PAST NEWS FEB 24-MAR 2, 2003
THE PAST NEWS! YESTERDAY and BEYOND..
OTHER PAST NEWS PAGES
(3-2-2003)
- Petty's and Fittipaldi still plan to race: Kyle Petty still plans to wnter Christian Fittipaldi in five to ten races this season. Petty has "multiple sponosrs' promoting the effort for each event. Petty says the team will NOT run without spoonsors.(Winston Cup Scene - need subscription to view/read)(3-2-2003)
- SAFER test delayed: Inclement weather in Lincoln, Neb., has delayed a test on an energy-absorbing barrier [SAFER] that could be used at Richmond International Raceway this spring. The test, conducted at the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility at the University of Nebraska, was to have been held this week. It now is scheduled for the week of the Darlington race, a NASCAR official said. If the barrier is approved by Darlington, RIR officials would have seven weeks to install the system. That should be enough time to have the barriers installed before the Busch Grand National race on May2. If the barrier is approved, other tracks such as New Hampshire International Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway could begin installing the safety devices.(Roanoke Times)(3-2-2003)
(3-1-2003)
- Police Officers cleared in Stewart stop: Two Ormond Beach, FL police officers were cleared Friday of sparing NASCAR driver Tony Stewart a speeding ticket in exchange for a picture with him, even though Stewart bragged on a radio show about avoiding a citation.
A police car videotape shows one officer taking a picture of the other officer with Stewart after the race car driver was pulled over in a yellow Ferrari, but Chief Larry Mathieson said the officers didn't break any rules and didn't have enough hard evidence to give Stewart a ticket anyway. "We think they got caught up in the moment," Mathieson said. "They're good cops and they're honest guys. I don't think we need to overreact to something that was a momentary lapse in judgment." The allegations of special treatment for the NASCAR bad boy started flying after patrol officers Anthony Zimmerer, 26, and Michael Bakaysa, 33, pulled Stewart over just before 1 a.m. on Feb. 9. Zimmerer, who has been with the department less than three years, was at the corner of Ridgewood Avenue and Granada Boulevard when he saw the yellow car zip eastward toward the Granada Bridge. Zimmerer radioed in that he thought the vehicle was going about 72 mph in the 35 mph zone. But Zimmerer never got a digital reading that decisively showed Stewart's speed. The police car videotape showed Bakaysa taking a picture of a grinning Zimmerer with Stewart after Zimmerer ran Stewart's license. Zimmerer still has the autographed Polaroid photograph, which will be donated for an upcoming fund-raiser, Mathieson said. A few days after the stop, Stewart was former NASCAR racer Benny Parson's guest on a live WNDB-AM radio show broadcast from Volusia Square Mall. During that show, Stewart told Parsons he was driving 72 mph in a 35 mph zone and claimed the officer said: "If I let you off, can I take a picture with you?" Stewart claimed he responded, "Shoot yeah! You can burn the whole roll of Polaroids off for all I care. Just let me go home." During an internal investigation, the 31-year-old racing phenom told police supervisors that Zimmerer had already given him a verbal warning and he was free to go when the officers asked about a picture. Investigators said Stewart conceded he "did in fact stretch the truth" during the radio show "because it made for a better story." Zimmerer and Bakaysa were never taken off duty or disciplined. They have, however, been ordered to take part in a four-hour seminar on ethics and professionalism at Daytona Beach Community College in July.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(3-1-2003)
- Toyota, new shop? Ganassi? Toyota is buying a 240,000-square-foot building in Charlotte on a 124-acre plot of land for part of its NASCAR venture, according to NASCAR sources, who report that car owner Chip Ganassi has already gotten a check for $35 million to crank up a Toyota operation. Toyota officials are pushing NASCAR to OK fuel injection and eliminate the old-fashioned carburetors used on these 358 cubic-inch racing engines for many years. Ford also is pushing for fuel injection, in large part because the company has developed - and patented - a solid-fuel injection system for race cars, a system better than anything General Motors or Dodge has. The GM system has a significant delay when drivers try to get off the gas. NASCAR has been so eager to get Toyota involved in stock-car racing that Detroit manufacturers believe that NASCAR might approve fuel injection.(Winston Salem Journal)(3-1-2003)
- McMurray sore but ok: A violent wreck during Friday's Busch series practice has left Jamie McMurray a little sore and short one car, but otherwise OK. As the practice session drew to a close Friday night at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, McMurray's #1 Dodge was hit from behind by Michael Waltrip in Turn 4. Both cars careened into the wall as fuel from McMurray's car was ignited by exhaust from Waltrip's car. Waltrip was able to drive away, while McMurray hurriedly escaped from his car before it was engulfed in flames. "The fire was on me. I could see it wrapped around my left arm, but I couldn't feel it," McMurray said. "It took me a little while to get out of the car. I ... was used to a different type of latch and I got a little confused trying to get out. I was really worried about if it started to burn, how bad it was going to burn." McMurray's Yellow Racing team had only a 2002 model Chevrolet as a backup - the team moved to Dodge in the off-season. Both McMurray and Waltrip were to start Saturday's Busch race from the rear of the field after moving to backups.(ThatsRacin.com)(3-1-2003)
- Phoenix Racing crew chief quits: Johnny Allen, crew chief of the #1 Busch Series team and car chief of the #09 Cup team, abruptly left the team in the middle of the day Saturday. Marc Reno, who crew chiefs the #09 Cup team, will assume the job for Las Vegas..(XM Satellite- NASCAR Radio need subscription)(3-1-2003)
- Hamilton Jr to run Atlanta UPDATE 2: Bobby Hamilton Jr tested a Winston Cup that Team Rensi (his BGN team) plans to run at Atlanta in March.(FSN's Totally NASCAR)(2-19-2003)
UPDATE: It's been almost two years since Bobby Hamilton Jr. ran a Winston Cup race, but he believes there is no better place to make his initial 2003 Winston Cup start than Atlanta Motor Speedway. In order to prepare for his return to Winston Cup, Hamilton Jr. tested Tuesday and Wednesday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, posting a top speed of 185.853 mph before packing up just before lunch on Wednesday. Although he is the full-time driver of the #25 Team Marines Ford for 2003 in the BGN, Hamilton Jr. has the opportunity to run
a limited Winston Cup schedule this year. So when it came time to choose the tracks where he would run, Atlanta was an easy choice.(AMS PR)(2-20-2003)
UPDATE 2: Team Rensi Motorsports will make their NASCAR Winston Cup debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway next weekend in the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 with driver, Bobby Hamilton, Jr., who pilots the team’s #25 Marines Ford in the NASCAR Busch Series. Hamilton, Jr. will compete in the #35 Ford, which will have a very familiar look. Both of Team Rensi’s current advertising partners will be featured on the car. The United States Marine Corps as the primary advertising partner and the Timberland Company (on behalf of its Timberland PRO series) as associate advertising partner. Hamilton, Jr. is no stranger to the Winston Cup Series. Since his debut in 2000, he has competed 12 times in the series. In 2001, he posted three top-15 and five top-20 Winston Cup finishes. He has never failed to qualify for a Winston Cup event, something very few people can brag about. The team tested at Atlanta on February 18-19, and according to Fred Wanke, Hamilton, Jr.’s crew chief, it was a good learning experience. The 2003 season marks the United States Marine Corps’ fourth year of involvement in NASCAR and their third with Team Rensi Motorsports, owned by Ed and Sam Rensi and Gary Weisbaum. Timberland partnered with Team Rensi at the beginning of this season as associate advertising partner of the #25 Team Marines Ford in the Busch Series.(Team Rensi PR)(3-1-2003)
- Fukuyama announcement UPDATEs: UPDATE 2: hearing Kikkoman Soy Sauce will be the sponsor on the car at Las Vegas, see an image of the car on my Paint Scheme Gallery.(2-23-2003)
UPDATE 3: it was officially announced today at Las Vegas that Hideo Fukuyama will team with Travis Carter and Japanese businessman Mitsu Mita (spelling?) to run Cup, Busch and ARCA races with Kikkoman Soy Sauce and some other Japanese consumer companies.(XM Satellite- NASCAR Radio need subscription)(2-28-2003)
UPDATE 4: Winston Cup car owner Travis Carter unveiled plans Friday to enter Japanese driver Hideo Fukuyama in several Winston Cup, Busch and ARCA races this season with sponsorship from Kikkoman, a food company perhaps best-known for its soy sauce. Fukuyama became the first Japanese driver to compete in a Winston Cup event when he made his debut in September at Dover, Del. "Even though I have been racing for 25 years, this is my first experience with a full schedule of stock car racing," Fukuyama said. "The two Winston Cup races I did last year allow me to get used to racing in America - the competition and the feel of the car." Fukuyama will make his debut this season in the #66 Ford in Sunday's race at Las Vegas. He tested at the track Feb. 10-11.(Tthatsracin.com) see past news and rumors about this on my #66 Team News and Links page.(3-1-2003)
- More on Rusty's 'cheating' comments: Rusty Wallace said this week he really didn't mean to directly accuse Chevrolet teams of cheating at Daytona in a widely reported comment he made before last weekend's race at Rockingham, but he didn't back too far away from saying there were some shenanigans. "I'm not making comments about any Chevrolet team," Wallace said. "I just thought there were a lot of peculiar things going on and NASCAR has informed me they're going to be for everybody at Talladega. "I'm not going to say it was Chevrolet. I think peculiar things were going on with Ford and all kind of different makes that didn't make sense with the way they qualified and the way they ran in the race and things like that. I did say the word Chevrolet. I didn't just mean it was Chevrolets. I saw a lot of peculiar things across the board, and the NASCAR guys did, too. They just informed me that they'd be looking at them really hard at Talladega."(ThatsRacin.com), see past news and rumors about this on my #2 Team News and Links page.(3-1-2003)
- They'll be back: hearing that #42-Jamie McMurray in Cup and #99-Michael Waltrip in the Busch Series will run Terminator 3 movies schemes, not sure when.(2-28-2003)
UPDATE: hearing this will be for Daytona in July.(3-1-2003)
(2-28-2003)
- Special Elliott/Mayfield schemes? UPDATE 2: hear there will be some sort of special #9-Bill Elliott and #19-Jermey Mayfield schemes, some sort of special Dodge program, but not sure what or where yet.(2-20-2003)
UPDATE: hearing it could be a Simpson's (TV Show and Jayski Fave) scheme, not sure what for or when.(2-22-2003)
UPDATE 2: not the Simpsons, but a promotion scheme for the movie, "2 Fast 2 Furious".(2-28-2003)
- France's on the list: In its 17th annual ranking of the world's richest people, Forbes magazine says NASCAR and International Speedway Corp's Bill France and Jim France tie for 427th with $1 billion each.(Winston Cup Scene Daily Newsletter)(2-28-2003)
- Rudd and Wood Brothers tour Nellis Air Force Base: Ricky Rudd, and Eddie and Len Wood were guests of the United States Air Force Thursday afternoon at Nellis Air Force Base just north of Las Vegas, NV. While at the base, the three toured an F/A-22 Raptor aircraft housed at Nellis for the purpose of training service personnel who will service the airplane once it becomes part of the U.S. military arsenal of fighting equipment. This plane incorporates the newest in cutting edge technology, with stealth and supercruise abilities that are a critical component of America's Global Strike Task Force. See full story and quotes at the Wood Brothers Racing site.()(2-28-2003)
- Stooges scheme? this would be cool, haven't seen a Three Stooges [a Jayski fave] scheme since Phil Barkdoll's team ran the #73 Three Stooges Beer car a few years ago at Daytona with Ken Bouchard, am hearing Michael Waltrip will run a Three Stooges scheme in a Busch Series race.(2-28-2003)
- Auto Racing is #2..... No. 2 on USA TODAY's 10 hardest things to do in sports is driving a race car at megaspeeds around the track and not getting hurt. Here's why it's so hard, from a scientific perspective, from an expert athlete's and from an average joe's.(USA Today)(2-28-2003)
- No Indy 500 for Busch: #97-Kurt Busch said he thoroughly enjoyed the experience of driving a CART car at Sebring International Raceway as a guest of Ford Motor Company and Team Rahal, he flatly denied that he one day would like to drive in the Indianapolis 500. "There's no dreams, no aspirations, no thoughts of ever even running the Indianapolis 500," Busch said Thursday. "I've never been intrigued by open-wheel racing. I've never had a chance to go to the Indianapolis 500 because I've been busy Stock cars is where I've found a great home -- it's what I grew up in and it's what I've watched in May instead of the (Indianapolis 500) -- I always watched the Coca-Cola 600." That said, Busch already is angling for another invitation to test-drive one of the Champ Cars.(Las Vegas Sun)(2-28-2003)
- Billy Ray Cyrus Pays Tribute to Earnhardt: Billy Ray Cyrus will pay tribute to the late race car driver Dale Earnhardt in an upcoming episode of "Doc." He said Earnhardt, who was killed in a last-lap crash at the Daytona 500 two years ago, was king in his house. Cyrus said his stepfather was such a fan of the Intimidator that he requested in his will to be buried in his Dale Earnhardt T-shirt, something the family honored. The Earnhardt tribute episode, which Cyrus called "emotional" to make, will air in May. He hopes a lot of people who loved Earnhardt tune into the show because it was "an honest effort at paying tribute to the man." "Doc" is on PAX.(Yahoo/AP)(2-28-2003)
- Hicks Honored: In its first award announcement of 2003, the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission named 19 individuals from throughout the United States and Canada as recipients of the Carnegie Medal. The bronze medal is given to persons who risk their lives to an extraordinary degree while saving or attempting to save the lives of others. Two of the awardees died in the performance of their heroic acts. The announcement brings to 8,685 the number of persons honored since the Pittsburgh-based Fund's inception in 1904. One of the 19 award winners honored on Thursday night was Larry Hicks, the man who saved the life of Jack Roush. The Commission gave the following description: "Larry J. Hicks saved Jack E. Roush from drowning, Troy, Alabama, April 19, 2002. Unconscious and badly injured, Roush, 60, remained restrained in a seat of the open-cockpit, light airplane he had been flying, after it crashed into a small lake. The plane, inverted and nose down in the eight-foot-deep lake, leaked aviation fuel into the water. Hicks, 52, conservation enforcement officer, was at his home nearby and witnessed the accident. He immediately responded to the lake, then took a boat to where parts of the plane were protruding from the water. Although somewhat weakened by effects of cancer treatment, Hicks dived into the water to search for occupants of the plane, finding Roush on the second dive and freeing him on the third. Surfacing, Hicks resuscitated Roush, who remained unconscious. Rescue personnel responding by boat towed Roush to the bank, Hicks helping to support him. Roush required hospitalization for treatment of numerous injuries, and he recovered. Hicks sustained first-degree chemical burns about his upper body, which required hospital treatment and from which he recovered, and related injury."(MotorsportsTV)(2-28-2003)
- Racing Weather 101: About 20 members of the American Meteorological Society are expected to breeze into Atlanta Motor Speedway on Thursday for a few quick lessons, such as the effects of barometric pressure on tire pressure. Racing's crew chiefs and drivers have long known the correlation between weather and speed, but these local meteorology enthusiasts are still learning the ropes. They will learn more this week as ARCA driver Doug Stevens and his team owner Mark Wallace describe the effects of weather on racing conditions. Stevens has competed in two ARCA events at Atlanta Motor Speedway, finishing 11th and 10th. Stevens is also a graduate of Atlanta Motor Speedway's Thursday Thunder Legends Racing Series, where he won the Pro series championship three straight years. Wallace, who lives in Griffin, is the co-owner of Stevens' ARCA ride and also co-owner of the #77 Winston Cup car driven by Dave Blaney.
Wallace also competes in the Thursday Thunder summer racing series, in the Masters (over 40) division.(AMS PR)(2-28-2003)
- Advertisors spending more: Nielsen Media Research says advertisers spent 54.2 percent more on televised NASCAR events last year than they did in 2001, according to today's Sports Business Daily. The report pegs last year's spending at $419.6 million ($311.4 million on network broadcasts and $108.2 on cable). Advertisers spent the most on NFL broadcasts ($2.017 billion), followed by sports commentary, the Olympics, the National Basketball Association, golf, college basketball, college football, NASCAR, Major League Baseball and tennis.(Winston Cup Scene Daily Newsletter)(2-28-2003)
- AMW Motorsports teams up with TV Shows to help find kids: America's Most Wanted Motorsports, NASCAR This Morning, Totally NASCAR and Body Dynamics team up once again for 2003 to assist in the recovery of missing children. Through their combined efforts, starting this Sunday, they will display a picture of little Sofia Juarez, a five year old girl Missing from Kennewick, WA on the hood and TV Panel of the America's Most Wanted Motorsports/Body Dynamics racing car, housed in the studios where NASCAR This Morning and Totally NASCAR are broadcast from. She has not been seen since February 4, 2003 and they are working together along with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the Kennewick Police Department and America's Most Wanted to assist in the recovery of Sofia. Please tune into NASCAR This Morning and Totally NASCAR and see if you have seen Sofia Juarez. This will be the first new case of 2003 for this group, every month they will feature a new missing child as to assist as many families as possible.throughout.the year. The children's decals will once again be provided by The Decal Source, which has been a great supporter of these efforts. Also in combination to the child's picture being on the car, they will be featured on www.bodydynamicsracing.com and www.amw-racing.com.as well. For more information on Sofia's case please visit www.amw-racing.com.
AND Body Dynamics Racing Bodies has named Miller Welders to be their exclusive welding partner through Miller's Motorsports division and they will join such drivers and organizations like Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and DEI, Dale Jarrett and RYR, Mark Martin and Roush Racing, and Bill Elliott and Evernham Motorsports just to name a few who have chosen to do the same. The partnership will include exclusive use of Miller Welders and associated products by Body Dynamics while supplying Miller Welders Motorsports with a showcar, website placement on www.bodydynamicsracing.com and an extensive marketing platform. Service and support for this partnership will be provided by a combined effort between Andrew James of James Oxygen and Andy Weyenberg, Motorsports Representative of Miller Motorsports. This partnership adds to the other sponsors that are currently involved with Body Dynamics Racing Bodies, Inc. such as, Sherwin Williams Paints, KAR Products, and The Decal Source to name a few. This partnership is currently in place and Body Dynamics is beginning to receive their new Miller Welders and the Miller Welders showcar is scheduled to be on display as early as March.(AMV Motorsports PR)(2-28-2003)
(2-27-2003)
- Buckshot back? UPDATE 2: hearing Buckshot Jones will test at Atlanta towards the end of February, could be a possible ride Michael Waltrip in the #00.(2-3-2003)
UPDATE: hearing that Jones will not test at Atlanta but will run the race in the #00 Chevy.(2-20-2003)
UPDATE 2: hearing the sponsor will not be Charter Communications and that the new sponsor will be announced soon. AND Jones is entered in the MBNA Bass Pro Shops 500 in a car owned by Winston Cup driver Michael Waltrip. It's the same car Jones brought to AMS last fall, only to see rain wash out qualifying and rob him of a chance to earn a starting spot. Jones, who hasn't raced since he drove the #44 Dodge last April in Martinsville, hoped to run some practice laps at AMS next week, but that's not going to happen. Since NASCAR changed the body rules after the 2002 season, it has been difficult for a part-time team to find someone to re-skin the car. "We had hoped to get the people at Dale Earnhardt Inc. to hang the body, but they're pretty busy with their own cars," Jones said. With little hope for a full-time ride, Jones has turned to developing residential subdivisions in and around Gwinnett County. Jones said he'd like to resume his racing career, but the odds of getting a front-running car are slim.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(2-22-2003)
UPDATE 2: been told that since the car was not ready to test, it has been decided that Bickshot Jones will NOT run at the MArch Cup race in Atlanta, but plans are to run at Atlanta in Oct.(2-27-2003)
- Rusty softens 'cheating' comments: At Rockingham last Friday, #2-Rusty Wallace was quoted in a Dodge news release as saying, "I don't know why they (Chevrolets) were so good at Daytona. Four or five of them were cheating really, really hard and didn't get caught. The NASCAR guys know it, and they're out for them when they get to Talladega." Wallace didn't single out any specific teams or drivers, but many in the Chevy camp are wondering why Wallace is alleging that others were cheating when his own team was busted for using an unapproved carburetor in a pre-Daytona 500 qualifying race. Asked to clarify his comments this week, Wallace said, "I'm not making comments about any Chevrolet team. I want to put that on the record. I just thought there were a lot of peculiar things going on, and NASCAR has informed me they're going to be looking for everybody at Talladega."(USA Today)(2-27-2003)
- Buschwackers at Las Vegas: Nine Winston Cup regulars are scheduled to drive in Saturday's Sam's Town 300 Busch Series race at LVMS including the most recent Busch race winner, Jamie McMurray [#42 in Cup, #1 in Busch]. Other Cup drivers attempting to make the 43-car field on Saturday are Steve Park [#1 and #8], Jeff Burton [#99 and #9], Matt Kenseth [both #17], Kevin Harvick [#29 and #21], Tony Raines [#74 and #33], Joe Nemechek [#25 and #87], Todd Bodine [#54 and #92] and Michael Waltrip [#15 and #99].(Las Vegas Sun)(2-27-2003)
(2-26-2003)
- Atlanta Testing: five Winston Cup drivers -- #42-Jamie McMurray, #31-Robby Gordon, #38-Elliott Sadler, #11-Brett Bodine and #57-Jeff Fultz tested on Wednesday for the March 9 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500. Sadler set the fast time during Wednesday's test, posting a lap of 187.551mph [last March's pole was 191.542 by Bill Elliott]. The speeds:
Car#, Driver, Speed
#38-Elliott Sadler, 189.150
#42-Jamie McMurray, 189.086
#57-Jeff Fultz, 184.186.
#31-Robby Gordon, 182.789
#11-Brett Bodine, 181.414.(AMS PR)(2-26-2003)
- #77 Team wins McDonald’s Drive-Thru Pit Crew Challenge at Rockingham: The crew of Dave Blaney, the #77 Jasper Engines & Transmissions Ford, won Round 2 of the McDonald's Drive-Thru Pit Championship fueled by POWERade at Sunday's Subway 400 at North Carolina Speedway. Blaney's crew spent 223 seconds in the pits to edge the crew of Kurt Busch by four seconds to earn the weekly $20,000 prize.(NASCAR PR)(2-26-2003)
- USG to be the primary sponsor of the #01 at Las Vegas and three other races: USG Corporation, a leading manufacturer of building materials for the construction and remodeling industries, has reached an agreement with MB2 Motorsports to be a primary and associate sponsor for the 2003 season. The agreement calls for USG to be a season-long associate sponsor as well as the primary sponsor at four races on the MB2 #01 Pontiac Grand Prix, driven by Jerry Nadeau. The first of the four-race USG primary sponsorship package with the MB2 Pontiac will be Sunday (March 2) in Las Vegas. The three other events where USG and its flagship brand Sheetrock will adorn the MB2 Pontiac will be at Chicago (July 13), Watkins Glen (Aug. 10) and Talladega (Sept. 28). The U.S. Army, which will be the primary sponsor of the MB2 #01 Pontiac for a minimum of 27 races, will be an associate sponsor during the four USG races. The agreement also calls for a USG season-long associate sponsorship with MB2's teammate, the #10 Valvoline Pontiac, driven by Johnny Benson and owned by MBV Motorsports.(USG PR/Site), see the Paint Scheme Gallery for an image of the car. USG sponsored the #91 Evernham Dodge last year at Rockingham in Nov with Hank Parker Jr driving.(2-26-2003)
- USG takes over awards from True Value: Along with its sponsorship involvement with MB2/MBV Motorsports, USG's NASCAR involvement in 2003 includes:
* Official Building Products Supplier of NASCAR
* USG Person of the Year - The award is designed to honor NASCAR drivers for their community service contributions and charitable efforts. For the purpose of determining the NASCAR USG Person of the Year award, the program will be divided into four quarters in which drivers are nominated for their off-track charitable efforts. An elite group of panelists will select one of the quarterly finalists as the USG Person of the Year. The award will be presented in New York during the NASCAR Winston Cup banquet.
* USG Driver of the Race - The program will award the driver, who has the best finishing position of the race and displays the USG decal on his/her car. The award will be split between the driver and the driver's selected charities.
* Dodge NASCAR Weekly Racing Series "USG Night at the Races" - USG will sponsor "USG Night at the Races" at 20 local race tracks that are part of the Dodge NASCAR Weekly Series. The events are intended to provide customers and USG employees an opportunity to enjoy an evening of stock car racing.
USG Corporation, based in Chicago, is a Fortune 500 company with subsidiaries that are market leaders in their key product groups: gypsum wallboard, joint compound and related gypsum products; cement board; gypsum fiber panels; ceiling panels and grid; and building products distribution. For more information about USG Corporation, visit the USG home page at www.usg.com.(USG PR), True Value used to award the Person of the Year and Driver of the race, you can see the USG logo on the front fender of the cars where True Value used to be.(2-26-2003)
- NASCAR on the cover of Mad Magazine: "NASCAR Stripped Bare" the headline on the cover of Mad Magazine, with a drawing of Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr featured standing with Alfred E Neuman and a few columns (see my Article/Columns links page for links).(2-26-2003)
- Winter Storm Hampers Haulers: A severe late-winter ice and snowstorm throughout the central United States has all but paralyzed some transportation hubs -- and has delayed several NASCAR Winston Cup transporters trying to make it across country from the Carolinas to Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Teams have a couple options to travel across the country, including Interstates 40 and 20, from their bases near Charlotte, NC, to reach the site of this weekend's Winston Cup UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 and Busch Series Sam's Town 300. But Roush Racing transporter driver Bart Starr, who hauls driver Mark Martin's Viagra Fords, said while on I-40 in Western Arkansas he altered his trip plans to account for the weather -- which had Dallas locked Tuesday in an ice storm while it snowed further to the north. Starr was driving in a convoy with Roush teammate and usual traveling partner Fred Swim, who transports Matt Kenseth's DeWalt Fords. He said he was not aware of any trucks that had gone near Dallas, but if they had that they might be trapped by ice. Reportedly, Robert Yates Racing's haulers had planned to take the southerly route while Tuesday afternoon Jasper Motorsports' hauler was outside Alabama on I-20. An entourage from Richard Childress Racing was caught in the ice storm. Kevin Harvick's transporter driver Jim Baldwin was stuck for some three hours near Terrell, Texas, east of Dallas. But by Tuesday afternoon they were all moving again, albeit at only 15 mph due to the conditions. Busch Series haulers are due to enter the garage at Las Vegas on Thursday morning. Winston Cup trucks are not scheduled to enter until Friday morning.(more to the story at NASCAR.com)(2-26-2003)
- Craven could be honored in hometown: A bill before the transportation committee would allow the state to put signs up in Newburgh, Maine, honoring the town as the home of the NASCAR driver. Lawmakers on the transportation committee are being asked to authorize roadside signs honoring Ricky Craven in his hometown of Newburgh. Craven was Winston Cup Rookie of the Year in 1995, and since then has staged a couple of comebacks. Craven finished fourth in the Subway 400 at North Carolina Speedway on Sunday.(wlbz2.com)(2-26-2003)
- #15 Team wins McDonald’s Drive-Thru Pit Crew Challenge at Daytona: NASCAR announced last week that the #15 NAPA race team had won the McDonald’s Drive-Thru Pit Crew Challenge Fueled by POWERade contingency award. The #15 Chevrolet pit crew topped off an amazing performance with three pit stops measuring less than seven seconds in speed. The NAPA squad posted times of 6.45 sec for a right-side two-tire change, 5.67 sec for a left-side two-tire change and a 3.91-sec for a gas-and-go stop. The McDonald’s Drive-Thru Pit Crew Challenge Fueled by POWERade contingency award focuses on the pit crews’ performances during each race. NASCAR takes the aggregate time each team spends on pit road. That time, which is recorded by NASCAR using the same transponders that record the cars as they cross the start/finish line, begins the moment the car enters pit road and stops once it has left. The team who spends the least amount of time on pit road during the day wins. After each Winston Cup points race, the crews will be ranked in order of aggregate time on pit road. Forty-three points will be awarded to the top finisher and one point will be awarded to the last-place team. These points will be used to determine a championship crew at the end of the year.(DEI Site), no word on who won Rockingham.(2-26-2003)
- Dune Duggy Races: Robby Gordon and Greg Biffle are scheduled to compete in a dune buggy race in the sand dunes outside Las Vegas this week.(Roanoke Times)(2-26-2003)
- More on the 'Cheating' stuff; #15 decklid problems at Daytona? Team fined?: Pandora’s Box was recently opened in the NASCAR Winston Cup garage when Rusty Wallace publicly used the C word [Cheating] on the record — instances of competitors blatantly calling each other cheaters being as rare as a scone with tea in the garage. In less than demure fashion, Wallace said, "I don't know why they [Chevrolets] were so good at Daytona. They had more power and a little less coefficient of drag. Four or five of them were cheating really, really hard and didn't get caught. The NASCAR guys know it, and they're out for them when they get to Talladega.” There’s no doubt that rumors fueled the subsequent chatter at Rockingham, NC regarding what NASCAR might have found in post-race inspections on the #15 NAPA Chevrolet. Additionally, Dale Earnhardt Inc. staff vehemently deny any wrong doing in connection to any of their Daytona 500 entries. Nonetheless, two aerodynamic issues quickly became the focus. Firstly, the rear decklid of Michael Waltrip’s race winning car. DEI’s chief technical personnel admitted to one garage crew chief that there was a problem with the decklid of their car and NASCAR levied a heavy fine on his team [have heard no report on the fine]. Winston Cup director, John Darby confirmed to www.teamfordracing.com that there was indeed a problem with the #15 car. However, he specified it was a non-performance-enhancing item. The problem, as described by Darby, dealt with one of the lock pins that holds the decklid closed, which had vibrated loose during the race. The second issue dealt with alterations to the underside of the car before it went on display in Daytona USA. Darby said there was no issue beyond the loose decklid pin. “From our inspection process during Speedweeks we didn't see anything in pre- or post-race [inspections] that was a factor.” Darby added the camera shell removed early in the Speedweeks inspection cycle by NASCAR, like the decklid pin, had no performance enhancing properties, and therefore was not subject to penalty. “We're always looking and learning to try to stay up with everything that's going on,” Darby said regarding the inspection process. “The great thing about that is that [the] garage is a real valuable tool in helping us with that.” Any grumbling in the garage calling for Wallace to receive a point deduction for the illegal carburetor found after his Gatorade 125 qualifying race was quashed considering the race was a non-point event. He was penalized a qualifying position for a qualifying infraction. This spotlight on the inspection process doesn’t have Darby looking to Talladega Superspeedway’s event with special considerations. “I won't say that we're ready for anything, or laying the weeds looking for something in particular. But every event we run we learn more and we'll continue to apply whatever procedures we need to.”(Ford Racing)(2-26-2003)
(2-25-2003)
- Fultz to attempt Atlanta: Jeff Fultz might not be a name that race fans instantly recognize, but he's hoping that will all change at Atlanta Motor Speedway when he attempts to make his Winston Cup debut in the March 9 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500. Fultz will also attempt to make Saturday's ARCA 400. Fultz was at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Tuesday testing the #57 Team CLR Ford. The full-time fabricator and test driver for Jasper Motorsports [#77] is running a limited ARCA RE/MAX Series in 2003 for Jim Craig Racing.(AMS PR)(2-25-2003)
- Atlanta Testing: five Winston Cup drivers -- #42-Jamie McMurray, #31-Robby Gordon, #38-Elliott Sadler, #11-Brett Bodine and #57-Jeff Fultz tested on Tuesday for the March 9 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500. Bodine set the fast time during Tuesday's test, posting a lap of 187.551mph [last March's pole was 191.542 by Bill Elliott]. The speeds:
Car#, Driver, Speed
#11-Brett Bodine, 187.551
#31-Robby Gordon, 186.040
#38-Elliott Sadler, 185.853
#42-Jamie McMurray, 185.729
#57-Jeff Fultz, 178.781.
Atlanta race fans are still welcome to attend the Wednesday, Feb. 26 free open test session and cheer for the drivers on hand.(AMS PR)(2-25-2003)
- BAM Racing gets a sponsor for Vegas: dakota imaging, inc. will sponsor Ken Schrader and the #49 BAM Dodge team in this week’s UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The company is a leading provider of high-volume transaction processing systems and services (more info about the company on their website: www.dakotaimaging.com). "dakota imaging was with us as a sponsor some last year, and it’s great to have them back with us," said Beth Ann Morgenthau, owner of BAM Racing. "With a nationwide audience on FOX and over 100,000 people in a sold out Las Vegas track, this should be another good experience for them, and for us." The team tested at Las Vegas and was one of the fastest cars there. "We have been impressed with the ability to showcase our brand and drive sales through the unique business to business aspect of the BAM Racing opportunity," said Sandeep Goel, President and CEO of dakota imaging. "We’re really looking forward to this Las Vegas weekend." BAM Racing is owned by Beth Ann and Tony Morgenthau of Coral Gables, Fla. The successful investors, who have fully funded the team for the complete 2003 season run, have built the BAM (Beth Ann Morgenthau’s initial) team from the ground up. dakota imaging provides turnkey systems and Business Process Outsourcing services for high-volume paper, electronic and Internet transaction processing applications. Their ready-to-use solutions include automated data capture, document imaging, OCR, COLD, Imagine/EDI document archival and Web based self service software for on-line referrals, authorizations and eligibility. Founded in 1989, the company is based in Columbia, Md., and has offices in Atlanta and Dallas.(Williams Company PR)(2-25-2003)
- Add another to the Petty Family: Harrison Ridge Moffitt - son of Rebecca and Brian Moffitt - was born at approximately 8 a.m., Monday, February 24.. He weighed in at 8lbs. and is 21 inches long.. Mother and child are doing fine and we be in Women's Hospital in Greensboro until Friday. Brian is Vice President of Marketing for Petty Marketing. Rebecca is the daughter of Richard and Lynda Petty. Harrison Ridge is their 12th grandchild.(Williams Company PR)(2-25-2003)
- Geoffrey Bodine on cover of Guideposts magazine: Geoffrey Bodine is on the cover of the latest copy of Guideposts magazine and has the featured article, entitled: The Best Example - This NASCAR driver just wanted to be the man his dad was and a good brother. Guideposts is a Christian motivational/positive thinking magazine. They have a website, hsowever the article is not online for viewing, you can see the table of contents at www.guideposts.com.(Stock Car Gazette E-zine)(2-25-2003)
- Darlington Testing for McMurray: #42-Jamie McMurray will test at Darlington Raceway on Tues and Wed, March 4th and 5th.(Darlington PR)(2-25-2003)
- Army Jumpers Injured UPDATE 2: Three members of the Army Special Operations Command parachute team, part of Sunday's prerace show for the Subway 400 Winston Cup race at North Carolina Speedway, were injured in their landing attempts. High winds, with gusts upwards of 40 mph, made it difficult for the eight jumpers to make their way to their planned landing spot on the infield grass on the frontstretch. Three jumpers appeared to land cleanly inside the track. One landed on the track on the frontstretch; three landed in or near the Winston Cup garage area; and one landed outside Turn 1 of the track. One jumper, who landed in the garage, was airlifted to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte for evaluation. Two others were taken by ambulance to Womack Army Hospital in Fayetteville for treatment of minor injuries. The remaining five were seen and released from the track's infield care center. The Army public affairs office declined to release the names of those injured.(Thatsracin.com)(2-23-2003)
UPDATE: Three Army skydivers were injured Sunday when strong wind knocked them to the ground before a NASCAR race. A group of eight jumpers from the U.S. Army Special Operations Command parachute team from Fort Bragg came sailing into the track area, trailing red smoke as part of the pre-race activities for the Subway 400 at North Carolina Speedway. With wind up to 40 mph, one jumper was carried away from his targeted landing on the track and into the infield, where he appeared to bounce off the top of a tractor-trailer before landing on the ground, his chute caught on the antenna of a van. He was flown to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, where he was in good condition Sunday night, a nursing administrator said. The hospital did not provide the soldier's name. Another jumper sailed into the garage area and bounced off the top of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s hauler. He landed between race team trucks and a fence. That jumper, as well as a third who landed hard on the asphalt of the track, were taken to Womack Army Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries. At least two jumpers nailed their landings on the front stretch of the race track. Another skydiver never made it to the track, landing outside the Turn 1 grandstands. Maj. Gary Kolb, a spokesman for the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, said a jump team goes through a safety checklist before a jump. Weather conditions are included in that checklist. The jumpers make the final decision whether to make a jump, he said. He said there is a limit on wind speed for jumps, but he wasn't sure what the limit is. "These guys have had probably in the neighborhood of several hundred freefall jumps,'' he said. "They're very well experienced and know what they're capable of." Kolb said one of the men has a broken leg and the others are bruised.(Fayetteville Observer)(2-24-2003)
UPDATE 2: Three military skydivers injured during an exhibition before a weekend Winston Cup race were released from hospitals Monday. One is still hospitalized. Col. Leonard H. Kiser, a senior Army National Guard adviser for the Army's Special Operations Command, remained in good condition at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, hospital spokesman Scott White said. Sgt. 1st Class Stuart J. Goodall, Maj. Anthony C. Dill, and Air Force Capt. Jesse L. Peterson were released Monday from Fort Bragg's Womack Army Medical Center and FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(2-25-2003)
- Officers face inquiry in stop of Tony Stewart: Ormond Beach police have started an internal investigation into the Feb. 9 traffic stop of NASCAR bad boy Tony Stewart. Police are investigating whether two officers involved in Stewart's early morning traffic stop let him off too easily because of his superstar status, Ormond Beach police spokesman Sgt. Mark Walker said. Stewart, the defending Winston Cup champion, was pulled over in a yellow Ferrari just before 1 a.m. Feb. 9 after Patrol Officer Anthony Zimmerer saw the car fly past him on the Granada Bridge, Walker said. Zimmerer said another passing vehicle prevented his radar from accurately clocking Stewart's speed, Walker said. Stewart was stopped by patrol officer Michael Bakaysa. Then he got a warning, rather than a ticket, from Zimmerer. Stewart's spokesman, Mike Arning, said Monday he could not confirm or deny reports that Stewart discussed the traffic stop on a local radio show Feb. 12.(Daytona Beach News Journal), NOTE: yes it was discussed on a radio show.(2-25-2003)
- Kentucky Testing Wiped out again: A seemingly endless pattern of snow, rain and ice has suspended NASCAR Winston Cup testing for a second straight week at Kentucky Speedway, which has become a favorite among teams preparing to race at Las Vegas.. Those who may have gained an edge for this Sunday's NASCAR Winston Cup event in Las Vegas are those of Mark Martin, Jeff Burton, Ricky Craven, Ricky Rudd, Rusty Wallaceand Dave Blaney, Elliott Sadler and Ryan Newman. The first six drivers visited Kentucky Speedway in late January. The latter two tested in November. More than 24 NASCAR Winston Cup Series drivers, including 2002 champion Tony Stewart and 2002 race winner Sterling Marlin, tested at Las Vegas from January 27-30.(Kentucky Speedway PR)(2-25-2003)
(2-24-2003)
- Rockingham TV Ratings increase: Fox earned a 6.3/13 overnight Nielsen rating for its coverage of yesterday's Subway 400 Winston Cup race at North Carolina Speedway, an 11% increase over last year's 5.7/13, according to the Sports Business Daily. The race, which saw Dale Jarrett victorious over Kurt Busch after a late-race battle, was the top sports event on television this weekend, well ahead of the 5.1/10 that ABC drew for its final-round coverage of the PGA's Nissan Open. Fox's pre-race coverage drew a 4.2/10 to rank third.(Winston Cup Scene Daily Newsletter)(2-24-2003)
- Toyota News: The lead engine builder for the new Toyota program, according to Detroit sources, will likely be Larry Wallace. Larry Wallace decided not to renew his contract with Penske Racing at the end of last season, and Wallace is reported to have moved back into his former shop, not far from Lowe's Motor Speedway. Meanwhile, Toyota's first wind-tunnel runs with its NASCAR Truck didn't go well, according to NASCAR sources, who report that Toyota engineers didn't tie the Truck down tightly enough during the runs at the Langley (VA) wind tunnel a few weeks ago. The Truck tore loose from its moorings and did serious damage to the facility, forcing it to close for two weeks for repairs. No word on how much Toyota had to pay for damages.(Winston Salem Journal)(2-24-2003)
- SAFER Update: NASCAR's Managing Director of Competition Gary Nelson said researchers at the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility in Lincoln, NE, are hoping to complete a critical test of the Steel and Energy Foam Reduction [SAFER] barrier later this week. The SAFER system will be tested on a replica of a Richmond International Raceway wall, and positive results could lead to the installation of the barrier at RIR this season. The "soft-wall" technology made a successful debut at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last year [and also at Talladega on some of the inside walls].(Richmond Times Dispatch)(2-24-2003)
- So..what is up with John Kernan? a coulmn from the Roanoke Times about ESPN's John Kernan who used to host the now defunct [WEEKLY] RPM 2 Night auto racing show [but still airs on weekends with Kernan], some info in part from the article: In 1996 Kernan rode NASCAR's growing popularity all the way to the weeknight anchor's chair of RPM 2Night, a racing news and features show that ESPN promoted as "a 30-minute answer to every gearhead's dream." Although the show also included highlights, analysis and behind-the-scenes features from the CART, Indy and Formula One series, its main focus was on Winston Cup racing. In 2000, Fox and NBC outbid Disney, ESPN's parent company, for NASCAR's television rights in a deal that eventually sent ESPN's relationship with NASCAR into the Turn 1 wall. Shortly after the Fox deal was announced, NASCAR decided RPM 2Night could no longer use Winston Cup or Busch series race footage, nor would it allow the "feature show" to send its cameras onto the track. So Kernan wasn't blindsided when ESPN informed him last August that it was pulling the plug on the weeknight version of RPM 2Night after the 2002 Winston Cup season. "I could see it coming a couple of years ago," said Kernan, who signed off on the final RPM 2Night weeknight show last November following the season-ending Cup race at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. "I was very disappointed, but I wasn't shocked," he said, adding that he harbors no bitterness toward NASCAR or Fox. "I fully understand where they are coming from. It's strictly a business decision." ESPN is keeping Kernan busy in the final year of his contract. He serves as host for the Sunday edition of RPM 2Day, which airs an hour before every Winston Cup race, and RPM 2Night, which airs at 10:30pm. He also serves as host for RPM Now, a weekly two-hour syndicated radio show. Kernan plans to be at the Virginia 500 at Martinsville Speedway in April.(Roanoke Times)(2-24-2003)
- Jackman OK: Big Ed Watkins, Jackman for the #19 of Jeremy Mayfield, is doing OK after being hit during a pit stop in.the Subway 400 at Rockingham. He suffered injuries to his right foot and ankle.(2-24-2003)
- Top Tens: Dale Jarrett, Mark Martin, Kurt Busch and Jimmie Johnson are the only drivers to go two-for-two in top-10 finishes to open the season.(ThatsRacin.com)AND Kurt Busch is the only driver who has finished both races in the top five - with two 2nds.(2-24-2003)
- Some Book and Magazine News: Brassey's, Inc. has just published Monte Dutton's (of the Gaston Gazette) new book: Postcards from Pit Road: Inside Nascar's 2002 Season, a week-by-week look at the 2002 season, with reports by Monte from each and every race out there.. It talks about all the plots and subplots, from Jack Roush's accident and recovery, to Tony Stewart battling his critics -- and Mark Martin -- down the stretch.
AND A new racing novel, authored by Clyde Bolton, former motorsports writer for The Birmingham News, hits the bookstores this week. Bolton's book, Turn Left on Green: A Novel of Stock Car Racing, tells the tale of a female sportswriter, covering racing for The News, who falls in love with a driver.
AND a new quarterly racing magazine, GenerationSPEED Magazine, will debut in March 2003, it covers everything about SPEED including NASCAR. More info at their website: www.mosaicpublishing.net. Many more racing books, magazines, videos and music CD's can be dound at my Racing Bookstore page (proceeds to charity)(2-24-2003)
- Some 2004 News - Not NASCAR: Motorsports 2004, the 19th annual edition of the highly successful fan and racer motorsports extravaganza will return to the huge Fort Washington, PA Expo Center, January 16-18, 2004. The 2003 edition of the popular show attracted more than 40,000 people. It was also announced that he will present the second annual Boardwalk Indoor Midget Auto Racing Show at the Atlantic City Convention Center. Motorsports 2004 organizer Len Sammons brought indoor auto racing back to the East Coast gambling paradise last January for the first time since the early eighties. The event attracted more than 100 racers and close to 7,000 fans [including Jayski - who had a great time and saw some super racing]. The indoor auto racing events are tentatively planned for January 23 and 24th, 2004. All that needs to be done is sign the contracts at present. Additional plans for the second annual three quarter midget race events will be announced in the near future. Motorsports 2004 will cover close to 300,000 square feet and offer just about everything imaginable in motorsports.(Open Wheel Racing)(2-24-2004)
- Team Testing Helps Jarrett win: Dale Jarrett and crew chief Brad Parrott say teammate Elliott Sadler's February test at Rockingham provided their team the data it needed to set up Jarrett's winning Ford. "They handed their book over to me," Parrott says. "And that won us the race." Because practice was rained out last Saturday, Sadler's notes were invaluable for establishing the baseline setup on Jarrett's #88. Sadler finished ninth.(Sporting News)(2-24-2003)
- Home Depot named title sponsor of All-American Soap Box Derby: The Home Depot, the world's largest home improvement retailer, today announced that it signed a multi-year agreement to become the title sponsor of the All-American Soap Box Derby (AASBD), a youth racing program for youngsters competing in gravity-powered race cars. In addition, the Company will donate 200 sanctioned race car kits to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (B&GCA), allowing more children an opportunity to compete in this year's All-American Soapbox Derby races. As part of the newly created alliance, Home Depot will supply 20 race car kits to local Clubs in ten select cities throughout the United States including New York; Los Angeles; Chicago; Washington D.C.; Atlanta; Detroit; Houston; Seattle; Orlando; and Charlotte. TEAM Depot associates in those markets will devote several hours to the respective regional races to guide participating children through the race car building process. TEAM Depot, an organized volunteer force, was developed in 1992 to encourage volunteer activities within the stores' local communities. Home Depot assumes sponsorship duties from Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, the title sponsor since 1999. Goodyear will continue as a Derby sponsor in another role. Additionally, earlier this year, AASBD entered into a partnership with NASCAR to promote one another's respective racing programs. Last July, more than 400 boys and girls between the ages of nine and 16 from 43 states, Washington, D.C., Germany, the Philippines and Japan, earned the right to compete in the 65th All-American Soap Box Derby championships at the Derby Downs racing facility in Akron. As part of the comprehensive sponsorship, Home Depot will grant $15,000 each year to an annual scholarship fund managed by the AASBD and receive national media exposure and logo space on all helmets and signage at every sanctioned event.(PR)(2-24-2003)
- Pruett Wins wins Trans-Am race: former Cup driver, Scott Pruett became the only Trans-Am driver to win twice in St. Petersburg. But it took him 16 years to earn that honor. Pruett, driving a Jaguar XKR, led 53 of the 54 laps to win the BFGoodrich Tires Cup race Sunday, holding off a determined Boris Said by 1.3 seconds.(Tampa Tribune)(2-24-2003)
- Ramblings: We went to Rockingham today....and racing broke out. We saw cars actually get side-by-side, and even some passing! Dale Jarrett and Kurt Busch staged a ding-dong battle to the finish, and when the dust settled (and there was a lot of that with all that wind) it was DJ standing in Victory Lane to give Brad Parrot his first ever Winston Cup victory as a crew chief. Jarrett's second win at the Rock (he won here in October of 2000) was the 31st of his Cup career....he's 19th on the all-time win list. Ricky Craven (4th) had his best finish since he was 3rd at Lowes Motor Speedway last May.
STREAKIN....Kurt Busch has 7 Top-10's in a row. Mark Martin has 7 Top-10's in a row.
This Week's Elevator....UP: Operator of the Week is Jimmie Johnson (+29), followed by Jeff Burton (+26), and Kurt Busch (+25). DOWN: The Big Dropper was Sterling Marlin (-36), followed by Bill Elliott (-27), Dale Earnhardt Jr (-21), and Kenny Wallace (-21).
Wild and crazy moves in the point standings....as you'd expect early in the season. Ricky Craven (25th to 8th) made the best move forward, while Mike Wallace (who was not entered this weekend) fell the most spots (9th to 35th).(Stockcarfans.com)(2-24-2003)
- Clay Henry: One of Subway's most famous spokespersons, Clay Henry, served as grand marshal for Sunday's race, the Subway 400. Henry has been featured in several commercials since losing 130 pounds on a diet that included Subway sandwiches.(Morning News)(2-24-2003)
- No Winner from the pole..again at the Rock: The pole winner hasn't won the Cup race at Rockingham in the last 17 races, dating to Jeff Gordon in the spring of 1995.(Daily Press), Sunday's pole sitter, #77-Dave Blaney finished 10th.(2-24-2003)
(2-23-2003)
see the Feb 17-23, 2003 Archived News Page
(2-16-2003)
see the Feb 10-16, 2003 Archived News Page
