamilton Sr. will be driving the #14 Hot Tamales Chevrolet in 4 Busch races this year. Just Born Inc, the parent company of Hot Tamales will also feature Mike and Ike, and Zours candies as associates. The four races include Michigan, Dover, Charlotte and Phoenix. The car will be fielded by Hensley Racing who is also currently fielding the #63 Exxon Superflo car for Bobby Hamilton Jr(8-5-1999)(8-5-1999)
- Adam Petty to Cup? UPDATE: From the Adam Petty site in his Dover Journal - "I’m not supposed to comment on that question, but if y’all can keep a secret I’ll tell you that we are building a Cup car for next year. Whether or not I run it depends a lot on how this year goes. As of today, we are planning to run 5 Cup races next year"(www.adampetty.com)(6-7-1999) -- UPDATE: Adam Petty is reportedly going to reassess his attempt to run five Winston Cup races in 2000. Petty Enterprises built a Cup car for the teenage future star but some recent tough outings have he and father Kyle looking at slowing down the speed of his trip to Winston Cup. He was originally looking at a possible run for Rookie of the Year in Winston Cup in 2001 or 2002(Inside Motorsports)(8-5-1999)
(8-4-1999)
- Earnhardt UPDATE an image: not 'real' news but considering all the email I got when Terry Labonte saved his.....Dale Earnhardt shaved his moustache --- first time he's been without since 1982 --- he did it because it was interfering with his snorkeling and face mask down in the Bahama's during vacation. I cannot even imagine what he looks like without it -- UPDATE: at the ESPN site an AP story and an image: New-look Earnhardt prepares for historic IROC sweep(8-4-1999)
- #50 Paint: #50 team owners Hal Hicks and Mike Witters had a special graphic scheme placed on the car in honor of their trucking company, Midwest Transit Inc. They have owned this "Elite Fleet" since 1979. Their home base is just miles from the speedway in Mount Carmel, Ill. The company consists of 432 trucks, which log approximately 150,000 miles per day and primarily hauls mail for the United States government. The car's hood will appear to have a Midwest Transit transporter truck coming out of it. The sides of the car have a slight change in the logo, and then the rear will be displaying the company phone number 1-800-LOAD-YOU(NOL)(8-4-1999)
- #90 Sponsor: Junie Donlavey is celebrating the longest consecutive tenure as an individual team owner in motorsports history, and Nestle will join Donlavey's 50th anniversary celebration by sponsoring his team in four upcoming NASCAR Winston Cup Series events, Donlavey announced Wednesday. Donlavey said that Hills Brothers Coffee and NesQuick chocolate drink, both made by Nestle, will share primary sponsorship locations on the #90 Ford at the upcoming Winston Cup events at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Michigan Speedway, Richmond International Raceway and Talladega Superspeedway. Hills Brothers Coffee also sponsored Donlavey at Richmond, Charlotte and Pocono in July. Associate sponsors on Donlavey's #90 Ford Taurus will be Carnation Coffee-Mate non-dairy creamer, Nestea and Toll House morsels, all products made by Nestle. Suburban Lodge, which has also partnered with Donlavey in several races this season, will return as an associate sponsor(Keystone Marketing) See an image(no java on this one) on the Paint Scheme Gallery(8-4-1999)
- Earnhardt Paint Scheme UPDATE have Images: Motorsports Direct is listing a diecast car called the "GM Sign Car" in which it says Earnhardt will begin running his new paint scheme at the Brickyard 400 -- UPDATE: NOL has a story posted on this: the hood of the No. 3 Chevrolet will be a replica of the GM Goodwrench Service Plus sign that appears as it does at the local dealerships across the United States. See full stoy at: Earnhardt to sport new look at Indy(8-1-1999) -- IMAGES: added three images of the car to the Paint Scheme Gallery(need Java enabled to view)(8-4-1999)
- Burton/Davis/Caterpillar: Caterpillar, Ward Burton and Bill Davis Racing announced today Burton would be driving the #22 Pontiac sponsored by the Peoria, Ill.-based Caterpillar, Inc. and fielded by Bill Davis under a new three-year contract which begins for next season. The 1999 season was the first for the three together in NASCAR Winston Cup racing, and the team vaulted to the top of the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, becoming a week-in, week- out contender(Williams Company) also see the story at: That's Racin'(8-4-1999)
- PowerTeam Paint at Indy NOPE: 1999 Indianapolis 500 and defending Pep Boys Indy Racing League champion Kenny Brack will serve as the honorary crew chief for Geoffrey Bodine’s Power Team #60 car during the Brickyard 400 NASCAR Winston Cup Series race next week at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Bodine’s car will be painted similar to the A.J. Foyt Power Team Racing Dallara/Aurora/Goodyear driven by Brack(Indy Racing League Notes/Site)(8-1-1999) -- UPDATE: from the PowerTeam page: At the beginning of the season, the #60 team decided not to run any special paint schemes in 1999. This team is young and wanted to devote their attention to the on-track performance and the growing pains of a new team. Then Kenny Brack won the Indy 500. They reconsidered the idea of not running any special paint schemes and strongly considered running a Kenny Brack/AJ Foyt paint scheme. But, times ran out and in the end they decided not to run the paint scheme. However, Kenny Brack will be at the Brickyard 400 in the #60 pit during the race(PowerTeam Site)(8-4-1999)
- Irwin Busy: Kenny Irwin plans to run in a USAC Silver Bullet series race at Indianapolis Raceway Park. He will also run in Friday's NASCAR Grand National race at the track. And of course run the #28 Texaco Ford at IMS in Saturday's Brickyard 400. Dennis Setzer will practice and is scheduled to qualify the Grand National car for Irwin on Friday, since Irwin will be spending his day at IMS. Once the final Winston Cup practice is finished, Irwin will depart IMS in attempt to arrive at IRP in time to qualify the Grand National car himself(That's Racin')(8-4-1999)
- Craven to run BGNN UPDATE: Schwarzkopf & Dep, Inc., a Los Angeles, CA based consumer products company specializing in hair and skin care products, has signed an agreement with Ricky Craven Motorsports, Inc. for one 1999 Busch Grand National North series event. Ricky Craven will drive on the famed road course, Watkins Glen International, in the upcoming Pepsi 150 on August 14, 1999(RickyCravenFans.com)(7-11-1999) -- UPDATE: the car will be the #23 Agree Chevy(RickyCravenFans.com)(8-4-1999)
- Team 34 moving up?? UPDATE: in part from a SpeedVision/iRace story: Team 34 owner Frank "Cicci had originally planned to move Todd Bodine's operation(#66 Phillips BGN team) to the Winston Cup series in 2000, he has not received confirmation from a sponsor yet". He says they should know in a couple of weeks if the Cup deal will come through or not, if not then Phillips will extend the BGN(not Cup) sponsorship(8-3-1999) -- UPDATE: Todd Bodine continues to chart his future in racing. The ten time winner in the Busch Series would like to get a second shot at Winston Cup and has discussed a move with a couple of Winston Cup owners. His owner, Frank Cicci, has plans, eventually, to move the #66 team, en masse, to Cup, but it is probably too late for that move to happen for the 2000 season. There is no sponsor currently in place for a run in Winston Cup and it is probably too late in the season to get one lined up now for next season. Bodine stated that he would not move to Cup, just to be IN Winston Cup and would feel very comfortable running the Busch Series for the Cicci-Welliver team again in 2000. Bodine's name has been linked with Yates Racing and with the new Cal Wells Winston Cup (Tide) team as a potential driver(Inside Motorsports)(8-4-1999)
- More School stuff: Central Piedmont Community College will offer a four-week course called "A Rookie's Guide to Racing," beginning Tuesday night, Sept. 7, at the school's main campus in Charlotte. The class will meet each Tuesday night in September, ending with a trip to Lowe's Motor Speedway on Sept. 28. Former Winston Cup driver and current ESPN racing analyst Benny Parsons and Grand National series rookie Tony Raines will participate in the course. Celia Klein, owner of a Cornelius-based motorsports marketing firm, will lead the class. To register or find out more about the course, which is numbered Rec 8119, section 1 by CPCC, call (704) 330-4223(That's Racin')(8-4-1999)
(8-3-1999)
- #58 Sponsor: I hear the SBIII Motorsports #58 Winston Cup car and driver Hut Stricklin will have primary sponsorship from MTX Audio with Circuit City, CT Farm and Country Stores and Speedbet.com as associate sponsors for the Brickyard 400(8-3-1999)
- #22 News UPDATE: Bill Davis and Ward Burton will make an announcement on Wednesday at Indy, what?? contract extension??(8-2-1999) -- UPDATE: I hear the announcement will be Caterpillar announcing a contract extension through 2002 with Bill Davis and Ward Burton and it will be announced on RPM2Nite(8-3-1999)
- Sadler OK: After hitting the wall in second round qualifying at Pocono, Elliott Sadler was sent to a nearby hospital where he received x-rays on his left foot. The x-rays revealed no breaks or fractures. Sadler’s left foot has fully recovered from the crash and he is 100% this week at INDY. Sadler will pilot the blue #21 CITGO SUPERGARD Online 500 car this weekend in INDY. The SUPERGARD Online 500 is a free internet contest for race fans and the contest offers five hundred prizes. One lucky winner will drive away from the Atlanta Motor Speedway in a new 1999 Ford Taurus SHO on November 21, 1999(CITGO/Cox PR)(8-3-1999)
- First Entry: Ernie Irvan was the first entry received for the upcoming Frontier @ The Glen NASCAR Winston Cup Series race at Watkins Glen. Irvan, winner of the 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series event at Watkins Glen, will try to capture the Reisbeck Cup again by driving the No. 36 M&M's Pontiac to a victory at The Glen on August 15th. "I haven't tested at Watkins Glen since they have made some adjustments to the turns, but as always I'm looking forward to racing at Watkins Glen. The M&M's Team got a top 10 last year at the track and Watkins Glen is a place where I've been pretty consistent over the years. It's really a fun track to race on and I'm anxious to see how the M&M's Pontiac performs on the new(Watkins Glen PR)(8-3-1999)
- Dodson Returns to Cup: Last Wednesday, Chuck Rider sold Bahari' Racing to Jack Birmingham, a Boston businessman who immediately renamed the team. One of Birmingham's first moves was to hire Dodson, who led Rusty Wallace to the 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup championship as his crew chief. Now Dodson is busy assembling a new team to get Jimmy Dean Pontiac driver Derrike Cope back on track. Dodson was Cope's crew chief at Whitcomb Racing(#10 Purolator Chevy) in 1992 before the operation shut down. It's that history that has Dodson hopeful of returning Cope to competitive form. Dodson hasn't served as a Winston Cup crew chief since 1995(#42 Kyle Petty), but he has 19 career wins in NASCAR's big leagues and his drivers have won more than $8 million. See the rest of the story at: SpeedVision/iRace(8-3-1999)
- TV Guide: TV Guide still talking to Jack Roush about sponsorship of the #16 Ford driven by Kevin Lepage. Roush tried Monday to counter speculation surrounding the sponsorship of Lepage's team. TV Guide is the team's sponsor, having taken over this year from Primestar after that company was sold. TV Guide bought the final year of the sponsorship deal, and there have been questions about whether the magazine would sign on beyond that, leaving the future of the #16 team the subject of rumors. Roush said Monday that talks are ongoing with TV Guide about continuing as sponsor. The magazine is planning a racing sweepstakes starting Aug. 22. Fans can register by sending in a form or through the magazine's website. Fifty fans will be called during the telecast of each race and asked to identify the television star featured on Lepage's car. Those who do will go into a drawing for four spots as honorary pit crew members for the season finale at Atlanta, with an all-expenses paid trip to that race included(That's Racin')(8-3-1999)
(8-2-1999)
- #91: added the #91 Invinca Shield Chevy image to the Paint Schemes Gallery, win a #91 car, see Invinca Shield Site (8-2-1999)
- Mock? Pizza Hut? UPDATE 4: rumor has it that Pizza Hut may be the next sponsor on the #75 Butch Mock(?) team(7-26-1999) -- UPDATE: hearing Butch Mock has sold the team but will finish out the season as the owner(7-27-1999) -- UPDATE 2: Butch Mock will reportedly complete the sale of a percentage of his #75 Cup team on August 1st. Mock's new partner is expected to eventually acquire full ownership(WC Scene Magazine)(7-30-1999) -- UPDATE 3: Hearing it was reported on the LTN Hour in Wisconsin, from Jack Flowers(Speedway Cup Scene) that Eddie Cheever (IRL Owner-Driver) will buy the full interest of the #75 team(8-1-1999) -- UPDATE 4: while other sources say #40 BGN owner Wayne Ordt will buy the team(8-2-1999)
- School Stuff from a PR: Many crew chiefs are calling on Catawba Valley Community College Bobby Isaac Motorsports Technology Program in Hickory NC for fabricators and assemblers. Phillipe Lopez, Kmart Racing; Ty Norris, DEI; Tony Lambert, Roush Racing; Mike Fox, Fox Fabrications, and Tim Suggs, Body Dynamics have pulled fabricators from the Bobby Isaac Motorsports Technology Program. The crew chiefs call looking for new quality help. Our program concentrates on work environment, confidence with equipment, and fab skills used in the industry. We do not teach bad habits, but train people to think like racers, work like team players, and have the imagination to create performance. The program has been very successful with 80% plus graduates working in the industry. We have gotten guys making decals, engineering, building chassis', metal shading, crewing, all the way to Winston Cup. The total program is a "hands-on" program from Fab I to Advanced Metal Shaping. These courses may be completed in 25 weeks. Many teams are starting to gear-up for December with the 2000 Monte Carlo and Taurus. For information on the program, check out the web site www.teamconcept1999.com(8-2-1999)
- Bodine? Todd that is, seems to be rumored to a few Cup rides, the #28 Yates Ford, the new Wells Tide ride and his BGN team moving up to Cup. Hmmm...not sure if Bodine would take another shot with a brand new team(8-2-1999)
- 10-10-345 Paint: Rich Bickle, who recently signed a two year extension with Tyler Jet motorsports, will drive a Blue #45 10-10-345 Pontiac at Indy, with a new logo on the car(8-2-1999)
- #90 News UPDATE: Junie Donlavey and driver Stanton Barrett are remaining together for the Indianapolis race. The team still is seeking sponsorship. Last week, Donlavey revealed that he had talked with Corona Beer in February about supporting his Winston Cup team(Times-Dispatch)(8-1-1999) -- UPDATE: The team will attempt to make ALL the remaining races, with or without sponsorship(Inside Motorsports)(8-2-1999)
- #31 Tire Changer: Former front-tire changer Jack Lewis will dust off his air wrench for the Aug. 7 Brickyard 400 for Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse Racing. Lewis will change front tires for the #31 RCR Lowes Chevy driven by Mike Skinner. The 36 year old will substitute for one race until a full-time replacement is named to the position recently vacated by Mike Lingerfelt. Lewis currently serves as a full-time fabricator for the #31 Lowe's Chevy. Team Manager David Smith said Lewis was the standout choice for the Brickyard 400. Lewis has six years of experience as a tire changer, most recently with Skinner's teammate Dale Earnhardt in the #3 GM Goodwrench Chevy(Cotter Group)(8-2-1999)
- Irwin 2nd: Kenny Irwin drove in Friday's Silver Bullet race at Gateway. He stated 8th and finished 2nd. Ryan Newman won the race(DieHard Yates Fans)(8-2-1999)