Oh My! HUGE Upset - Jamie McMurray wins in his 2nd career race!: in what has to be one of the biggest upsets in NASCAR in quite sometime, Jamie McMurray won in only his 2nd career Winston Cup start in the #40 Coors Light Dodge at Lowe's Motor Speedway and is the third Rookie to win in 2003. The win also puts McMurray in the 2003 The Winston. #18-Bobby Labonte gave it a good run and ended up 2nd. Points leader #20-Tony Stewart finished up third and extends his points lead to 97 over #48-Jimmie Johnson. The race didn't start until 4:45pm/et or so after a rain delay. See my Race Info Page. Results: at ThatsRacin.com or NASCAR.com.(10-13-2002)
Penske to Dodge announcement soon? TODAY It is OFFICIAL: Penske Racing South is expected to announce its long-rumored switch to Dodge during Oct 10-13 race week at Lowe's Motor Speedway.(Winston Cup Scene - need sub to read), am hearing it'll be Sunday morning, Oct 13th. AND Penske Racing's long-rumored move to the Dodge camp appears complete. Dodge officials have scheduled a news conference for 9 a.m. Oct. 13 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., when they are expected to announce Penske's addition to the Dodge organization beginning with the 2003 season. Penske and Dodge officials declined to comment on Friday. The partnership between Penske Racing and Jasper Motorsports, which includes Jasper's #77 Ford team utilizing Penske-built engines, will continue at least for the 2003 season, sources said.(ThatsRacin.com)(10-4-2002) UPDATE: Dodge Motorsports announced today that Penske Racing South will join the Dodge family of NASCAR Winston Cup Series teams for the 2003 season. Legendary team owner Roger Penske will field the #2 Miller Lite Dodge and #12 ALLTEL Dodge with Rusty Wallace and Ryan Newman driving the respective cars, beginning at the 45th running of the Daytona 500 on Feb. 16, 2003. "This is yet another great moment in Dodge's quest for the NASCAR Winston Cup championship," said Jim Julow, Vice President, Dodge Motorsports Marketing. "The addition of Penske Racing South brings even more championship-caliber talent to what is already a first-class group of teams that make up the Dodge Motorsports family." No stranger to the Chrysler Group's racing heritage, Penske visited victory lane five times in the early 1970s with AMC Matadors, courtesy of drivers Mark Donohue and Bobby Allison. Since returning to NASCAR's Winston Cup Series in 1991, Penske Racing South has compiled an impressive 37 wins and 32 pole positions in more than 400 team starts. "Joining forces with Dodge Motorsports for 2003 is a natural extension of our existing business relationship with DaimlerChrysler," Penske said. "In less than 24 months, Dodge has become a major player in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. They've won key races. They've led the drivers' points standings most of the year. And just as importantly, they have incredible resources and an enviable, unique approach." The 2002 season marks Dodge's second year in its return to NASCAR's Winston Cup Series racing after a 25-year hiatus, and the Dodge One Team approach has paid big dividends quickly. Dodge Intrepid R/Ts have reached victory lane six times -- including wins at this year's Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 -- courtesy of Sterling Marlin, Ward Burton and Bill Elliott. Penske Racing South joins Evernham Motorsports, Petty Enterprises, Bill Davis Racing, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, and Ultra-Evernham Motorsports in the Dodge lineup.(Dodge Motorsports Site)(10-13-2002)
Sad News: Eric Behling, 38, brother of the Wisconsin radio show host, Todd Behling, of "The LTN Hour," a syndicated listener call-in show on WAUK-AM (1510) at 11:00am/et on Sundays was one of the 10 killed in the 45-vehicle I-43 crash on Friday. Eric Behling's music will live on. He played drums - and brother Brian played bass - for the recorded theme music for "The LTN Hour.(see full story at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel), thought's go out to the Behling family and friends as well as families and friends of the other nine who passed away.(10-13-2002)
BAM Racing sponsor? hearing the #49 BAM Racing had planned on announcing a primary sponsor for next season on Sunday at Lowe's Motor Speedway but postponed it because all the contracts were not going to be finalized in time.(10-13-2002)
DiscoverCard and Carter close for 2003? hearing that the #26 Haas-Carter Motorsports team may be close to finalizing a 2003 sponsorship deal with current sponsor DiscoverCard.(10-13-2002)
National Guard Announcement: Officials of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) took the first step toward creating a marketing program/sponsorship in the BGN for 2003. Winston Cup owners Travis Carter, Bill Davis, Richard Childress and Ray Evernham were among the luminaries signing a Statement of Support. The purpose was to encourage civilian employers to support the National Guard members who work for them. Forty-seven percent of the country’s active fighting force is derived from the Guard and Reserves, according to Lt. Col. Michael Lovitt, director of marketing for ESGR. An announcement of team sponsorship is expected to follow within a few weeks.(Gaston Gazette)(10-13-2002)
(10-12-2002)
Spotter Changes Could Be in the Works UPDATE New Rule: NASCAR says it will make a decision on whether to mandate a spotter presence during practices. Currently, NASCAR does not require drivers to have spotters during practices.(NASCAR.com) UPDATE: NASCAR announced Saturday morning it will now require teams in the Cup, BGN and Truck series to have spotters in the designated spotters' stand before any practice session. The new rule comes after a crash Wednesday at Lowe's Motor Speedway in which ARCA driver Eric Martin was killed. Deborah Renshaw's car hit Martin's in the driver's compartment several seconds after Martin's car had come to a stop off Turn 4 of the Charlotte track. Renshaw did have a spotter stationed on top of her team's transporter in the ARCA garage, but there have been questions about whether that spotter could see the Turn 4 area where Martin's car had come to rest from that spot. ARCA had a rule requiring a team to have a spotter either on top of the hauler or in the spotters' stand. While most NASCAR teams had spotters posted for practices, however, NASCAR had no rule requiring them until now. BGN and National series director Brian DeHart told BGN drivers and crew chiefs about the new rule at the drivers' meeting before Saturday's Little Trees 300 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Winston Cup teams will be similarly notified before Sunday's UAW-GM 500 and the rule will be in effect next weekend. DeHart said at Saturday's meeting that all teams must have a spotter pick up a pass permitting them to go to the designated spotter's stand before a team's car is allowed to practice. Roll call will be taken before each practice and if a team does not have a spotter that team's car cannot go on the track.(ThatsRacin.com)(10-12-2002)
Autopsy Photo Hearing Postponed: Teresa Earnhardt won a 30-day extension from the Florida Supreme Court on Friday to respond to a brief by the independent Florida Alligator newspaper, which wants to reverse a lower court decision upholding a law that restricts public access to autopsy photos. The request drew no objection from the attorneys for the Alligator, which means Earnhardt's attorneys will have until Nov. 13 to file their response. The student-run newspaper in July opted to pursue an appeal of the state law enacted after the death of Teresa's husband, race car driver Dale Earnhardt, in the 2001 Daytona 500. Parker Thomson of Miami, one of Teresa Earnhardt's attorneys, pointed out to the state's high court that Alligator attorney Tom Julin was not opposed to the extension. The law enacted last year makes it a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine for unauthorized persons to view or copy autopsy photos without a court order. (Daytona Beach News Journal)(10-12-2002)
Burton Wants Safety Changes: Jeff Burton hasn't always had a spotter in the spotters' stand when he's practicing his Cup and BGN cars, but he will from now on. And he thinks NASCAR should require everyone else to do the same. "I think mandating that is a good idea," Burton said Friday after qualifying second for Saturday's Little Trees 300 BGN race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Most teams have spotters in place during practices, but there currently is no NASCAR rule requiring that. Spotters most often work from the tops of teams' transporters in the garage area in practices. Teams must have a spotter in the spotters' stand during a race. The spotting role has become an issue this week after Wednesday's crash during an ARCA. Burton said he thinks requiring spotters be in the spotters' stand for each practice is only part of what should be done to help prevent similar accidents. He supports the installation of more and brighter warning lights in turns so drivers will be more likely to see them when they indicate trouble on the track. He also thinks NASCAR cars should have onboard warning lights, similar to ones used in the IRL and other series, that come on when the track's lights are activated. He also believes NASCAR should begin penalizing drivers who attempt to make passes while racing back to the yellow flag. NASCAR encourages drivers to adhere to a "gentleman's agreement" not to race back to the flag, but has no rule preventing it. "The same thing that happened here the other night could happen on Sunday," Burton said of the ARCA incident. "This gentleman's agreement crap is just that, it's crap. There is no gentleman's agreement. People race back to the line. You'll be racing for sixth and a guy will beat you to the line with 50 laps to go. It only takes two or three people to screw it up. That's generally what happens. There are two or three people out there who don't give a damn. They'll pass you no matter what. I think NASCAR should step in and stay enough is enough. If they catch you racing back to the flag they should penalize you five laps I don't think it should be a gentleman's agreement. I think it ought to be a rule. If they don't make a rule, we'll never do the right thing. You're competitiveness overrides your brain. It puts you and your competitors in situations you don't need to be in."(ThatsRacin.com)(10-12-2002)
Another Rudd and a new team UPDATE: Rick Glenn of Glenn Racing and Jim Edwards of JE Performance announced that they have officially combined operations to form JAGER Motorsports. This newly formed group will compete in both NASCAR’s BGN and Winston Cup Series. The team will be headquartered in Stuart, Florida with Race facilities located in Forest City, NC, just 1.5 hours from Charlotte, NC. Ricky Pearson, son of NASCAR legend David Pearson will assume Crew Chief duties and manage day-to-day operations of the race team. Jason Rudd, nephew of #28 Cup Driver Ricky Rudd will join JAGER Motorsports to run a limited schedule for the 2002 and 2003 seasons.(JAGER Motorsports PR)(10-7-2002) UPDATE: Veteran NASCAR Busch Series crew chief Ricky Pearson denied Friday that he was crew chief for the new JAGER Motorsports team. It was reported that the team would compete on a limited basis in both the BGN and Cup Series in 2002 and 2003 with driver Jason Rudd, nephew of Winston Cup regular Ricky Rudd. “I am looking at many opportunities,” said Pearson, who was in
Charlotte this week. “I don’t know how this came out but I am not with this team. I have been in the garage talking to a lot of people and I hope to have something nailed down in the upcoming weeks. I want to be back in NASCAR in 2003, but nothing is concrete yet.”(Pro Sports Management and Marketing PR)(10-12-2002)
More on the #36/01, Nadeau and the Army: The Pontiac Winston Cup team that Kenny Schrader has been racing with the past two years has finally signed a new sponsorship contract, with the U.S. Army, a multi-year deal according to team sources. However, Schrader will apparently not be the driver; that is expected to be Jerry Nadeau. The team is owned by Thomas Beard and managed by Jay Frye. Next year's color scheme and driver won't be the only things new - also the car number, which will be changed from 36 to 01. Where Schrader might wind up is still unclear.(Winston Salem Journal)(10-12-2002)
Earnhardt Tribute Tree: Chuck and Vallery Carver of Casstown, Ohio, decided to pay tribute to fallen NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt by transforming an old tree into the likeness of the late racing legend. Last June, the Carvers were going to have an artist carve a number three, Earnhardt's Winston Cup race car number, into a dead tree in their yard. They talked to local artist Johnny Bookwaller and he suggested they make a full size statue of Earnhardt. Chuck Carver said it cost a lot to turn their tree into a memorial but has been well worth it.(Independent Tribune)(10-12-2002)
Thanks to Vallery Carver for the Image
(10-11-2002)
New 2003 Scheme for the #99: More than 3,000 CITGO marketers witnessed the unveiling of the #99 CITGO Ford 2003 paint scheme at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, TN. Roush Racing team owner, Jack Roush, made the trip to the Opryland Hotel for the unveiling as CITGO driver Jeff Burton remained at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Roush unveiled the new paint scheme with W.A. DeVore, senior vice president of marketing, light oils and lubricants for CITGO. The paint scheme was revealed in conjunction with CITGO's annual President's Meeting. The President's Meeting is an intense, four-day event where CITGO's top marketers learn about product and retail development as well as new ways to leverage the CITGO brand through various promotional platforms, including NASCAR.(Cox Marketing). See this car and a few others on my new 2003 section of the Paint Scheme Gallery.(10-11-2002)
Final Talladega TV Ratings and some news: NBC Sports’ coverage of the EA Sports 500 from Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday (1:15-4:30 p.m. ET) tied last year’s 4.8/12, the highest national rating ever for any auto race in competition with professional football, according to the national ratings released today by Nielsen Media Research. The EA Sports 500 from Talladega, which saw #20_Tony Stewart move into the Championship lead for the first time in his four-year Winston Cup career, peaked from 3:30-4 p.m. ET with a 5.0/11 as Dale Earnhardt Jr. took his third consecutive Talladega checkered flag. Through 13 telecasts (excluding Daytona 500), NASCAR Winston Cup coverage on NBC and TNT has produced a 4.3 national rating/10 share, a two percent increase over last year’s record breaking season average of a 4.2/11 through the comparable weekend. This increase is an impressive gain considering the 34 percent ratings increase last year.
Wally Races, Stewart in the Booth: TNT begins the race weekend on Saturday with Winston Cup Happy Hour at !2noon/et followed by BGN at 1:00pm/et. NBC & TNT analyst Wally Dallenbach takes the wheel of his #6 Pepsi Dodge for his second BGN race of the season. Current Winston Cup point leaders Tony Stewart will fill in for Dallenbach in the booth while Dallenbach is racing.(NBC PR)(10-11-2002)
Cope and the #49 to test at Kentucky: Derrike Cope will drive the #49 BAM Dodge at a test session scheduled for next week in Kentucky. Cope said “I am getting around well and have been ambulating without the aid of a cane. I am going regularly for therapy and notice improvement every day. I am still somewhat sore however, but that is diminishing. If my physician gives me the OK, I plan on driving for the BAM team at the Atlanta race.” Cope is holding off making a decision on future BGN starts while he continues to monitor his improvement.(Derrike Cope site)(10-11-2002)
Special Scheme for the #43: #43-John Andretti will be carrying the colors of blue and white with him this weekend as General Mills’ Pillsbury Brand – and Grands! - will be highlighted at Lowe's Motor Speedway with a specialty paint scheme.(Williams Company). See my Paint Scheme Gallery for an image.(10-11-2002)
Chevy Donates $666,600 to the Foundation For The Carolinas: Representatives of Chevrolet and Team Monte Carlo presented a check in the amount of $666,600 to the Foundation For The Carolinas as a donation from the sale of the limited edition 2002 Monte Carlo SS Dale Earnhardt Signature Edition. Accepting the check of behalf of the Foundation and the Earnhardt Family Fund it
manages was Teresa Earnhardt, wife of the late seven-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion who died in February 2001 while competing in the Daytona 500. Also on hand for the ceremony were Bart Landess, representing the Foundation For The Carolinas, and Richard Childress, owner of Richard Childress Racing (RCR) and of the #3 Goodwrench Monte Carlo made famous by Dale Earnhardt. The entire production run of 3,333 units was marketed through select Chevrolet dealers with high-volume Monte Carlo sales in the United States and Canada. When introduced, the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of the Dale Earnhardt Signature Edition was $29,500, including destination charge.(GM PR)(10-11-2002)
Rusty Stuff: some pretty heavy stats when Rusty Wallace is behind the wheel of a black car, 30 of 54 wins (56% of his total career wins in black cars), 82 of 187 top-5s (44%) and 120 of 306 top-10s (39%). He won 14.3% (30 of 210) of all his races in a black car. AND congratulations to #2 car rear tire changer/mechanic Rob Fuller & wife Monica on the arrival of their first child.Damon Anthony Fuller was born last Friday (Oct. 4) at 8:40 a.m. at University Medical Center in Charlotte.weighed in at 7 pounds, 10 ounces & 20 inches long, said to have already been seen with toy air gun in hand.(TRPR)(10-11-2002)
(10-10-2002)
2003 Chevy to be unvieled Thursday: Race fans will get their first look at the 2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo when the car is unveiled during a news conference Thursday afternoon at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Chevrolet officials confirmed.(ThatsRacin.com)(10-4/10-2002) UPDATE: Chevrolet and Richard Childress Racing unveiled the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Chevy Monte Carlo Thursday at Lowe's Motor Speedway. RCR also used the opportunity to show off a new paint scheme for Kevin Harvick on the #29 Chevrolet for next year.(NASCAR.com)(10-10-2002)
US Army and Nadeau...to the #36? UPDATE 6 Number Change too?: The U.S.Army is expected to be on the quarterpanels of the #36 Pontiacs owned by Nelson Bowers and Thomas Beard [MB2] and driven by Ken Schrader the past two seasons. Jerry Nadeau is expected to get that ride. It is unclear where Schrader might wind up.(Winston Salem Journal) UPDATE: been told that the Army was at Richmond over the weekend and has spoken to many teams concerning sponsorship.(9-9-2002) UPDATE 2: There is still no official word about the U.S. Army sponsorship that the Jay Frye-Nelson Bowers-Thomas Beard team is expected to sign for next season. The U.S. Army - after watching the Navy, Marines and Air Force get such good publicity through NASCAR sponsorships - has decided to step on to this PR playing field, according to Detroit sources. Ken Schrader has been driving for the team the past two seasons, but Jerry Nadeau is expected to get that ride for 2003. Where Schrader might wind up is unclear.(Winston Salem Journal)(9-16-2002) UPDATE 3: Sources indicate that the U.S. Army is talking with MB2 Motorsports and Andy Petree Racing about a potential sponsorship deal for 2003. The Army is apparently looking to sponsor a car for half the schedule, if a sponsor can be fouind for the rest of the schedule. Jerry Nadeau could move to the #36 MB2 Pontiac if the deal is signed.(Winston Cup Scene - need sub to read online)(9-20-2002) UPDATE 4: The United States Army will sponsor the #36 Pontiac in 2003, industry sources told NASCAR.com Wednesday morning. The source said they are unsure whether Ken Schrader will drive the car. Details regarding length of sponsorship were not known.(NASCAR.com Buzz)(10-9-2002) UPDATE 5: hearing they may change the number of the car from #36 to #01 (yes they would keep the Owners Points as does the #38 M&M's when it switches from the #28) UPDATE 6: Fox Sports Net's Totally NASCAR announced that the US Army will be the sponsor on the MB2 Pontiac and to expect Jerry Nadeau to be announced as the driver, no word on car number or Kenny Schrader's 2003 plans.(10-10-2002)
Hendrick Engine Problems: on ESPN2's RPM2Night (gonna miss that show in 2003) Hendrick Engine Builder, Randy Dorton was interview by Mike Massaro, the part that caused the engine failures in all 6 engines (#'s 5,10,24,25,36,48) at Talladega was a valve retainer clip that broke/failed.(10-10-2002)
Special paint for the #10 at Atlanta UPDATE: #10-Johnny Benson will run a University of Kentucky scheme at Atlanta.(Johnny Benson Fanclub)(8-8-2002) UPDATE: see two images of the scheme on my Paint Scheme Gallery.(10-10-2002)
Wallace not worried about loss of points: Rusty Wallace says the loss of 25 points won't kill his chances in the chase for the championship, however he says "We've got a long way to make up a lot of points...it's just frustrating that happened, but it doesn't kill it for sure." NASCAR docked Wallace 25 points, Roger Penske 25 owner points and fined crew chief Billy Wilburn $25,000 for an unapproved spoiler found during pre-race inspection at Talladega. Wallace says "I can understand $25,000 thousand dollars, but I sure the hell don't understand why the driver lost 25 points in the deal." Since the part was found prior to practice at Talladega, Wallace said "It's really hard to understand...it's basically that if anybody unloads anything that's questionable you get fined and points taken away if you have any intent, so it's different. I've never seen it."(PRN's Garage Pass)(10-10-2002)
Special M&M's Scheme at Lowe's: It’s become an annual tradition for the M&M's Racing Team. Just like Oct. 31st means ghouls, goblins and candy, the fall Charlotte race means a special Halloween paint scheme for the #36 Pontiac. This year’s paint scheme features Yellow on the back of the car trick-or-treating in a ghost costume, Red dressed as a vampire and Crispy camping out in a pumpkin patch. The paint scheme also features the festive orange and black M&M’s that you’ll find in a bag of M&M’s during the Halloween season.(IMG PR), see image of the scheme on my Paint Schemes Gallery(10-10-2002)
Dodge looking for help: Dodge officials head into the UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway this weekend contending the Intrepid's engines are underpowered and the cars are at an aerodynamic disadvantage. Sterling Marlin's injury has left Dodge without a championship contender this season -- Bill Elliott is a distant eighth in the points and Marlin, the only other Dodge even in the top 20, will continue to plummet in the standings as he misses the final six races. NASCAR allowed the Chevrolets and Pontiacs to extend their front air dams, and Dodge officials believe they've suffered from it. It's not clear where the Dodges need the most help. They've been complaining to NASCAR for months that their engines are underpowered, but deficiencies in aerodynamics have become a new issue since Chevrolet got its help in August. But NASCAR, which heard the latest Dodge complaint on Tuesday, is unlikely to provide any assistance before the end of the season. "If they are talking about being at a disadvantage with the motor, then they have been all year," NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter said. "It's the same motor all year and they led the points most of the year with that motor. So we just don't think it's appropriate, with as few races as there are left on the schedule, to do anything. There's not much we can do to help them."(CNNSI/AP)(10-10-2002)
Penske thinks Cup drivers should be limited in BGN: Team owner Roger Penske says it's time to put a limit on the number of Winston Cup drivers who compete in Busch series events: "If a driver doesn't run half the races in Cup, he should be able to drop down to Busch. If it's more than half, he should only be in Cup and give the other guys in Busch a chance."(Dallas Morning News)(10-10-2002)
Martinsville Testing concludes Wed: Surrounded by big-budget Winston Cup teams, Brian Rose and his Ware Racing team looked a bit out of place at Martinsville Speedway Wednesday. But the 22-year-old Rose felt right at home, even though he was working onvery short notice. Rose and the #51-Ware Racing team showed up Wednesday morning for the second day of a two-day test session, joining #30-Jeff Green, #55-Bobby Hamilton, #40-Jamey McMurry and #66-Hideo Fukuyama on the half-mile oval. Rose was getting some help from his former truck owner Bobby Hamilton, who was pitting a few stalls away from the Ware team Wednesday. “My relationship with Bobby Hamilton has helped a lot. He’s been helping with our shocks and springs today. He’s been a great supporter of my career,” said Rose, who is the third or fourth driver to fill the seat of Ware’s racer this season. Some speeds: #51-Brian Rose at 90.257mph, #55-Hamilton at 90.603 and #66-Fukuyama at 88.985.(Martinsville Speedway PR)(10-10-2002)
NAPCM "Pit Crew Of The Week" #1 Team: Consistant performance on Talladega's pit road all day contributed to the #1 Penzoil team's march from 35th in the field to a 6th place Talladega finish. Congratulations #1 Pennzoil Crew on earning this week's
NAPCM "Pit Crew Of The Week" award, sponsored by Toxabsorb(www.toxabsorb.com), "Instant non-skid pit stall prep, creating grip for faster pit stops" and "Official Spill Response Agent of the National Association Of Pit Crew Members". Check out the latest
Mechanix Wear "Pit Crew Of The Year" standings and latest, NEW NAPCM member benefits, available at the National Association Of Pit Crew Members website(www.napcm.com).(10-10-2002)
IRWIN Rough to Finish Award #1 Team: Steve Park, driver of the No. 1 Pennzoil Chevrolet, topped his season best finish at Indy with a sixth place run last weekend at the EA Sports 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. As a result of the team's efforts, new crew chief Tony Gibson takes home this week's IRWIN "Rough to the Finish" Award. Due to a rained out qualifying session, the field was set by points, forcing Park to start 35th. He maneuvered the Pennzoil Chevrolet to the front quietly throughout the course of the caution-free event. Gibson helped call the shots Sunday, and he led the team to lightning-fast pit stops, taking only two tires each time. The car got steadily better as the day went on, and Park was in the front pack for the entire race. His sixth place finish is his best of the 2002 season and moves him up one spot in the Winston Cup points. "I couldn't be happier how things turned out for this team today," said Gibson. "It is a credit to this team to overcome the things it has this season and turn out a performance like this. Everybody in the pits works hard each week; no one ever gives up. This award is a credit to their efforts week in and week out."
Each week throughout the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup season, Irwin, makers of professional power tool accessories like Marathon Plus saw blades and Speedbor flat bits, is partnering with Performance Racing Network to honor the crew chief who had the toughest day in the pits, but still managed to help his team to a strong finish. The IRWIN Rough to the Finish Award includes an assortment of tools for the crew chief and a $250 check donated to the Ellerbe, NC Educational Fund in the racing team's name.. The year-end winner of the crew chief points standings will win a $5,000 check donated to the Fund.. Race fans wanting to make a contribution to the Fund may do so by sending it to the Ellerbe, NC Educational Fund, PO Box 443, Ellerbe, NC 28338. In addition to the crew chief award, Irwin is also sponsoring the weekly nationally syndicated radio show, "Fast Talk with Benny Parsons", throughout the upcoming year.(Golin Harris PR)(10-10-2002)
Atlanta Testing Wednesday: Bobby Hamilton Jr. was fastest Wednesday during a test of three Winston Cup and Busch teams testing for the Oct. 25-27 NAPA 500 weekend at Atlanta. Hamilton Jr. improved his speeds from Tuesday, steering his #25 U.S. Marine Corps Ford at 181.530mph under Wednesday's cool, overcast conditions. #98-Kasey Kahne also improved his speeds from
Tuesday, rounding the track at 180.750mph). #27-Kirk Shelmerdine, preparing for the Oct. 27 NAPA 500, turned in the second-fastest speed of the day with his #27 Naturally Fresh/Jackaroo Sauces Ford at 180.999mph. Testing will continue next Monday and Tuesday with Richard Childress Racing driver #31-Robby Gordon.(AMS PR)(10-10-2002)
(10-9-2002)
Brian Rose to run Martinsville Cup race in the #51:Brian Rose [CTS driver] will make his Winston Cup début at the Martinsville Speedway October 20, 2002. “Rick Ware gave me the opportunity of a life time when he offered me the ride for the up coming Old Dominion 500. What a birthday present, every racer dream’s about his first chance to race in the Winston Cup Series and on my birthday weekend it’s a dream come true. We have been testing at Martinsville all week and we have a good car.”(Voight Motorsports Management PR)(10-9-2002)
Atwood out at end of season? UPDATE 2 not according to Atwood: the Augusta Chronicle is reporting - Sources close to Casey Atwood's team [#7 Sirius Satellite Dodge] said the driver probably will be [released] at the end of the season. Atwood already has struck a deal to drive a limited schedule on the BGN #27 Brewco?] next year. The team may not hire a replacement driver since one of the car owners, Jim Smith, was [charged] this week and charged with illegally dumping hazardous materials at his chrome plating plant in California.(Augusta Chronicle) AND Atwood said he ''has heard reports'' about his job being in jeopardy but the 21-year-old driver said he has one year remaining on his contact and expects Evernham to honor it. ''As far as I know I'll be back. Ray hasn't told me anything different,'' Atwood said. ''We haven't talked about it.''(Tennessean)(10-6-2002) UPDATE: Dodge has expressed its disappointment with the #7 team's performance this season. Casey Atwood's best finish this season was 11th, in June at Pocono, and he has been higher than 30th in points just once this season. "We're looking for the performance of this team to get better over the next six races," co-owner Jim Smith says. "Sirius is locked in for next year and wants to extend the contract, but they told us we need to make improvements." Atwood, 22, has hinted he would be happier back in the Busch Series, but he is under contract for another year. Smith says he and partner Ray Evernham have not discussed bringing in a replacement driver.(Sporting News)(10-7-2002) UPDATE 2: Casey Atwood said yesterday that he has not been told by team owner Ray Evernham to run well or else. Atwood said he is aware of Evernham's apparent ultimatum last week at Talladega, when he told reporters Atwood had six races remaining this season to prove himself. ''I don't know what that meant,'' said Atwood. ''Ray hasn't told me anything. We haven't talked about any changes.'' There have been printed reports that Evernham — contrary to his promise not to put pressure on his young driver when he signed Atwood two years ago — has ratcheted up expectations. After his comments late week Evernham was asked by The Tennessean if he expected Atwood to return to the team next season. He declined to answer, except to repeat his comment that Atwood had the remainder of the season to ''prove'' himself. Amid growing speculation that Atwood's job is in jeopardy, his car owner, Jim Smith, reportedly is having serious business problems. According to published reports, Smith has been charged with illegally dumping unapproved material at his chrome plating company in California. Atwood's PR director, Amy Hunerberg, said yesterday that, ''We're not in a position to comment'' on the report. Atwood said neither his team owner's legal problems nor the increased pressure from Evernham have affected him. Atwood said he has explored running a few BGN races next season for his former Brewco Motorsports team, but that does not mean that he expects to be out of Winston Cup.(Tennessean)(10-9-2002)
Gordon and Bugs again? hearing that #24-Jeff Gordon will run the Bugs Bunny Looney Tunes schemes at Lowe's Motor Speedway this weekend, see my 2002 Looney Tunes Schemes page for an image of the car. BUT also being told the scheme will NOT run again, including this week.(10-9-2002)
Testing at Martinsville UPDATE 3 Bliss in the #40 at Martinsville? yes, No DW: #28-Ricky Rudd is testing Monday at the Martinsville Speedway. Among those expected at the track Tuesday and Wednesday are #30-Jeff Green, #55-Bobby Hamilton, #7-Casey Atwood, #26-Todd Bodine, #02-Hermie Sadler and #28-Ricky Rudd (Tuesday only)(10-7-2002) UPDATE: Mike Bliss is testing at Martinsville in the #40 Dodge today and Jamie McMurray will be testing it on Wednesday. . Bliss is testing today because McMurray had a prior commitment with his BGN [#27] team today. Bliss could be the driver of the car at Martinsville as McMurray will not drive the #40 at that race due to a BGN race at Memphis. ANDNASCAR.com's Buzz reports other candidates for the car at Martinsville are Rich Bickle and Darrell Waltrip.(10-8-2002) UPDATE - Tuesday testing: #66-Hideo Fukuyama made a quick discovery at Martinsville Speedway Tuesday morning, one that didn’t need English to convey. When asked through an interpreter the most difficult thing he had experienced during his first couple of hours of testing at Martinsville Speedway, the Japanese driver furiously pumped his right leg to show the need for brakes on the half-mile track. “It is very slippery,” Fukuyama said through his interpreter Yumiko Maeta. “I have never hit the brakes so hard. A driver need to be really brave here. A driver has to do a lot of work here.” Fukuyama was one of four drivers testing at Martinsville Speedway Tuesday, preparing for the Old Dominion 500 NASCAR Winston Cup test on October 20. Other drivers testing included #30-Jeff Green, #55-Bobby Hamilton and #40-Mike Bliss, filling in for the injured Sterling Marlin. All four teams will be back Wednesday for a second round of testing, but Jamey McMurray will be in Marlin’s #40 Dodge. Fukuyama hopes to make the Old Dominion 500 field. If he does, it
would be his second Winston Cup start in the Haas-Carter Motorsports Ford. Fukuyama struggled early with the tight Martinsville turns Tuesday, but had improved dramatically by late in the day. His best lap speed was around 88.693mph. Bliss and Hamilton ran quick laps of 90.603 while Green’s best lap was 90.300.(Martinsville Speedway PR)(10-8-2002) UPDATE 2: Darrell Waltrip has no plans to run the #40 car at Martinsville.(Fox Sports). Mike Bliss will drive the #40 at Martinsville.(10-9-2002)
Fuji Film Scheme on the #41 at Lowe's: Target Chip Ganassi Racing will feature a new paint scheme for the UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway on October 13. The recognizable green, white and red of Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc., will be the featured artwork on the #41 Dodge driven by Jimmy Spencer for this one event. The UAW-GM Quality 500 will mark the first time that Fujifilm has had primary sponsorship on a NASCAR Winston Cup car. To support Target and Chip Ganassi Racing, Fujifilm will bolster its presence at Lowe's Motor Speedway with the FinePix "Picture of America(tm)" Tour truck and the famous Fujifilm blimp. Race fans can stop by the FinePix truck for a hands-on digital photography learning experience and catch a glimpse of the blimp overhead. "It's great to have a company like Fujifilm on board for our home-race in Charlotte," Spencer said. "It's a cool paint scheme and it will really stand out on the track. I'm hoping we'll drive it to Victory Lane and that all the photographers will be taking my picture with Fujifilm products." For more information on Fujifilm USA Web site at www.fujifilm.com.(Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates PR), see images of the car at my Paint Scheme Gallery.(10-9-2002)
Sad News: Bill Smith, whose company Keller/Smith supported the #14 Circle Bar Racing team in the CTS team all season through an associate sponsorship passed away recently. The team will wear black arm bands in memory of Mr. Smith and run a special decal on the side of the #14 Circle Bar Ford this weekend in Las Vegas.(10-9-2002)
Victory Junction Gang Camp breaks ground: Two years after Adam Petty's death, the NASCAR community honored the late racer in a celebration to mark the start of construction on a children's camp being built in his honor. Winston Cup champions Dale Jarrett and Bobby Labonte, car owners Rick Hendrick, Joe Gibbs and Felix Sabates and NASCAR president Mike Helton headlined dozens of NASCAR celebrities who joined actors Paul Newman, Andie MacDowell and close to 1,000 other supporters in celebrating the Victory Junction Gang Camp on Tuesday. "When we topped the hill, I was humbled and in awe at the people who are here," Kyle Petty said as he choked back tears. "You will never know how much this means for me to see you guys here." Petty's 19-year-old son was killed in an accident while practicing for a Busch series race at New Hampshire International Speedway in May, 2000. He had made his Winston Cup debut just a few weeks before his death, and his participation in that race made the Pettys the only four-generation family of racers in NASCAR. Before the wreck, his parents had been active in trying to start a camp for children with life-threatening illnesses modeled after Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang Camps. Those efforts were sidelined in the months following Adam's death, but his mother, Pattie, eventually rekindled them as a way to honor her oldest son. The Petty's then went to work raising money for the camp and have collected $10 million of the needed $24 million to complete the efforts. Many of the funds have come from the NASCAR community as drivers have either made donations, participated in the Petty's annual charity motorcycle ride or held their own fund-raisers. Ken Schrader recently held a celebrity night of racing at a track he owns in Missouri that raised $100,000 for the camp. And when Tony Stewart competed in both the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day last year, he teamed with sponsor Home Depot and Gibbs to donate a combined $300 for every lap he completed during the double-duty. "This was never supposed to be a Petty thing," said seven-time Winston Cup champion Richard Petty. "This was supposed to be a NASCAR thing and it's just so incredible to see our community help out the way it has. We've got 10 to 12 drivers here, car owners, crew chiefs, all people who have their own things to do and instead, they came out to celebrate this day with us." The 65-acre camp will be located on land donated by Richard and Lynda Petty and will be the seventh member of Newman's camps, which were founded in 1988. The camp will provide children with chronic or terminal diseases a weeklong haven to ride horses, swim, paddle canoes or perform on a stage. Medical staff stand by at all times to provide everything from insulin to chemotherapy. Goodys Headache Powder presented the Petty's with a $1 million check at the celebration in support of the medical center. "This is about luck, the brutality of luck in some cases served as the impetus to bring this camp to life," Newman said. "The brutality of luck, especially in a young kid who may not have a lifetime¼ and luck on the other end of the spectrum, especially being born in this country with good health and the wherewithal to be able to create something like this." The Petty's camp, which is scheduled to open in 2004, will serve children from North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. "I think the one thing people will always remember about Adam was his smile," Pattie Petty said. "This camp is going to bring a lot of smiles to a lot of children and that's what Adam would have wanted." After the ceremony, the Petty's took a group of supporters, including Newman and Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford to a local race track for a day of racing. Others were invited to ride horses on the family farm as the Petty's mingled with their extended family and shared memories of Adam. "On one hand it's hard because we want to move on and get past this," Richard Petty said. "But it makes you feel real good to see how many people are here for us and how many people want to share with us in Adam's memory."(AP/ThatsRacin.com)(10-9-2002)
Buddy Baker's Book and a few signings: Buddy Baker will sign copies of his book that was released last week, "Flat Out and Half Turned Over: Tales from the Pit Road " from Sports Publishing at the Memory Lane Motorsports Museum in Mooresville, NC from 12noon to 3:00pm/et Friday, Oct 11th. Charlotte Observer racing writer David Poole co-authored the book, which is a collection of humorous racing stories, memories and anecdotes.(10-9-2002) ALSO: signings at:
Friday, Oct 11th at Concord Pkwy. North Kmart from 9:00-10:30am/et
Friday, Oct 11th at the Memory Lane Museum in Mooresville, NC from 12:00noon-3:00pm/et
Saturday, Oct 12th at the Sports Publishing tent across from the track on the corner of Concord Pkwy and Moorehead Rd. from 9:00-11:00am/et
Saturday Oct 12th at the NASCAR Speed Park in the Concord Mills Mall, Concord, NC from 1:00-2:00pm/et
Sunday, Oct. 13 at the Sports Publishing tent across from the track on the corner of Concord Pkwy and Moorehead Rd. from 9:00-11:00am/et. More info on my Racing Bookstore page.(10-9-2002)
(10-8-2002)
Larry McReynolds Book News and signings: No personality in the history of NASCAR Winston Cup racing has taken a roller-coaster ride of triumph and tragedy like superstar crew chief and television broadcaster Larry McReynolds. As a color analyst on FOX's popular NASCAR broadcast team, McReynolds has helped FOX win some of NASCAR's highest television ratings ever. As a Winston Cup crew chief for 15 years, McReynolds won 23 races, including two Daytona 500s, and worked with the sport's greatest drivers, including Dale Earnhardt, Davey Allison, David Pearson, Ernie Irvan, Neil Bonnett, Ricky Rudd, and Cale Yarborough. Through it all, McReynolds kept his eye on the Big Picture-the greater achievement of long-term goals and accomplishments, especially in the face of setbacks. McReynolds's story, his own Big Picture, is one of a remarkable career jam-packed with thrilling successes, heartbreaking defeats, grief, comebacks, and above all, a willingness to work hard and a determination to never give up. McReynolds story is told with the same perceptiveness and attention to detail that McReynolds shows in the FOX broadcast booth. You'll fly with McReynolds on that final, poignant airplane trip from New Hampshire with the late Davey Allison after two years of amazing ups and downs. You'll take the frantic ride in the NASCAR pace car out to turn two at Michigan after the devastating crash that nearly killed Ernie Irvan. You'll join McReynolds in victory lane with Dale Earnhardt after his most dramatic victory-the 1998 Daytona 500-and learn the truth about his troubled times with the Intimidator. And you'll read insider stories as only McReynolds can tell them, including more than one blow-by-blow visit to the dreaded NASCAR "woodshed" for a bawling-out by NASCAR chairman Bill France himself. Reaching back to his earliest days in racing as a volunteer mechanic in his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, McReynolds and co-author Bob Zeller weave a fast-paced narrative that takes readers and race fans on a high-speed ride through some of NASCAR's most dramatic and memorable moments. Larry McReynolds: The Big Picture; My Life from Pit Road to the Broadcast Booth by David Bull Publishing retails for $24.95 and is a 6" by 9" hardcover, 400 pages, with 25 color photos. On Thursday, October 10, Larry McReynolds and Bob Zeller will be at the infield media center at Lowe's Motor Speedway for a 3:00pm/et press conference to introduce this new autobiography. Then on Friday, October 10, from 3:00-4:00pm/et, they will sign copies of their book at the Action Pit Stop, located across from the speedway at 6301 Performance Drive SW, Concord, NC 28027. The phone number is 704-454-4200.(PR) or see DWStore.com. More info on my Racing Bookstore page.(10-8-2002)
Johnson Cookbook Flossie Johnson, known within the NASCAR community for her extraordinary southern cooking, will share her culinary secrets when she introduces a new cookbook, "Flossie's Favorites Too", Wednesday, Oct. 9, at The Speedway Club at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Johnson, the former wife of NASCAR legend Junior Johnson, will host a private signing for several special guests including Darrell and Stevie Waltrip, Bill and Cindy Elliott and "Humpy" and Pat Wheeler at 11 a.m. in The Speedway Club restaurant. A public signing will begin at 2:00pm/et in the lobby "living room" area on the first floor of Lowe's Motor Speedway's Smith Tower.(LMS PR). The book can be ordered at her site: Flossie's Favorites. More info on my Racing Bookstore page.(10-8-2002)
Penalties announced, Rusty Wallace and team loses 25 points: NASCAR officials announced today that three members of the #2 Miller Lite Ford team in the Cup Series have been either penalized or fined because of rule violations last weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. Rusty Wallace, driver of the #2 Ford, has been penalized 25 series championship points. In addition, Wallace's car owner Roger Penske has been penalized 25 car owner points and the team's crew chief Bill Wilburn has been fined $25,000. All three were in violation of Section 12-4-A in the NASCAR Winston Cup rule book ("Actions detrimental to stock car racing.") and Section 12-4-Q ("Any determination by NASCAR officials that parts and/or equipment used in the Event do not conform to NASCAR rules.") because their car was found to have an unapproved spoiler. The spoiler was found to have an inconsistent thickness. (Wallace's point total is now 3786 (was 3811) but he maintains 5th in Drivers Points, but drops to 6th in Owners Points)
NASCAR also issued three other fines because of rule violations at Talladega. All violations were found during the weekend's initial inspection process on Oct. 4. The other fines:
A $1,000 fine, under sections 12-4-A and 12-4-Q to Ben Leslie, crew chief of the #6 Viagra Ford. The car was found to have unapproved rear window straps.
A $1,000 fine, under sections 12-4-A and 12-4-Q to Mike Hillman, crew chief of the #14 Conseco Pontiac. The car was found to have an unapproved lower rear coil spring mount.
A $1,000 fine, under sections 12-4-A and 12-4-Q to Thomas Klein, crew chief of the #11 Hooters Ford. The car also was found to have an unapproved lower rear coil spring mount.(NASCAR PR)(10-8-2002)
Burton fastest in Tuesday testing at Atlanta: #99-Jeff Burton was fastest Tuesday during a two-day test of 12 Winston Cup and Busch teams testing for the Oct. 25-27 NAPA 500 weekend. With overcast skies and a cool breeze blowing, Burton improved his speeds from Monday, steering his #99 CITGO Ford around the 1.54-mile track at 185.716mph. Former NAPA 500 winner #44-Jerry Nadeau also picked up speed from Monday, taking the second spot on the speed chart Tuesday with a lap of 185.418 mph. Testing will continue Wednesday with Kasey Kahne and Bobby Hamilton Jr. The speeds: Winston Cup
#99-Jeff Burton, 185.716
#44-Jerry Nadeau, 185.418 ARCA:
43 Christian Fittipaldi, 179.825 BGN:
10-Scott Riggs, 181.005
88-Joe Nemechek, 181.651
57-Jason Keller, 179.942
24-Jack Sprague, 179.359
25-Bobby Hamilton Jr, 179.128
15-Lyndon Amick, 177.749
88- David Reutimann, 177.408
5-Ricky Hendrick, 177.068
#98-Kasey Kahne, 175.388.(AMS PR)(10-8-2002)
Hermie Sadler gets a Cup sponsor for Lowe's and the Rock:MW Windows & Doors has announced that they will be the primary sponsor of Hermie Sadler’s #02 Winston Cup car for the UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on October 13th and the Pop Secret 400 at Rockingham on November 3rd. MW also sponsors Pole Day at Martinsville Speedway.(PR)(10-8-2002)
Carlos Contreras to jump to the BGN? UPDATE 2 To HRT in 2003 and Two Cup races in 2003: hearing Petty CTS driver, #43-Carlos Contreras could be making the move up to the BGN, with Petty Enterprises and sponsor Hot Wheels.(7-20-2002) UPDATE: With Carlos Contreras reportedly considering a move to the Busch Series with another organization, Petty Enterprises is considering leaving the truck series at the end of this season. “We don’t know yet,” Richard Petty said July 19. “We’re not really aiming (at returning to the series), but we don’t know what’s going to happen. We’ve still got a month or two to make up our mind as to what we’re going to do.” There’s speculation that Petty Enterprises could field a full-time Busch Series team with a driver to be determined, but nothing is definite. “Right now, we’ve got three or four scenarios,” Petty said. “We’ll see which one comes out.” (Winston Cup Scene - need subscription to read)(7-25-2002) UPDATE 2: The Hispanic Racing Team (HRT Motorsports) has signed truck series veteran Carlos Contreras to compete in the NASCAR Busch Series for the 2003 and 2004 seasons. Contreras will drive a full schedule of races, starting in 2003, in the #41 with a yet-to-be announced sponsor. Contreras comes to HRT after competing in the CTS with Petty Enterprises. HRT Motorsports, the first and only Hispanic-owned, -sponsored, and -driven team in NASCAR, will expand to a two-car team with the addition of Contreras.. The team is currently running a limited BGN schedule this year for the #09 CICLON Energy Drink entry. Former BGN champion David Green and open wheel veteran Roberto Guerrero have been sharing driving duties thus far this season. Green took the #09 CICLON entry to 14th and 19th place finishes at Charlotte and Chicago, respectively. Guerrero is slated to take over driving duties of the CICLON Racing entry at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Oct. 26. Contreras and the #41 team are scheduled to run next season's full 34-race schedule. HRT also plans to field a car for Contreras at the NASCAR Winston Cup Series events at Watkins Glen and Sears Point, both road courses. Contreras started his racing career in Mexico. After his 1999 debut in the CTS, he ran a full season in 2000 and finished second in the Rookie of the Year standings. In 2001 Contreras headed to Petty Enterprises, where he drove the #43 Dodge to a 14th-place finish overall. He is currently 16th in the 2002 driver's standings.(The
Motorsports Decisions Group PR)(10-8-2002)
Jim Kelly to announce affiliation with BGN team: A News Conference will be held at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, October 11, in the Infield Media Center at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, NC to officially welcome recently inducted NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly to NASCAR. Kelly will announce his new affiliation with a touted, BGN race organization and will detail his level of involvement. The owner of the race team will also be present. Kelly, a 4-time Super Bowl participant during his long and successful football career with the Buffalo Bills, will be available for one-on-one interviews and photo opportunities.(On Track Marketing PR)(10-8-2002)
Buckshot to race at Atlanta UPDATE: Buckshot Jones will test a Chevrolet owned by Michael Waltrip on Tuesday and Wednesday at Atlanta Motor Speedway in preparation for the Oct. 27 NAPA 500. Jones said the sponsorship deal he has is for one race, but there could be others added to the schedule if adequate funds can be secured. "Until you get the sponsorship, you can't do anything," Jones said. He said he feels comfortable returning to the circuit in Waltrip's car. "I know Michael and I know he's got good equipment," Jones said. "And He's capable of doing what I want to do." Since leaving the Petty Enterprises #44 Dodge after the Martinsville race, Jones has spent his time trying to work out a deal to continue racing. He's also trying to build a career as a land developer, but his desire to race is foremost at this point. In addition to driving the #15 NAPA Chevy, Waltrip has fielded Winston Cup cars this season for Kenny Wallace [#98 Aaron's at Talladega] and Jerry Nadeau [#00 Aaron's at Chicago].(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(9-28-2002) UPDATE:Charter Pipeline will be the primary sponsor for the Michael Waltrip owned #00 Chevy that Buckshot Jone's will driver at Atlanta.(Buckshot Jones site)(10-8-2002)
Rubbermaid at Lowe's: Rubbermaid Commercial Products, a division of Newell Rubbermaid, will be featured on the #97 Rubbermaid Ford with driver Kurt Busch at the UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. “The employees at Rubbermaid Commercial Products are excited about the special paint scheme on the #97 car driven by Kurt Busch, which will run at the NASCAR Winston Cup event in Charlotte on October 13th,” Vice President of Human Resources for Rubbermaid Commercial Products Jeff Bahr said.. “All of our associates will be presented a 1:64 scale die cast of the No. 97 Rubbermaid Commercial Products Ford to commemorate this event. We at Rubbermaid Commercial Products have conducted various contests internally leading up to this, and the winners received tickets to the upcoming race. In addition to several busloads of our employees, numerous customers will be attending the race. This is truly a memorable event for all of us at Rubbermaid Commercial Products.” The #97 Rubbermaid Commercial Ford features a tri-colored paint scheme of yellow, black and red with the logo prominently displayed on the hood. Other Newell Rubbermaid divisions highlighted on the Rubbermaid Commercial Ford include Sharpie, Little Tikes Commercial Play Systems and Eldon office supplies. The #97 Rubbermaid Commercial Ford is only the third special paint scheme for the #97 team this season.. The “Sharpie Win a Million” Ford competed this past Spring at Bristol Motor Speedway and ended the race celebrating in victory lane. The second special paint scheme occurred at the same track during its Fall event, the Sharpie 500. Busch had an impressive showing in the #97 Sharpie 500 Ford as he finished in sixth position.(Pro Sports Management and Marketing PR)(10-8-2002)
Kerry Earnhardt adds a Cup race: FitzBradshaw Racing will field the #83 RacingUSA.com Chevy in the Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix on November 10, 2002. The car will be driven by Kerry Earnhardt. Earnhardt was originally slated to drive the #83 RacingUSA.com Chevy in the EA Sports 500 at Talladega, however inclement weather forced drivers to start the race by owner points. Talladega was FitzBradshaw's first attempt in the Winston Cup Series and no owner points have been accumulated (they now have 22 ownerss points). The car's paint scheme was designed by Sam Bass and will boast the number 83.. The number 8 represents Kerry's grandfather Ralph, and the number 3 represents his father, Dale Sr. Earnhardt currently drives the #12 Chevy in the BGN. The RacingUSA.com decal will also be positioned on the C-Post of Earnhardt™' #83 Aaron™s Dream Machine this Sunday at the UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. FitzBradshaw Racing is co-owned by Fitz and Pro Football Hall of Fame member and FOX broadcaster Terry Bradshaw.(FitzBradshaw Racing PR)(10-8-2002)
#59 gets sponsor for Lowe's: the #59 Price Motorsport's Dodge will have Check Into Cash as a sponsor at Lowe's Motor Speedway, Carl Long will driver the car.(Price Motorsport's PR), see an inage of the car on my Paint Scheme Gallery.(10-7-2002) UPDATE: Price Motorsports, Inc., the only NASCAR Winston Cup team based in Raleigh, NC continues pushing forward with the support of the national cash advance chain, Check-into-Cash, as primary sponsor of its Car # 59 driven by Carl Long this weekend for the UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway just north of Charlotte, NC. Check-into-Cash has over 650 offices across the USA and is expanding rapidly. Check-into-Cash operates within the parameters of the Best Practices of the Community Financial Services Association of America. For more information on Check-into-Cash, please see checkintocash.com. According to Foster Price, owner of Price Motorsports, "This is the beginning of what we hope will be a long-term relationship with Check-into-Cash." Price added, "We are committed to creating the optimum sponsorship value for our corporate partners. We're using a methodical approach to ensure that we build a racing organization with a strong foundation." The crew chief for the Check-into-Cash # 59 is Mike Chance, a 20 year racing veteran. Chance stated that "Carl and I are really looking forward to being back on the track at Charlotte after testing there earlier in the month."(Price Motorsport's PR)(10-8-2002)
Safety Maven Brian Butler Earns Bobby Isaac Memorial Award: Brian Butler, founder and president of ButlerBuilt Motorsports Equipment, will receive the Bobby Isaac Memorial Award during pre-race ceremonies for the Oct. 13 UAW-GM Quality 500 NASCAR Winston Cup race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The Bobby Isaac Memorial Award is presented annually by Lowe's Motor
Speedway to an individual or group in recognition of outstanding contribution to short-track racing. Isaac, one of the sport's outstanding racers, was well known for his short-track exploits and commitment. Involved in motorsports for 37 years, Butler has worked as a fabricator, crew member and chassis builder. He also spent several years driving drag racing machines, midgets and late model stock cars. Butler opened Concord, N.C.-based ButlerBuilt Motorsports Equipment in 1985 and has spent the past 17 years designing and developing racing seats and other cockpit-related safety items for all levels of motorsports. Butler's latest innovations include new seat bottoms and stronger head, shoulder and leg supports which have contributed to the design and development of the ButlerBuilt Advantage seat. Previous winners of the Bobby Isaac Award include journalists Chris Economaki and Tom Higgins; promoters Hugh Deery, Henry Furr and John Moose; drivers Jack Ingram and Harry Gant; and World of Outlaws founder Ted Johnson.(LMS PR)(10-8-2002)
Tim Steele returns to racing this week: Tim Steele's last race was back on July 19 at his "home" track, Berlin Speedway in Marne, MI. Since then, he has dealt with sponsorship problems, personnel issues and personal obstacles.chief of which included overcoming a dependency on prescription drugs. "I had to come to grips with the fact that I was hooked on the pain killers (oxycontin) and I had to finally do something about it," said Steele, a three-time ARCA series champion. "So I checked myself into a clinic in Troy (Michigan) a couple of weeks back and now I'm totally clean and plan on staying that way for the rest of my life. The whole problem dated back to the big crash I had testing the (Winston) Cup car at Atlanta back in '97," said Steele of his Nov. 5, 1997 practice crash at Atlanta Motor Speedway behind the wheel of a Bud Moore-prepared Ford. Steele had to be cut out of the mangled car and the accident left Steele with multiple wounds, but the most severe being a closed head injury. The consensus among witnesses was that Steele was fortunate to have survived the crash. "The pain I had from that one was so great that I had the doctor give me something for it," Steele continued. "Most of the pain in all the bones and joints went away after that crash, but I had a couple more run-ins with concrete walls since then that irritated some of those prior injuries. But the biggest thing for me was the fact that I continued to have headaches that hurt so bad that I would just about say, 'go ahead and shoot me and put me out of this pain,'" said Steele. "The headaches would come and I'd fall back on taking the pain medication. It wasn't until Dawn (his wife) started doing some research on her own that we finally determined what my big problem was. It turns out that this is the absolutely worst drug possible for anyone who's ever experienced a closed head injury. The thing was that the drug, while entering and exiting my system, helped to bring on the headaches. I took them thinking that I was getting relief, but it was only adding to the problem. It was just one big vicious cycle that I was tied up in. We immediately started looking for help and found the clinic in Troy," said Steele. "It was a hard time and a tough deal to go through, but I knew I had to do it. But probably the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life is to come clean and publicly admit that I've had a drug problem. I'm doing that now and we're hoping that my going public with it all might help others out there. It's like an epidemic in the world today and statistics show that one out of three narcotics users become addicted. But it's nice to know that there's help out there and light at the end of the tunnel," said Steele. "I know that the problem is behind me now and it can be the exact same case for others." Steele cited the following internet web sites as being perhaps most important in his handling of this health issue: www.oxyabusekills.com and www.detox911.com. Steele is planning a return to ARCA competition this week at Lowe's Motor Speedway. "I can't wait to get back," said Steele, "Rest assured that I know how fortunate I am to be able to come back."(ARCA Racing site)(10-8-2002)
(10-7-2002)
New NASCAR Team? An effort to locate a NASCAR shop in the Princeton [West Virginia] area is still in the works, officials say. Several weeks ago, it was announced that NASCAR - in the form of an organization known as Team West Virginia - was coming to town. The team, it was said, was planning a facility for an area just outside Princeton off Interstate 77 at Exit 9, near the Ramada Inn. David Barker is president of Team West Virginia. Barker has said that initially the Princeton project would call for the construction of a race shop at the site. This would be the anchor for what Team West Virginia envisions as a 45,000 square foot facility that also would include a restaurant, office space and a gift shop. Initially, team sponsors applied to the state Economic Development Grant Committee for $2.7 million needed to construct an access road from I-77 necessary before the project could become reality. The committee turned down that request, but Barker has said efforts to obtain the funding is ongoing. This week, Barker said he has been working with state economic development representatives out of the governor's office on the project. "They are still deeply involved in trying to make this happen," he said. "Lots of people think it's really a neat idea. It's just a matter of when and how. I think it's going to happen. I still feel real good about it. I feel good about the support we're getting from Charleston on this. They've been very supportive. They're trying their best to make some things happen." Gov. Bob Wise earlier announced a partnership with Team West Virginia, Inc., and the West Virginia Division of Tourism for a special four-race NASCAR Busch Grand National project featuring Winston Cup driver and NBC-TNT color commentator Wally Dallenbach. The car is a Dodge R/T carrying the Pepsi brand as a primary sponsor.(Bluefield Daily Telegraph)(10-7-2002)
Testing at Martinsville: #28-Ricky Rudd is testing Monday at the Martinsville Speedway. Among those expected at the track Tuesday and Wednesday are #30-Jeff Green, #55-Bobby Hamilton, #7-Casey Atwood, #26-Todd Bodine, #02-Hermie Sadler and #28-Ricky Rudd (Tuesday only)(10-7-2002)
Atlanta Testing UPDATE speeds: not sure what other drivers are there, but Christian Fittipaldi is testing a Petty Enterprises Dodge today at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It was the first time the former Formula One and current CART driver had driven a Winston Cup-style car at a NASCAR Winston Cup Speedway. The team is talking with companies now regarding sponsorship.(Williams Company PR) AND Also testing were Cup drivers #99-Jeff Burton and #44-Jerry Nadeau. Busch drivers testing included #5-Ricky Hendrick, #10-Scott Riggs, #87-Joe Nemechek, #24-Jack Sprague, #57-Jason Keller, and #15-Lydon Amick. All are expected back on Tuesday. UPDATE: Defending Aaron's 312 winner Joe Nemechek brought his BGN car back to Atlanta for the first time since his win last March and immediately took over the speed charts Monday during a two-day test of 11 Cup and BGN teams testing for the Oct. 25-27 NAPA 500 weekend. Nemechek turned a lap at 185.356 mph in his team's second car, the #88 NEMCO entry. Nemechek was shaking the car down for David Reutimann, who will also compete in the Oct. 26 Aaron's 312. Reutimann also ran the first BGN race at Richmond this season, finishing 16th. The only other driver in the 180-mph range was Christian Fittipaldi, who is testing a Petty Enterprises car in preparation for next season, when he will drive a mixed schedule of ARCA, Busch and Winston Cup races. Monday he tested an ARCA car to prep for the ARCA 400 next March in Atlanta. The speeds:
Winston Cup:
#44-Jerry Nadeau, 179.708
#99-Jeff Burton, 179.595
ARCA Speeds
#43-Christian Fittipaldi, 180.175
BGN Speeds:
#87/88-Joe Nemechek, 185.356
#57-Jason Keller, 179.417
#15-Lyndon Amick, 177.465
#10-Scott Riggs, 177.465
#24-Jack Sprague, 177.465
#5-Ricky Hendrick, 177.124
#88-David Reutimann, 176.729
#79-Keith Murt, 173.467.(AMS PR)(10-7-2002)
Schrader and the #36? some news UPDATE: The future of the #36 Kenny Schrader-Jay Frye team, owned by Thomas Beard, remains cloudy as the sponsor search continues. An Army sponsorship is on the table, but negotiations have been stalemated for several weeks for reasons that are unclear. If the team can't clinch the sponsorship soon, it may wind up with car owner Andy Petree. Meanwhile, there are reports that IMG is interested in buying into the Schrader-Frye operation, in what could be a similar deal to the Valvoline buy-in to the sister team of Johnny Benson and James Ince. IMG, Mark McCormack's sports marketing agency, has been involved in Winston Cup marketing for three years.(Winston Salem Journal) UPDATE: sources at IMG tell me - "At this time, IMG has no plans to purchase any interest in a NASCAR Winston Cup race team."(10-7-2002)
Hendrick to debut at Rockingham UPDATE 2 car #05: During an interview on Speed Channel's NASCAR Victory Lane on Sunday night, Hendrick Motorsports CEO Rick Hendrick said that his son, Ricky, would drive a fifth Hendrick Motorsports entry in the Winston Cup race at Rockingham on November 3rd. Ricky Hendrick, 22, is currently in his first full season in the BGN after two years in the CTS.(Gordonline)(9-23-2002) UPDATE: Ricky Hendrick, son of Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick, will test a Winston Cup car at North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham,N.C., in preparation for his series debut at the track later this season. Ricky Hendrick will be joined at the test by four-time Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon. "I'm looking forward to giving him some horsepower under the rear wheels," Gordon said. "The Busch cars have less horsepower, so I'm interested to see how he'll do with all that horsepower. I think it'll be fun and exciting for him." Asked if Hendrick was going to jump in his car, Gordon replied: "That's what he thinks. I don't know what they've planned."(ThatsRacin.com)(9-29-2002) UPDATE 2: Ricky Hendrick tested last week at Rockingham to prepare for his Winston Cup debut in the Pop Secret 400 on November 3. Hendrick, who finished 21st in the Busch race at Rockingham in February, will drive the #05 Chevy with Lance McGrew as crew chief.(Sporting News) CORRECTION: been told from sources that Ricky Hendrick has not yet tested at Rockingham. Hendrick Motorsports has schedule time at the track on Oct14th-15th and the 22nd-23rd. Hendrick is expected during one or several of those dates along with Jeff Gordon. Hendrick did spend Monday testing his BGN car at Atlanta Motor Speedway.(10-7-2002)
Talladega TV Ratings: NASCAR Pre-Race Show Outperforms CBS’ “NFL Today”. NBC Sports’ weekend coverage of the NASCAR Winston Cup EA Sports 500 from Talladega Superspeedway posted year-over-year ratings increases, according to the overnights released today by Nielsen Media Research. NBC’s exclusive coverage of the EA Sports 500 from Talladega on Sunday (1:15 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. ET) generated a 4.6 rating/10 share, marking a five percent increase over last year’s race (4.4/10). Additionally,
NBC’s pre-race show, “Discover Card Countdown to Green” logged an impressive 3.3/8 from 12:30 - 1:15 p.m. ET, outperforming CBS’ “NFL Today,” which earned a 2.5/5 from noon - 1 p.m. ET.(NBC PR)(10-7-2002)
Another Rudd: Rick Glenn of Glenn Racing and Jim Edwards of JE Performance announced that they have officially combined operations to form JAGER Motorsports. This newly formed group will compete in both NASCAR’s BGN and Winston Cup Series. The team will be headquartered in Stuart, Florida with Race facilities located in Forest City, NC, just 1.5 hours from Charlotte, NC. Ricky Pearson, son of NASCAR legend David Pearson will assume Crew Chief duties and manage day-to-day operations of the race team. Jason Rudd, nephew of #28 Cup Driver Ricky Rudd will join JAGER Motorsports to run a limited schedule for the 2002 and 2003 seasons.(JAGER Motorsports PR)(10-7-2002)
Compton back in the #49 at Lowe's: In his first Winston Cup race since August, Stacy Compton placed 22nd, the last car on the lead lap. Compton will drive again for #49 BAM Racing this weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway.(Richmond Times Dispatch), see images of car Compton drove at 'Dega in my Paint Scheme Gallery.(10-7-2002)
Atwood out? UPDATE: the Augusta Chronicle is reporting - Sources close to Casey Atwood's team [#7 Sirius Satellite Dodge] said the driver probably will be [released] at the end of the season. Atwood already has struck a deal to drive a limited schedule on the BGN #27 Brewco?] next year. The team may not hire a replacement driver since one of the car owners, Jim Smith, was [charged] this week and charged with illegally dumping hazardous materials at his chrome plating plant in California.(Augusta Chronicle) AND Atwood said he ''has heard reports'' about his job being in jeopardy but the 21-year-old driver said he has one year remaining on his contact and expects Evernham to honor it. ''As far as I know I'll be back. Ray hasn't told me anything different,'' Atwood said. ''We haven't talked about it.''(Tennessean)(10-6-2002) UPDATE: Dodge has expressed its disappointment with the #7 team's performance this season. Casey Atwood's best finish this season was 11th, in June at Pocono, and he has been higher than 30th in points just once this season. "We're looking for the performance of this team to get better over the next six races," co-owner Jim Smith says. "Sirius is locked in for next year and wants to extend the contract, but they told us we need to make improvements." Atwood, 22, has hinted he would be happier back in the Busch Series, but he is under contract for another year. Smith says he and partner Ray Evernham have not discussed bringing in a replacement driver.(Sporting News)(10-7-2002)
Hornish visits Hendrick? UPDATE 2: just before signing off on Tuesday's show, it was reported on ESPN2's RPM 2 Night that Robin Miller would have news on Wednesday show why IRL Champ Sam Hornish Jr recently visited Hendrick Motorsports. UPDATE: basically it was an exploratory meeting in case Hornish is interested in NASCAR in the future, Miller reported Hornish will be in the IRL nest year. Also was reported that CART driver Kenny Brack met with DEI, also exploratory.(ESPN2's RPM2Night)(10-2-2002) UPDATE 2: At the IRL's banquet Sam Hornish Jr discussed a recent visit to the shop of Hendrick Motorsports. Hornish, who spent the summer being courted by Dale Earnhardt Inc., wants to compete in the Daytona 500, perhaps as soon as next season. "I was offered a chance to go to [Charlotte] and see how [Hendrick's] operation works," Hornish told AutoWeek. "I had heard stories about the engine shop and we got a tour." Hornish said time is running out for a chance at the next Daytona 500, although he will keep the dream alive for 2004. Running in some selected NASCAR races (or a full season) likely will be a factor in Hornish's contract extension negotiations with Panther Racing. 2003 is the final year of an original three-year deal.(Autoweek)(10-7-2002)
Vasser to NASCAR? Jimmy Vasser, the 1996 CART champion while driving for Chip Ganassi, nearing the end of his first season at Team Rahal, chances are slim he'll be back for a second. With primary sponsor Shell either cutting back or going away, Rahal is unlikely to be able to meet Vasser's asking price. That has the 36-year-old driver knocking on doors. "Team Rahal is not in position to keep the team intact, or so I'm told," Vasser said. "There's interest all around the paddock, but nobody's able to make a commitment." Vasser was tempted to go to NASCAR a few years ago and is looking that way again. He said a BGN deal that would allow him to continue to run the Indianapolis 500 would appeal to him. "My goals are still long-term. Nobody's ever won a CART championship and a Winston Cup championship, and I'd like to be the first," he said. "But at this point, it's hard to make choices until there's some options on the table."(Indianapolis Star)(10-7-2002)
Mixed Reviews on Smaller Fuel Tanks: NASCAR officials called the smaller fuel cells used for Sunday's EA Sports 500 a "partial success." The move, which reduced the size of the fuel cells from 22 gallons to about 13, was made to try to spread out the tightly packed racing at Talladega. The cars did spread out some for a few laps during the cycle of stops, but bunched back up within a few more laps. A few teams were able to make the 500-mile race on five stops, while most had to come in a sixth time for a gulp of gas in the final laps. That did dramatically reduce the number of cars running for the win at the end of the race. "Tony (Stewart) and Ricky (Rudd) both said it gave them an opportunity to run single-file long enough to sort of catch your breath before anybody caught up," NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter said. Asked what he thought the fuel cell change did, sixth-place finisher Steve Park replied: "Looked like one big pack to me."
"I think the only thing it did was separate the race at the end," said Jeff Burton. "Some people couldn't go as far as others (on a tank of gas), so it made the end of the race not so hectic." Hunter said NASCAR plans to continue to evaluate the new rule with the possibility of continuing its use at the 2003 Daytona 500.(ThatsRacin.com)(10-7-2002)
Alabama Illustrator Criswell Accomplishes Mission Plus:Kevin Criswell, the Centre, AL, illustrator who set out to tackle the unheard-of task of providing original illustrations of all the competitors in the EA Sports 500 starting field at Talladega did just that. In addition, by special request from the speedway, Criswell "burned the midnight oil" in finishing a special original of team owner Jack Roush and his "guardian angel" Larry Hicks. Hicks is credited with saving Roush's life in Alabama back in April when Roush crashed an experimental aircraft into a lake some 75 miles south of the track. During the pre-race activities, Talladega Superspeedway President Grant Lynch unveiled Criswell's offerings and introduced Alabama Governor Don Siegelman, who made the presentations to Roush and Hicks. "It was definitely a labor of love," said Criswell, who suffers from debilitating rheumatoid arthritis. "But to be able to see all the drivers and team members enjoy my work made it all worthwhile. To be able to help Grant and Talladega Superspeedway show their gratitude and acknowledgement of Jack and Larry like that just put the icing on the cake. It's a weekend I'll treasure for the rest of my life."(PR)(10-7-2002)
Carter still waiting on DiscoverCard: #26 (and #66) car owner Travis Carter had expected to hear by now if his sponsor, Discover [DiscoverCard], would be renewing for next season, but there is still no word. So driver Todd Bodine is starting to check his options. "I'm trying to wait as long as I can," Bodine says. "I don't want to go anywhere. But they haven't told me anything yet."(Winston Salem Journal)(10-7-2002)
