PAST NEWS JAN 7-13, 2002
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(1-13-2002)
- Stewart 2nd in Chili Bowl on Friday UPDATE wins on Saturday: Cory Kruseman compared driving a midget at the Chili Bowl to driving a Sprint Car on the tight quarter mile at Ventura, CA. Maybe it was that experience that helped him drive his No. 47 Andy Bondio-owned entry to a victory on Friday night in the final preliminary night of the 16th Annual Chili Bowl Midget Nationals. On the ninth lap of the race, Kruseman, the 1999 Chili Bowl champion, took advantage of Jason Leffler holding up Tony Stewart on the bottom to drive from third to first on the high side of turns one and two and lead the rest of the way in the 25-lap main event at the Tulsa Expo Raceway. After Kruseman passed Stewart he pulled away from the field to take the victory, even though he almost lost the race by hitting the brakes hard in Turn 2 to avoid a lapped car. Stewart finished second, with Leffler third and Dave Darland edging Jerry Coons Jr. at the finish line for fourth.(Chili Bowl Site)(1-12-2002)
UPDATE: Tony Stewart won a race-long battle with Kevin Doty as the two swapped the lead six times over the Chili Bowl’s final 16 laps with Stewart taking the lead for good on Lap 49. Stewart pocketed more than $22,000 for his efforts, which included the $10,000 winner’s share for the purse, more than $1,000 in lap bonus money and an $11,000 bonus for winning with a Mopar engine. Doty finished second, with Cory Kruseman third, Critter Malone fourth and Dave Darland fifth. Kasey Kahne finished sixth, with Danny Lasoski coming from 16th to seventh, Greg Luecker eighth, Tony Elliott ninth and J.J. Yeley drove from 23rd to 10th. Yeley earned the Rich Vogler hard charger award for his run, while Davey Ray, who finished 11th, was named the Chili Bowl’s Top Rookie. Ray received a $1,000 from Ark Wrecking in Tulsa.(Chili Bowl Site)(1-13-2002)
- Leno tests at Daytona - pace car: ``The Tonight Show'' host and automobile enthusiast Jay Leno took a spin around the Daytona International Speedway to get ready for his role in the Daytona 500 as a pace car driver. Leno did some laps around Daytona's 2.5-mile oval in the 2002 pace car, a horsepower-rich Pontiac Firebird. With the Daytona race, Leno becomes the first driver to pace America's three biggest racing events. Last year he was the pace car driver for the Indianapolis 500 (news - web sites) and the Brickyard 400, both at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.(Yahoo/AP)(1-13-2002)
- Schrader to run some ARCA(again): #36 M&M's Pontiac driver, Ken Schrader, will keep up his hectic schedule, one that will see him racing his NASCAR Winston Cup car for 38 weekends next year, announcing Saturday that he was planning to run a pair of ARCA RE/MAX Series events in 2002. Schrader will race ARCA events at the .400-mile South Boston short track on July 3 and the one-mile dirt oval at the DuQuoin, Illinois State Fairgrounds on September 2. Schrader will be driving his own Pontiac for the two events, with sponsorship from Federated Auto Parts. The 46-year-old Missouri native already owns eight ARCA wins as a driver and 16 as an owner, including a pair at Daytona in 1984 and ’85. (SpeedVision)(1-13-2002)
(1-11-2002)
- #90 in the tunnel: The Donlavey Racing team will be taking three 2002 #90 Ford Tauruses to the wind tunnel at Langley Air Force base on Saturday. Donlavey has prepared two Superspeedway cars and one down-force car to test in preparation for the upcoming races at Daytona and Rockingham.(Keystone Marketing)(1-11-2002)
- A Racing France: During Grand-Am's test last week, J.C. France, son of International Speedway Corporation president Jim France, got a test drive in a new GT-class Marcos Mantis. France was in the car almost immediately and turned a personal fast lap of 2:07. While not exactly blazing speed, factory works driver Cor Euser, who won championship events with the car in Europe, posted a fast lap of 2:00. The car suffered some cooling problems and did not see much action after the first day. It and a soon-arriving sister car will test at Roebling Road near Savannah in preparation for the Feb. 2-3 Rolex 24 At Daytona.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(1-11-2002)
- Wind Tunnel Testing? hearing the #68 TWC Motorsports team and the #21 Wood Brothers team are testing cars in the wind tunnel at N.A.S.A.'s Langley Research Center located in Hampton, VA today(1-11-2002)
- Hutchens Device: Richard Childress Racing Team Manager Bobby Hutchens says his "Hutchens Device" head and neck restraint was scheduled for testing Thursday at Wayne State University by safety expert Dr. John Melvin. Hutchens has developed an upgraded version of the device and is anxious to see where the numbers fall and hopefully move down the road with a better product. Hutchens is hopeful the numbers show a reduction in neck tension. Hutchens says "there are a lot of things NASCAR and it's experts are doing that nobody's seen yet that hopefully in the next couple months will come to be as far as being something permanent in the garage area that I think will help all of us." Hutchens.has learned a lot about safety and engineering principals.when it comes to.belts and seats and that NASCAR and the teams are "turning over every rock we can turn over to make it better for these guys". The "HANS" and "Hutchens Device" are the only two head and neck restraints current approved by NASCAR.(PRN's Garage Pass)(1-11-2002)
- Childress Trademark News: A U.S. magistrate judge issued a permanent injunction and judgement last month in favor of Richard Childress Racing in its trademark infringement lawsuit against Charlotte, N.C.-based Heavenly Deigns of N.C. Inc. and its owners, Barry and Billi Jo McCall Baker. In an order signed Dec. 10, Judge Russell Eliason awarded RCR approximately $500,000 in damages, costs and legal fees. He also issued a permanent injunction prohibiting Heavenly Designs from "manufacturing, distributing, advertising, offering for sale, or selling goods under any designs or marks comprised of a number 3, with or without angel's wings and/or halo." Childress said he was pleased the case was over and the injunction issued.(That's Racin')(1-11-2002)
- Bye-Bye CNN/SI Network UPDATE 2: CNN plans to scrap the struggling CNN-Sports Illustrated and replace it with a new cable network, which will be operated with the NBA. About 200 people work for CNN-SI, but it is not clear how many positions will be eliminated, although it could be the largest number since CNN eliminated the jobs of 400 employees a year ago in a 10 percent across-the-board reduction. Steve Robinson, general manager of CNN-SI, told staff members of the decision Wednesday afternoon. The 5-year-old network has never made a profit. It is available in about 20 million households, half what executives say is needed to be consistently profitable. AOL Time Warner, which owns CNN, has been in negotiations with the National Basketball Association about building on the remains of CNN-SI to create a jointly owned network. The network's focus would be on sports events rather than sports news. It would air several lives NBA games a week, as well as archived games and other programming.(Charlotte Observer), no idea how this will effect qualifying/Happy Hour practice and it's TV coverage in the 2nd half of 2002, the new network could coer it or TNT may, no idea...
UPDATE: hearing that the new network that is replacing CNN/SI is going to air old Cup races, as well as all NASCAR news conferences, live qualifying and happy hour, and other nascar related events.(1-10-2002)
UPDATE 2: see column at MotorsportsTV - Turner to Close CNN/SI, Start New Network;.How NASCAR Might Be Affected by Mike McCarthy(1-11-2002)
(1-10-2002)
- No Wind Tunnel: John Darby, Winston Cup Series director, said Wednesday NASCAR officials plan no wind tunnel tests based on speeds recorded here this week in tests or in the final session which begins Monday. "We have no plans to take the cars to the wind tunnel following tests," Darby said. "We haven't inspected the cars, and just walking around, after all the cutting and chopping they're so different now than when they came off the trucks it wouldn't serve any purpose."(Lakeland Ledger)(1-10-2002)
- #75/Oordt Team to Return? former #75 Galaxy Motorosports Cup team owner Darwin Oordt said there is a chance he could field a new team with former Minnesota Vikings coach Dennis Green as his partner, perhaps as early as this season. ''Dennis and I became friends when I was in Minnesota,'' Oordt said. ''He's very interested in racing, and we're trying to get things worked out to co-own a team.'' Oordt was forced to fold his Winston Cup team last season after a major sponsorship fell through. When he was unable to field a car for the Daytona 500, Oordt was sued by his driver, Wally Dallenbach, for breach of contact. The legal battle remains unsettled. Dallenbach is seeking damages for what he calculates would equal a year's lost earnings. Neither side will reveal figures in the suit, but it is believed to be in excess of $1 million.(Tennessean)(1-10-2002)
- Carl Long 2002 Plans UPDATE: Carl Long plans to run for various Winston Cup races with Mansion Motorsports [#85 Dodge] and plans to run additional Cup races with Price Motorsports in 2002. Price Motorsports is owned by Foster Price, who fielded a USAR Hooters Pro Cup car for Carl Long in 2001. The new Winston Cup team will run Dodges with SR Racing Engines and will likely use the #35 in competition. Their first scheduled event with Carl Long will be at Rockingham, the 2nd race of the 2002 season. Mansion Motorsports will still field a car for Carl Long at the Daytona 500. Long and Glenn Racing, owned by Rick Glenn, plan to run the BGN race at Rockingham in Feb and are also exploring options of starting a Winston Cup team which Long would drive Dodges with SR Racing Engines. And SR Racing, owned by Bobby Robinson, who will have Long drive a few local late model truck races in Tennessee and will manage Long's engine program for 2002, is exploring options to start a Winston Cup team for Long in a Dodge. Long plans to run as many as 25 races in 2002, excluding road course races and west coast races, unless a sponsor is found for one of teams or a team that's from the west coast could run some races with Long out west. Since Long plans to run more than seven Cup races in 2002, he will run for the Rabestoes Rookie of The Year Award(Carl Long Racing Site)(1-9-2002)
UPDATE: the crew chief for the #35 team will Mike Chance(Carl Long Racing Site)(1-10-2002)
- Atlanta Testing UPDATE 4: #99-Jeff Burton will test at Atlanta Motor Speedway for Goodyear on Jan 7-8th and #28-Ricky Rudd will test there on Jan 21-22.(AMS PR)(1-2/7-2002)
UPDATE: testing was pushed back a day due to poor weather and will now run Tues/Wed instead for Burton and Goodyear(PRN's Garage Pass radio show)(1-7-2002)
UPDATE 2: no speeds to report, but hearing Burton has blown two engines during the test and has brought out a 2nd car to test(1-8-2002)
UPDATE 3: Jeff Burton's two-day Goodyear Tire test started slowly Tuesday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, as Burton managed to complete just six laps before blowing his second engine of the day. The team pulled out the backup car with a third engine to complete the afternoon.s test session. "We don.t really know what happened," Burton said. "We would rather spend our time getting back out on track and taking advantage of our time than thinking analytically about how and why the engines blew. We'll figure that out later. But we really don't have any idea why both of them blew they're the same engines we had here in November for the race, just rebuilt." Mart Keto, Goodyear's lead engineer for NASCAR, said there will be enough time Wednesday to complete the Goodyear testing. Goodyear is trying to increase wear for the left-side tires before the March 10 Atlanta 500. "We don't want to change too much with the tires, because we've had some really good races here in Atlanta, and we don't want to screw that up," Keto said. "We'll test 5 or 6 different left-side compounds and leave the right side alone." Burton is the first driver on track in 2002. The next scheduled test is Jan. 23-24 with Ricky Rudd and Robert Yates Racing.(AMS PR)(1-8-2002)
UPDATE 4: After shaking off all the cobwebs yesterday, #99-Jeff Burton returned to Atlanta Motor Speedway for the second of a two-day Goodyear Tire test Wednesday, turning a top lap of 184.125 mph. Burton lost two motors and turned only about 20 laps Tuesday before pulling out the backup car and third and final engine. They continued the test Wednesday with that package, completing tests for Goodyear designed to help find a left-side tire with better wear before the March 10 Atlanta 500. "I think we found something good," Burton said. "I feel good about it. We came in looking for better grip and more wear, and that.s what we found." The next scheduled test at Atlanta Motor Speedway is Jan. 23-24 with Ricky Rudd and Robert Yates Racing.(AMS PR). NOTE: Yates has said Rudd would not test but the team would, so look for another driver to sub for Rudd.(1-10-2002)
(1-9-2002)
- Mobil Not Happy? BUT UPDATE 3 IMAGE: hearing Mobil might not be coming back to Penske at all as an associate sponsor as they were not happy with the team going away the way it did and might do just a very small associate sponsorship now if at all and do not have a contract signed(12-11-2001)
UPDATE: from the Mobil 1 Racing site: ExxonMobil will continue its relationship with Penske Racing as associate sponsor on both the #2 Miller Lite Ford Taurus and the #12 Alltel Ford Taurus. We will also continue as an associate sponsor on Penske's two open wheel racing entries and look forward to our ongoing association with Penske Racing. We have a long history in motorsports and use these programs as a product development proving ground and as part of our brand communication efforts.(Mobil 1 Racing)(12-14-2001)
UPDATE 2: hearing that the #12-Ryan Newman Ford, will carry Mobil One colors for up to four races in 2002(12-18-2001)
UPDATE 3: not sure what races Mobil One will run on the #12, but see an image of the scheme on my Paint Schemes Gallery(1-9-2002)
- Seats Approved: NASCAR has approved the use of the PPI composite seat. In years past, only seats comprised of aluminum materials have been approved for use.(NASCAR PR)(1-7-2002)
UPDATE: NASCAR has just given the OK for the new composite driver's seat that Cal Wells [PPI] and Jeff Burton (actually Burton was not involved in the composite seat but a separate seat project, and aluminum seat) have been working on. Tony Stewart and Bobby Labonte are expected to have the seats in their cars when they test here next week. NASCAR told teams last month they could brings cars here for testing with those seats, but no one here this week has one installed yet. Jeff Gordon, who is looking at a new, safer steering wheel, said that he'll stick with his standard aluminum seat for the time being(Winston Salem Journal)(1-9-2002)
- Scott to be honored: The family of the late Wendell Scott, a member of the National Motorsports Press Association's Stock Car Racing Hall of Fame and the only African American driver to win a race in NASCAR's top series, will be honored Saturday when the Association for Minorities in Motorsports holds its first awards banquet. The year-old Greensboro, N.C.-based group encourages minority participation in the motorsports industry by collaborating with racing organizations to encourage entrepreneurial, educational and other opportunities for minority communities. The banquet will be held Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro. Scott and other pioneers in adding to the minority presence in motorsports will be recognized. The Wendell Scott Spirit of the Pioneer Award, to be presented annually by the group, will also be introduced. The event will serve as a fund-raiser for the group's mobile museum project. For more information about the banquet or the association, call (336) 272-4882. (That's Racin')(1-9-2002)
- Why no Harvick? UPDATE: been asked, why no Kevin Harvick at the Daytona Testing even though the #29 team was 7th in owners points? Haven't heard, but can only assume that since the BGN Banguet is on the 11th in California, he has commitments there(1-9-2002)
UPDATE: One of the teams not on hand that was scheduled to be was the #29 Chevrolet of Kevin Harvick. NASCAR will allow Harvick to test next Monday-Wednesday since he has to attend the NASCAR Busch Series banquet in California later this week.(NASCAR.com)(1-9-2002)
- Park's Vision still not 100% UPDATE: Paul Andrews, crew chief for the #1 Chevys owned by DEI, said Monday the team's regular driver, Steve Park, is still experiencing double vision from an accident in September during the BGN race at Darlington, SC. Park has not raced since then and Kenny Wallace has been driving in his place. Wallace reported to Daytona Beach this week for the three-day preseason test. Park remained in Charlotte and has another doctor visit planned. "His vision is the biggest holdup and it's just not 100 percent yet," Andrews said. "If he wasn't going to the doctor, he would probably be here at the test with us. It's been good progress, just a little slow."(That's Racin')(1-7-2002)
UPDATE: "My vision is about 95 percent healed," Steve Park said. "The last five percent is coming back to me stronger each day. Heck, doing those eye exercises every day for an hour or so is finally paying off. The double vision is gone and the only part that still bothers me is when I look from the horizon down. That still gets a little blurry sometimes, but it's a lot better than it was a few weeks ago." Park is planning to attend the second Winston Cup test session at Daytona next week. Park has driven his personal vehicle for two months -- his reaction and coordination tests have all come back with no indications of lingering effects.(NASCAR.com)(1-9-2002)
- Rudd will NOT test at Daytona UPDATE 2: PRN's Garage Pass radio show reports that Ricky Rudd will not test the #28 Havoline Ford next week at Daytona. Andy Hillenburg will test the car for Robert Yates Racing(1-7-2002)
UPDATE: Ricky Rudd, who had a back operation several weeks ago, may miss next week's Winston Cup test session. Rudd is supposed to meet with his doctor later this week. If his doctor clears him to drive, he will participate. If not, Andy Hillenburg will sub for Rudd during the test session.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(1-9-2002)
UPDATE 2: Robert Yates, owner of Ricky Rudd's #28 Fords, said Wednesday that Rudd will not participate in next week's preseason test at Daytona. Driver Andy Hillenburg will work with Rudd's team instead. Rudd had back surgery in the off-season and is still recovering. Yates said Rudd's team may test at another track this month, but Rudd will not participate in any testing prior to arriving in Daytona next month for Speedweeks.(That's Racin')(1-9-2002)
- IROC Field Set: The 2002 True Value International Race of Champions [IROC] officials confirmed the entire 2002 lineup which will consist of five NASCAR Winston Cup drivers, five from the Indy Racing League, one from the Pennzoil World of Outlaws and one from the NASCAR Craftsman Truck series.
From Cup: Bobby Labonte, Dale Jarrett, Sterling Marlin, Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick.
From the IRL: Sam Hornish Jr., Buddy Lazier, Scott Sharp, Helio Castroneves and Al Unser Jr
From the CTS: Jack Sprague(now in the BGN) and World of Outlaws champion Danny Lasoski will round out the field, making his first appearance and the first for an Outlaws driver since Steve Kinser ran in the 1996 series.(SpeedVision)(1-9-2002)
- Video Taping Restrictions: One of the nearly overlooked additions to the 2002 Winston Cup rulebook is a section devoted to the use of pit cameras and other recording devices by teams to tape their pit stops. In an attempt to prevent teams or individuals from selling the footage, NASCAR now allows the taping of pit stops for internal competition-related uses only. NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter said the move was made to prevent any unauthorized distribution of race footage.(That's Racin')(1-9-2002)
- Safety Meeting: Winston Cup Series director John Darby said NASCAR held a safety update meeting Tuesday morning at Daytona International Speedway with most of the drivers participating in the test session. Dr. John Melvin, who consults NASCAR on safety issues, conducted the meeting. A similar safety update will be held with the Winston Cup drivers at the Jan. 14-16 test here. Darby said the NASCAR medical director and crash investigator positions, newly created this season, have not been filled.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(1-9-2002)
(1-8-2002)
- Stewart and the Indy 500 UPDATE: [Chip] Ganassi said Sunday that he is close to firming up a deal with NASCAR star Tony Stewart for the Indy 500. They teamed up to finish sixth this year.(Indianapolis Star)(11-5-2001)
UPDATE: hearing that Stewart may run for Penske in the Indy 500 with Home Depot as the sponsor(1-3-2002)
UPDATE 2: Winston Cup and Championship Auto Racing Teams series owner Chip Ganassi said Tuesday that he and Winston Cup star Tony Stewart are "talking about" putting together a deal for Stewart to run in the 2002 Indianapolis 500 with a Ganassi-owned car. "You know Tony, he's like trying to nail jelly to a post sometimes," Ganassi said. "So, we'll see. You can play telephone tag with him for three weeks before you reach him. It's moving along, and I would say on schedule." Stewart ran both the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte the same day last season - his second time competing in both races. He finished sixth at Indy in a Ganassi-owned car and third at Charlotte with his Joe Gibbs-owned team.(That's Racin')(1-8-2002)
- Not really racing - but sad news: Wendy's founder Dave Thomas died at his home in Florida, the company said Tuesday. Thomas was 69. Thomas died around midnight at his Fort Lauderdale, Fla., home, the nation's No. 3 fast-food hamburger chain said, but gave no word on the cause of death. Thomas had done a series of Wendy's commercials with a stock car theme and with retired Cup great Darrell Waltrip the past few seasons(in part from CNN/Money)(1-8-2002)
- No Engine Rule at Daytona: NASCAR has decided to allow teams to change engines following qualifying Feb. 9 for the Daytona 500. Beginning this season, teams are required to use the same engine for qualifying and the race. The move for Daytona was made because of the 125-mile qualifying races held prior to the race.(That's Racin')(1-8-2002)
- MRN in NYC: WSNR-AM, 620 in New York City has joined the Motor Racing Network (MRN) family of affiliates for 2002. It is the first NYC-based station to become an affiliate since MRN, America's largest independent sports radio network, went on the air in 1970. The sports-talk station, which serves the New York City metro, Long Island, and portions of New Jersey, will broadcast the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Series beginning with the Feb. 10 Budweiser Shootout live from historic Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. In addition to live race coverage, WSNR will provide its race fans with MRN's "Monday Morning Race Refresher," a recap of each weekend's NASCAR results and "NASCAR TODAY," a daily three-minute newscast featuring event information, driver interviews and late breaking news stories from the NASCAR circuit. WSNR is owned by "Sporting News Radio," located in Chicago.. MRN Radio is also on sister station WWZN-AM, 1510, in Boston.(MRN PR)(1-8-2002)
- Lasoski invited to IROC: World of Outlaws champion(sprint-car), Danny Lasoski has accepted an offer to drive in this year's International Race of Champions(IROC). Other drivers selected are Sam Hornish, Helio Castroneves, Kevin Harvick, Buddy Lazier, Scott Sharp, Jack(not Ed as the story has) Sprague and the story says Robby Gordon and Tony Stewart have been invited. Jeff Gordon was scheduled to compete but had to back out citing sponsorship commitments and time commitments resulting from becoming a team owner this year. The complete field is scheduled to be unveiled next week.(Kansas City Star)(1-8-2002)
- TV Stuff UPDATE NO TAPE DELAY: Due to the opening weekend of the Olympics being on NBC, the Budweiser Shootout will air on TNT at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 10. The "We Got Drama" network will also show the Gatorade Twin 125s live at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 14. AND Echostar's (Dish Network) contract with ESPN Classic expired December 31, the company decided to drop ESPN Classic, so NASCAR fans with Dish Network can't watch the old NASCAR races on ESPN Classic.(MotorsportsTV)
AND Suite 101 NASCAR site is reporting that "It has become apparent that NBC is still unhappy with their NASCAR obligations. There is a rumor going around that NBC is considering a tape delayed TV broadcast of the Daytona 500 because of the races interference with proposed Winter Olympics coverage. At this time, there is no concrete evidence that there is any truth to this rumor, other than some rumblings about it on the ESPN RPM 2Night TV show." I didn't see the show or the comments, but I cannot see NBC tape delaying the Daytona 500(send questions/comments to Suite 101)(1-7-2002)
UPDATE: NASCAR fans can relax. NBC will air the Daytona 500 live. There is absolutely no chance the Olympics will cause a tape-delayed broadcast. This has been verified first-hand with the with people that make these decisions. But if you absolutely insist on watching it tape-delayed, you can watch it on TNT from 12noon to 4:00pm/et on Monday, February 18th(MotorsportsTV)(1-8-2002)
- Yates to the BGN? UPDATE 2 with Channellock? 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)
UPDATE: hearing RYR is going to field a BGN team with Channellock as the primary sponsor for a limited schedule of 20 BGN races in 2002 with an announcement within the next week or so(1-7-2002)
UPDATE 2: hearing former Roush crew chief, Tommy Morgan will crew chief the team(1-8-2002)
(1-7-2002)
- Brack in NASCAR? UPDATE 4 will be #42: 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)
UPDATE 4: Kenny Brack will test a NASCAR Winston Cup car for the first time next week at Daytona, but Chip Ganassi Racing’s CART Indy car driver will not make his first Cup start unless sponsorship is secured. Ganassi has said he would like to run Brack in additional stock car races this season, pending sponsorship. Brack will test a #42 Dodge that has been built independent of the fleet prepared for regular Ganassi stock car drivers #40-Sterling Marlin and #41-Jimmy Spencer. Matt Chambers, Jason Leffler’s crew chief in 2001 that heads Ganassi’s test program, will be the crew chief for Brack’s effort.(NASCAR.com Buzz)(1-7-2002)
- #7 Sponsor Announcement in Vegas? UPDATE 3 and an IMAGE: hearing that the #7 Ultra / Evernham Motorsports team will announce their 2002 sposnor in Las Vegas on Monday, January 7th. Casey Atwood will drive the car in 2002(1-5-2002)
UPDATE: Casey Atwood can breathe a whole lot easier this morning. His #7 Dodge will have a sponsor for the upcoming Winston Cup season. The official announcement will be made at a news conference in Las Vegas today, the same day teams head to Daytona International Speedway to begin testing for the Feb. 17 Daytona 500.(Tennessean), Atwood is scheduled to test at Daytona in next weeks session. Also, starting today in Las Vegas is the International Consumer Electronics Show, and today is CES Press day with approx 18 companies having some sort of Press Conferenence today including Zenith, Sirius Satellite Radio, Panasonic, Pioneer, XM Satellite Radio and Microsoft's Bill Gates is a keynote speaker there tonight(1-7-2002)
UPDATE 2: Ultra Motorsports and Evernham Motorsports Will Announce the New Sponsor of the #7 Dodge and Casey Atwood at the Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas on Monday, January 7, 2002(Golin/Harris PR)(1-7-2002)
UPDATE: Sirius Satellite Radio, the satellite radio broadcaster, today announced it is joining the Evernham Motorsports/Ultra Motorsports Dodge racing team, part of the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Sirius will be the primary sponsor of the #7 Sirius Satellite Radio Dodge, driven by Casey Atwood. The car will compete in the 2002 and 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series, the premier circuit in stock car racing, making its debut at the Daytona 500 on February 17 at the famed Daytona International Speedway. As part of the relationship, Evernham and Atwood will be featured on Sirius' music and talk channels. Evernham, Atwood and Jim Smith, the owner of Ultra Motorsports, unveiled the #7 Sirius Dodge at the International Consumer Electronics Show held in Las Vegas. The car will be on display at Sirius' CES booth during the week. In addition, Atwood will make special appearances at Sirius events throughout the year and the race car will travel as part of Sirius' "Rhythm of the Road Tour," a one-of-a-kind consumer listening experience that will debut at retail outlets, sporting events and other locations.(Golin/Harris), see my Paint Schemes Gallery for an image of the car(1-7-2002)
- Testing at Las Vegas: 49 drivers are scheduled to attend Las Vegas Motor Speedway's annual "Test in the West" Jan. 28-31. Cup champ #24-Jeff Gordon will be among 32 Cup drivers and 17 BGN drivers slated to test over the four-day period in preparation for the March 3 UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 and the March 2 Sam's Town 300. Each team is allowed to test on two of those days. The testing will run daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is open to the public free of charge. All five of this year.s No Bull 5 competitors, #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr., #20-Tony Stewart, #99-Jeff Burton, #17-Matt Kenseth and #55-Bobby Hamilton, will take part in the test.
Following is a list of drivers and the days they are scheduled to test:
Jan. 28: Winston Cup: #21-Elliott Sadler, #24-Jeff Gordon, #48-Jimmie Johnson, #57-Derrike Cope, #88-Dale Jarrett, #55-Bobby Hamilton, #19-Jeremy Mayfield, #11-Brett Bodine, #6-Mark Martin, #17-Matt Kenseth, #99-Jeff Burton, #97-Kurt Busch. BGN:: #33-Tony Raines, #74-Chad Little.
Jan. 29: Winston Cup: #21-Sadler, #77-Dave Blaney, #12-Ryan Newman, #24-Gordon, #48-Johnson, #36-Ken Schrader, #57-Cope, #88-Jarrett, #26-Joe Nemechek, #66-Todd Bodine, #55-Hamilton, #19-Mayfield, #11-B. Bodine, #20-Tony Stewart, #18-Bobby Labonte, #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr., #29-Kevin Harvick, #4-Mike Skinner, #6-Martin, #17-Kenseth, #99-Burton, #97-Busch, #23-Hut Stricklin, #45-Kyle Petty, #44-Buckshot Jones, #15-Michael Waltrip, #31-Robby Gordon. BGN: #37-Jeff Purvis, #33-Raines, #18-Mike McLaughlin, #1-Jimmy Spencer, #2-Johnny Sauter, #21-Jeff Green, #74-Little, #12-Kerry Earnhardt.
Jan. 30: Winston Cup: #41-Spencer, #77-Blaney, #12-Newman, #36-Schrader, #10-Johnny Benson, #25-Jerry Nadeau, #5-Terry Labonte, #26-Nemechek, #66-T. Bodine, #20-Stewart, #18-B. Labonte, #31-R. Gordon, #29-Harvick, #4-Skinner, #23-Stricklin, #45-Petty, #44-Jones, #8-Earnhardt Jr., #15-Waltrip, #62-Brendan Gaughan. BGN: #37-Purvis, #87-Nemechek, #36-Hank Parker Jr., #18-McLaughlin, #1-Spencer, #32-Dan Pardus, #2-Sauter, #21-Green, #60-Greg Biffle, #12-K. Earnhardt, #14-Larry Foyt, #9-J. Burton, #66-Casey Mears, #29-Brian Vickers.
Jan. 31: Winston Cup: #41-Spencer, #10-Benson, #25-Nadeau, #5-T. Labonte, #62-Gaughan. BGN: #87-Nemechek, #36-Parker Jr., #32-Pardus, #60-Biffle, #14-Foyt, #9-J. Burton, #66-Mears, #29-Vickers.(LVMS PR)(1-7-2002)
- Smuckers to sponsor Bodine? UPDATE: hearing Smucker's Jelly will somehow sponsor the #11 Ford of Brett Bodine, not sure if as a primary or associate sponsor. May actually run a Smucker's scheme at a race or two if it is as an associate sponsor(11-28-2001)
UPDATE: not Cup but for the BGN - The J.M. Smucker Company is excited to be partnering with #11 Josh Richeson for two BGN races in the Spring of 2002 as part of a promotion to support their Smucker's Ice Cream Toppings business. The #11 Ford is owned and operated by Brett Bodine Racing and will compete in the May 3, 2002 race at Richmond and the May 25, 2002 race at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte. Brett Bodine is the uncle of 20 year-old Josh Richeson and fielded cars for him in six races last year. In his first ARCA race, Josh qualified fifth and finished 12th and followed with an impressive 2nd place finish in the ARCA event at Pocono. Having three ARCA events and three NASCAR Busch Series events under his belt, he feels he can provide Smucker with a positive experience.(Brett Bodine Racing PR)(1-7-2002)
- Torch News: Indianapolis 500 champions, Indy Racing League champions, and stars from Indy Racing and the Brickyard 400 will participate in the Olympic Torch relay as it makes its way through Indianapolis on Jan. 7-8. Indy Racing drivers Davey Hamilton and Sarah Fisher are scheduled to carry the torch the evening of Jan. 7 as it arrives in downtown Indianapolis. Eddie Cheever Jr. and Helio Castroneves, the 1998 and 2001 Indianapolis 500 champions, respectively, will join Sam Hornish Jr., the 2001 Indy Racing League champion, in carrying the torch around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval starting a few minutes after 7:00am Jan. 8. Tony Stewart, the 1996-97 Indy Racing League champion and current NASCAR star, will join fellow NASCAR standout and Indianapolis 500 veteran John
Andretti, in carrying the torch after it exits the Speedway. Stewart is a native of Columbus, Ind., and Andretti hails from Indianapolis. The event marks the first time the Olympic Torch - which is en route to Salt Lake City for the XIX Winter Olympic Games - will take a lap around the historic 2.5-mile oval. The torch for the 1996 Summer Olympics was brought to the track but did not tour the facility.(IMS PR)(1-7-2002)
- Decals and Body's: The Decal Source has been named the exclusive decal provider for Body Dynamics Racing Bodies, Inc.. The two companies had worked together over last season on projects such as missing intern Chandra Levy with BDR/AMW and Melling Racing, Missing sisters Diamond and Tionda from Chicago as well as other missing children/person cases that Body Dynamics/America's Most Wanted Racing program featured last year. TDS clients consist of Joe Gibbs Racing Interstate Batteries and ppc Nesquick(PR)(1-7-2002)
- Harvick and Hershey: Hershey recruits Nascar's Winston Cup circuit Rookie of the Year Kevin Harvick for a $28 million TV, radio, print and Web campaign positioning its new Reese's FastBreak candy bar as the meal on the run. The quick-meal message is punctuated by a 15-second spot, via DDB, New York, breaking this week that shows Harvick pulling his #29 GM Goodwrench Car into the pit, chomping on a FastBreak and quickly being sent back on the track by his fuel man. Voiceover asks, "Need to refuel?" and touts the milk chocolate, soft nougat and Reese's peanut butter ingredients. The tagline: "Refuel and go." Radio ads place Harvick at a press conference where reporters suggest that Reese's FastBreak should be rookie of the year because the driver performed great in races where he ate one. In another, Harvick thanks his pit crew for always being there with the candy bar even though they occasionally forgot to give him gas and sent him on the track with three tires.(Brandweek), NOTE: harvick ran a Reese's FastBreak candy bar schemes last Nov at NHIS, see my 2001 Cup Paint Scheme page for the image(1-7-2002)
- Todd Bodine in the 24 hours? UPDATE: hearing Todd Bodine [driver of the #66 Kmart Ford] will test a car to drive the 24 hours of Daytona and decide after the test if he will run the race. No word on what team or type of car he will test(12-26-2001)
UPDATE: Todd Bodine has been having some back trouble so he opted out of the 24 hour race. Bodine still plans to test his Cup car on Jan 7-8th.(Todd Bodine Dicussion Board)(1-7-2002)
(1-6-2002)
see the Dec 31,2001 - Jan 6, 2002 Archived News Page
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