PAST NEWS DEC 31, 2001-JAN 6, 2002
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(1-6-2002)
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(1-5-2002)
- New Valvoline Prez: Ashland names new Valvoline President. Samuel Mitchell Jr., 40, joined Valvoline in 1997 as its director of brand marketing. He was named vice president of marketing in 1999, and, since 2000, he has served as the vice president and general manager of retail business. Prior to joining Ashland, Mitchell worked for The Clorox Co. in various positions in brand and category management over an eight-year period. He is currently serving as the co-chair for the category management committee at AAIA. Valvoline owns half of Johnny Benson's #10 Valvoline Pontiac that finished 11th in 2001. MB2 owns the remainder of the Valvoline sponsored car.(PR)(1-5-2002)
- Sad News: Helen Martin Mast, mother of Winston Cup driver Rick Mast [#90], died December 31, 2001 after a short illness. Funeral services were scheduled for 11:00am Friday, January 4 at Ebeneezer Methodist Church in Rockbridge Baths, Virginia. Mrs. Mast, 74, is survived by her husband, R.K. Mast, two children (daughter Helena Mast Krohn and son Rick) and four grandchildren. Memorials may be made to the Rockbridge Area Free Clinic, 712 North Main Street Lexington, Virginia 24450.(Camp and Assoc PR)(1-5-2002)
(1-4-2002)
- Compton or Lepage or Green(s) in the #14? UPDATE 7 Compton is it: hearing rumors that Stacy Compton and Kevin Lepage are the front runners for the #14 Conseco/A.J. Foyt Racing ride in Cup(12-5-2001)
UPDATE: Stacy Compton has signed to drive the #59 ST Motorsports Chevy in the BGN series next season(Richmond Times Dispatch) AND ST Motorsports owner Tad Geschickter announced on Wednesday that Stacy Compton will be in the #59 Kingsford/Johnsonville Chevrolet when Busch Series racing resumes at Daytona in February.(ST Motorsports PR)
BUT Compton is set to sign with ST Motorsports owner Tad Geschickter, and he's also working on at least three Winston Cup deals that he feels fairly confident about. If things fall into place, Compton says he could run the entire schedule in both divisions. On Dec. 3, Compton said he expected to have his Winston Cup plans for 2002 firmed up "within the next two weeks."(Winston Cup Scene - need sub to read)(12-6-2001)
UPDATE 2: A.J. Foyt is expected to name a driver for the #14 Pontiac this week. Foyt, who has two years remaining on his Conseco sponsorship, has narrowed his choices to Kevin Lepage, David Green and Compton. Last week, Compton signed a deal with ST Motorsports to run in the Busch Series in 2002.(Sporting News)(12-10-2001)
UPDATE 3: A.J. Foyt is expected to announce the driver of the No. 14 Conseco Pontiac early next week(A.J. Foyt Racing Site)(12-13-2001)
UPDATE 4: also hearing former BGN driver Mark Green (David and Jeff's bother) is under consideration for the #14 ride. Mark Green served as a consultant to A.J. Foyt Racing in later 2001 with BGN driver Larry Foyt and attempted Atlanta in an 2nd A.J. Foyt Racing Pontiac but failed to make the race(as did then regular driver Ron Hornaday)(12-15-2001)
UPDATE 5: A.J. Foyt is expected to announce the driver of the #14 Conseco Pontiac in early January [ the 2nd is rumored](A.J. Foyt Racing Site)(12-19-2001)
UPDATE 6: hearing it was announced at the #14 AJ Foyt Racing shop yesterday that Stacy Compton is the Driver for 2002 the official announcement will supposedly come on Jan 4th(Friday)(1-3-2002)
UPDATE 7: A.J. Foyt Racing has signed Stacy Compton to take the helm of the #14 Conseco Pontiac for the 2002 season. Compton, 34, who spent the first two years of his Winston Cup career at Melling Racing, comes to Foyt looking to build on the momentum of his 2001 season, where he swept both poles at Talladega, qualified second and third at Daytona, and earned six top-15 starts in his final 11 races. Team owner A.J. Foyt believes that Compton, who parlayed a stellar two-year run in the Craftsman Truck Series into a Winston Cup ride, is the right driver at the right time for a racing team looking for a catalyst to bring it into weekly contention.(AJ Foyt Racing/ignition, inc. PR)(1-4-2002)
- Interesting UPDATE accepting mail again: saw this in a Sporting News column by Lee Spencer, from the Jeff Gordon site: "For a continued time due to the concerns that our country is facing with Anthrax and mail delivery, I have instructed my employees and the Fan Club not to accept incoming fan mail. I hope you will understand this is for the protection of my employees, and as soon as we have a higher comfort level concerning the threat of terrorist attacks, we will resume mail reception and responses. You can check www.jeffgordon.com for updates on the status of our Fan Mail reception."(an FYI for readers/fans)(1-4-2002)
UPDATE: been told by the fanclub that as of Today, they are now accepting mail again(1-4-2002)
- New #88 Car Chief? hearing Jason Sheets, who worked for RCR in 2001 and formerly with new #88 crew chief, Jimmy Elledge, will be the new car chief for the #88 RYR UPS Ford and driver Dale Jarrett(1-4-2002)
- Shepherd Trip: Morgan Shepherd did his annual Christmas Trip in December. In the two weeks before the trip he raised enough money thru the race teams and some loyal supporters to put together 600 gift bags and $22,000.00 for the P.A.R.C. Workshop. The Workshop has 32 Handicapped workers who refinish furniture(1-4-2002)
(1-3-2002)
- Buddy Parrott leaves Roush? UPDATE retires: hearing rumblings that Roush Performance Development Manager and lengendary crew chief, Buddy Parrott has parted ways with Roush Racing(12-24-2001)
UPDATE: One of the longtime mainstays in the NASCAR garage has retired. 62-year old Buddy Parrott steps down following.34 years in Winston Cup racing, the last seven with Roush Racing where he had recently served as Performance Development Manager. Parrott.told PRN's Garagepass that.Ted Musgrave.once said he had been around so long he greased the wheels on Ben Hurr's chariot! Parrott said his most memorable racing moments he was a part of include Jeff Burton's first win at Texas, Richard Petty's 200th victory at Daytona, Derrick Cope's Daytona 500 triumph in 1990, and helping Rusty Wallace win 19 races in two seasons. He'll still visit the NASCAR garage now and again, and may serve as an occasional consultant to Roush Racing. Parrott says his health is good so he wants to enjoy life and ride his motorcycle.(PRN's Garage Pass)(1-3-2002)
- Benning to attempt the Daytona 500: Norm Benning has announced plans for a Daytona doubleheader next month. Following his fifth place finish in the season point standings for the ARCA RE/MAX series, Benning has been busy preparing his fleet of Chevrolet Monte Carlos for the upcoming year. One car that isn't requiring much off-season work is his main SoBe Beverages/Tobin's RV & Boat Cleaner superspeedway car. During its most recent on-track appearance, the car was one of the fastest on the track at Talladega before a problem with the passenger-side window forced Norm to pit. Benning did not take part in a recent ARCA RE/MAX Series test at Daytona, opting to take a break and "relax" at home, where he is busy planning a new race shop behind his residence. This month, Benning and crew chief Linda Nicholas will be heading south for a three-day test with the Winston Cup teams. Benning Motorsports will be entering both the ARCA RE/MAX Series season opener on February 10 and the Winston Cup Series' Daytona 500, which will take place on February 17. Benning's plan for 2002 is currently to run the full ARCA RE/MAX schedule, but he continues to explore opportunities in top NASCAR divisions.(Motorsports Fan Report)(1-3-2002)
- Donlavey Hires Crew Chief: #90 team owner Junie Donlavey has announced the hiring of Craig Huartson as Crew Chief of Rick Mast's #90 Donlavey Racing Ford. Huartson rejoins Donlavey Racing from Team Rensi, where he served as crew chief on the Truck Series entry driven by Randy Tolsma before serving as Shop Foreman for the Team Rensi Busch series entry. Huartson served as crew chief at Donlavey Racing during the 2000 season. Donlavey also brought Car Chief/Shock Specialist Keith Roberson board to assist Huartson during the 2002 season. Robinson served as shock specialist for the Jasper Engines team during the 2000 season.(Keystone Marketing PR)(1-3-2002)
- Shawna back in 2002? UPDATE 5 - 24 races in 2002: Shawna Robinson is the verge of putting together a deal to run as many as two dozen Winston Cup races in 2002 [#49 BAM Racing?]. Robinson made her Winston Cup debut in 2001 with Michael Kranefuss, but failed in each subsequent attempt to qualify. Kranefuss' BGN team, with driver Elton Sawyer, was forced to shut its doors after finishing fifth in the championship due to lack of sponsorship.(NASCAR.com Buzz)(12-6-2001)
UPDATE: hearing Shawna Robinson is going to be driving a second Flis Corvette in the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona, with Conway and Goad as co-drivers. Supposedly Bam Motorsports is buying the seat time for her.(12-7-2001)
UPDATE 2: Shawna Robinson will be entering 24 Winston Cup races for BAM Racing [was #49 in 2001], driving a Dodge. The team currently has no sponsor but is financially secure enough to run the allotted number of events. The crew chief is Eddie Sharp and the team will be supplied engines from Ernie Elliott.(NASCAR.com)(12-7-2001)
UPDATE 3: hearing Shawna Robinson will NOT drive in the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona and that Kevin Harvick could be in the seat now(12-25-2001)(see story below)
UPDATE 4: Shawna Robinson and car owner BAM Racing will announce later today in Charlotte a 24-race schedule for the 2002 Winston Cup Series. The 37-year-old Robinson will drive a Dodge Intrepid R/T with Ernie Elliott-built engines. Eddie Jones and Eddie Sharp have been tapped for the roles of team manager and crew chief, respectively, and the team has leased shop space and equipment from former Busch Series owner Buz McCall. BAM Racing is owned by Beth Ann Morgenthau of Coral Gables, who in 2000 and 2001 fielded teams in the ARCA and Winston West series. The team joined up with driver Andy Hillenburg for a three-race, mid-summer deal in 2001, but failed to make the field in those events. The team is negotiating with two prospective sponsors for the 2002 season but reportedly nonetheless intends -- sponsor or no -- to compete in 24 high-profile Cup races and use all of the 12 available test days allowed for rookie contenders.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(1-3-2002)
UPDATE 5: BAM Racing announced today that Shawna Robinson would be the driver of the #49 Dodge Intrepid R/T for 24
of 36 sanctioned races in the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Series. On June 10, 2001, Robinson became the first female since 1989 to
qualify for a Winston Cup event. When she finished the race, she was the first female to do so since Janet Guthrie in 1980. Robinson competed in the Las Vegas, NV Winston West race for the BAM Racing team in October of 2001. BAM Racing and Robinson have just
recently reached a multi-year agreement to compete in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. With this announcement, BAM Racing continues NASCAR¹s growing interest to provide diversity in the sport. Robinson said, "We will run 24 races as well as the Twin 125 at
Daytona this season with hopes of signing a major sponsor for 2002 and the complete 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series schedule. In addition to the 24 races, Robinson and BAM will test 12 times in 2002, which is the maximum for rookie drivers.(BAM Racing PR)(1-3-2002)
- Brack in NASCAR? UPDATE 3: Kenny Brack, of CART, in the field at Indy for IROC's season finale, has been mentioned for a Winston Cup ride, possibly with A. J. Foyt. With the CART series in the middle of a sharp decline, the 1999 Indy 500 winner and 1998 Indy Racing League champ, at 35, is looking at his options. "Sure, I'm interested in NASCAR in the future, but right now I'm focused on the CART championship," Brack said. That tour's points leader won at Chicago Sunday, so he's clearly on top of his game. "Through the IROC series, I've made several friends in the NASCAR circuit, and if there would be an opportunity for me to go NASCAR, I would look very seriously at it. NASCAR in the future, yes, but not next year." NASCAR intrigues Brack: "I am very humble for the fact that it is a different series with different cars and everything, and there are a lot of good drivers in NASCAR," he said. "So if I would go to NASCAR, I know it wouldn't be easy. I never underestimated any series I've gone into. Yes, if you practice enough you can get good, but there will be 50 drivers there and they're all good. So you're not going to come in and do anything unless you've done your homework. And even then it's difficult(in part from a column in the Winston Salem Journal). NOTE: Robin Miller also metioned Brack to Foyt's #14 Conseco car in the future a few nights ago on ESPN2's RPM 2Night(8-4-2001)
UPDATE: on Monday's RPM 2 Night show (ESPN2 at 7:00pm), Dr Jerry Punch said not to be surprised to see Brack run at the 2002 Daytona 500(8-7-2001)
UPDATE 2: ESPN.com has learned that CART driver, Kenny Brack has already signed with Chip Ganassi for the 2002 CART season and Indianapolis 500. Meanwhile, neither Brack nor Ganassi would confirm or deny a deal on Monday. Besides the money and Indy, another enticement for Brack to go to Ganassi could be NASCAR. Chip fields a two-car Winston Cup team and Kenny has declared he definitely wants to try stock cars in a couple years.(ESPN)(8-14-2001)
UPDATE 3: Kenny Brack is going to get a full-blown look at life in NASCAR in two weeks when he tests Target/Chip Ganassi Racing’s Dodge Intrepid at the NASCAR Open Test session at Daytona International Raceway January 14-16. "We're trying to find the money to do Daytona with Brack," Ganassi told Autosport magazine. "He'll do the test just to be ready. It's also possible he'll run later in the year."(SpeedVision)(1-3-2002)
- Congrats: Wendy Venturini and Chad Norris were wed at on New Year's Eve at St. James Catholic Church in Concord, NC. Wendy works at NASCAR Images as a Segment Producer for NASCAR This Morning on FOX Sports Net (and is the daughter of two-time ARCA champ Bill Venturini). Chad works at Penske Racing as the Jackman and Shop Foreman for driver Ryan Newman.(1-3-2002)
- Cup spotter to field race team: NASCAR Spotter, Mike Calinoff, will take on the role of Car Owner this year, as he announces the formation of MJ Motorsports. The team will field Fords out of their new Mooresville, NC shop in the NASCAR-sanctioned Late Model Truck Series at the famed Hickory Motor Speedway for 18-year-old Arthur “Aazie” Zimblemann. Calinoff works for Matt Kenseth in the Winston Cup and Busch Series. Known as the “Wizard of Aaz”, Zimblemann, a standout and fan favorite in Sprints and Modifieds throughout Iowa and the Midwest, moved to Mooresville, NC this past January to pursue a career in NASCAR racing. A recent test session at Hickory Motor Speedway yielded positive results and prompted Calinoff to form the team. “Aazie is really a terrific talent,” said Calinoff, “his focus and vision was very appealing. I have been looking for this type of situation for the past year – an opportunity to cultivate a team in a local setting, with a young driver, and then advance our efforts to the next level.” The 2002 NASCAR Winston Racing Series season at the Hickory Motor Speedway begins on April 6th.(MJ Motorsports PR)(1-3-2002)
- Craven wins award: Ricky Craven has been named the fourth-quarter winner of the NMPA/Pocono Spirit Award. Craven joins previous quarterly award winners Kevin Harvick, Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon on the list of nominees for the annual award. The 2001 award will be presented at the NMPA's annual convention Jan. 20 in Winston-Salem, N.C. The Spirit Award recognizes character and achievement in the face of adversity, sportsmanship and contributions to motorsports.(Winston Cup Scene - need sub to read)(1-3-2002)
- Richard Petty Driving Experience Raises $23,280: Race fans in Atlanta, Charlotte, Las Vegas and Orlando climbed into the passenger seat of a stock car to help raise money and awareness for families affected by the events of September 11. The fundraiser, which was held on Wednesday, November 28 by Richard Petty Driving Experience (RPDE), raised $23,280 for the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund. The Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund was created to provide educational assistance to financially needy dependents of those who were killed or permanently disabled as a result of the September 11 attack or rescue efforts. Former President Bill Clinton and former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole serve as co-chairs of the campaign fund efforts. More than 200 firefighters, police officers and emergency medical technicians accepted RPDE's invitation to participate in the event for free. The Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund was created by Citizen's Scholarship Foundation of America (CSFA), the nation's largest nonprofit administrator of private scholarship programs, located in Minneapolis and St. Peter, MN, and Lumina Foundation for Education, a private foundation dedicated to expanding access to post secondary education in Indianapolis, IN. Specifically, the Fund will benefit dependents of the victims from Tuesday, September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States, including airplane crew and passengers, World Trade Center and Pentagon employees and visitors, and relief workers, including firefighters, emergency medical personnel and law enforcement personnel.(Petty Enterprises PR)(1-3-2002)
(1-2-2002)
- Pemberton to Petty? UPDATE: rumors have former #2 crew chief, Robin Pemberton going to work for Petty Enterprises in some capcity (team manager, general magaer, consultant - but not as a crew chief) for the 2002 season.(12-7-2001)
UPDATE: Robin Pemberton has been named Vice President and General Manager for Petty Enterprises. "Bringing Robin to our race teams is another important move in taking Petty Enterprises to where we want it to be," said CEO Kyle Petty in making the announcement. "One of the winningest crew chiefs in Winston Cup history joining one of the best engine builders with Mike Ege and bringing them together with all three of our race teams under one roof, we think these moves are going to be big for us." Pemberton, whose career began at Petty Enterprises and has served with some of the top names in motorsports as a crew chief - Kyle Petty, Mark Martin, Bobby Allison, Neil Bonnett and, most recently, Rusty Wallace - has 499 career starts and winnings of nearly $25 million. Both are second in NASCAR's modern era. Pemberton.s position continues a series of bold moves made by Petty Enterprises over the past seasons. The first organization to join forces with Dodge for NASCAR Winston Cup racing, Petty Enterprises began an engineering agreement with Elan Technologies of Atlanta, Ga., last Spring; moved all three teams under one roof in Level Cross in the past month; added Mike Ege Racing engines as its exclusive supplier at the beginning of this year; and now has one of the sport's top organizational mechanical minds as Vice President and General Manager.(Williams Company PR)(1-2-2002)
- Yates to the BGN? Word is that Robert Yates Racing will have a Busch Series team in 2002. Rumor has it that it will be a Ford, just like the team's two cars in Winston Cup. Word is that Ford will have a major role in the development of the team. As far as a driver goes, talk has USAC driver Kasey Kahne behind the wheel. Kahne was supposed to go IRL racing, but will instead concentrate his efforts in NASCAR.(NASCAR.com Buzz)(1-2-2002)
- New #20 Assoc Sponsor: Philips Lighting, the leading provider of innovative, high-quality lighting fixtures to worldwide commercial, residential and utility markets, has joined The Home Depot as an associate sponsor on the #20 Joe Gibbs Racing team. "Philips Lighting is a great partner and they've been involved with motorsports in the past. We are happy to welcome them back as a part
of our team," said Dick Sullivan, senior vice president of marketing and advertising for The Home Depot. "Having Philips Lighting join The
Home Depot as a NASCAR sponsor is an excellent way to strengthen our mutual relationships with customers."(Edelman PR)(1-2-2002)
- Home Depot Official: Since 1999, The Home Depot has been known as the Official Home Improvement Warehouse of NASCAR. It is a title that will continue through 2004, as The Home Depot has extended its status as an official NASCAR sponsor for another three years.(Edelman PR)(1-2-2002)
- Congrats: Speedway Scene writers Lori Vizza and Mike Snow welcomed the New Year.by getting married in Las Vegas, Nevada. The extremely private ceremony, which occurred at 2:20 am local time (5:20 eastern), made "official" the six year relationship and one week engagement the two shared prior to the ringing in of the New Year. The newly married couple were last seen blowing into the Orleans Casino, where the two have.enjoyed most of their.vacation time since the end of the 2001 Winston Cup season.(1-2-2002)
(1-1-2002)
- Sad News: Daytona International Speedway closed out its season of competition the same way it started 2001 -- with a gut-wrenching racing death. Michael Davis Jr., a 17-year-old from Coventry, Ohio, died Sunday afternoon after his go-kart slammed into the outside wall in the tri-oval area during a World Karting Association race. Davis became the fourth competitor to die at the racetrack during the 2001 season, a grisly streak started by Dale Earnhardt, who was killed instantly when he crashed on the last lap of the Feb. 18 Daytona 500.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(1-1-2002)
- Virginia Licence Plates: Delegate Allen W. Dudley (R-Rocky Mount) announced three of the bills that he will be sponsoring during the upcoming 2002 General Assembly session. The third bill would allow Virginians to buy license plates that celebrate Virginia's
rich motorsports tradition. Dudley will again try to get legislation enacted allowing the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to develop and sell motorsports license plates. Under the proposal, DMV could, upon receipt of 350 applications, make and sell license plates commemorating any driver, track or other aspect of motorsports. These plates would cost $35 per year, and all profits would be used to help offset the costs of other DMV operations. DMV is one of the few completely self-supporting state agencies in that it accepts no general fund revenues from the Commonwealth. "From the Commonwealth's love of its racing champions of yesterday like Curtis Turner, Wendell Scott, Joe Weatherly and Paul Radford and its racing champions of today like Ward and Jeff Burton, Elliott and Hermie Sadler and Ricky Rudd, to its love of other champions such as Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, Virginia has a rich motorpsorts tradition. I think this is an appropriate means for our citizens to honor this great sport and its contributions to our state. Moreover, the funds earned from these plates will help ensure that DMV can continue to remain self-supporting and not have to rely on money from the general fund," said Dudley.(Bill Info Release)(1-1-2002), more info on other states NASCAR License plates on my Collectible Links page
(12-31-2001)
- Harvick in the Indy 500? If Kevin Harvick does well in the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona [see story below], look for Harvick to try his hand at the Indianapolis 500.(Sporting News)(12-31-2001)
- Little Al to NASCAR? UPDATE 2: with the Galles Racing IRL team appearing to be done (reportedly, a proposed big-money deal with Budweiser fell through), Al Unser Jr. -- "Little Al" is suddenly shopping for a ride. "It seems as good a time as any for Little Al to look south, perhaps finally take up Earnhardt's invitation to come play with the full-bodied boys. Problem is, all the Winston Cup seats are filled -- except one. A.J. Foyt keeps delaying the announcement on who will drive his #14 Cup car next season. Rumors center on Stacy Compton, Kevin Lepage and Mark Green. A call to Foyt's shop this past week found Larry Foyt, A.J.'s son and Busch Series driver, answering the phone. "Any chance A.J. might be trying to work out something with Little Al?" Larry Foyt was asked. "I've heard a lot of talk, but that's a new one," said Larry, who said A.J. will name his driver Jan. 2. A.J. and the Unsers go way back, of course, so there's definite familiarity. Plus, A.J. could put Little Al in a competitive Indy ride for a Memorial Day double (that should be a popular attempt this coming year, with Tony Stewart, Robby Gordon and John Andretti likely to try it). Perhaps the best bet for an Unser NASCAR appearance would be Penske, who fielded three cars several times last year in order to break in Ryan Newman. Penske has the resources to field a competitive part-time car, and could also put Unser in a quality Indianapolis ride."(Daytona Beach News Journal)(12-23-2001)
UPDATE: and another column at ESPN: Unser to make move to Winston Cup?(12-27-2001)
UPDATE: an an update to the 'rumored' Daytona Beach News Journal column: Racin' rumors go faster than the racers involved(12-31-2001)
(12-30-2001)
see the Dec 24-30, 2001 Archived News Page
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