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PAST NEWS OCT 1-7, 2001

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(10-7-2001)

Marlin wins at Charlotte: #40-Sterling Marlin won the UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowes Motor Speedway. Marlin's crew met him on the frontstretch after the checkered flag, bringing two large American flags with them. Marlin took one of the flags and drove with it to victory lane. #20-Tony Stewart was 2nd. Points leader #24-Jeff Gordon finished 16th but increaded his points lead to 237 over #28-Ricky Rudd. The last time a Dodge won Charlotte's fall race was in 1975, when Richard Petty won. See That's Racin' for UAW-GM Quality 500 results and for Winston Cup points standings and for a column: Marlin takes a race win on a strange day(10-7-2001)

Sad News: Lena Winebarger Bowman, 92-year-old maternal grandmother of Winston Cup driver Dale Jarrett, died Saturday after a period of declining health. Survivors include two daughters, Mrs. Martha Jarrett and Mrs. Revonda Rockett, and a son, Sterling Bowman. The funeral is at 2:00pm/et Monday at St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Conover, N.C. Visitation is one hour prior to the service. Memorials may be made to St. Luke's Lutheran Church, 3916 Springs Road, Conover, NC 28613, or Lutheran Nursing Home, 1265 21st St. NE, Hickory, NC 28601.(That's Racin')(10-7-2001)

Spencer/Leffler UPDATE: during an interview on TNT's Cup Qaulifying coverage, Jimmy Spencer said his new deal that starts in 2002 is for three-years with his new team (supposedly Chip Ganassi Racing) but he won't say. Plus from a That's Racin/AP story: "Jason Leffler then all but confirmed it when he said team owner Chip Ganassi let him go earlier this week. "I was told I was free to start looking for a new ride," said Leffler, who won his fist career pole last week at Kansas Speedway. "It came as a little bit of a surprise because I have two years left on my contract, but I'll be OK." And Spencer said in that his new team was still trying to secure a sponsor for next season(10-4-2001)
UPDATE: Car owner [#01 and #40] Chip Ganassi is disputing driver Jason Leffler's account that he told the rookie he was free to look for another job. Ganassi confirmed the two talked this week over concerns Leffler had with his security. The #01 Dodge is losing its sponsorship at the end of the season. "I am continuing to look for a sponsor for that car and for Jason," Ganassi said. "He came to me and asked about the situation and that's what I told him. He then asked if he should look for something else and I told him if he found something, I wouldn't stand in his way." Leffler apparently interpreted it as he was being let go from Ganassi despite having another two years left on his contract. That fueled the speculation that Jimmy Spencer has left his Haas-Carter Motorsports team to drive for Ganassi. Ganassi declined to address that, saying only he would announce his drivers for next year at the end of the season. Another scenario could be that Ganassi will field a Grand National car next season and put Leffler in that. Ganassi said that wasn't imminent(That's Racin'/AP)(10-7-2001)

#12 Team to go away? UPDATE: Mike Wallace will replace Mayfield in the #12 Fords for the rest of this season. The future of that car beyond that point is undetermined. It's possible that Roger Penske's operation could be a two-car team again next year with Rusty Wallace and Ryan Newman and the #12 team's sponsor, Mobil, as an associate on both cars or sharing primary sponsorship with Alltel on Newman's Fords(That's Racin')(10-5-2001)
UPDATE: Officials at Penske's shop say that there will be a No. 12 team next season, despite the loss of Mayfield. For one thing, Mobil's sponsorship, an $11 million a year deal, has another season to run.(Winston Salem Journal)(10-7-2001)

Winston, No Bull 5 plans set for 2002: R.J. Reynolds officials have a news conference scheduled for Tuesday in Charlotte to pair drivers and fans for the next No Bull 5 race at Talladega on Oct. 21 and to announce plans for the No Bull 5 program and The Winston in 2002. The Winston all-star race will return to Lowe's Motor Speedway on May 18, and the same five races will be in the No Bull 5 program next year - Las Vegas in March, Charlotte in May, Daytona in July, Richmond in September and Talladega in October.(That's Racin')(10-7-2001)

#27 Done? UPDATE 3: hearing the Eel River Racing #27 Pontiac team has closed up shop and will not race anymore in 2001. No word on if it'll try in 2002. Rick Mast is rumored to the #90 Ford if Hut Stricklin follows the Hill Brothers Coffee sponsorship to a new ride and Sauer/Dukes Mayo could follow
UPDATE: Rick Mast, who has been driving the #27 Pontiacs owned by Eel River Racing, is also looking for a ride after that team, which failed to qualify for the Protection One 400 at Kansas Speedway over the weekend, suspended operations(That's Racin')(10-2-2001)
UPDATE 2: Eel River Racing, with driver Rick Mast, closed its doors yesterday. The team has struggled this season, missing races and falling to 43rd in the owner's points. With C.F. Sauer, the former sponsor of Eel River, and Junie Donlavey's team both located in Richmond, speculation about a pairing between the two has been rampant. Driver Hut Stricklin, sponsor Hills Brothers and adviser Philippe Lopez already announced plans to leave Donlavey's team at the end of the season. Mast has been rumored to be moving to Donlavey's team, but the driver said he hasn't made a decision. He could be driving this weekend, though. Mast is standing by for Dale Jarrett, who was knocked unconscious in a crash last weekend and might be unable to complete the 500-mile race at Lowes(Richmond Times Dispatch)(10-3-2001)
UPDATE 3: Barry Dodson, part-owner and crew chief for Eel River's defunct #27 team, said Saturday that sponsor C.F. Sauer wants to remain involved in Winston Cup racing but could not stay with the 27 team under conditions presented. The team shut down Tuesday after Sauer, which used its Duke's Mayonnaise brand on the cars, decided not to continue its support. That leaves hard-luck driver Rick Mast again on the street. Dodson, who won the 1989 championship as crew chief for Rusty Wallace, said he had received some calls about his services but would be careful how he chose(SpeedVision)
AND The troubled Eel River Racing team has closed its doors — apparently permanently, leaving driver Rick Mast without a ride and the rest of the team scrambling for employment. Barry Dodson, the team's crew chief, said Saturday the collapse of the team "boils down to a matter of dollars and the way they were spent."(Greenville News)(10-7-2001)

Long to run at Dodge at LMS UPDATE 2 Picks Up a Sponsor and a crew: Carl Long and Mansion Motorsports have announced that they will race a Dodge in this weekend's UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway.. Working with Petty Enterprises R&D,. a new car has been prepaired for the # 85 Team out of Durham, North Carolina.(Mansion Motorsports Site)(10-3-2001)
UPDATE: Motorsports Designs, the leading manufacturer of racing graphics in NASCAR, signed on at the llth hour on Friday to sponsor rookie Carl Long in his first Cup start of 2001 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The company is located in High Point, NC and has been serving the auto racing industry with vinyl graphics since 1982.(Motorsports Designs PR)(10-6-2001)
UPDATE 2: Petty Enterprises is providing an engine and Kyle Petty's [#45] pit crew will service Long's #85 Dodge(Racing EXtra)(10-7-2001)

Kenny in the #15? Waltrip to retire? UPDATE 2: DEI has an announcement set for Friday [Oct 5th] morning. Could it be Kenny Wallace in the 15 car for 2002?(NASCAR.com)(10-4-2001)
UPDATE: the Oct 3rd issue of the National Speed Sport News print edition reports that "Michael Waltrip is rumored to be considering retirement. Waltrip is said to be in contact with broadcast executives about possible employment that would take him out of the driver's seat"
AND FSN's Totally NASCAR reports the DEI is denying that Waltrip will be leaving the #15 car and that altrip still has a year to go on his two-year deal with DEI
AND Chevrolet and Dale Earnhardt Inc. have elected to postpone Friday's media event at Dale Earnhardt Inc. scheduled at 9:00am/et(10-5-2001)
UPDATE 2: "As of today, he [Michael Waltrip] still has a job for next year," DEI vice president Ty Norris said. "We have not talked about next year and he has not told us he wants to go into broadcasting, but with him being just 38 years old, I can't really see retirement being an option." But Norris said Waltrip has been called in three times this season to talk about on-track performance and gently reminded of the urgency to turn things around. Waltrip has another year left on his contract and the team has one more year on its sponsorship deal with NAPA.(That's Racin'/AP) AND Michael Waltrip says he has two more years on his contract with BGN sponsor Aarons [#99 Chevy], but he is unsure whether he'll drive the car. Many expect Waltrip to move into the TV booth next year(Richmond Times Dispatch)(10-7-2001)

Speedway Vs Network UPDATE: oh boy.....Officials of Lowe's (Charlotte) Motor Speedway learned Saturday morning that NBC/TNT, televising networks for this weekend's NASCAR events, would not refer to the track as "Lowe's" during its broadcasts, including the Winston Cup qualifying show Thursday night. The announcers Thursday simply said words to the effect, "We're here in Charlotte." Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse has a 10-year deal for naming rights to the speedway under an arrangement which began in 1999. The Charlotte track is the only one on the NASCAR circuit with a naming rights agreement. As the conflict escalated, speedway officials pulled tow trucks up to the compound enclosing NBC's satellite trucks, threatening to pull them off the lot. Officials from the networks and the speedway reportedly met on the seventh floor of Smith Tower, the Speedway's on-site office complex, in efforts to resolve the situation before the Busch race started. A Speedway spokesman told speedvision.com, "Essentially, what we've told them is that we will not permit them to continue the broadcast until they give us assurance the facility will be called by its legal name." The Busch race started after a 2hr10min and is being aired live by TNT – with the tow trucks still hooked up to the networks' two satellite trucks. The announcers continue not to call Lowe's Motor Speedway by name. See full story at SpeedVision(10-6-2001)
UPDATE: Cooler heads ultimately prevailed in a dispute between Lowe's Motor Speedway and NBC/TNT that for much of Saturday had tow trucks parked behind the network's satellite trucks and threatened to cut off broadcasts of this weekend's races. Since Lowe's did not buy advertising, TNT announcers referred to Saturday's Grand National event as "NASCAR Busch Series racing from Charlotte" with no further identification of the track. The announcers are expected to follow the same policy during NBC's telecast of the UAW-GM 500 this afternoon. Things finally were settled around 7:00pm/et, after track security arrived at the TV compound outside the track's frontstretch grandstands and threatened to cut cables to two satellite transmission trucks. Track president Humpy Wheeler then met with NBC Sports president Ken Schanzer, who had flown to Charlotte after the dispute broke out. "After meeting with NBC officials, we feel somewhat better about the issue being resolved," Wheeler said. "Whether it is or not, Sunday's telecast will run as scheduled." Wheeler had said earlier that he considered cutting the power to TNT's telecast of Saturday's Little Trees 300 and might have done it Sunday if NBC insisted on not referring to the track by its proper name. NASCAR senior vice president George Pyne said the television contract allows networks to elect not to identify a facility by name, but that if a name is used it must be the proper name. That means NBC could not call the track Charlotte Motor Speedway or any other name other than Lowe's Motor Speedway, but that the contract allows the network not to use any name at all. NBC spokesman Mike McCarley said the network plans to identify Sunday's race as the UAW-GM Quality 500 from Charlotte. McCarley said the broadcast rights agreement signed by NBC and TNT with NASCAR is specific on such issues and that Lowe's Motor Speedway knew the policy. Wheeler contends he first learned the track would not be called Lowe's Motor Speedway on Friday. Upon finding out that was the case Saturday he went to NBC/TNT producer Sam Flood to discuss it. "He said that was it and gave me no reason at all," Wheeler said. (That's Racin')
AND NBC/TNT Sports and Lowe's Motor Speedway came to an agreement just prior to the UAW-GM 500 on Sunday that will have the network referring to the track by its proper name.[Lowe's Motor Speedway](NASCAR.com)(10-7-2001)

Firefighters at Lowes - 5,000 heros: A group of 5,000 firefighters will be the guests of Lowe's Motor Speedway and will lead the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance during Sunday's prerace ceremonies. The track's prerace show will be a tribute to American firefighters and money will be collected during the weekend for a donation to the children of emergency workers lost in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York City. Speedway Children's Charities will coordinate that fund-rasing effort. Lowe's will donate to the Fireman's Benevolent Fund $100 for each lap Jimmie Johnson's car completes in the race and $1,000 for each lap led. Lowe's employees are also distributing 200,000 "Power of Pride" bumper stickers and banners featuring the American flag at this weekend's activities(That's Racin')
AND Blaise Alexander was a close friend to many of Shepherd's Fire Dept. members in Mooresville, NC. To pay tribute to him, they have put on the side of their newest engine, "In Memory of Blaise Alexander", which will be displayed at the Pre-race Festivities at Lowes Motor Speedway prior to Sunday's NASCAR Winston Cup race.(10-7-2001)

click to see the full image of the firetruck

(10-6-2001)

Sad News - Alexander killed in ARCA race UPDATE 2: Blaise Alexander, 25, died Thursday of severe head injuries sustained in an accident during an ARCA race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. With four laps remaining in the Easy Care 100, Alexander and Kerry Earnhardt collided as Alexander passed Earnhardt for the lead. Just past the start-finish line, the right rear of Alexander's car made contact with the left front of Earnhardt's, sending the cars spinning and Alexander head-on into the wall. Earnhardt's car flipped and skidded upside-down along the frontstretch. Alexander's car came to rest in the infield grass. When emergency medical technicians arrived, Alexander had no pulse and showed no life signs. He was transferred to the track's infield care center, where doctors tried to revive Alexander for 25 minutes. They pronounced him dead at 10:20pm/et. ARCA President Ron Drager said Alexander had been wearing the required "horse collar," a foam device designed to restrict the movement of the driver's head in an accident. The collar was manufactured by Simpson Performance Products, and there was no apparent failure of the collar. Alexander wasn't wearing any other head-and-neck restraint system. Kerry Earnhardt was taken to the track's infield care center but was not injured. He later returned to the facility and found Norris. The two went inside to be with Alexander's family. Wednesday's race was called after the accident and Earnhardt declared the winner, having led the last completed lap. Alexander was credited with second.(Full story at That's Racin' and more news at the ARCA Racing site)(10-5-2001)
UPDATE: Preliminary autopsy results show Alexander, 25, of Mooresville, died from a skull fracture similar to those that killed Dale Earnhardt and at least four other NASCAR drivers in the past 17 months. Alexander's funeral is Tuesday in his hometown of Montoursville, Pa. Plans are being made for a local memorial service.(That's Racin') and some good columns: Car owner helped young racer's career and Blame difficult to pin down, may depend on where you stand
UPDATE 2: Funeral services for Blaise Alexander, who was killed in a crash during the EasyCare 100 ARCA race Thursday at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, have been set for Tuesday, Oct. 9th at 10:30am/et, at Our Lady of Lords Catholic Church in Montoursville, PA. A visitation service will be held from 2:00 - 10:00pm/et, Monday at Spitler Funeral Home in Montoursville. For directions, please call (570) 368-8352. Also, a memorial service will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 10th at 11:00am/et, at Saint Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Charlotte, NC.(NASCAR.com)(10-6-2001)

Thanks to Motorsports Fan Report for image

The Alexander family has asked those who wish to make donations in honor of Blaise, should send them to:
"Make-A-Wish" Foundation of Northeastern Pennsylvania
c/o 515 Sandhill Road
Montoursville, PA 17754

Humpy Upset: Reacting angrily to Thursday's racing crash that killed driver Blaise Alexander, Lowe's Motor Speedway president H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler said he's "sick" of waiting for safety changes in stock-car racing. "Action has to be taken quickly because this could happen again tomorrow, it could happen Sunday, it could happen next week," said Wheeler. "It has just got to stop." Wheeler has unsuccessfully pushed to add energy-absorbing bumpers to stock cars to reduce the impact of violent crashes. "I have lost patience with the people in this industry who are dragging their feet," he said. "I'm sick of it." Preliminary autopsy results show Alexander, 25, of Mooresville, died from a skull fracture similar to those that killed Dale Earnhardt and at least four other NASCAR drivers in the past 17 months..(That's Racin')(10-6-2001)

Lew Comments: Coomets from Paul Lew, President of Lew Composites, maker of the "Humpy Bumper" following the Thursday evening death of ARCA driver Blaise Alexander at Lowe's Motor Speedway. "I and every one here at Lew Composites send our heart felt sympathy to the Alexander family because we are very passionate about motorsports and we have several engineers here who are personal friends of Blaise. If this (Alexander's death from a right frontal impact) doesn't make NASCAR approve the bumper, then they are acting irresponsibly because (the use of the bumper) would greatly swing the driver's odds of survival in his favor." See more at Catchfence(10-6-2001)

Ward in the #12? or is it Spencer? UPDATE: NASCAR.com Buzz is reporting "if Jimmy Spencer does leave the #26 Ford team at the end of the season as rumored, he could be working out a deal with Chip Gannasi Racing for 2002. If not there, he's a prime candidate to grab the #12 seat for next season and that if Spencer goes to Ganassi, then Ward Burton may be headed to the #12 [Mobil Ford](NASCAR.com)(10-3-2001)
UPDATE: been told by sources that Burton has a year left on his contract and is not looking to switch rides for 2002 or leave the #22 CAT team(10-6-2001)

Wallace signs with DEI..until Park comes back: Kenny Wallace said he has signed a contract with Dale Earnhardt Inc. to remain as driver of the No. 1 Chevrolets until the team's regular driver, Steve Park, returns. Park continues to recover from injuries sustained in a wreck in the Grand National race at Darlington last month(That's Racin')(10-6-2001)

RCR Sues UPDATE: Richard Childress Racing, the owner of the late Dale Earnhardt's Winston Cup team, has filed suit in federal court accusing a Charlotte-based company of stealing the design of Earnhardt's former car number and profiting from his Feb. 18 death in a last-lap wreck at the Daytona 500. Barry Baker and Billi Jo McCall Baker and their Heavenly Designs of N.C. Inc. company are named in the lawsuit filed Sept. 13 and reported Friday by Bloomberg News. Earnhardt won six of his seven Winston cup titles while driving for Childress and since 1980 competed in cars bearing a slanted No. 3. The lawsuit accuses the Bakers of selling memorabilia with the number combined with wings and a halo to symbolize Earnhardt's death. "We're going to do what we have to do to protect our rights," Childress said Sunday. "We do have the trademark and the service marks on the stylized 3. We'll do what we have to do to protect that. We've had an unbelievable amount of illegal stuff being made. What we usually do is have a cease-and-desist (order) and that pretty much stops it. We're just trying to protect what Dale and I have built over the years." After being told to stop selling the items, the suit contends, the Bakers modified the design and then incorporated Heavenly Designs on July 11 to continue selling items. "As a result of these unlawful activities, defendants have received substantial profits to which they are not entitled, resulting in corresponding losses to RCR," the lawsuit contends. RCR is seeking a court order recalling infringing items from shelves and blocking future sales, along with any profits, damages and court fees. The racing group also asks that the Bakers be held personally liable for the infringements, saying they set up Heavenly Designs to protect themselves from a lawsuit. No court date has been set to hear the case.(That's Racin')(9-23-2001)
UPDATE: Heavenly Designs of N.C. Inc., owned by Charlotte residents Barry and Billi Jo McCall Baker, claim a "winged" No. 3 decal the business produces and sells does not violate a federal trademark held by Richard Childress, owner of the Winston Cup team of the late Dale Earnhardt. The Bakers filed a response Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Greensboro, N.C., to a lawsuit originally filed Sept. 13 by attorneys for Richard Childress Racing. Company owner Barry Baker said there is no basis to "outlaw" his design, which he says does not use the "slanted" No. 3 trademarked by Childress. Baker said he has always told customers they weren't buying Dale Earnhardt products, Richard Childress products, or NASCAR products, but those of Heavenly Designs. He said he has operated as an independent souvenir vendor at Winston Cup tracks since 1995.(That's Racin')(10-6-2001)

(10-5-2001)

Nemechek to the #26? UPDATE: hearing Joe Nemechek will take over the #26 Kmart Ford ride that Jimmy Spencer is vacating at the end of 2001
UPDATE: FSN's Totally NASCAR reports that Nemechek will not be back in the #33 APR Chevy in 2002(10-2-2001)
UPDATE 2: sources tell me that Nemechek agreed to drive the #26 Haas-Carter Motorsports car in 2002(10-3-2001)
UPDATE 3: Travis Carter is close to signing Joe Nemechek as Jimmy Spencer’s 2002 replacement in the #26 Ford owned by Carter and Carl Haas(Gaston Gazette)(10-5-2001)

Sad News: Mickey Stavola, who with brother Billy owned the long-lived Stavola Brothers team which fielded cars for Bobby Allison and others, died over the weekend of a heart attack near his home in New Jersey.(SpeedVision), the Stavola Brothers last fielded the #8 car in 1998 at Atlanta with Morgan Shepherd driving(10-5-2001)

Jarrett sore but will race, Mast to stand by: #88-Dale Jarrett, who suffered a concussion, broken rib and multiple bruises in a crash last week at Kansas City, made sufficient laps in practice and qualifying Thursday and tentatively feels fit enough to go the distance in Sunday's UAW/GM 500 at Lowe's (Charlotte) Motor Speedway. Pronounced well by a physician and armored in rib protectors, Jarrett qualified 25th and said, "I feel good, like nothing ever happened, really. I've got another day of rest, then a pretty easy day Saturday, so I should be all right Sunday." Jarrett's main concern, he said, was g-forces in the car at speed, which can re-stir effects of a concussion. "I've never been knocked out in my life," he said, "so I really didn't know what to expect. Rick Mast, freed when the #27 [Eel River Racing] team suspended operations after Kansas City, will stand by in case Jarrett needs help.(SpeedVision)(10-5-2001)

McSwain breaks arm: Michael McSwain, crew chief for Ricky Rudd, broke his left arm Thursday morning while leaving his motorhome in the infield of Lowe's Motor Speedway. McSwain has a half-cast on his arm and is expected to get a full cast next week.(That's Racin')(10-5-2001)

Hornaday and Foyt? Ron Hornaday has a letter of intent from A.J. Foyt [Hornaday's current team, #14 Pontiac], but he has not signed a 2002 contract.(Richmond Times Dispatch)(10-5-2001)

Hut and the #96? #90-Donlavey Racing plans to continue running next season but has not announced sponsorship or driver. Driver Hut Stricklin, team advisor Philippe Lopez and sponsor Hills Brothers are looking for a Charlotte team to work with. They could land with Cal Wells, whose second team ran its last race of the season last week(Richmond Times Dispatch)(10-5-2001)

(10-4-2001)

Black Box Update: NASCAR expects most of the cars in Sunday's field at Charlotte to be carrying crash-recorder boxes, as part of its continuing preparation to mandate the devices on all cars next season. . . . Detroit engineers have long believed that more crash data can be gathered, much faster, in NASCAR than when recorders were instituted in Indy cars in the mid 1990s. Why? Because Cup cars run a lot more laps and crash a lot more often(Orlando Sentinel)(10-4-2001)

Silly Season in full swing - Mayfield out of #12 NOW UPDATEs Wallace in: Penske Racing, LLC has released Jeremy Mayfield, effective immediately, from all obligations as a driver for the #12 Mobil 1 Taurus. The team plans to name another driver later this week for the UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowe.s Motor Speedway.(Williams Company PR)(10-2-2001)
UPDATE: hearing Mike Wallace could be in the #12 Ford this weekend at Charlotte, after that ??
UPDATE 2: FSN's Totally NASCAR reports Wallace is trying to get out of his contract with Ultra Motorsports to drive the #12 Ford for the rest of the 2001 season(10-2-2001)
UPDATE 3: Penske Racing LLC announced today that Mike Wallace will drive the #12 Mobil 1 Taurus for the remainder of the season, beginning with this week.s UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowe.s Motor Speedway.(Williams Company)(10-3-2001)
UPDATE 4: There are hints from inside the Penske camp that Mayfield's team may simply vanish at the end of the season, its crew being absorbed within the vast Penske camp. Rookie Ryan Newman will be driving the Winston Cup tour full-time for Penske next season(Winston Salem Journal)(10-4-2001)

Wallace out of the #7? UPDATE 4 Lepage In: hearing that Mike Wallace and the #7 Ultra Motorsports team may part ways before the race this weekend at Lowes Motor Speedway
UPDATE: FSN's Totally NASCAR reports Wallace is trying to get out of his contract with Ultra Motorsports to drive the #12 Ford for the rest of the 2001 season(10-2-2001)
UPDATE 2: could see Jermey Mayfield in the #7 for a race or two, also hearing rumors that Scott Riggs and or Ted Musgrave, Smith's CTS drivers may get a race or two behind the wheel(10-3-2001)
UPDATE 3: Mike Wallace may be moving from the #7 Ford into Mayfield's #12 Ford for Charlotte, which would make him a teammate to brother Rusty. If Wallace does that, then Kevin Lepage could end up in the #7 this weekend(NASCAR.com)
UPDATE 4: Mayfield could have filled in at the #7 Ultra Motorsports Ford. Mike Wallace was granted his release from the #7 earlier on Wednesday to drive the #12 for the remainder of the season. Now Kevin Lepage will drive for Ultra Motorsports on a race-by-race basis(Sporting News)(10-3-2001)

2nd Morgan McClure team? UPDATE: Along with signing Mike Skinner taking over behind the wheel for #4 Chevy there is speculation that Hamilton Jr. will become the driver of a second M-M Winston Cup team in 2002, pending a sponsorship. Hamilton Jr. will not be able to race the #4 car at Martinsville Oct. 14 due to the fact the BGN series will be racing in Memphis that weekend. McClure said he will be looking for a more experienced driver who has run at Martinsville before(BGN does not run there - Rich Bickle will drive).(Bristol Herald Courier), Dr. Pepper maybe. And yes, if Hamilton Jr runs all 7 races, he will had run 10 races in 2002 and will not be eligible for any future Rookie of the Year awards(10-2-2001)
UPDATE: As for the ever-present question of a second M-M team involving Hamilton, McClure said stay tuned. ``We're looking at that,'' McClure said. ``We've been wanting to do a two-team deal. I certainly don't know of anybody that I would like to have anymore than Bobby Hamilton Jr. `We will just look and see how we do together, and then see if some deal comes around. If something surfaces and we feel like it will compliment our Kodak deal, we would certainly look at it (a second car) real hard.''(Bristol Herald Courier)(10-3-2001)

Record TV Ratings at Kansas: NBC’s coverage of the inaugural Cup race from Kansas Speedway on Sunday generated a 4.7 national rating/11 share, (1:15 p.m.-5:15pm), according to Nielsen Media Research. This represents a 104% increase over last year’s comparable rating and is the highest national rating ever for any auto race in competition with professional football. The previous record rating for an auto race televised at the same time as an NFL game was the 4.5 rating delivered by NBC’s coverage of the MBNA Cal Ripken, Jr. 400 on Sept. 23, 2001 and the DieHard 500 from Talledega, Ala. on CBS on Oct. 12, 1997. Sunday’s rating peaked at a 5.7/12 from 4:30-5:00pm/et as Jeff Gordon took the checkered flag in Cup's debut at the Kansas Speedway. Last year on the comparable weekend, NASCAR Winston Cup racing produced a 2.3 converted national household rating for the NAPA Autocare 500[Martinsville], which aired on ESPN on Oct. 1, 2000. NBC’s 45-minute NASCAR pre-race show scored an impressive 2.5/7 from 12:30-1:15pm/et.(NBC PR)(10-4-2001)

Lowe's Helps Out: Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse and Richard Childress Racing (RCR) driver Robby Gordon are "Racing For Relief" this weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway to raise funds for the families of the firefighters killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. As part of its "Power of Pride" campaign, Lowe's will donate to the New York Firefighters' 9-11 Disaster Relief Fund $100 for every lap Gordon completes and $1,000 for every lap he leads in Sunday's UAW-GM Quality 500. In conjunction with the donation-per-lap campaign, the #31 Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse Chevrolet will carry special decals including the American Flag and a N.Y. Firefighters' decal on the #31 Chevrolet.(RCR Racing), the #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy and driver Jimmie Johnson will also run Lowes [his sponsor for 2 more races in 2001 and full-time in 2002] colors and do the same "Power of Pride" campaign(10-4-2001)

Earnhardt Tribute in hometown UPDATE: A memorial to racing legend Dale Earnhardt may be in the near future for his hometown. City Council established the Dale Earnhardt Memorial Fund during Monday night's meeting. The memorial will be located in Village Park. It will feature a statue of Earnhardt and a commemorative wall highlighting the Kannapolis native's career. Sam Bass, a motorsports artist, will design the wall. City officials hope to raise $700,000 for the memorial. During Monday's meeting, somecouncil members suggested promoting the fund during race week at the Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord. Earnhardt grew up in Kannapolis, son of Martha Earnhardt and the late Ralph Earnhardt, an outstanding dirt track track driver. The mayor will head a steering committee which is scheduled to be in place within a week. The committee will oversee the fund-raising effort, select a sculptor for the statue and communicate with the Earnhardt family. Some council members said the Earnhardt family is supportive of the memorial. Contributions can be sent to the City of Kannapolis, c/o the Dale Earnhardt Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 1199, Kannapolis, N.C. 28082-1199. All contributions are tax deductible.(Independent News and Charlotte Observer)(5-16-2001)
UPDATE: City officials plan to build a memorial that both honors the man who put Kannapolis on the map and provides a place for fans to gather, celebrate and remember the legendary driver. Over the summer, an advisory group selected an Arizona sculptor to create a statue, which will be situated in a 16-acre park downtown. Motorsports artist Sam Bass will design a commemorative wall. City officials estimate the cost at $700,000, which they hope to raise through contributions from Earnhardt's racing fans. Organizers had planned to launch a festive fundraiser during this weekend's race at Lowe's Motor Speedway in nearby Concord. But after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, they are toning down efforts. Racing fans will find fliers throughout Kannapolis and at spots around the track, including souvenir trailers.(USA Today), for more info see Dale Earnhardt Tribute Fund Site(10-4-2001)

(10-3-2001)

New Hampshire 300 Update: Been asked a few questions, got some answers about the lineup for the postponed New Hampshire 300 on Nov 23rd. Since the NHIS race was postponed, no qualifying attempts were made. Therefore, teams will obtain another provisional at the 32nd event of the year which will now be Phoenix, rather than Talladega (which would had been the 32nd race before the postponement). And the field for NHIS has been set. Should any team fail to show up at this event, NASCAR will not fill that team's vacancy. Therefore, a team doesn't show up (like the #27 that has suspended operations), NASCAR would start the race with less the 43 cars normally run in a Cup race. Any teams that have replaced drivers ( like the #4, #7, #12 and #31 teams) or will replace drivers in the timeframe between now and Nov 23rd, the new driver will start in the car, the field is set on Owners Points NOT Drivers Points, but will have to drop to the rear at the start of the race. For more info on the race at my NHIS Race Info Page and see the New Hampshire 300 Starting Lineup page(10-3-2001)

Park back by Daytona 2002: FSN's Totally NASCAR reports that DEI expects driver Steve Park back by Daytona Speedweeks 2002(10-3-2001)

Shepherd Announcement: Morgan Shepherd is hoping to make an announcement [soon] about his Cup team going to Martinsville(NASCAR.com)(10-4-2001)

Melling scheme at Lowes: Melling Racing's #Dodge will carry the familiar colors of Conwood Sales Company's Levi Garrett brand in the upcoming Cup races at Lowe's Motor Speedway and Talladega (Oct. 21). Driver Stacy Compton will be the first to pilot the gold, brown and white Levi Garrett colors since 1990. "The paint scheme sure conjures up some memories," said Compton. ."It's painted very similar to the Levi Garrett car that Geoffrey Bodine won the Daytona 500 with in 1986. .There were days when you would see that Levi Garrett car up front every week, and Charlotte and Talladega are certainly places where we feel we can bring it back." After concluding Levi Garrett's title sponsorship, Conwood Sales Company remained active in the Winston Cup Series with its Kodiak brand. Kodiak has sponsored Melling Racing since 2000. Conwood's era of NASCAR sponsorship will come to a close at the end of the 2001 season. Melling Racing is currently searching for primary sponsorship for the 2002 Winston Cup Series season(Melling Racing PR)(10-3-2001)

The 'Gate' at Kansas UPDATE: many readers noticed the while 'gate or fence' Winston Cup Officials held above Jeff Gordon so he couldn't get on the roof of the car in the winners circle/victory lane. On CNN/SI's NASCAR Plus, Benny Parsons was asked about the 'gate' and said he wasn't sure why, but that it was probably to keep the driver off the top of the car so a proper insepction could be done. Last year at California, the #12 Team was penalized for having a car that was too low and it was caused by Mayfield jumping on the roof of the car, denting the spot that the inspectors measure. Otherwise have seen nothing official on the reason for the gate(10-2-2001)
UPDATE: sources have confirmed that NASCAR doesnt want the drivers on the roof tops after the race for saftey and technical reasons(10-3-2001)

#27 Done? UPDATE yes, Mast to stand by for Jarrett: hearing the Eel River Racing #27 Pontiac team has closed up shop and will not race anymore in 2001. No word on if it'll try in 2002. Rick Mast is rumored to the #90 Ford if Hut Stricklin follows the Hill Brothers Coffee sponsorship to a new ride and Sauer/Dukes Mayo could follow
UPDATE: Rick Mast, who has been driving the #27 Pontiacs owned by Eel River Racing, is also looking for a ride after that team, which failed to qualify for the Protection One 400 at Kansas Speedway over the weekend, suspended operations(That's Racin')(10-2-2001)
UPDATE 2: Eel River Racing, with driver Rick Mast, closed its doors yesterday. The team has struggled this season, missing races and falling to 43rd in the owner's points. With C.F. Sauer, the former sponsor of Eel River, and Junie Donlavey's team both located in Richmond, speculation about a pairing between the two has been rampant. Driver Hut Stricklin, sponsor Hills Brothers and adviser Philippe Lopez already announced plans to leave Donlavey's team at the end of the season. Mast has been rumored to be moving to Donlavey's team, but the driver said he hasn't made a decision. He could be driving this weekend, though. Mast is standing by for Dale Jarrett, who was knocked unconscious in a crash last weekend and might be unable to complete the 500-mile race at Lowes(Richmond Times Dispatch)(10-3-2001)

Bodine to Honor Victims: Two entries in this weekend's events at Lowe's Motor Speedway will display the website address for The New York Police & Fire Widows' & Children's Benefit Fund. The #11 Ralphs/Wells Fargo Financial Ford, owned and driven Brett Bodine, and the #6 Ford, owned by Brett Bodine Racing and driven by Brett's nephew, Josh Richeson, in this weekend's BGN race, will both carry the website address for this non-profit organization for the families of fallen New York City firefighters and police officers. The Fund provides funding at the time of a death to assist with immediate expenses. In addition, the benefit fund distributes an annual check to each of the surviving families. "This is such a tragedy! With so many of us here at BBR, myself included, being from the New York area, this hit close to home. I think all of us want to do something to help and this is a great way to contribute. Hopefully, the Fund will get extra attention by being on our cars. I urge everyone to consider making a donation," said Bodine. The web address: www.nypfwc.org.(BBR PR)(10-3-2001)

Stewarts Helmet and Suit: Tony Stewart, along with Jason Beam of Beam Designs (Tony’s helmet designer), recently collaborated to come up with something they could do to help raise money for all those affected by the tragedies that occurred September 11th, 2001. The result of their effort is the new "Stars & Stripes" themed helmet and drivers suit which Stewart wore at Dover and was auctioned on eBay. The "Auction for America" items have closed and raised: $8,601.00 for the Dover race-day uniform and $10,100.00 for the "Stars & Stripes" helmet. Thanks(10-3-2001)

Trickle to help out Marcis at Martinsville: Dave Marcis contacted Dick Trickle last week to see if he’d possibly be able to practice and qualify his #71 Realtree Chevy at Martinsville Speedway the weekend of October 12-14, 2001. Marcis has a previous engagement planned for Friday, but will be able to drive the car in the race on Sunday. Trickle agreed to help Marcis out and was up to his race shop near Ashville, NC last week to make sure the seat and pedals would fit him. Martinsville hasn’t been one of Trickle’s best qualifying tracks, but he’s always raced well there. Marcis felt they’d make the race on points if not on time(Dick Trickle Fan Club Newsletter)(10-3-2001)

NASCAR, NHRA and the Army: The United States Army Top Fuel drag racing program is going NASCAR, it was announced today. With its 6,000-horsepower Top Fuel (show car) dragster, an interactive display and a group of recruiters in tow, the United States Army will be a visible element at NASCAR Winston Cup Series tracks the rest of the season. Beginning with last weekend’s race at Kansas Speedway through the race at Atlanta in November, the Army will set up a 50x75 interactive area and four additional 10x10 areas at all of the race venues, primarily, for recruiting purposes. Additionally, the U.S. Army Top Fuel (show car) dragster will be on display each weekend and is scheduled to be started at most of the tracks prior to the Winston Cup race. The U.S. Army has been the primary advertiser on Schumacher’s Top Fuel dragster since the 2000 U.S. Nationals last September(Kermish-Geylin PR)(10-3-2001)

(10-2-2001)

Cup car stolen UPDATE 3 Petty and Yates? new Petty engine supplier: At sometime over the past weekend someone stole an official Winston Cup race car from a race team's parking lot. Investigators are not saying which team owns the car. But they are saying the car is worth $200,000. Investigators say it was locked inside a white trailer when someone pulled up, hooked it up and drove off. The team is expected to announce the theft soon, ask for help finding it, and offer a very substantial reward to get it back.(NBC6.com)(9-28-2001)
UPDATE: quite a twist from NASCAR.com's Buzz - The Buzz has learned that the car was stolen from the property of Robert Yates Racing. It wasn’t a Yates car, though, but a dyno chassis car owned by Petty Enterprises. So, what was a Petty car doing at Yates? Well, the two teams may be making some sort of announcement in the next couple of weeks regarding either a joint venture or new ownership of an existing division of Yates. The current ownership of all race teams for both teams will remain the same.(NASCAR.com)(9-29-2001)
UPDATE 2: hearing that Yates is helping Petty design heads and is looking at supplying Dodge engines to Pettty next year
UPDATE 3: Petty Enterprises will get engines for its 2002 Winston Cup teams (#'s 43,44,45) from a company being spun off of Robert Yates' engine manufacturing business. Mike Ege, general manager and chief engine builder at Robert Yates Engine Manufacturing, has acquired that company and will rename it Mike Ege Racing Engines. That company will supply engines to the three Petty Enterprises Cup teams beginning next season. Ford teams (#'s 7, 11, 26, 32, 66, 90) that had been getting their engines from the subsidiary operation Ege was leading for Yates will start getting their motors directly from Robert Yates Racing, Inc., which also builds the engines for the two Yates-owned Cup teams of drivers Dale Jarrett and Ricky Rudd(That's Racin')(10-2-2001)

Martinsville Testing: #29-Kevin Harvick, #55-Bobby Hamilton, #5-Terry Labonte, #36-Ken Schrader, #32-Ricky Craven, #13-Hermie Sadler, #2-Rusty Wallace and #20-Tony Stewart were at Martinsville Speedway on Tuesday trying to get their cars dialed in for the Old Dominion 500. All but Wallace and Harvick will be back today for another day of testing, which will be open to the public at no charge. The eight teams worked on race setup Tuesday and because of that, times were well off of Tony Stewart’s track record of 95.371mph set last fall. All teams reported times in the neighborhood of 91.900 to 92.370mph. Wednesday will be spent working on going fast instead of stopping quick.All the teams that are returning plan on spending a good portion of Wednesday dialing in qualifying setups, the speeds:
#55-Bobby Hamilton, 93.326mph
#36-Ken Schrader, 91.922
#2-Rusty Wallace, 91.922
#32-Ricky Craven, 91.922
#29-Kevin Harvick, 91.700
#13-Hermie Sadler, 91.567
#5-Terry Labonte, 91.039(Martinsville Speedway PR)(10-2-2001)

Lepage and Morgan-McClure part ways UPDATE 4 Hamilton Jr in for 7 races - Skinner signs for 3 years: Morgan-McClure Motorsports and Kevin Lepage have agreed to terminate their relationship for the remainder of the 2001 Cup season, effective immediately. Larry McClure states he feels the team needs to explore all avenues in preparation for the 2002 season. McClure enjoyed working with Kevin Lepage and his wife, Donna. Morgan-McClure wishes them the best in the future.(M-M PR), no word on who will drive at Lowes this week, but one report has Bobby Hamilton Jr
AND FSN's Totally NASCAR reported that Hamilton Jr will be the driver for the remainder of the season with the exception of Martinsville
UPDATE: Morgan-McClure Motorsports announces Bobby Hamilton, Jr., as the driver for the upcoming UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte. Hamilton, Jr., who drives the #26 Carroll Racing BGN entry on a full time basis, will step into the #4 KODAK MAX Film Monte Carlo for the remainder of the 2001 season, with the exception of Martinsville. Hamilton, Jr., who became familiar with the Abingdon-based team while his father served as the driver from 1998-2000, has three Winston Cup Series starts this season at Charlotte, Dover and Michigan. The starts came in the #33 as a result of an injured Joe Nemechek. While continuing his driving duties in the BGN, Hamilton, Jr., will concentrate on working with Morgan-McClure in the Cup Series. He hopes to gain seat time and experience, not only in Cup, but in gaining knowledge to help in his BGN efforts as well(Morgan-McClure PR)(10-1-2001)
UPDATE 2: hearing Rich Bickle could be the driver for the Martinsville race(10-2-2001)
UPDATE 3: Along with Skinner, former driver of the No. 31 Richard Childress-owned Chevrolet, taking over behind the wheel for M-M, there is speculation that Hamilton Jr. will become the driver of a second M-M Winston Cup team in 2002, pending a sponsorship. Hamilton Jr. will not be able to race the #4 car at Martinsville Oct. 14 due to the fact the BGN series will be racing in Memphis that weekend. McClure said he will be looking for a more experienced driver who has run at Martinsville before(BGN does not run there).(Bristol Herald Courier), Dr. Pepper maybe. And yes, if Hamilton Jr runs all 7 races, he will had run 10 races in 2002 and will not be eligible for any future Rookie of the Year awards(10-2-2001)
UPDATE 4: Morgan-McClure Motorsports has signed Mike Skinner to a three-year deal that will put him behind the wheel of the #4 Chevy starting in 2002. Skinner is scheduled to undergo knee surgery in Florida on Wednesday morning. He delayed the surgery a day, he said, in order to participate in a teleconference to make the announcement. He said he anticipated being ready for pre-season testing in January at Daytona.(NASCAR.com)(10-2-2001)

Rusty to be penalized? UPDATE: NASCAR is expected to issue a penalty against Wallace by Tuesday for his bump and spin of Rudd during last weekend's race at Dover, Del. Rudd was the race leader at the time. Sources said the penalty is being issued for Wallace's "unrepentant" attitude following the incident. Rudd and Wallace got into a mostly verbal confrontation in the garage area after the race. The two sat down with NASCAR officials for a private conversation this weekend about the matter.(That's Racin')(9-30-2001)
UPDATE: NASCAR has opted not to penalize Rusty Wallace for his involvement in a late-race wreck with Ricky Rudd at Dover .Wallace was expected to be assessed a fine this week for his bump and spin of Rudd, then the race leader, in the Sept. 23 race at Dover. Rudd was attempting to put Wallace a lap down at the time of the incident. The two got into a physical confrontation in the garage area following the race. Sources confirmed Wednesday NASCAR has decided not to penalize Wallace following his speeding penalty during last Sunday's race at Kansas Speedway(That's Racin')(10-2-2001)

New Pit Crew Competion Rules UPDATE: NASCAR officials announced during Sunday's driver and crew chief meeting that the entry rules will be changed for this season's pit crew competition scheduled for Nov. 3 at North Carolina Speedway at Rockingham. Previously, any team that wished to participate could enter. Beginning this season, only those teams in the top 25 of car owner points will be eligible. The points used will be those from the previous race weekend, in this case following the Oct. 28 race at Phoenix(That's Racin')(10-1-2001)

UPDATE: The National Association of Pit Crew Members (NAPCM) disagrees with NASCAR's decision to change the rules governing November 3rd's Pit Crew Challenge in Rockingham, N.C. The Pit Crew Challenge is about the NASCAR Winston Cup Pit Crews getting to compete against each other to decide who is the best. Owner points have no bearing on this. As anyone knows, owner points depend on many variables. What NASCAR is doing is penalizing half of the crews by not allowing them to participate in the event that they look forward to all season.(NAPCM PR/site)(10-2-2001)

New Pontiac? NASCAR officials have begun studying Pontiac's plans for a new Winston Cup model for the 2003 season(Winston Salem Journal)(6-3-2001)
UPDATE: - Pontiac Gone? Might General Motors consider dropping the Pontiac brand from Winston Cup racing? A new model is expected for the 2003 season, but will GM invest in the redesign of its Grand Prix for NASCAR? Just an ugly rumor that it won't, said Terry Laise, General Motors competition and aerodynamics manager. "But anything is possible."(Sporting News)(6-18-2001)
UPDATE 2: during the Cup at Kansas, NBC mentioned that Joe Gibbs Racing had tested a new 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix in a wind tunnel and expects to present it to NASCAR for approval in mid 2002. Also have heard rumors that Pontiac would switch from a Grand Prix to their Bonneville model(10-2-2001)

(10-1-2001)

Spencer on the Move? UPDATE 2 Spencer leaving: Dodge is making a run at Jimmy Spencer, who could be moving from Travis Carter's #26 team to Chip Ganassi's next season, according to sources close to the situation(Winston Salem Journal)(9-29-2001)
UPDATE: Car owner [#26 and #66] Travis Carter says Jimmy Spencer has told him he won't be back next season, after five years together, a move that caught Carter by surprise and that has him scrambling for a new driver as teammate with Todd Bodine next season. "Jimmy just told me he's going to drive for somebody else next season," Carter said yesterday. "But I intend on having two teams again next season. So now I need a new driver." Spencer's apparently will move to Chip Ganassi's operation [#01 and #40] as teammate to Sterling Marlin(Winston Salem Journal)
AND Jimmy Spencer says this is his last season in the #26 Ford. Those moves will launch discussions about other drivers -- Joe Nemechek, Jeremy Mayfield, Kevin Lepage and Hut Stricklin among them(Sporting News)(10-1-2001)
UPDATE 2: Although there is no official word, Spencer has been rumored to be interested in either the #12 Ford currently driven by Jeremy Mayfield or the #33 Chevrolet piloted by Joe Nemechek(NASCAR.com)(10-1-2001)

Jarrett in the Hospital UPDATE released Sunday: Dale Jarrett was listed in fair condition at Kansas University Medical Center following a hard crash on Lap 247 of Sunday's Protection One 400 at Kansas Speedway. Jarrett was airlifted to the hospital and was awake and alert when transported. He briefly lost consciousness in his car. He also complained of pain in his right arm. Jarrett was scheduled to receive a CT scan late Sunday and the track was awaiting word of the results.(9-30-2001)
UPDATE: Winston Cup driver Dale Jarrett was released after he was examined at Kansas University Medical Center following a hard crash on Lap 247 of Sunday's Protection One 400 at Kansas Speedway. Jarrett was airlifted to the hospital and was awake and alert when transported. He briefly lost consciousness in his car. He also complained of pain in his right arm. Jarrett received a CT scan Sunday evening and was released. He was expected to rerturn to his home in North Carolina.(That's Racin')(10-1-2001)
UPDATE 2: Dale Jarrett has been released from KU Med Center and will return to his home in Hickory, N.C. He sustained a concussion and a left chest contusion.(Kansas Speedway PR)
AND ESPN2's RPM 2 Night reports that Jarrett will not miss any time this weekend at Charlotte/Lowe's Motor Speedway and Jarrett will be in the car there(10-1-2001)

Interesting and heartwarming Story UPDATE III: A chance meeting with a fallen hero by Marty Smith of NASCAR.com(9-20-2001)
UPDATE on the story: story at That's Racin' via the Kansas City Star - Pilot's son to fulfill NASCAR wish; A Brief Review: How do you tell the wife of one of the pilots who perished in the terrorist hijackings that only a day earlier you and he had become fast friends, bonded by family stories, a love for NASCAR and a crazy devotion to Jeff Gordon?(9-25-2001)
UPDATE II: On Sunday, something truly heartwarming will happen. Matt Dahl, the son of the captain of Flight 93, will meet his hero -- Jeff Gordon. See full story at NASCAR.com: A renewed faith in the human race by Marty Smith(9-27-2001)
UPDATE III: and the followup - Lessons learned from an atypical 15-year-old by Marty Smith, about Matt Dahl meeting the drivers and much more(10-1-2001)

#29 Stays, New Colors, #3 Retired? UPDATE 2: Richard Childress Racing will unveil the 2002 paint scheme for the #29 Chevrolets driven by rookie Kevin Harvick, but there will be no change in the team's number. The news conference is scheduled for 10:00am/et on Sunday at Kansas Speedway, site of Sunday's inaugural Protection One 400. Sources said the car's general design will remain the same, but there will be some color changes. Also, owner Richard Childress is expected to reveal his intentions to seek the retirement of the #3 - the number used by that team when Dale Earnhardt was its driver. Earnhardt, who won six of his seven Winston Cup championships with Childress, was killed in a last-lap wreck at the season opening Daytona 500. Harvick has driven for Earnhardt's former team with the #29 and a predominantly white color scheme on the car since the February race at Rockingham(That's Racin'). JAYSKI NOTE: hearing the car will feature a red scheme(9-29-2001)
UPDATE: In a pre-race press conference from the Fan Walk inside Kansas Speedway, Richard Childress announced this morning the #29 of Kevin Harvick will carry some familiar colors for 2002. The Monte Carlo unveiled combined the familiar black with a new gray scheme giving the car a touch of the old, with a dash of the new. The announcement was greeted by applause from the fans in attendance. Richard Childress Racing will field the #’s 29, 30, and 31 Winston Cup cars for Kevin Harvick, Jeff Green, and supposedly Robby Gordon.(Frontstretch). So much for the red rumor(9-30-2001)
UPDATE 2: Richard Childress, owner of the No. 29 Chevrolets driven by Kevin Harvick, said Sunday he is trying to persuade NASCAR to retire the No. 3 made famous by the late Dale Earnhardt. "The numbers belong to NASCAR and it's not their policy to retire numbers," Childress said. "But we're talking to them heavily about retiring the number 3. If not, we have some plans for the No. 3 that we have registered and stylized that Dale Earnhardt made so famous." Childress said he expects NASCAR's decision by the end of the season.(That's Racin'). See images of the car at my Paint Schemes Gallery for more images (and the new 2002 Cup page there)(10-1-2001)

Kansas TV: NBC’s coverage of the inaugural NASCAR Winston Cup Kansas 400 on Sunday generated a 4.0 overnight rating/8 share, (1:15 p.m. - 5:15 p.m.), according to Nielsen Media Research. This represents a 74% increase over last year’s 2.3 converted national household rating for the NAPA Autocare 500, which aired on ESPN on the comparable weekend (10/1/00). NBC’s 45-minute NASCAR pre-race show also scored an impressive 2.8 overnight rating, 7 share (12:30 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.). National ratings are expected Thursday.(NBC PR)(10-1-2001)

NASCAR Silicon Motor Speedway's back: The NASCAR Silicon Motor Speedway Racing Center at Katy Mills Mall (Houston, TX) is back on track. On Sept. 4, a group of private investors reopened the shuttered store formerly owned by Silicon Entertainment Inc. The new owner, Indianapolis-based Perfect Line, also reopened stores in Nashville, Charlotte and six other locations nationally. Mace Hirt, general manager of Katy Mills Mall, says the store is one of the most popular attractions in the mall. "A lot of people come to the mall just for that store," says Hirt. "It's a unique store because it's rare to find anything like it in the city, so it does very well." The Katy Mills store features NASCAR simulators mounted on a specially developed hydraulic platform with 3-D screens displaying the driver's performance from a computer-generated race. The store also sells official NASCAR merchandise and speedway clothing. Perfect Line is currently re-negotiating contracts with several NASCAR drivers as sponsors.(Houston Business Journal)(10-1-2001)

Some more driver rumors UPDATE 3 Skinner signed - Tuesday announcement?: Mike Skinner to the #77 Jasper Engines Ford with current driver, Robert Pressley possibly headed to the #4 Morgan McClure Kodak Chevy. Skinner is also rumored to the #4 team and the #33 Andy Petree Racing team if a sponsor is found(9-18-2001)
UPDATE: and also hearing Robert Pressley as a stong candidate to the #4 Kodak Chevy for 2002 as well as Skinner(9-23-2001)
UPDATE 2: Larry McClure hopes to be able to strike a deal with [Mike] Skinner that will put the veteran behind the wheel of his Chevrolets in 2002. "That's fair," McClure said Sept. 21 when asked if Skinner was his leading candidate. "We'd like to get something done here directly. (But) if you've got a deal done, it would take you two weeks to get it all done."(Winston Cup Scene - need sub to read)(9-27-2001)
UPDATE 3: Mike Skinner signed last week with car owner Larry McClure, according to team sources. Skinner is scheduled for reconstructive surgery on his left knee Wednesday, and his recovery could take three months.(Winston Salem Journal)
AND Larry McClure is putting Mike Skinner in the #4 Chevrolet next season. The announcement will come Tuesday because Skinner is having surgery on his left ankle [actaully knee not ankle] Wednesday(Sporting News)(10-1-2001)

Black Boxes at Dover, Kansas, Lowes UPDATE 2: NASCAR officials were uncertain whether drivers would be using black boxes this weekend. Last week, the boxes were in the cars of Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte, Jeremy Mayfield, Kenny Wallace and Sterling Marlin. Mayfield's was not set up to record crash data, but NASCAR officials will study information from Labonte's. Next week at Lowe's Motor Speedway, a total of 25-30 Busch Grand National and Winston Cup teams are expected to be running with the devices. The boxes will be mandatory for teams next season.(Richmond Times Dispatch)(9-28-2001)
UPDATE: NASCAR Winston Cup director Gary Nelson said the sanctioning body’s first use of data recorders, in three divisions last weekend at Dover Downs International Speedway, was a successful first step toward comprehensively using the devices in its three national touring series in the 2002 season. Nelson said the recorders did fine in acquiring data, including readings from the car of defending Winston Cup champion Bobby Labonte, which was involved in a crash early in the 400-lap race. Nelson declined to elaborate on what was found on Labonte’s recorder, though he did say “we got data from that.” The devices were used in the Busch North Series, cars of race winner Dale Shaw and Tom Carey Jr.; the Busch Series machines of Jimmie Johnson and Jason Keller; and the Cup cars of Labonte and Jeff Gordon. Nelson said the devices would not be used at Kansas Speedway this weekend. He did say he was looking at using them in an upcoming Craftsman Truck Series race, possibly Oct. 5 at Texas Motor Speedway. (NASCAR.com)(9-29-2001)
UPDATE 2: NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter said Sunday the sanctioning body is expecting to test several more "black boxes," or accident-data recorders, during next weekend's Grand National and Winston Cup races at Lowe's Motor Speedway.(That's Racin')(10-1-2001)

No Word on #31 Driver until Atlanta? UPDATE Next Week? Car owner Richard Childress said he hoped to have a decision on the future of the # 31 car by the Atlanta race in November. There was some media speculation that Sunday's announcement would involve Robby Gordon, filling in for injured Mike Skinner in the Lowe's Chevrolet. Skinner is to have knee surgery Wednesday.(That's Racin'/AP)(9-30-2001)
UPDATE: Robby Gordon is expected to be announced this week as Richard Childress' newest driver, taking Skinner's spot next season in the #31 Chevy(Winston Salem Journal)(10-1-2001)

Stewart and Goodyear: Tony Stewart may be in trouble both with Goodyear and his sponsor Home Depot for his latest controversy - post-race comments at Dover critical of Goodyear's tires. Stewart is not alone in complaining but he has been the most vocal, and now there are indications Goodyear may be ready to pull its tire sponsorship of Stewart and Joe Gibbs' second team too, with driver Bobby Labonte. "That's between us and them, and it's nobody's business," Goodyear's Greg Stucker said. A Goodyear sponsorship is worth over $600,000 a year. Goodyear is the only tire company NASCAR allows to sell tires to Winston Cup teams. Goodyear's exclusive position in the sport keeps most drivers and teams from criticizing tires, no matter how angry they might be. NASCAR's Bill France, after discussions with executives of Home Depot, a significant NASCAR sponsor as well as primary sponsor of the Joe Gibbs-Tony Stewart team, overruled plans to levy a hefty penalty on Stewart for an angry post-race encounter with NASCAR officials at Daytona in July after being blackflagged for going below the no-passing line, according to sources close to the situation. A three-race suspension and significant fine, perhaps $100,000, had been proposed. NASCAR wound up fining Stewart $10,000 and extended an earlier probation to Dec. 31.(Winston Salem Journal)(10-1-2001)

(9-30-2001)

see the Sept 24-30, 2001 Archived News Page

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