NOTE: many of the links in the past news will be old and may not work
decided it was not worth the time to go thru each one on all the Team Past News pages
Past 2008 News
Penske-Jasper split? hearing that Penske Racing and Jasper Engines/Transmissions are going to dissolve their partnership in the engine building program. Supposedly Jasper will continue to build and supply transmissions to race teams.(12-27-2008) Comment here
Kurt Busch to test a sports car at Daytona: #2-Kurt Busch will be at Daytona International Speedway on Wednesday (11/12) participating in Penske Racing’s testing for the 2009 Rolex 24 at Daytona Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series race. “We had a podium finish there last year,” said Kurt, who teamed with Penske Racing IRL drivers Ryan Briscoe and Helio Castroneves to finish third in the prestigious sports car endurance race. “Knowing Roger like I do, we plan on coming back prepared as ever this time around.” Briscoe is expected to share the driving seat with Kurt on Wednesday. The 47th Annual Rolex 24 is scheduled for Jan. 24-25 with Daytona test days scheduled for Jan. 2-4.(Tom Roberts PR)(11-14-2008) Comment here
Logano out of the #20..before he gets in? UPDATE denied: Let's start the [ESPN] blog with a bang and throw out the latest rumor going around the Cup garage area. Will plans to have rookie Joey Logano replace Tony Stewart next season in the #20 Toyota change?
Speculation is Joe Gibbs Racing officials are trying to work out a deal to get #1-Martin Truex Jr. from Dale Earnhardt Inc. to drive the #20 car next year. If JGR can't get Truex, they might make a run at #2-Kurt Busch, who wants out of his deal with Penske Racing. A quick warning: Rumors are rampant these days in NASCAR because of the difficult economic times. So here's another rumor: JGR president J.D. Gibbs is expected to arrive at Phoenix today and possibility address this issue to deny all of it. The Logano/Truex gossip started because of DEI's tenuous situation right now on sponsorship, and growing concerns that the 18-year-old Logano might not be ready to race Cup full-time next year. But Home Depot, primary sponsor for the #20 Camry, already has invested tons of money in a marketing campaign for Logano [as well as diecast's with Motorsports Authenics, see an image of the #20 Home Depot/Logano scheme on my 2009 #20 Team Schemes page].(ESPN blog)(11-8-2008) UPDATE denied: Joe Gibbs Racing president J.D. Gibbs reiterated on Saturday that Joey Logano will drive the #20 Toyota in 2009. "Everything he's done up to now he's done exceptionally well," Gibbs said. "When you get to this level, everybody is really good."
Logano has failed to finish on the lead lap in the three Cup races he's run this season, which has left the rookie with an average showing of 37th. In last Sunday's Dickie's 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, he was unable to maintain minimum speed on the racetrack. But NASCAR still allowed Logano to compete. "We threatened him within an inch of his life — just finish the race," Gibbs joked. "It's just going to take time."(FoxSports) AND “For God’s sakes, please write that Joey Logano is driving the #20 car next year. … Unequivocally, Joey is in the 20. Please print that and tell everyone else.” Those words were uttered by a frustrated and angry Joe Gibbs Racing President J.D. Gibbs Sunday morning in the Sprint Cup garage at Phoenix International Raceway. Gibbs made the declaration after ESPN.com reported Saturday that Logano might be replaced next year by Martin Truex Jr. [or Kurt Busch] in the #20 Home Depot-sponsored car. Responding to the report, Gibbs said, “I don’t know where it started, where it came from, but it’s frustrating for everybody. You can’t just say stuff like that. That’s crazy talk. So for me, I would say, look, he’s in the car. It’s done. That’s been done a long time ago. The Nationwide stuff, he’s done a great job with it. Cup is harder. Hey, you’re going to have your struggles. All of our guys have. He’ll be fine. He’s going to be in good shape.”(SPEEDtv) AND II: The rumor that Joe Gibbs Racing wanted to postpone Joey Logano's full-time entry into the Cup series until 2010 and put Kurt Busch or Martin Truex Jr. into the #20 next season was just that -- a rumor. "I don't know where that came from," JGR president J.D. Gibbs said. "Joey Logano will be in the #20 next year." Gibbs said he spent much of Saturday afternoon and early Sunday morning explaining to reporters and sponsors that there was nothing to the rumor and that the team was completely behind the 18-year-old phenom.(ESPN)(11-9-2008) Comment here
Busch racing to help military folks: #2-Kurt Busch will be racing for a $100,000 bonus contribution to “Operation Homefront-Texas” if he can pull off the win in the Nov. 2 Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Regardless of the final race outcome, Kurt’s efforts on the track will yield a minimum $10,000 donation in his honor. It’s all part of an engaging statewide promotional campaign that sponsor Miller Lite launched several weeks back. The campaign recognizes, celebrates, honors and rewards military veterans, both past and present, for their commitment to serving our country. Miller Lite is teaming with Operation to support Texas troops and their families. Miller Lite has donated more than $150,000 over the last two years to support the cause. Consumers can also make donations by purchasing Miller Lite - Operation Homefront commemorative gear. Log on to the Web site, operationhomefront.net to learn more about how you can support Texas Troops.(10-27-2008)(Tom Roberts PR)(10-28-2008) Comment here
Kurt Busch not leaving Penske: Walt Czarnecki, a top Penske Racing executive, denies speculation #2-Kurt Busch might be with another team next season. There are reports that at least one top team would be interested in talking with Busch if his Penske contract were up. But Czarnecki calls it “categorically untrue” that Busch might be moving on.(Winston Salem Journal)(10-20-2008) Comment here
Kurt Busch live at Barrett-Jackson…this Thursday (Oct. 16) between 4:10 p.m. and 4:20 p.m. local time in Las Vegas (PDT – 7:10 to 7:20 Eastern) at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino Events Center. Kurt will help auction – live on SPEED-TV – the Miller Lite Dodge he raced last year at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with all proceeds going to the Kurt Busch Foundation benefiting the Victory Junction Gang Camp.(Tom Roberts PR)(10-15-2008)
Penske testing at Kentucky: Penske Racing is testing with three teams at Kentucky Speedway on Tuesday, October 7. Scheduled to test are #2-Kurt Busch, #77-Sam Hornish, and the R&D team with David Stremme. Fans can view testing from the designated area outside the Kentucky Speedway Fan Center in Turn 3 for free. Tests usually begin at 9:00 a.m. and end at 5:00 p.m. Times will vary based on team goals.(Kentucky Speedway PR)(10-7-2008)
Dodge debuts new engine at Kansas: Dodge's new engine, the R6P8, made its debut in #2-Kurt Busch's car Sunday. Busch finished 30th, blaming handling issues. Mike Delahanty, Sr. Mgr Dodge Motorsports, says other Dodge teams have the engine in development. Busch's team wants to run the engine at Phoenix to give it a short track test and would like to run it in some other tracks depending on how well things go. As for when other teams will use the engine, that's up to the teams and to be determined.(Roanoke Times)(9-29-2008) Comment here
Kurt Busch visits NHRA race: #2-Kurt Busch made his first visit to an NHRA event, the US Nationals in Indianapolis, the day after competing in the Pepsi 500 at California Speedway. Attending as a guest of Don Prudhomme, Busch quickly realized how monumental the moment was in his life. “I was walking with (Don) and I said 'stop for a second. This reminds me of the time that I walked with Roger (Penske) on the grid for the Indianapolis 500.' He laughed. He giggled at that.” Operating on four hours of sleep, Busch was wide awake to the sights and sounds of an NHRA event. “It's just a whole different world. I love it. I knew it would be about like this but, I had no idea the sound and intensity and thrill that goes through your body on the start finish line.”(competitionplus.com)(9-3-2008)
Kurt Busch talks to Arizona Wildcats Football team: #2-Kurt Busch returned to college yesterday at the University of Arizona in Tucson. No, he didn't enroll in any classes, but he certainly did a first-class job in presenting a motivational speech to the 2008 Arizona Wildcat football squad. "Kurt is definitely an impressive representative for NASCAR, for Penske Racing and for all his sponsors," said head coach Mike Stoops. "We were so pleased to have him here back on campus to talk to our team. I am certain that he made a great number of new race fans here today. We just hope that he'll take us up on our offer to come back and see us play this season."
"I've been here for over 10 years now and I've never seen anyone talk to our guys and have the impact that Kurt did here today," said Wendell Neal, director of equipment operations for the Wildcats. "He had their undivided attention for all 25 minutes. The way he was able to relate what he does to what they will experience was so impressive."
"It was a lot of fun and a great experience to get back down to my old school," said Busch, who attended classes here in 1997-1998. "We were able to tour the new athletic complex before heading over to the practice field. My mission was to motivate the guys by making analogies of the importance of preparation and teamwork in both sports. I was really amazed at their interest level and the great questions they asked after giving my little talk to them. Coach Stoops is a great leader and he certainly made us feel at home. Thanks also to Frankie Acosta of the alumni department and to Paul Corliss and the staff at Phoenix International Raceway for helping make it happen."(TRPR)(8-29-2008)
Kurt Busch testing and Road Atlanta next week: In preparation for the Aug. 10 return to road course racing at Watkins Glen, N.Y., Kurt Busch, Pat Tryson, and crew are scheduled to be testing at Road Atlanta next Tuesday (7/29/08). "We like Road Atlanta because it offers a layout that pretty much covers it all," Pat said of the the 2.54-mile road course located in Braselton, Georgia. "It has the 'esses' and 12 turns, including one that runs downhill."(Penske Racing PR)(7-24-2008)
Penske Racing Pays Tribute to Employee: This weekend at Chicagoland Speedway, all three Penske Racing NASCAR Cup Series entries will carry a special decal in memory of employee Bill Passwater. The decal will also be on Penske IndyCar Series entries at Nashville Superspeedway and the American Le Mans Series entries at Lime Rock. Passwater, 33, passed away on Wednesday morning. He is survived by his wife, Heather, and their baby daughter, Lyla Grace. Passwater had been employed at Penske Racing since 2005. He was the transportation coordinator for the NASCAR Cup Series teams.(Penske Racing PR)(7-10-2008)
Penske back at the track: Legendary team owner Roger Penske,71, missed his second consecutive NASCAR race weekend after having a scheduled medical procedure (related to his kidney) two weeks ago. Team president Tim Cindric handled the day-to-day operations for both the NASCAR and IndyCar teams in his absence. "The Captain," as Penske is known, is expected back at the track today for the IndyCar Series race in Watkins Glen, N.Y.(Tampa Tribune)(7-6-2008) Comment here
Another open wheeler out of the mix, Castroneves to stay in IRL: Helio Castroneves has agreed to a long-term contract with Penske Racing IndyCar Series team, squelching rumors he was considering a jump to NASCAR. Castroneves declined to confirm details except to say it is a multiyear contract. Castroneves was to become a free agent at the end of the season. "We don't have it signed, but we have everything agreed to," Castroneves said Friday at Watkins Glen International, site of Sunday's Indy Racing League event. "It's good."
Team president Tim Cindric confirmed the oral agreement. Series officials were ecstatic with the news. "That's excellent, cool, very good, it's huge," said Terry Angstadt, the president of the league's commercial division. "You look at the breakthrough names (in the series) and it's Helio and Danica at this stage. Those two are very important names. It's critical to have Helio here not just with his personality but his talent and all the things he brings to the table." Castroneves is the first piece of the IndyCar Series' driver puzzle to fall into place for the 2009 season. Dan Wheldon, Tony Kanaan and Marco Andretti also have contracts that expire at the end of the season. Wheldon has said he is working through the details to remain with Ganassi Racing, and Andretti figures to return to his family-owned Andretti Green Racing.(Indianapolis Star)(7-5-2008) Comment here
KURT Busch wins at New Hampshire: #2-Kurt Busch won the LENOX Industrial Tools 301 for his 1st win of 2008 and the 18th of his career and Busch has now won at least a race a year for ther last 6 years. His last win came at Michigan in August 2007, 29 races ago. The race was called on lap 284 of 301 after a wreck, then the rains came. #55-Michael Waltrip finished 2nd, his best finish and first top five since a 5th at Pocono in June 2005. #96-J.J. Yeley was 3rd for his 2nd career top-five finish and best finish since a 2nd at Charlotte last May. #1-Truex Jr. and #19-Sadler rounded out the top five. #41-Sorenson finished 6th, followed by #5-Mears, #11-Hamlin, #48-Johnson and #43-Labonte. #99-Edwards was the best finishing Ford driver at 17th. #20-Stewart led the most laps with 132 but a late caution before the rain came, mixed up the field and he finished 13th. #88-Earnhardt Jr. wrecked and finished 24th. #18-Kyle Busch was never in contention during the race, was running around 17th when he and #42-Montoya tangled AFTER the caution, spinning both, with Busch finishing 25th and his points lead drops to 64 points over #31-Burton, who finished 12th. #42-Montoya finished 32nd and was penalized two laps for rough driving [he admitted on TV he spun Busch on purpose]. Pole sitter #10-Patrick Carpentier finished 31st. There were 7 cautions for 33 laps and their were 9 lead changes among 8 drivers.
For race results, awards and more, see my New Hampshire Race Results Awards Page. Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after New Hampshire page.(6-29-2008)
Penske Racing Teams Up with Cunningham Motorsports: Helping to pave the way for its continued success in stock car racing, Penske Racing announced an official developmental partnership with Cunningham Motorsports. With the consistent growth of Penske Racing, which currently competes with three Dodge Chargers in the Sprint Cup Series and one Dodge Charger in Nationwide Series competition, the 2008 Daytona 500 championship team is eager to add to its history of motorsports success. As it looks for talented personnel to join the team in the future, Penske Racing will partner with Cunningham Motorsports, an established and proven team across the developmental racing ranks. Through this partnership, Penske Racing will work with the Cunningham Motorsports teams racing in USAC Midget, ARCA RE/MAX Series and Craftsman Truck Series competition. Penske Racing will also help develop the talented young drivers in the Cunningham Motorsports program as well as identify potential crew and team members to add to its staff in the future. In addition, the partnership will provide Penske Racing another source for testing as well as engine and chassis development as it continues to enhance its program.(Penske Racing PR)(6-14-2008)
Ganassi and Penske? Preposterous: Rumors that have surfaced recently about a possible alliance between Chip Ganassi [#40,#41,#42] and Roger Penske [#2,#12,#77] in NASCAR racing, or of a possible Penske buyout of Ganassi's stock car team? Both men field Dodges in Sprint Cup racing, and at the recent Indianapolis 500, won by Ganassi driver Scott Dixon, the two pillars of the sport reportedly appeared a lot more chummy than usual. Sunday at Dover, Mike Accavitti, director of Dodge Brand and SRT Marketing Communications, said he had read the rumors but scoffed at them. "Absolutely preposterous," Accavitti said. "That would be like putting the Hatfields and McCoys together."(Sporting News)(6-2-2008) Comment here
New Spotter for #2 Team: Chris Osborne debuted in his new role as spotter for Kurt and crew in last weekend’s Sprint All-Star Race action. The High Point, N.C., native is perhaps best known for his years of spotting for Jimmie Johnson and the #48 Hendrick Team. Chris replaces Jesse Walker, who served as spotter since the beginning of the 2007 season. Jesse has returned to his fulltime position as operations manager at KBI.(TRPR)(5-23-2008) Comment here
Kurt Busch featured on AMW: #2-Kurt Busch will be featured on this Saturday [May 24th] night’s edition of “America’s Most Wanted,” the popular FOX- TV show hosted by John Walsh. “John was at the track filming on Friday and it was great to meet him and do the filming,” Kurt said of the shoot held Friday at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. “I was in my Miller Lite fire suit and we did a nice little interview first. Then I did the introduction to a segment where they are looking for a woman named Jenny Liang. She was living in Vegas and working at the Mirage Casino when she supposedly murdered her boyfriend and then went on the run. I really enjoyed spending the time with John and I hope that our efforts add support in helping them capture this woman. John has an entourage of about 20 people, with two armed guards following him at all times. With his show helping take down nearly 1,000 dangerous fugitives in the past 20 years, it’s pretty easy to understand why he has that kind of support crew.”(TRPR)(5-23-2008) Comment here
Kurt Busch Superdone at Victory Juntion opens Tuesday: The official ribbon-cutting and "Grand Opening" of the new Kurt Busch Superdome at the Victory Junction Gang Camp is set for Tuesday, May 20 at 2:00pm/et. "It is a day that we've been looking forward to for almost two years now," said Busch. "When we made the announcement of the original endowment for this project back in May of 2006, we envisioned the construction of a multi-purpose building that we would all be proud of. That is certainly the case in that we now have an indoor sports facility with a climate-controlled environment that the kids will utilize and enjoy for many years to come. The Kurt Busch Superdome is a 15,000-square-foot climate-controlled gymnasium, complete with scoreboard, bleachers and a specialty floor that can accommodate wheel chairs. It offers a completely allergy-free environment. Busch announced the formation of his foundation on May, 19, 2006, at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Kyle and Pattie Petty joined Busch at the announcement to discuss details of the Superdome, the Kurt Busch Foundation's initial project. The Las Vegas native pledged that day the first $1 million toward the construction of the camp's new gymnasium. Several entertainment and sports figures are expected to attend Tuesday's "Grand Opening" including members of the Carolina Panthers and Ryan Newman. Members of the Petty Family, representatives of the Richard Petty Driving Experience as well as the team mascots from the Charlotte Bobcats, Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Knights and Kannapolis Intimidators are also expected to be in attendance.(TRPR)(5-19-2008) Comment here
Kyle vs. Kurt after 125 races...Kurt leads: Even though 23-year-old #18-Kyle Busch is definitely the hottest driver on the circuit right now, but the truth is that big brother #2-Kurt Busch had won more races at the same point in his career. Saturday night's Darlington race was the 125th career Cup race for Kyle. Here's the way the Busch
Brothers' statistics compare at the same point in their careers:
Kurt Busch completed the 125th race of his Cup career on 5/15/04 at Richmond
Kyle Busch completed the 125th race of his Cup career on 5/10/08 at Darlington
After 125 races Kurt Busch had 9 wins, 25 top-5s, 45 top-10s, 20 DNFs and 2 poles
After 125 races Kyle Busch had 7 wins, 37 top-5s, 59 top-10s, 16 DNFs and 3 poles
(Tom Roberts PR)(5-14-2008) Comment here
Kurt Busch and team keeping busy: #2-Kurt Busch, crew chief Pat Tryson and team will be busy testing during the next few weeks. “We know that test time is extremely important in our effort to get better with this car and we’re committed to doing what it takes to be competing up front,” said Tryson. “We’ve already scheduled a test at Nashville (Nashville Superspeedway, the 1.33-mile D-shaped concrete track near Lebanon, Tenn.) next Tuesday (April 15) and are set to test for Goodyear at Indy (Indianapolis Motor Speedway) on April 22nd and 23rd.(TRPR)(4-10-2008)
Dodge re-ups with Penske and Ganassi: Dodge executives have taken team owners Roger Penske and Chip Ganassi out of the Toyota equation by signing new contracts with the two. That keeps Dodge with a four-team lineup, including Petty Enterprises and Gillett-Evernham. When Toyota first announced its NASCAR plans, there was considerable speculation that both Penske and Ganassi would eventually switch.(Winston Salem Journal)(2-18-2008)
An extra million for Newman and the team: Teammates #12-Ryan Newman and #2-Kurt Busch gave Dodge its first ever 1-2 sweep in NASCAR’s premier event, the Daytona 500, winning the 50th running of the “Great American Race” Sunday at Daytona International Speedway. The Dodge Charger domination didn’t stop there. Six of the first eight positions were filled by Dodge drivers. Reed Sorenson finished fourth, Elliott Sadler fifth, Kasey Kahne sixth and Robby Gordon seventh. Chrysler Chairman and CEO Robert Nardelli met with Dodge team owners earlier Sunday and announced there would be a $1 million bonus for a Dodge victory. During a meeting with several members of the motorsports press later in the day, he predicted a Dodge victory. It was Newman’s first Daytona 500 victory and snapped an 81-race winless streak. He led four times for eight laps in the #12 Alltel Dodge Charger, but the most important was the final circuit. The win was also the first Daytona 500 victory for car owner Roger Penske, the most successful owner in open wheel history with 14 Indianapolis 500 victories. It was the first Daytona 500 win by a Dodge driver since Ward Burton visited victory lane in 2002. Newman collected $1,506,045 for the win plus the $1 million bonus from Dodge. Newman’s Dodge Charger will be inducted into the Daytona 500 Experience Monday where it will remain on display for one year. Following the induction ceremonies, Newman departs for New York for a media tour and then on to Las Angeles on Tuesday afternoon for more appearances.(Dodge Motorsports PR)(2-18-2008) Comment here
Tryson named 2007 Sporting News "Crew Chief of the Year": #2 Miller Lite Dodge crew chief Pat Tryson’s effort last season garnered him the prestigious 2007 Sporting News “Crew Chief of the Year” designation. “It was a real honor to receive that notoriety, especially with the great jobs done by so many crew chiefs last year,” said Tryson. “They may have cited me for it, but it was a tribute to Kurt and our whole Miller Lite Dodge Team.”
Added his driver, Busch: "Just think about the big statement winning that award meant. The fact is that Pat didn't even join our team until June and he was on our pit box for only 21 of the 36 races. That's pretty incredible if you ask me. It's like spotting all the other competitors 15 races to make their marks and then going out there and making a huge impact and a major statement in a relatively short period of time. I am so proud of Pat and thrilled to have him as our team's leader."(Tom Roberts PR)(2-17-2008) Comment here
Penalties for Busch, Stewart after practice incident? UPDATE Probation: NASCAR chairman Brian France kicked off the 2008 media tour in Charlotte, N.C., last month by saying Sprint Cup drivers needed to show more of their personalities. #2-Kurt Busch and #20-Tony Stewart obliged on Friday night when they got into a sheet metal exchange on pit road after an on-the-track incident that wrecked both of their cars in the final practice for Saturday's Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway. Both drivers immediately were summoned to the NASCAR hauler to meet with Series director John Darby and competition director Robin Pemberton. They will meet again on Saturday before the governing body determines what fines, if any, will be issued. The only words spoken by either driver -- both left through a side door without commenting -- came from Busch before entering the hauler. "It's a great way to start off 2008," he said, clapping his hands together.(more at ESPN.com)(2-9-2008) UPDATE: On SPEED's NASCAR Live, Bob Dillner reported that he spoke with NASCAR's Jim Hunter that Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch met Saturday morning in the NASCAR Trailer and the meeting was cordial. It was also reported that Stewart may had thrown a punch in the NASCAR trailer Friday night after the incident, but NASCAR declined to comment on that and no more about possible penalties for either driver yet. Dr. Dick Berggren talked to Stewart during practice, who was very contrite and said it was part of racing and that what happened was over.(2-9-2008) UPDATE 2: NASCAR has placed drivers Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch on probation for the first six races of the 2008 Sprint Cup Series season, a result of their on-track altercations this past Friday during practice for the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona. Stewart, driver of the #20 Toyota and Busch, driver of the #2 Dodge, violated Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing; altercation with another competitor) of the NASCAR rule book.(NASCAR PR)(2-12-2008) Comment here.
New Young Guns Named: #07-Clint Bowyer and #11-Denny Hamlin are the latest additions to the Gillette Young Guns program. The pair join #2-Kurt Busch, #12-Ryan Newman, #99-Carl Edwards and #9-Kasey Kahne as clean-shaven drivers in the campaign. #48-Jimmie Johnson and #26-Jamie McMurray are no longer participating in the program. The company is unveiling a new ad campaign featuring the drivers with WWE veteran John Cena attempting to teach the group to wrestle. Cena learned to drive a Sprint Cup car as part of a reality television show last summer. The Gillette program is entering its fifth season.(SceneDaily.com)(2-8-2008) Comment here.
Kurt Busch under the weather: Miller Lite Dodge crew chief Pat Tryson got the word that his blue #2 Miller Lite Dodge Team would start on the pole for Saturday night's Bud Shootout almost immediately after driver Kurt Busch drew the top starting spot just after 7:00 p.m. tonight here at Daytona International Speedway. The last time Tryson had talked to or had seen his driver was some eight hours earlier. At 11:30am/et Thursday morning, Tryson could be found consoling his driver as Busch lay on the hospital gurney in the infield medical center, being administered intravenous fluids. "He's a skinny little dude, but he's as tough as nails," Tryson said of Busch late Thursday night. "I told him this morning that his health is the number one priority and after seeing him laying there earlier today, I can't believe he's done all they tell me he has since then." Busch had been bedridden with the flu at his Mooresville, N.C., home since Monday night. He mustered enough energy to make it down to Daytona Beach this morning, only to be ushered straight to the infield medical center and put under the resident physician's care. Although an hour late, Busch was suited up and completed the afternoon's hectic "NASCAR Media Day" schedule before taking a break prior to the qualifying draw for Saturday night's special event for last year's pole winners. The 2004 NASCAR champ was admittedly weak, but incredibly joyous with the outcome of the draw. While Busch is certain to start from the inside of the front row here on Saturday night, his status for practice on Friday is yet to be determined. "Just like I told Kurt this morning, he doesn't have to be in the car for early practice if he doesn't feel up to it," Tryson said. "We'll play it by ear and hopefully he gets a great night's rest and is ready to go tomorrow (Friday). He's had a tough day here today and has already shown what a champion competitor that he is."(Tom Roberts PR)(2-8-2008) Comment here.
Miller challenges Bud for 2008, money to charity: The Palms Casino Resort unveiled today a new head-to-head betting line that establishes the #2 Miller Lite Sprint Cup team as a clear favorite over the rival Bud car for the 2008 season. Wasting no time in underscoring its confidence in Kurt Busch and the entire Miller Lite Racing team, Miller Brewing Company announced immediately that it is wagering $25,000 on the Blue Deuce to again finish ahead of the Bud car [#9-Kasey Kahne] this year, with the winnings pegged for the Kurt Busch Foundation. The Palms' official line has the Miller Lite car favored to finish 8½ spots ahead of the Bud car in the final Sprint Cup season standings.
Additionally, Miller is wagering $2,500 on the #2 car to finish ahead of the #9 at the Feb. 17 season-opening race in Daytona Beach. At The Palms Casino Resort, the Blue Deuce is favored to finish 6½ spots ahead of the #9 Bud car in the Daytona race. The Palms will be setting similar lines between the two cars for each race. In addition to making a wager on its car for charity, Tom Long, Miller's president and CEO, today sent a certified letter to his counterpart at Anheuser-Busch, August Busch IV, encouraging him to place a wager on his company's new team and driver, donating any winnings to charity. This is the third consecutive year Miller Lite has engaged Budweiser in a friendly challenge in the days leading up to the start of the NASCAR season. Past challenges have included as a prize swapping paint schemes on their cars and the naming rights to each brewer's hometown baseball stadium. Both years, Bud has declined Miller's offer. In year one of the challenge, 2006, Bud would have emerged the winner, but Miller Lite would have been victorious in 2007. The Palms Casino Resort announced that not only was it issuing an official season-long betting line for the Miller Lite and Bud cars, but also a line for each individual race. Miller plans to wager on the Miller Lite Dodge in select individual races during the season, with winnings again going to the Kurt Busch Foundation. Should it lose the season-long wager, Miller will still make a $5,000 donation to the charity. For more information about this year's Miller Lite NASCAR challenge, please visit www.MillerLiteRacing.com.(Tom Roberts PR)(2-6-2008) Comment here.
Past 2007 News
NASCAR permits Penske to swap owners points between Busch, Hornish: NASCAR has approved Penske Racing's request to transfer the owner points from #2-Kurt Busch to #77-Sam Hornish Jr., a move that locks the three-time IndyCar Series champion into the first five races of next season. Hornish publicly thanked Busch for giving him the points at the Penske holiday party on Friday night. Bud Denker, senior vice president of Penske Corp., confirmed Saturday that the team would swap the points with NASCAR's approval. Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition, said the sanctioning body had signed off on the transfer. "This would obviously help Sam as he prepares to run the first five races instead of prepares to qualify for the first five races," Denker said. "With a champion like Kurt Busch and the opportunity to utilize (the points), anyone would be foolish to not take care of the situation." Hornish, a former Indianapolis 500 winner, is leaving that series for NASCAR next season. But his #77 Dodge won't be one of the 35 cars locked into the first five races of the year. As the 2004 series champion, Busch has a provisional position that he could fall back on should he fail to qualify on speed.(ESPN.com/AP)(12-15-2007)
Report rates value of NASCAR sponsorships: Miller Brewing Co. is getting a high rate of return on its sponsorship of driver #2-Kurt Busch, at least when it comes to broadcasters and Busch himself mentioning one of his sponsors on the air, according to research released by SportsBusiness Journal. Busch ranked second among NASCAR drivers for on-air audio mentions of Busch and a sponsor, reflecting a monetary value for the media exposure of about $3.64 million. That was the conclusion of a recent report that captured and assessed the more than 96,000 sponsor impressions through NASCAR's 37-race Nextel Cup Series schedule, including the Nextel All-Star Challenge. Nearly 400 sponsors were tracked, analyzing primary and secondary car and driver partners, all race venue signage, and the myriad graphics and audio mentions from the races' TV broadcasts. As far as audio mentions, Busch ranked second in NASCAR with 124 "detections" equating to 10 minutes and 20 seconds of air time. Jeff Gordon, driving the #24 Du Pont Chevy, ranked the highest with 178 detections, equaling 14 minutes and 50 seconds of air time valued at $5.07 million. Busch didn't rank among the top five when both audio and video detections were evaluated. Nextel Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, driving the #48 Lowe's Chevy, was the top driver with 7,845 detections valued at $55.98 million. Among the beer brands, Miller Lite lost out to main rival Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc.'s Budweiser brand, an official sponsor of NASCAR. Miller Lite had 2,099 detections valued at $18.48 million, compared with Budweiser's 3,024 detections valued at $45.54 million.(Milwaukee Business Journal)(12-12-2007)
Penske Names VP of Marketing: Penske Performance has appointed Jonathan Gibson as Vice President of Marketing, a newly created position within its organization. In this role, Gibson will oversee the sponsorship management, media and public relations, licensing as well as other marketing functions for Penske Performance, which includes its teams in NASCAR, the IndyCar Series and the American Le Mans Series. Gibson was most recently Vice President for Pierce, a sports marketing and experiential marketing division of Omnicom's, The Radiate Group. Formerly, he led the Miller Lite brand's sports marketing investments, which included its long and prosperous relationship with Penske Racing.(Penske Racing PR)(12-8-2007)
Kurt Busch to compete in Rolex 24: Penske Racing officials say Kurt Busch will drive in the Rolex 24 at Daytona next month as part of collaboration between Penske and Wayne Taylor Racing. Busch will team with two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves and sports-car veteran Ryan Briscoe in a Riley-Pontiac fielded by Penske-Taylor Racing. Busch will be making his second Rolex 24 at Daytona start. He finished 27th in 2005. Castroneves and Briscoe will be teammates for Penske's Indy Racing League team in 2008.(SceneDaily.com)(12-4-2007)
Penske Racing to form test team: #2-Kurt Busch said Penske Racing has plans to form a designated test team to prepare for the 2008 Sprint Cup Series season when all 36 races will feature the car of tomorrow. "We need more laps, more time with the new car to be more competitive," said Busch, who finished seventh in points this year, following the NMPA Myers Bothers Awards Luncheon at Cipriani's. With the addition of new teammate Sam Hornish Jr. in the #77 Dodge, the fourth team is expected to focus solely on testing. Busch said teammate Ryan Newman, Hornish, himself or an "outside driver" could all be involved in the tests. Busch, who has already tested at Atlanta, said the remainder of his offseason schedule includes scheduled stops at Daytona International Speedway, Lakeland, California and Las Vegas. Nashville is also a possibility if the weather cooperates, he said.
With the Cup series already running twice in the COT at Bristol this year, Busch is comfortable heading into the first handful of races in '08. "We feel like we're prepared really well for the first five or six, then we hit tracks like Texas [and Charlotte], and that's where the teams that are ready to go will prevail," he said, adding, "I hope not to be in a Cup car until January. I might end up doing a shakedown test for the Rolex 24. Penske's putting together a team. It might be double top secret until now. But we're having some fun with that."(SceneDaily.com)(11-30-2007)
Castroneves wins "Dancing With the Stars": Race car [Penske Racing's IRL] driver Helio Castroneves is the winner of "Dancing With the Stars." Spice Girl Melanie Brown and her partner, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, were the highest-scoring couple throughout the hit show's fifth season. But on Tuesday night, viewers snubbed Brown and gave the mirrorball trophy to Castroneves. The fourth consecutive man to win the contest, Castroneves' personality, enthusiasm and flashing smile - combined with an effortless quickstep on his final performance - clearly resonated more with voters. "It's not only about dancing, you know? It's about popularity," Castroneves said after the show. "That's what I'm actually very happy about."(Associated Press)(11-28-2007)
Crew Chief change at the #12? Miller retires? UPDATE 2 Confirmed: hearing Roy McCauley take over as the crew chief for the #12 alltel Penske Racing team for driver Ryan Newman. McCauley started the 2007 season as Kurt Busch's crew chief in the #2 Dodge. Supposedly current #12 crew chief, Mike Nelson, will move over to a management position at Penske Racing. The crew chief job for the #77 team and driver Sam Hornish Jr. is supposedly open.(11-17-2007) UPDATE: been told that Mike Nelson will be in the front office overseeing the Cup side of the business and Roy McCaulley will be Ryan Newman's crew chief, and Matt Gimbel will be the interim crew chief for #77 Sam Horish Jr. until a permanent crew chief is chosen, then he will be the race engineer for #77 team. Also, been told that Penske Racing's Don Miller will retire.(11-27-2007) UPDATE 2: Don Miller, who has served as President of Penske Racing South, Inc. since its inception in 1990, is retiring from his position after nearly two successful decades at the highest levels of stock car racing. Penske Racing also announced that Mike Nelson, who just completed his first season as crew chief of the #12 Alltel Dodge driven by Ryan Newman, has been promoted to Vice President of Operations. In his new role, Nelson will oversee Penske’s entries in the Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series programs, reporting to Tim Cindric, President of Penske Performance, Inc. In addition, Roy McCauley has been named crew chief for the #12 Alltel team.(Penske Racing PR)(11-28-2007)
Penske undecided on points switch: Team owner Roger Penske said Saturday he hasn't decided if he'll move #2-Kurt Busch's points to Sam Hornish Jr. to guarantee the driver a spot in the first five races of next season. Hornish is leaving the IndyCar Series for a full NASCAR schedule next season, but his #77 Mobil 1 Dodge won't be one of the 35 cars locked into the first five races of the year. As a former series champion, Busch has a provisional that he could fall back on should he fail to qualify on speed. "We have a number of options and we're looking at all of them ... we'll see," Penske said at Phoenix International Raceway. "This isn't all about the first five races. This is about a long career for a great race car driver and someone who has delivered for us for a long time at Penske Racing."(ESPN.com/AP)(11-11-2007)
Kurt Busch honored: #2-Kurt Busch received Official Certificates of Commendation from the offices of State of Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons and Second District of Nevada U.S. Congressman Dean Heller for his outstanding humanitarian contributions, both personally and on behalf of the Kurt Busch Foundation at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The final “Ride with Kurt for the Kids” fundraiser for 2007 was held Tuesday.(Tom Roberts PR)(11-7-2007)
Penske may consider points swap for Hornish UPDATE: With Sam Hornish having trouble qualifying for Cup races - he has missed all six he has attempted this year - Penske Racing may consider making a points swap to get Hornish into races in 2008. With Kurt Busch having won the 2004 Nextel Cup championship, Penske could transfer the points earned by Busch's #2 team to Hornish, which would lock him into the top 35 for the first five races of next season. Busch would get into those races as the most recent past champion if he failed to qualify on speed. NASCAR officials confirmed that a move would be allowed. Penske said he is committed to fielding three Sprint Cup cars next year for Busch, Hornish and Ryan Newman. Penske said he has not talked to other drivers for the third team.(SceneDaily.com)(10-30-2007) UPDATE: NASCAR officials said Penske Racing can transfer the points earned by Kurt Busch this year to guarantee a starting spot for Sam Hornish Jr. in the first five races of next season. If Busch failed to qualify for one of those races, he likely would get to race by virtue of being a former series champion. . . . Signs point to Hornish's car being No. 77 if, as expected, he makes the jump to NASCAR next season.(Indianapolis Star)(11-3-2007)
Kurt Busch races for troops at Texas: #2-Kurt Busch will be racing for a $100,000 bonus contribution to "Operation Homefront" if he can pull off the win in Sunday's Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. It's all part of an engaging statewide promotional campaign that sponsor Miller Lite launched several weeks back. The campaign recognizes, celebrates, honors and rewards military veterans, both past and present, for their commitment to serving our country. Miller Lite is teaming with Operation Homefront (see operationhomefront.net/texas) to support Texas troops and their families. Miller Lite is donating financial support to the cause and consumers have the opportunity to visit the special web site and vote how to apply Miller Lite's contribution. Consumers can also make donations on their own through the site.
For additional information, we invite you to visit www.MillerThanksVets.com and log in. Miller Lite and Penske have also created a commemorative Kurt Busch Race Helmet that will be autographed and raffled for charity.(Tom Roberts PR)(11-1-2007)
NASCAR studying how Hamlin, Blaney had water in fuel: MORE Denny Hamlin, who thought he had enough gas while leading when his car sputtered and didn't start with three laps remaining in the Pep Boys Auto 500, actually had water in his fuel cell at the time. Whether that caused him not to accelerate and get hit from behind by Martin Truex Jr. is uncertain, Joe Gibbs Racing Senior Vice President Jimmy Makar said Sunday night at Atlanta. But what is certain is that Hamlin and Bill Davis Racing's Dave Blaney had water in their fuel cells, and Roush Fenway Racing's Greg Biffle also might have had a similar situation. NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Director John Darby said that no water was found in the Sunoco pumps following the race. Darby said all of the Sunoco documentation from the weekend shows no water in the tanks.(SceneDaily.com)(10-28-2007) UPDATE: Water found in the fuel tanks of cars driven by #11-Denny Hamlin and #22-Dave Blaney during Sunday's Nextel Cup race at Atlanta was not isolated to those teams, a NASCAR official said Monday. Water also was discovered in the fuel of the Penske Racing cars driven by #2-Kurt Busch and #12-Ryan Newman after returning to Charlotte, N.C. In addition, water was found in the fuel cell of all three Richard Childress racing team cars belonging to #29-Kevin Harvick, #07-Clint Bowyer and #31-Jeff Burton. #16-Greg Biffle believes his car may have had water in its fuel, although no evidence was found. NASCAR Nextel Cup Series director John Darby said the problem is more widespread than originally thought and that NASCAR has issued bulletins to all Cup and Truck Series teams to check for evidence of contamination so they can locate the source. Darby said everything from the underground fuel-holding tank at the track to the fuel trucks that deliver the gas to the individual gas cans are being analyzed. He said the underground tank is the least likely source because there is an alarm system located that can detect the slightest amount of contamination. Darby dismissed sabotage as a possible explanation, saying too many teams were affected for anyone to have been singled out.(ESPN.com)(10-30-2007)
Penske Staying with Dodge; Decision on Hornish Soon:Penske Racing owner Roger Penske said Sunday that his team will be driving Dodges for years to come. Penske said he has agreed to a multi-year deal with Dodge. The team contract was set to expire at the end of the 2008 season. As for Sam Hornish Jr., one of Penske's two IndyCar Series drivers who is considering the switch to the Cup Series but has yet to qualify for a race, the plan is to continue trying to get him in a race. "We're going to keep digging," Penske said. He said the team likely will know its plans for Hornish by the Phoenix Cup race in two weeks.(ESPN.com)(10-29-2007)
Gold scheme for #2 at Atlanta: Kurt Busch and his Pat Tryson-led #2 Penske Racing Team will be returning to their gold "World Beer Cup" color scheme for the final time this year in Sunday's Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. "The fans have really let it be known how much they love the gold colors that we had on our car in the two races earlier this year, so we decided to bring out the gold for one final time this season," Kurt said of the special paint job that reflects sponsor Miller Lite's fourth gold award in the American-Style Light Lager category at the most recent World Beer Cup contest held last year. "We are so proud of what the color scheme represents that we actually hoped to run the gold car more than what we have so far this year."(TRPR), see images of the scheme on my #2 Team Schemes page.(10-24-2007)
Kurt Busch on merger of Miller and Coors: DOES THE MERGER BETWEEN MILLER AND COORS AFFECT YOUR SPONSORSHIP? “I don’t know anything other than they did combine, or they’re in negotiations to do such. The numbers that I’ve heard are 58 percent for MillerSAB and 42 percent for MolsonCoors. That’s all that I know. I haven’t talked with any Miller people about it. They are all coming in tonight to check out qualifying, and then tomorrow we’ve got some in the morning for meetings. Right now I’m sure it doesn’t change a thing. Roger Penske has been with Miller for over 25 years and his race teams. That’s what really anchors us solidly with that program.”(Dodge Motorsports PR)(10-15-2007)
Kurt Busch tests at Iowa: #2-Kurt Busch and the Miller Lite Dodge team tested at the Iowa Speedway Oct. 9-10, 2007. “We’re just using the test to sort out some stuff that will help us in the future COT races,” Crew Chief Pat Tryson said late Tuesday afternoon from the seven-eighths-mile “Rusty Wallace designer track,” located near Newton, Iowa. “Kurt was out in Las Vegas on Monday for the Dodge function and the group dropped him off here on their way back to North Carolina. We’re pretty fortunate to be getting in the additional test time and it can only help. We’re in line to do some tire testing for Goodyear next Monday and Tuesday at Charlotte (Lowe’s Motor Speedway), so we have a pretty busy schedule going right now.” Kurt Busch Inc. has scheduled its special “Grand Opening Open House” celebration this Thursday (Oct. 11) at the KBI complex - kurtbusch.com.(Tom Roberts PR)(10-10-2007)
Molson Coors, SABMiller Combine U.S. Operations: The makers of Coors and Miller Lite plan to combine their U.S. brewing operations in an effort to compete better against industry leader Anheuser-Busch. The joint venture announced Tuesday will be known as MillerCoors and will have responsibility for selling brands including Miller Lite, Miller Genuine Draft, Coors, Coors Light and Molson Canadian in the U.S. Anheuser-Busch Cos. accounts for about half of the U.S. market with brands such as Budweiser, Michelob and Bud Light. SABMiller PLC will have a 58% economic interest in the venture and MolsonCoors Brewing Co. will own 42% of the new company. They will have equal voting interests, however. The joint venture will also result in cost savings of $500 million, the companies said. That savings will mainly come from reducing shipping distances, finding economies of scale in brewing operations, optimizing production and eliminating duplicate corporate and marketing services. Under the terms of the agreement, the companies said they will conduct all of their U.S. business exclusively through the venture. The companies said by combining their U.S. operations, the venture will be able to invest more in marketing its brands to consumers and compete more effectively with larger brewers like Anheuser-Busch and InBev NV S.A., which imports a large number of global beers into the U.S. and is the world's largest brewer by volume.(AP/Yahoo Biz), no word how or if this will effect the sponsorship of the #2 Pensek Racing Dodge of Kurt Busch, Coor's Light was just announced as the official beer of NASCAR and will not sponsor a team in 2008.(10-9-2007)
Miller Lite to honor military vets: Miller Lite will be launching an engaging statewide promotional campaign around the upcoming Nov. 4 Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. The campaign will recognize, celebrate, honor and reward military veterans, both past and present, for their commitment to serving our country. Miller Lite has teamed with
Operation Homefront to support Texas troops and their families. Miller Lite will donate financial support to the cause and consumers will have the opportunity to visit a special web site and vote how to apply Miller Lite's contribution. Consumers will also be able to make a donation on their own through the site. Stay tuned for additional details forthcoming in the next few weeks.(TRPR)(10-4-2007)
Rejection of Penske test track recommended: Iredell County [NC] commissioners should deny Penske Racing permission to build a test track off Mazeppa Road near Mooresville [NC], the Iredell County Planning Board voted late Wednesday [9-5]. Fueled by about 200 opponents in the audience who were concerned primarily about noise, the board voted 9-0 against the $21 million track. The Planning Board is a citizen advisory board and the final say rests with the commissioners, who will consider Penske's plans on Oct. 2.(Charlotte Observer/Thatsracin)(9-7-2007)
Penske Racing to create test track in Mooresville, NC: Penske Racing plans to build a test track in Mooresville similar in size and layout to the track at Richmond International Raceway. The 54-acre site on Mazeppa Road would include 1/4- and 1/2-mile ovals within the 3/4-mile oval track, and a 1.8-mile road course, documents filed with the Iredell County Planning Department show. At its neighboring race shop, Mooresville-based Penske already designs, makes and tests high-performance vehicles for competition in the Nextel Cup and Busch series, Indy Racing League, and Automobile Racing Club of America and American LeMans series. The test track also would accommodate law-enforcement training and recreational motorsports, but is not for spectators paying admission, Penske says in its filing with the county. Testing would be between 8am and 6pm/et, according to the filing. The acreage now includes two ball fields and a vacant lot. The land is zoned for heavy industrial uses, including race tracks, Iredell County Planner Rebecca Harper said.
Penske proposes putting in landscaping along the track property's railroad boundary to obscure the track's view from Mazeppa Road, and adding landscaping along Penske Way, which leads off Mazeppa. The company would leave the woods on the west side of the property as a noise buffer. Industry border the other three sides. Penske Racing South president Don Miller could not be reached Thursday. The Iredell County Planning Board will consider the plan at 7pm Wednesday. The planning staff is recommending approval. County commissioners are expected to consider the board's recommendation in October.(Charlotte Observer)(8-31-2007)
Hornish to run 5-6 races in the final 10: Sam Hornish Jr. plans to run five to six of the final 10 races in the Nextel Cup season for Penske Racing, team owner Roger Penske said on Saturday. Penske said the 2006 Indianapolis 500 champion, who is considering a full-time ride in Cup next season, will turn his focus to stock cars as soon as the Indy season ends on Sept. 9. Hornish's first Cup race could come in the championship Chase opener at New Hampshire International Speedway. "That's the game plan right now," Penske said before the start of the Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway. "Obviously, he's got to qualify. But he did a good job at Michigan and if there is a chance to run cars every week, we'll see." Penske would like to keep Hornish's focus on Car of Tomorrow races -- New Hampshire, Dover, Talladega, Martinsville and Phoenix -- because that is the car NASCAR will use full time in 2008. "I told him the more experience you get the better you're going to be," Penske said. "We'll see."(ESPN.com)(8-25-2007)
Kurt Busch wins at Michigan: #2-Kurt Busch won the twice rained-delayed 3M Performance 400 at Michigan International Speedway for his 2nd win in 2007 and 17th of his career. There was a Green-White-Checkered finish, but 2nd place, #1-Truex Jr. could not catch Busch and held on to 2nd. The rest of the top-10 were #48-Johnson, #17-Kenseth, #11-Hamlin, #22-Blaney, #99-Edwards, #83-Vickers, #43-Labonte and #20-Stewart. #24-Gordon was in the top five before he and #17-Kenseth got together, sending Gordon spinning off turn 4 and losing a lap, finishing 27th. Gordon now leads #11-Hamlin by 276 pts. #11-Hamlin is the 2nd driver to clinch a spot in the Chase. #8-Earnhardt Jr. finished 12th and moves up to 13th in the drivers pts, but loses ground to #2-Busch who is in the final Chase spot [12th] now has a 163 pt lead with three races to go before the race starts at New Hampshire. There were 8 cautions for 36 laps and 10 drivers led the race with 18 lead changes. Race Results on my Michigan Race Results/Awards Page. Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Michigan page Race Rundown: see my Michigan Glen Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(8-21-2007)
Kurt Busch Wins at Pocono: #2-Kurt Busch put on a dominating performance to win the Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway for his first win in 52 races. Busch led 175 of the 200 laps and beat #8-Earnhardt, Jr. to the finish line by 4.132 seconds. The rest of the top-10 were #11-Hamlin, #24-Gordon, #48, Johnson, #20-Stewart, #12-Newman, #07-Bowyer, #01-Martin, and #25-Mears. With the win, Kurt Busch jumped over Earnhardt and into the top 12 in the point standings. Ryan Newman remains 14th in the points, 90 points out of 12th. There were 7 cautions for 27 laps and 11 drivers lead the race with 17 lead changes. Race Results on my Pocono Race Results/Awards Page. Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Indianapolis page Race Rundown: see my Pocono Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(8-5-2007)
The Latest on Hornish to NASCAR: Sam Hornish Jr. [is] taking a long, hard look at what he wants to do next and whether it includes a risky jump to NASCAR. "It's safe to say that the challenge of it intrigues me," Hornish said in the midst of preparations for this week's Honda 200. After eight years in IRL, he's itching for something new. Despite his IRL success, Hornish makes no secret of the fact that he's restless. His agreement with Penske Racing allows him to try some different things. He's driving in several Busch Series events and is testing himself in other ways. "That's one of the great things about this deal I have with Roger right now is that we have an opportunity to go either way," Hornish said. "The best part is that I don't have to make a decision today or tomorrow. We started off this year knowing that we were going to do 11 to 14 stock-car events, run the whole IndyCar schedule, run the 24 Hours of Daytona, have a whole bunch of different kind of racing thrown in there. We're going to continue to work on that plan. We'll sit down at the end of the year when that's all over with and make a decision on what we're going to do."(Associated Press) AND: Hornish refuted the prevailing rumor that he already has made up his mind and that owner Roger Penske will add a third car to his NASCAR team next year for Hornish. "I'd say where I'm at right now, the scales are 50-50," said Hornish. "I haven't made any decision; the team hasn't made a decision."(Columbus Dispatch)(7-21-2007)
Third Penske team in 2008? Mobil 1 as sponsor? UPDATE 2: hearing that Mobil 1 will be a full sponsor of a third Penske Racing Nextel Cup car in 2008, no word on a driver.(6-8-2007) UPDATE: Roger Penske said Sunday he plans to field two Dodge-backed Nextel Cup Series teams in 2008. Recent reports said Penske Racing may leave Dodge next season in favor of a move to Toyota, a rumor Penske dismissed. "Our Dodge commitment is a long-term contract," said Penske, one of the world's largest Toyota dealers. "I read in the paper where we were switching to Toyota. We haven't even talked to them about it." As for the speculated third team? "We've looked at whether we'd run an additional car," Penske said. "We haven't made any commitment on it at this point. There's lots of speculation. We've got a lot of moving parts right now. I'm not committing to a third team at this point, at all."(ESPN.com)(6-11-2007) UPDATE 2: Penske Racing appears to be expanding to three teams in 2008, and former Indianapolis 500 champion Sam Hornish Jr. likely will fill that seat. Hornish is expected to compete in an unspecified number of Nextel Cup races toward the end of this season, team owner Roger Penske said Sunday morning at New Hampshire International Speedway. "We're looking at it," Penske said of the third team. "We definitely are very interested in doing that, but we have to look and see where we are with Hornish. That'll be a deciding factor on exactly what we do." More than likely Mobil 1, the sponsor on Hornish's Busch car and an associate sponsor on both Penske Cup cars, would be the primary sponsor on the Cup car. Mobil 1 and Penske have had a long association. With this apparent plan to expand to three teams with Hornish, Penske said he is not in the running for free agent Kyle Busch. Busch's older brother, Kurt, early last week lobbied on behalf of his brother during a national teleconference saying Penske Racing would be "stupid" not to talk to his brother.(ESPN.com)(7-2-2007)
Penske may soon feature a brother act: UPDATE: Roger Penske may be considering adding Kyle Busch to the Penske Racing South NASCAR operation, which includes older brother Kurt Busch. "Penske would be stupid not to look at Kyle, so that talk is under way," Kurt Busch said during a national teleconference. But, he added, Kyle is "talking with all the other race teams out there such as Ginn Motorsports, Yates. I'm sure he's talked with Gibbs. "I would say he's talked with 99 percent of the garages, and that 1 percent (he hasn't talked to) is probably Roush Racing." Kyle Busch is to return to The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway next week and compete in the annual "Night of Fire" racing card Tuesday night.(Las Vegas Sun), been told Kyle Busch has met this week with Evernham Motorsports and Chip Ganassi Racing.(6-29-2007) UPDATE: Kyle Busch has visited eight Nextel Cup organizations since he became a free agent and could have his final list arrowed to four by the end of the weekend, a source close to the situation said on Friday. One of those organizations is Evernham Motorsports, where team members say the 22-year-old driver spent part of Tuesday. Other organizations believed to be in the mix are the Chevrolet teams of Richard Childress Racing, Dale Earnhardt Inc., Ginn Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing, and the Dodge team of Chip Ganassi Racing. Busch said he has not had sit-down discussions with Penske Racing officials even though his older brother, Kurt Busch, said there have been conversations. But he did say Chevy and Dodge teams were in the mix, and that there has been some contact by Ford. "The teams have their timetables with their sponsors and stuff like that they have to let know. ... There are a couple of teams that would like to know within the next three or four [weeks]."(ESPN.com)(6-30-2007)
Tryson Takes Over as Kurt Busch's Crew Chief: Pat Tryson will become crew chief effective immediately of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge driven by Kurt Busch. Tryson replaces Troy Raker who has served as interim crew chief of the team since Texas. Troy will return to his previous role within the Penske engineering department. Tryson, a 10-year veteran Nextel Cup crew chief, led Mark Martin to the Chase for the Nextel Cup in each of the last three seasons while working for Roush Fenway Racing. Most recently, he served as crew chief for Greg Biffle and the #16 team.(Penske Racing PR)(6-19-2007)
Kurt Busch going "blogging" #2-Miller Lite Dodge driver Kurt Busch will begin a weekly blog on ESPN.com this weekend. The 2004 NASCAR champ's written "musings and opinings" will be featured on Fridays for the remainder of the racing season. "My own blog; that's cool," Kurt said as he was beginning the new project earlier this week. "We're gonna' have a lot of fun with it. I'll guarantee you
that I'll be talking about some subjects in my ESPN blog that'll be seen only there. Of course we'll have to talk about the races, but I plan on going outside those lines on a regular basis. I'm really looking forward to it and we really appreciate having the opportunity.(TRPR)(6-14-2007)
Penske says Busch has his support despite incident: Roger Penske certainly didn't condone driver #2-Kurt Busch's temper tantrum last weekend at Dover International Speedway, and he acknowledges Busch let his emotions endanger a competitor. But Penske's a racer, he understands and respects the emotional overload on-track competition can produce. So all said, he fully supports his driver. "In my situation as a car owner, I looked at what happened last weekend and the biggest disappointment I have is that I wasn't there to maybe keep that situation [from happening] on the pit lane," Penske said Sunday at Pocono Raceway. Penske said he and Busch met with team executives midweek to discuss the severity of the meltdown, namely what it projected internally and externally. Penske suggested that Busch rally his team, advice the driver heeded.(ESPN.com)(6-11-2007)
Kurt Busch penalized, not suspended: UPDATE 2: NASCAR announced today that Kurt Busch, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge in the Nextel Cup Series, has been penalized 100 championship driver points, fined $100,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31, 2007 for violating Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing – reckless driving; endangering a crew member on pit road) of the 2007 NASCAR rule book. Car owner Roger Penske has also been penalized with the loss of 100 championship owner points due to his driver’s infraction. The violation occurred on pit road during the race at Dover International Speedway on June 4.(NASCAR PR). Penske Statement: Penske Racing acknowledges the fine, penalty and probation that has been imposed by NASCAR relative to the pit incident involving Kurt Busch at this week's Dover race and will not appeal. Safety is paramount in motorsports and must not be compromised. "I regret the incident that occurred at Dover and apologize to NASCAR, my sponsors, the fans, my Penske Racing team and Joe Gibbs Racing. I understand that safety is crucial to the sport and I accept the points penalty, fine and probation that NASCAR has imposed on me," said Kurt Busch. Penske Racing will continue to support Kurt and look forward to racing at Pocono.(Penske Racing PR)(6-8-2007) UPDATE: NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton says that NASCAR did consider suspending driver Kurt Busch for a race after a pit-road incident at Dover, but that the sanctioning body thinks the 100-point penalty and $100,000 fine is an appropriate penalty. "We looked at a lot of different options from Monday night on, and we felt like we got everybody's attention and we felt like the 100-point penalty, 100,000 was substantial," Pemberton said Friday morning at Pocono Raceway. "One of the things you can't lose sight of is we parked Kurt during the race also. ... That all wrapped into that."(SceneDaily.com)(6-8-2007) UPDATE 2: Comments from Kurt Busch: “I regret my actions on Monday during the race. To accept the penalty, that’s what we’re going to do. I’m glad I’m here to race the car this weekend. We’ve got our work cut out for us to gain these 100 points back. The money, hopefully it goes to the NASCAR Foundation or whatever they do with the funds. We’re here to move forward. The real incident was out on the racetrack. What happened on pit road is the real story. I reached out for Jason Lee, the crew member on Joe Gibbs’ team, and left him a message to clear some of the air on things, to let him know that it was not my intention at all to put him in danger. What the beef is is between me and Tony out on the track.”(Clear!Blu PR)(6-9-2007)
Third Penske team in 2008? Mobil 1 as sponsor? hearing that Mobil 1 will be a full sponsor of a third Penske Racing Nextel Cup car in 2008, no word on a driver.(6-8-2007)
Stewart/Busch Tangle; Busch almost hits #20 crewman UPDATE 4 Suspension and more?: been asked why no penalty announced for #2-Kurt Busch on Tuesday [when penalties are usually announced], two reasons: 1) the Dover race was postponed from Sunday to Monday, so things got pushed back a day too; 2) the death of Bill France Jr. So we could see some sort of penalty announcement on Wednesday [June 6th]. ESPN2's NASCAR Now show reported that NASCAR officials met Tuesday afternoon about the situation. What happened? here is what I have posted in my race report: #20-Stewart and #2-Busch got together, Stewart finished 40th after the team made repairs, Busch came to pit road and ran close to the #20 and stopped, the jackman had to hustle to get out of the way, Busch then peeled out when he left, NASCAR parked Busch the rest of the race and will meet with NASCAR at the trailer after the race.(6-5-2007) UPDATE: #2-Kurt Busch and #20-Tony Stewart dealt with more than damaged cars following their incident on lap 271 of Monday's rain-delayed Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway. They dealt with wounded feelings as well. The incident occurred when Busch tried to move up in front of Stewart and the left front of Stewart's car tagged the right rear of Busch's. Stewart then hit Busch again after Busch bounced off the wall. On pit road, Busch pulled up beside Stewart, who was sitting in his pit stall. NASCAR then parked Busch for endangering Stewart's crew members. A penalty is expected. They both paid for the accident, with Busch finishing 42nd and Stewart 40th.(SceneDaily.com)(6-6-2007) UPDATE 2: been hearing that Busch will be suspended one race and miss Pocono, nothing confirmed yet, no word who would drive the car.(6-6-2007) UPDATE 3: ESPN2's NASCAR Now reported that NASCAR would not make any announcement on a penalty, if any, before Friday.(6-6-2007) UPDATE 4: hearing Busch will be suspended for one race AND hearing the #2 Dodge, even after the accident, failed post race inspection and could face a fine/penalty for that infraction, being a COT, it could be substantial.(6-8-2007)
Toyota: Gibbs? Penske merge with Waltrip? UPDATE 2: Toyota, sources said, has approached the Gibbs team with a proposal to leave Chevrolet, which would give it #20-Tony Stewart, #11-Denny Hamlin and #18-J.J. Yeley. Gibbs’ management doesn’t appear to be that interested, but the offer hasn’t been rejected, according to team sources. Penske [#2, #12], who has been with just about every manufacturer in racing over the years and who is one of the world’s biggest Toyota dealers, could be making the move to Toyota for next year. According to sources close to the situation, Penske could be looking at a merger with Michael Waltrip’s struggling Toyota operation. And there is speculation that Robert and Doug Yates [#38, #88] may be willing to listen to Toyota offers, even though they have long-standing ties with Ford.(Winston Salem Journal)(5-31-2007)
UPDATE: Several sources tell SI.com that Toyota is going hard after Joe Gibbs Racing and that Gibbs is very interested. Officially, the Gibbs team denies any contact with Toyota: "It's news to us," team spokesman Mike Arning said. Toyota, as a matter of policy, does not comment on contract negotiations. The potential deal is a delicate subject for Gibbs and Toyota. Gibbs' contract with Chevrolet, which runs out at the end of the year, stipulates this is a non-negotiating period with other manufacturers. Is contact to determine interest negotiating? You'd have to read the fine print and then get a clarification from an arbitrator to determine that. But sources say there definitely has been communication between Toyota and Gibbs.(Sports Illustrated)(6-2-2007) UPDATE: Representatives from Penske Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing on Saturday disallowed rumors of an impending merger between the two organizations, which currently field Dodges and Toyotas, respectively, in a variety of NASCAR series. "I heard about it for the first time [Friday]," said Ty Norris, Michael Waltrip Racing's general manager. "I wish he would come and talk to us."
Wally McCarty, Penske Racing's marketing director, was just as succinct. "We're racing Dodges through the end of next season, and right now we're most concerned about winning races for Dodge -- we have to be," McCarty said. "We have a beautiful new facility and so does [Waltrip]. There's no 'win' there. I don't know where people come up with these things. Roger [Penske] sells nearly every car make made in the world, and he has great relationships with all of them. We race Dodges, Hondas and Porsches out of the same shop, and we have great relationships with all of them. Would we race Toyotas at some point? When it's appropriate, we might talk about it, and if it's right, we might do that [but] right now [Waltrip] has three teams and we have two -- and you can only have four [total] so it doesn't make sense." McCarty said Penske was considering a third team "depending on what [Penske IndyCar Series driver] Sam Hornish decides to do," over the next year or two.(NASCAR.com)(6-3-2007)
Tragic News Corey Tucker, car chief for #2-Kurt Busch, lost his father in a tragic accident earlier this week. Thoughts and prayers to Corey and his family. Details of the accident can be found here: recordonline.com.(5-24-2007)
Kurt Busch back in Gold at the All-Star Race: #2-Miller Lite Dodge driver Kurt Busch is racing a special “gold color scheme” car in Saturday night’s NEXTEL All-Star Challenge at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. “We’re bringing back the gold color scheme that we did so well with at Daytona in February and we’re in a position where we can lay it all on the line for the All Star race on Saturday night,” said Busch, the 2004 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion, who climbed to seventh in the series point standings with his 12th-place finish at Darlington on Sunday. “It’s a great game plan and we’re super excited.(Tom Roberts PR), see an image on my #2 Team Schemes page.(5-18-2007)
Penske would like to talk to Dale Jr. Roger Penske said Friday that he has an interest in adding Dale Earnhardt Jr. to his Nextel Cup team, but he realizes it isn't likely to happen. "Certainly we'd like to talk to him," Penske said. "Obviously, he's one of the top drivers in the sport. But from everything I've heard, he wants to say in a Chevrolet. We have a contract with Dodge and we're loyal to that."
Even at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the day before Indy 500 pole day, Earnhardt Jr. is a big topic. Penske is hoping to win his 15th Indianapolis 500 as a team owner. He has a two-car IndyCar Series team with Sam Hornish Jr., last year's winner, and Helio Castroneves, a two-time Indy 500 winner. But Penske also has a two-car Cup team with #2-Kurt Busch and #12-Ryan Newman. Cup team owners are allowed to have four cars, so Penske has the space to add Earnhardt. Penske also is a team owner with the money to make a serious bid for Earnhardt's services. Forbes magazine recently listed Penske's net worth at $2.2 billion.(ESPN.com)(5-12-2007)
Kurt Busch's Team Collects Pit Crew Win in Talladega: #2 crew earns first Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge victory of season. Kurt Busch's over-the-wall crew became the fifth team of the season to win the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge by collecting the win in Sunday's Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway. The #2 crew spent 171.490 seconds on pit road, helping Busch to a solid third-place finish at the 2.66-mile oval. "The guys were certainly awesome on pit road," said Busch. "The race called for a mixture of all kinds of stops and they performed flawlessly. It was a good day all around for our Miller Lite Dodge Team. Winning the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge puts the icing on the cake for the best finish we've had this season."
Checkers/Rally's will award Busch's crew a prize of $11,000 for winning the weekly competition. Penske Racing's #2 crew includes: Ray Gallaghan (jackman), David Littau (front-tire carrier), Jay Hackney (front-tire changer), Andy Brown (rear-tire carrier), Kevin Hebert (rear-tire changer), Chris Williams (gasman), Steve Williams (catch can) and Daniel Keaton (eighth man). After nine Nextel Cup races, Mark Martin's/Regan Smith's #01 pit crew leads in the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge standings with four wins. Denny Hamlin's #11 crew is second with two victories. An additional $111,150 will be presented to the pit crew with the most wins at the completion of the 36-race Nextel Cup schedule. To win the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge, teams are required to finish on the lead lap while spending the least amount of time on pit road. Checkers/Rally's is in its third season as title sponsor for the pit crew challenge. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(5-3-2007)
Raker back as Kurt Busch's crew chief this week: Troy Raker will again be standing in for #2 Miller Lite Dodge crew chief Roy McCauley this weekend at Phoenix as Roy is spending time with wife, Amy, who is battling cancer. Kurt Busch drives the #2 Dodge for Penske Racing, sone facts aboyt Raker:
Joined Ford Motor Company as an engineer in 1993
Liaison between Ford and Bud Moore Engineering 1995
Engineer for Ricky Rudd Racing 1996-closing
Engineer for Bill Elliott Racing 2000
Engineer for Joe Gibbs Racing 2001-2006
Joined Penske Racing January 2007 as Chassis Engineer
(Tom Roberts PR)(4-19-2007)
Roy McCauley Taking Leave of Absense; Troy Raker Interim #2 Crew Chief: Troy Raker has been named the interim leader of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge Team with driver Kurt Busch as crew chief Roy McCauley will be spending more time with wife, Amy, who is battling cancer. "Amy has been winning her fight with Leukemia since it was first diagnosed back in February," McCauley said from his office at the Penske Racing headquarters on Tuesday afternoon. "But, there have been recent complications stemming from her long-term treatment and I feel as though I need to spend more time by her side. In the interim, I will maintain an active role with our team from a communications standpoint, but Troy Raker will be in charge, leading the team and working with Kurt on a daily basis at the race track."(Tom Roberts PR)(4-10-2007)
Penske Plans to build track near shop: Roger Penske has now consolidated all three of his teams -- his NASCAR, Indy Racing League and American LeMans groups -- under one enormous roof in Mooresville, N.C. That includes approximately 260 employees working in a state-of-the-art, 425,000-square foot, shop. It is an impressive campus that includes a wind tunnel and a seven-post vehicle dynamics rig, and now with all the teams, all the engineers, all the employees under one roof, the thought is there can be plenty of knowledge sharing. For instance, a Cup crew chief can study the aerodynamics of an open-wheel car and apply what he learns to the Cup car, particularly the new Car of Tomorrow. Penske said he is finalizing plans to build a test track near the shop. There is plenty of land to spare, and about 70 acres will be used. "We could build an oval that's the size of the Richmond [International Raceway]," Penske said, referring to the .75-mile track. "And we'd put a road course in. We look at it as a test track, but our sponsors could use it. There's lot of different things you could use something like that for, so I think it will be terrific." Penske is, of course, thinking out of the box yet again. He figures that the test track would cut the expenses of going on the road for testing, and it would eliminate some of the travel wear-and-tear on the drivers and crews. Of course, Penske figures the test facility could be used for sponsor and customer entertainment, as well.(ESPN.com)(3-20-2007)
Hornish to run Brickyard 400? Defending the Indianapolis 500 title will be tough enough for Sam Hornish Jr., but he says he'd like to win twice on the historic 2 1/2-mile oval this year. Hornish, who already has driven in two Busch Series races this season, said Wednesday he likes the idea of trying to drive in both major American races at the track - Indy and the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. "The biggest thing would be our resources," Hornish said. "But if they asked me to do it, I'd do it." It's not unprecedented. A few NASCAR drivers, most notably Tony Stewart and Robby Gordon, have competed in Indianapolis on Memorial Day weekend and later returned to compete in the Brickyard 400. Hornish won the second-closest finish in Indy 500 history by 0.0635 seconds in 2006. Hornish might be setting himself up for even greater expectations. When asked if he had any inkling about running in the July 29 Nextel Cup race in Indianapolis, he didn't hesitate. "I'm trying to work on Roger (Penske) as far as that goes," Hornish said. "I think it would require a little bit of testing, and the biggest thing would be our resources. Obviously, we don't want to take away from what Kurt (Busch) and Ryan (Newman) do there." #2-Busch and #12-Newman are the two regular drivers for Penske's NASCAR team. Hornish also is trying to become only the sixth driver in Indy history to repeat as champion, something his teammate Helio Castroneves accomplished in 2001-02.(Associated Press)(3-15-2007)
Kurt Busch testing COT at local NC track: #2Kurt Busch, crew chief Roy McCauley and the Miller Lite/Penske Racing Dodge team are testing today (Tuesday, 3/6) at Southern National Raceway Park, a four-tenths-mile asphalt oval located near Kenley, N.C. "We're going the extra mile in preparing for the upcoming races, particularly for the Car of Tomorrow debut in the March 25 race at Bristol," Busch explained. "We tested at Bristol last week (Feb. 28-March 1) and felt like we needed more track time with our new Dodge Avenger (the COT). We're hoping to be at the top of our game with the new Dodge Avenger and getting the additional track time is very important. Just from the short-term impact, we're talking about three of four races where we're racing the car between Bristol and Phoenix. You could say that the next few weeks could play out to be the most important and pivotal of the 2007 season."(Tom Roberts PR)(3-6-2007)
Miller challenges Budweiser: Miller Brewing Co. today issued a NASCAR challenge to competitor Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc., and the temporary naming rights to Milwaukee's Miller Park would be stake. The long-standing "battle of the beer cars" on NASCAR tracks would take on added significance during the 2007 Nextel Cup season if Anheuser-Busch accepts Miller's challenge to the Budweiser team. Miller is putting the naming rights to Miller Park on the line for a weekend series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the St. Louis Cardinals in 2008. If the Miller Lite #2 Dodge, driven by Kurt Busch, finishes ahead of the #8 Budweiser Chevy, driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr., in the 2007 season standings, Busch Stadium would be renamed Miller Lite Stadium for a yet-to-be-determined 2008 series in St. Louis. If the Budweiser car finishes the season ahead of the Miller Lite car in 2007, Milwaukee's Miller Park would be renamed Budweiser Park for a 2008 series in Milwaukee. "We're more confident than ever that Kurt Busch and the #2 Miller Lite team are going to be regular contenders for the Nextel Cup championship," said Tom Long, Miller's president and chief executive officer. "It's too bad for Anheuser-Busch that they didn't take us up on our challenge last year, when Kurt and the team were dealing with the first-year 'new team' transition. Kurt already has one title, and now he and the whole Penske Racing garage are focused on adding to that total. We expect to see plenty of Miller Lite flowing in victory lane this year." The new wager was officially proposed via certified letter from Long to Anheuser-Busch president and CEO August Busch IV, and delivered this morning. Busch had not yet responded.(Small Business Times)(2-9-2007)
Kurt Busch to run Gold scheme at Bud Shootout UPDATE: #2-Burt Busch will run a special gold paint scheme in the Bud Shootout, to promote and congratulate Miller Lite Beer for winning the World Beer Cup, Golden Award Winner in 2006. See the images on my #2 Team Scemes page.(2-5-2007) UPDATE:Miller Brewing Company today announced it will paint Kurt Busch’s #2 Miller Lite Dodge with an all-gold scheme for the February 10 Bud Shootout. The one-race re-design honors Miller Lite’s fourth gold award in the American-Style Light Lager category at the World Beer Cup. The car will be painted from front to back in gold paint and will feature the World Beer Cup logo and “World Beer Cup Winner” on the hood, spoiler and rear quarter panels. Miller Lite won its fourth gold in the prestigious bi-annual competition in 2006. The 2006 Brewers Association World Beer Cup is the world's largest and most diverse international beer competition for commercial breweries, this year touting 2,221 entries from 540 breweries in 56 countries, including all other major breweries. The World Beer Cup has been held every other year since 1996 and is presented by the Association of Brewers, a not-for-profit educational and trade organization founded in 1978 that is dedicated to the promotion of quality beers and brewing throughout the world. The Association also hosts the annual Great American Beer Festival and is based in Boulder, Colo. Miller Lite Dodge driver Kurt Busch is excited about driving a gold car in this weekend’s Bud Shootout. “Gold is a color long-associated with great achievements,” Kurt said. “Gold always signifies the best in class, and that’s what we’re constantly striving for on the track. And I know the folks in Milwaukee take great pride in the unmatched quality of Miller Lite. We’d love to kick off the 2007 season by putting this awesome looking car in Victory Lane.” Until recently, Kurt was not aware of the great competitive history of Miller-sponsored gold cars at Daytona. “Someone pointed out that Bobby Allison was driving a gold-colored Miller car when he won the ’88 Daytona 500 in that super-exciting battle with his son, Davey,” Kurt said from Las Vegas last Saturday (2/3/07). “It’s nice to know that there is such good fortune associated in the past with the gold color scheme at Daytona. Man, wouldn’t it be cool to follow in Bobby’s footsteps and win the Shootout in another gold Miller car?” The record book also shows that Allison claimed Daytona wins in the 1987 Pepsi 400 and his 1988 “Twin-125” qualifying race behind the wheel of gold Miller-sponsored cars.(Tom Roberts PR)(2-6-2007)
Penske plans a test track behind shop in Mooresville: from a Clear!Blue/Dodge PR: COMMENT ON BUILDING A TEST TRACK, team owner Roger Penske said: "Our goal here is to take the roughly 70 acres out back and we build a test track [in back of their shop in Mooresville NC]. We're in an exploratory stage today. I'd like to see an oval with a big skid pad, also a road course would be intermingled within the oval side. I think the cost we have to go to tests and the fact we can use this for customer entertainment, for our sponsors, maybe police academies. It's like when we built the wind tunnel people said no one would use it. I can tell you it's being used every day. I think this is an opportunity for us to extend our commercial relationship within the sport. We really haven't said how big it is, but it'll be bigger than a half mile. Let's put it that way. Maybe we could build a Bristol here, but I don't have enough room for the stands. I'm not going into the track business. Don't get the wrong idea. This will be a test facility."(Clear!Blue/Dodge PR)(1-26-2007)
Penske to test COT at Daytona UPDATE: Speed's Bob Dillner reported on Speed's Preseason Thunder report Monday night that Penske Racing is bringing two COT's [Car of Tomorrow] to Daytona and will test them on the track Tuesday or Wednesday with #2-Kurt Busch and #12-Ryan Newman. AND Kurt Busch says his #2-Miller Lite Dodge team will “surprise everyone” on Wednesday at Daytona when they shake down their superspeedway version of the Car of Tomorrow [COT]. Busch says “It’s just matter of us wanting to get ahead of the game and set the curve and raise the bar for people that are thinking they have their Car of Tomorrow scienced out while we’ve got ours here ready to go for a speedway test." Meanwhile, while the acronym “COT” for the Car of Tomorrow has been widely used, some have felt the need to create initials for the current racecars. In the spirit of fun, Busch revealed his Miller Lite Dodge team has come up with several including “CORN” meaning the “Car of Right Now” and “COY” is the “Car of Yesterday.” Busch said, “We’ve got a bunch of engineers in the back with way too much time on their hands I guess. Or they’re just working so hard they’ve got to curse the car somehow.”(PRN's Garage Pass Radio Show)(1-16-2007) UPDATE: Penske Racing South drivers worked on a variety of gear and restrictor-plate combinations as they tested a "car of tomorrow" Wednesday during Nextel Cup practice at Daytona International Speedway. Both #12-Ryan Newman and #2-Kurt Busch took turns in the car, which won't be used on a restrictor-plate track until the October race at Talladega Superspeedway. Busch turned a top lap of 191.188 mph in a single-car run with a 1 1/8th-inch restrictor plate. The team went as low as a 15/16ths-inch restrictor plate. The current version car uses a 7/8ths-inch restrictor plate. Newman said the test proved that NASCAR couldn't run these cars without restrictor plates.(SceneDaily.com)(1-18-2007)
Past 2006 News
Kurt Busch salutes Guntersville Wildcats: (A personal note from 2004 Nextel Cup Champion Kurt Busch) "I first started following the Wildcats’ journey to the Alabama Class 4-A Football Championship at the first of the 2006 season,” said Busch, who drives the Miller Lite Dodge for Penske Racing on the Nextel Cup tour. “My PR guy, Tom Roberts, or ‘TR’ as he has been known forever along the NASCAR trail, and I have been talking about all kinds of sports ever since we started working together at the end of last season. See full story at trpr.com.(12-23-2006)
Kurt Busch Presents "Impact Athlete Award" to Kyle Petty: A special "Impact Athlete Award" presentation by 2004 NASCAR champion Kurt Busch to popular veteran driver/humanitarian Kyle Petty was among the highlights of Wednesday night's 2006 Southern Sports Awards. The two-hour made-for-TV ceremony was held at the Duke Family Performance Hall here at Davidson College. A devoted supporter of the Victory Junction Gang Camp, Busch announced last May that his Kurt Busch Foundation had donated $1 million to the camp to create a 28,000-square-foot, climate-controlled athletic facility at the 72-acre camp located in the Piedmont Triad of North Carolina. Included among the other 2006 Southern Sports Awards luminaries announced on Wednesday night were Carolina Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers (Fan Favorite), Wake Forest head football coach Jim Grobe (Coach of the Year), NASCAR rookie competitor Denny Hamlin (Newcomer of the Year), the Columbus (Ga.) Little League All Stars (Amateur Team of the Year) and the Hendrick Motorsports #48 NASCAR Team (Pro Team of the Year). Hosted by James Carville, Finesse Mitchell and Jon Reep, the 2006 Southern Sports Awards two-hour TV special will air in 45 markets and affiliates beginning Saturday (December 9). Visit www.SouthernSportsAwards.com for a complete list of markets, stations and air times [Charlotte, WJZY the CW on 12/16 at 8:00pm/et].(TRPR)(12-8-2006)
Kurt Busch Becomes Honorary Deputy in Arizona: Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and NASCAR driver #2-Kurt Busch are on better terms than they were a year ago, when Busch was involved in a highly publicized confrontation with Arpaio's deputies But it might be a stretch to call Arpaio and Busch friends. When Busch and his handlers showed up at Arpaio's office for a photo opportunity Thursday afternoon, Arpaio greeted him as "Kyle," the name of Busch's brother, who also races. "I'm not a racetrack guy," Arpaio said later. "I don't get involved in racing." Nevertheless, Arpaio was happy to declare Kurt Busch an honorary deputy one year after he was pulled over by deputies before the 2005 Checker Auto Parts 500. Busch is back in town for Sunday's Checker Auto Parts 500. Last fall, officers pulled Busch over about two miles from Phoenix International Raceway after catching him driving recklessly. He became combative when they tried to determine if Busch were intoxicated. The report said Busch eventually submitted to a preliminary sobriety test, registering a 0.017 blood-alcohol level. That fell far below Arizona's impairment limit of 0.08. Busch's Roush Racing employers kicked him out of his car for the final two races of the season. Busch was issued a misdemeanor citation for reckless driving. He plea-bargained the charges to a speeding ticket, paid a $580 fine and agreed to perform 50 hours of community service, including filming a safe-driving public service announcement. Thursday's appearance brought a brace of television cameras to Arpaio's office. "I wouldn't do this with everybody, quite frankly," Arpaio said, "Because everybody isn't as famous as he is. But because he's famous, he can get the message out. His word means something." Asked what he planned to do with the badge, Busch said, "I plan to put it up in the trophy room. It's something that's very special to me. It's a perfect memento to what's gone on the past year here in Phoenix."(in part from the Associated Press)(11-10-2006)
Borland to Red Bull? UPDATE 2: A shakeup is looming for the Roger Penske operation, with Toyota's Red Bull team reportedly making a run at crew chief Matt Borland to take the helm of Brian Vickers' team next season. Borland is #12-Ryan Newman's crew chief at Penske's.(Winston Salem Journal)(10-28-2006) UPDATE: Penske Performance president Tim Cindric would not rule out the possibility of crew chief changes during the offseason, but said rumors that Matt Borland would leave Ryan Newman's #12 Dodge program for Team Red Bull's new operation were "just speculation." "When you don't have a season you expect to have ... there's always speculation," Cindric said. "I think we're going to look at how we are this season and what's best move going forward to ensure we have better season next year."(St Petersburg Times)(10-31-2006) UPDATE 2: Penske Racing South president Don Miller said Sunday that he expects to have crew chiefs Matt Borland (#12-Ryan Newman) and Roy McCauley (#2-Kurt Busch) back next year leading their respective cars. Borland had been rumored to move to a Toyota [Red Bull Racing] team. Miller also said he expects the new nose Dodge teams will get next year should prove to be a big benefit for the team.(Speed Channel)(11-6-2006)
Kurt Busch interview on Sirius Friday: #2 Miller Lite Dodge driver Kurt Busch will be the featured guest on Friday's SIRIUS Speedway show, a highlight of the programming on SIRIUS Satellite Radio's NASCAR Radio Channel 128. Non-subscribers to SIRIUS can log on to www.sirius.com on Thursday and Friday and receive a free trial to access the media player and some 75 channels of
commercial-free music, exclusive sports, talk and entertainment channels. It's quick and easy - and there's absolutely no commitment. Busch's interview is set to air at 3:15pm/et on Friday.(PR)(10-27-2006)
#2 Team Penalized for shock infraction, suspension, $ and points UPDATE: NASCAR announced today that penalties have been issued to the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series #2 Dodge team as a result of rule violations last week at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Crew chief Roy McCauley has been fined $25,000 and suspended from all NASCAR events until Nov. 1, 2006. McCauley has also been placed on probation until Dec. 31, 2006. Driver Kurt Busch was penalized with the loss of 50 driver championship points and car owner Roger Penske was penalized 50 owner championship points. The penalties resulted from violations of Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment that do not conform to NASCAR rules); and 20-12.3M (right rear shock absorber would not compress) of the 2006 NASCAR Rule Book. The infraction was discovered during post-qualifying inspection on Oct. 12.(NASCAR PR)(10-18-2006) UPDATE - no appeal: Penske Racing South officials say that Matt Gimbel will fill in as interim crew chief this weekend at Martinsville Speedway. Penske Performance Inc. President Tim Cindric released a statement that said the team will not appeal. "While we respect the fact that the shock in question did not move the required amount after Kurt's qualifying run, under the rules we are unable to open the shock to determine the reason until the appeal period ends," Cindric said in the statement. "After discussing the situation with our team, I'm convinced that the problem we had with our shock was not an intentional attempt by any member of our team to circumvent NASCAR's rules. We do not plan to appeal the decision, but we look forward to opening the shock with NASCAR to determine what caused us to fail post-qualifying inspection."(SceneDaily.com)(10-19-2006)
Busch's time disallowed: Kurt Busch qualified third [at Lowe's Motor Speedway for the Bank of America 500], but his #2 Dodge was later disqualified because his right rear shock did not meet NASCAR specifications. He will now start 42nd.(Associated Press)(10-12-2006) UPDATE: A NASCAR spokesperson confirmed Friday that the sanctioning body has taken possession of the right rear shock from the #2 Dodge driven by Kurt Busch on Thursday night. Busch qualified in the second spot, but NASCAR's post-qualifying inspection found that the right rear shock would not bounce back. Because of that, NASCAR officials ruled that the car did not meet specifications, disqualified the time and forced the team to take a provisional. Busch will start 42nd Saturday. Roy McCauley, crew chief for the No. 2, said Friday that he believes the problem was a simple mechanical breakdown. "NASCAR is right, there was a problem with it," McCauley said. "Right now, I believe it was an equipment malfunction or failure. We got loose in qualifying and we were expecting to be tight, so I think that at some point during the run the shock must have failed. I don't fault NASCAR one bit (for taking the shock). It wasn't right, but obviously we wouldn't put it on the car like that. We've just got to move past it and move on." NASCAR officials remained skeptical, however, and a spokesperson indicated that penalties could be forthcoming.(Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service)(10-14-2006)
Congratulations to #2 Miller Lite Dodge team's regular front-tire changer Jay Hackney and wife, Krista, on the birth of their twins, Tyler Reed and Taylor Reese, born at Lake Norman Regional Hospital on Sunday. Tyler, born at 4:12pm/et, weighed in at 3 lbs., 12 oz., while Taylor was born at 4:37pm/et and weighed 4 lbs. 6 oz. They are the first children for the Hackneys.(Tom Roberts PR)(9-27-2006)
Kurt Busch's Team Captures Pit Crew Challenge Win in Dover: Kurt Busch's #2 over-the-wall crew tallied its second Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge win of the season by spending the least amount of time on pit road in Sunday's NEXTEL Cup event at Dover International Speedway. Spending just 405.936 seconds on pit road, the Miller Lite crew helped lift its driver to a fourth-place finish in the Dover 400. Checkers/Rally's will award the team with the weekly $10,500 prize. In addition, a $105,000 bonus will be given to the pit crew with the most victories at the completion of the 36-race schedule. Busch's over-the-wall crew consists of: Ray Gallahan (jackman), Dave Littau (front-tire carrier), Dustin Coonfield (front-tire changer), Larry Robinette (rear-tire carrier), Kevin Hebert (rear-tire changer), Chris Williams (gasman), Steve Williams (catch can) and Brian Wilson (windshield). The #2 crew captured the win despite missing two full-time members. Front-tire changer Jay Hackney was at home in Mooresville, N.C. where he and his wife, Krista, were awaiting birth of their first child. And Andy Brown, rear-tire carrier, has been out with an injury since the August Bristol race. With eight races remaining on the NEXTEL Cup schedule, the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge championship is still for the taking with the pit crews of Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch leading the standings with four wins. Clint Bowyer's and Tony Stewart's teams are tied for second with three wins each. The Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season with the Nextel Cup Series. To date, Checkers/Rally's has paid out $294,000 in prize money during this season.
Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(9-27-2006)
Hornish to run Busch and ARCA Races UPDATE 2 testing..#77?: Roger Penske said Saturday that he was working on a plan that would allow his IRL driver Sam Hornish Jr. to race in some NASCAR Busch Series and ARCA Series races next season. That would be in addition to a full IRL schedule for Hornish, who won the Indianapolis 500 this year. “Sam has talked about running some Busch or ARCA races, and we’re looking at a potential program,’’ Penske said before the Sharpie 500. “We haven’t put all the pieces together.” Although Penske used an ARCA, Busch and Nextel Cup program to develop the driver Ryan Newman before promoting him to the Cup series full-time, Penske said it was too early to say if Hornish would move up to compete in the Cup series by 2008.(New York Times)(8-28-2006) UPDATE: Reports that Indianapolis 500 champion Sam Hornish Jr. would be running races in the NASCAR Busch and ARCA Series next year in addition to his Indy Racing League schedule are premature. "There's no confirmation," Team Penske director of marketing and communications Chris Schwartz said. "They're considering a plan that would allow Sam to run some Busch and ARCA events next year. The details of that plan are tentative. Some people are thinking that this is something more than it really is."(Fort Worth Star Telegram)(8-31-2006) UPDATE 2: Sam Hornish Jr. could begin testing a Penske Racing South Dodge sometime this fall in preparation for what could be a limited Busch Series and ARCA schedule in 2007, team president Don Miller said Saturday. "They're just looking at that possibility [for next season]," Miller said. "He'll probably do some testing a little bit later on." Whether Hornish begins testing this year or not until next season will depend, in part, on how Penske Racing South's preparations are going for next season. The team has struggled with its intermediate-track program this year and is also busy working to gear up for the introduction of the "car of tomorrow" next season. Hornish, who will run the full IRL schedule next year, would ease into stock cars. If Hornish were to make the move to NASCAR full time in 2008 or beyond, it would likely mean Penske Racing South would resurrect the #77 team it shut down after last season.(SceneDaily.com)(9-3-2006)
#2 crewman injured, will miss Calif: Andy Brown, rear tire carrier for Kurt Busch’s #2 Miller Lite Dodge team, was injured during a Lap 238 pit stop under the seventh caution period of last Saturday night’s Bristol race. “I felt something pop and the next thing I knew, I was down on the ground,” offered Brown, a 23-year-old Lander, Pa., native. He was taped up and returned to action for two additional stops. “Getting back out there Saturday night might not have been a good idea,” Brown offered on Tuesday. “I’ve been in to have my knee drained and they’re doing tests to see if I’ve done any ACL damage.” Brown is not expected to make the trip out to California this weekend. “Looks like we’ll have Larry Robinette filling in for me this weekend,” Brown said of the 39-year-old Garland, Texas, veteran mechanic who has been working on the #39 Penske Busch Series team this season.(TRPR.com)(8-31-2006)
Kurt Busch first to drive on new LVMS high banks: #2-Kurt Busch on Tuesday became the first driver to turn laps on Las Vegas Motor Speedway's new pavement and high-banked turns. The Las Vegas native drove a car from the Richard Petty Driving Experience (RPDE) which was painted to resemble his #2 Miller Lite Dodge. Busch had nothing but praise for the new asphalt surface and 20-degree banked turns as he exited the car. "First, I am honored to be here to take the first laps on the new track," Busch said. "I just can't wait for the completed product, because what's available right now is so much speed. Everything about it is right -- the transitions into the corners, the new banking, the speed that it's going to (generate). When we qualify here, it'll be beyond the track record. It's hard to tell right now exactly how fast it will be, but I think it will be five-to-10 miles per hour quicker. And what that means for a lap time is probably two or three seconds. It's that much quicker. And what teams are going to have to do to adjust to all this newness is going to be incredible. I can't wait for the test session we have here in January." Busch wasn't the only NASCAR driver to tour the track today. Fellow Las Vegas native Brendan Gaughan, who competes in the Truck Series, also turned laps in an RPDE car. "I liked the old track, so I'm not one of those guys that didn't like the old LVMS configuration," said Gaughan, who drives the Orleans Racing Dodge. "I got to talk to the guys who constructed it and they're really proud of it. There are no seams where the banking rises. Las Vegas Motor Speedway's front straight lends itself to a much more friendly and racy straightaway. At Charlotte, Atlanta and Texas, with their flat double-dogleg, it can get dicey where you get a little nervous getting through there. This place seems like you're going to be able to go two or three-wide at the start-finish line much easier than those other tracks. You'll definitely be able to run more grooves. Like Homestead, where they went to multiple banking, the top groove could be pretty quick. I can't wait for the Goodyear tire test here next week. Then the Smith's Las Vegas 350 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race is the first event on the new surface." Tickets for the Sept. 23 Smith's Las Vegas 350 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race on LVMS' repaved, high-banked 1.5-mile superspeedway are now on sale and may be purchased by calling the LVMS ticket office at (702) 644-4444 or online at www.LVMS.com.(LVMS PR)(8-9-2006)
Busch's wedding footage to air: #2-Kurt Busch and wife Eva's wedding footage is scheduled to air on Wednesday, August 9th on The Insider, hosted by Pat O'Brien and Lara Spencer. Check local listing for channel and time, it airs in the Charlotte on WBTV-TV Channel 3-CBS at 7:30pm/et.(8-9-2006)
Kurt Busch has big plans for the offweekend: Miller Lite Dodge Driver Will Wed Eva Bryan Later This Week In Coastal Wedding, see full story on how they met and more at trpr.com.(7-25-2006)
Endangered Beetle Changes Busch's Wedding Plans: Something else has been bugging #2-Kurt Busch beyond the fact he's stalled outside of the Chase for the Nextel Cup in 14th place. The tiger beetle! "Those are the insects I guess that have their natural habitat on the Chesapeake Bay in the area we were looking to get married," Busch said in a conference call Tuesday. "Their mating season is the months of June and July. With this being July, the environmentalists said, 'Whoa. Whoa. We can't have a bunch of guys out there building a pier and dock for this wedding because it's going to disrupt the environment.' " Actually, it was the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "In terms of being environmentalist, we are part of the federal government and charged with protecting the public's natural resources, including endangered species," said Karen Mayne, field supervisor for the agency's office in Gloucester, Va. Mayne said the temporary pier Busch wanted constructed on land owned by developer Dan Hoffler on Virginia's Eastern Shore could have harmed the tiger beetles, which are listed as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act. The wedding of Busch and Eva Bryan will go ahead next weekend — on the porch of Hoffler's house.(USA Today)(7-19-2006)
Start #200 for Kurt Busch: #2- iller Lite Dodge driver Kurt Busch will be making his 200th career NASCAR NEXTEL Cup start this weekend in the Dodge/Save Mart 350. The historic occasion could not come at a more appropriate location than at Infineon Raceway. After all, one might say that Busch’s big-league racing career was launched at the winding road course located at the southern tip of the Sonoma Valley.(See full story at TRPR.com)(6-22-2006)
Kurt Busch's Team Scores Pit Crew Challenge Win in Pocono: By spending the least amount of time on pit road during Sunday's NEXTEL Cup event at Pocono Raceway, Kurt Busch's team earned its first Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge win of the season. The #2 Miller Lite crew spent 193.228 seconds on pit lane, helping to advance Busch to a runner-up finish in the Pocono 500. Busch's over-the-wall crew includes: Ray Gallahan (jackman), Dave Littau (front-tire carrier), Jay Hackney (front-tire changer), Andy Brown (rear-tire carrier), Kevin Hebert (rear-tire changer), Chris Williams (gasman), Steve Williams (catch can) and Dustin Coonfield (windshield). After 14 of 36 races in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season, nine teams have won the weekly Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge, each earning $10,500 per win. In the season standings, Jimmie Johnson's crew leads with three wins while Tony Stewart's, Elliott Sadler's and Kyle Busch's crews are tied for second with two wins. The Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge is in its second season with the Nextel Cup Series. A bonus of $105,000 will be presented to the team with the most wins at the completion of the 36-race schedule.(DMF Communications PR)(6-16-2006)
Horish: No plans to run NASCAR..for now: Sam Hornish Jr. has always had a stock answer when asked about moving from open-wheel cars to the more popular and lucrative NASCAR series. He wanted to win the Indianapolis 500 first. So what about now? "I'm never going to tell you that I won't do that," Hornish said Tuesday, two days after winning the second-closest Indianapolis 500 ever. "But there's still a lot that I want to do as far as Indy cars go. I'd love to win another championship." Hornish won two season titles in three years in the yellow Pennzoil car for Panther Racing. At age 22 in 2001, he was the youngest driver to win a major open-wheel championship in America, and switched to Penske after the 2003 season. Penske also has NASCAR Nextel Cup and Busch teams, but there are no current plans for Hornish to race stock cars. "Obviously being with Roger, it gives me a lot of opportunity to be able to do that," Hornish said. "Roger hired me to drive an Indy car. If we ever come to a mutual discussion where we feel that's something we may want to do, we'll weigh our pros and cons."(Associated Press)(5-31-2006)
Busch allegedly taps attendant before 'Cars' MORE..accidentally: A vehicle being driven by #2-Kurt Busch allegedly made contact with a part-time employee of Lowe's Motor Speedway on Friday night at a movie premiere. Busch was arriving for the premiere of the Disney movie "Cars" in the infield of Lowe's. He allegedly made contact with a parking attendant. "Kurt's vehicle allegedly made contact with this person around the knee area," said Jerry Gappens, the senior vice president of events for Lowe's. "He continued working, then later had it checked out and everything was fine." The unnamed employee also was working at the speedway yesterday. No police report had been filed with the Concord police department as of yesterday afternoon. According to Gappens, Busch met with Lowe's President H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler to let him know what had happened. Busch had no comment yesterday. Both NASCAR and Lowe's Motor Speedway have looked into the incident, and both have said they are out of the situation. "All we're aware of is there was an incident at the premiere, and we're not involved in it," NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter said. "It's not a NASCAR incident. It's not in our jurisdiction. The parties involved in it, we'll leave it to them to resolve it." Gappens said it was the track's opinion it was a non-event, and no further action would be taken by the speedway.(Richmond Times Dispatch) MORE: Kurt Busch accidentally struck a Lowe's Motor Speedway security guard with his car on his way to Friday night's premiere of the Disney movie Cars, according LMS senior vice president Jerry Gappens. Gappens said the 2004 Nextel Cup champion was in a police escort to the track when the guard tried to cut off the line. He said a track official inside of Busch's car told him to keep going, at which time Busch made contact with the knee of the guard. He said the guard completed the final 15 minutes of his shift before going to the track hospital, where he was checked out and cleared. Gappens said the guard returned to work on Saturday.(more at NASCAR.com)(5-28-2006)
Kurt Busch donates $1 million to Victory Junction: The Kurt Busch Foundation donated $1 million to Victory Junction Camp in a ceremony Friday at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The donation will fund an indoor 28,000-square foot facility for sports and will be called the Kurt Busch Superdome. "I can't believe I was able to come together with the Pettys and put this program together. It's a good launch for the Kurt Busch Foundation and how serious I am about it and the initiative to try to get kids into sports and put a smile on their face at the end of the day. We'll have some fun with it. I've been to the camp quite a bit and this will make it to where I really want to be there and put my hands in the mix and make a difference with the children. When you go to camp and see what Victory Junction Gang Camp is all about, it looks like a candyland to children. It's very special to me, and to have fun with it is the No. 1 thing. Your heart pours out to them (kids at Victory Junction Camp). They can't live ordinary lives or sign up for Little League baseball in their community. You feel like you can make a small impact in their lives if they've got a place where they can fit in together and all feel welcome." ESPN covered the announcement, as did SPEED. Two Charlotte TV stations and a Greensboro station were on hand, along with XM Satellite Radio and several local radio stations.(Tom Roberts PR)(5-19-2006)
Penske Not Happy with Busch article, Busch encounters troubles at RIR:: An angry Roger Penske met with USA Today reporters before Saturday night's race to express his displeasure with that newspaper's Thursday article on driver Kurt Busch [actually it was about light sentences athletes get..not just Busch, but he was pictured and featured: Athletes lightly punished after their day in court]. Busch and Penske have been trying to wipe the slate clean on all the controversies that have dogged Busch the last few years. But each time they think they're getting over the hump, something new crops up. Saturday night's race offered no respite. Busch was looking good early, running as high as third, but he was called for pitting outside his pit box and issued a pass-through penalty. When he returned to pit road, he was hit by NASCAR with a second penalty for speeding. By the time the three-hour race was over, Busch was a frustrated 29th.(Winston Salem Journal)(5-8-2006)
Kurt Busch attends Race Fever: #2-Kurt Busch took time out during his schedule last weekend at Talladega Superspeedway to attend the "Race Night Fever" fundraiser
for the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind and it was a huge hit all the way around. "We grossed over $200,000 and it was the most successful event in our 21 years of doing this," AIDB's Cary Nolen said on Tuesday. "Having a top-level driver like Kurt Busch attend our function was the highlight of the evening and we're so thankful for his time and generosity. You could tell that he was the favorite driver there with all the kids. He made many new fans at Talladega last Friday night."
"They asked me if I'd attend and I said, 'Heck, yes.especially if it'll help those kids out.' We donated a hood off one of our Miller Lite Dodge Chargers for them to auction off and we went over there and had a great time meeting all the kids and signing autographs. I'm glad that it was such a huge success."(Tom Roberts PR)(5-4-2006)
Penske News: #2 crew chief back; Window Net problem looked at: #2-Kurt Busch crew chief Roy McCauley was back on the job at Penske Racing South early Monday after missing the race weekend at Phoenix. McCauley missed the Nextel Cup race after undergoing a minor heart procedure during the week. He is already at Talladega Superspeedway with his NASCAR team for this weekend's Aaron's 499. "I told them that I'd take it easy over the weekend last week, and I did just that," McCauley said. "But I also told them that at 5:30 a.m. on Monday, we were going back to my normal schedule."(SceneDaily.com) AND: Penske Racing South crew members are intent on making sure that a window net problem never costs one of their drivers points again. At Phoenix, #2-Kurt Busch's window net came loose, and he lost laps pitting to fix it. NASCAR requires window nets be secure anytime a driver is on the track.(SceneDaily.com)(4-28-2006)
Penske to lead GM? on Sunday's Wind Tunnel [Speed Channel on Sunday's at 9:00pm/et], Robin Miller said he heard from someone a little bit connected in Detroit [home of Chevy/Ford] that General Motors is thinking about pursuing Roger Penske to take over General Motors [Chevy]. Not much more to it and have to wonder since Dodge is signed with Penske Racing in NASCAR thru at least 2007.(4-25-2006)
Kurt Busch makes amends for traffic violations: #2-Kurt Busch, cited last year by Maricopa County sheriff's deputies for reckless driving, offers a word of advice: Dangerous driving belongs on racetracks, not public roadways. That's the gist of a public-service announcement that Busch did Wednesday with Sheriff Joe Arpaio at the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, south of Phoenix. The PSA is expected to air on Valley television stations in May or June. The NASCAR driver was stopped Nov. 11. He was fined $580 and ordered to perform 50 hours of community service after pleading guilty Feb. 10 to a reduced charge of speeding, a misdemeanor, and admitting responsibility for following too closely and passing in a no-passing zone. The time spent on the PSA is expected to count toward the 50 hours. Arpaio said that he was "pleasantly surprised" Wednesday "at how gracious this man was" despite the controversy.(Arizona Republic)(4-20-2006)
#2 Crew Chief to miss Phoenix race: Roy McCauley, crew chief for driver Kurt Busch and the #2 Miller Lite Dodge team out of the Penske Racing stable, will not be making the trip out West for this weekend's Subway Fresh 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. He will be absent per doctor's orders. McCauley experienced some mild chest pains and went to the hospital Monday for diagnostic tests. He successfully underwent minor surgery yesterday (Tuesday) to treat a small blockage. “The procedure was 100 percent effective in alleviating the problem, but my doctor advised me to take it easy and spend this weekend relaxing at home,” said McCauley, who will return to work – and Talladega – next week.(Tom Roberts PR)(4-20-2006)
Kurt Busch tests at the Rock: #2-Kurt Busch is testing at North Carolina Speedway [Rockingham] in preparation for the upcoming race at Darlington. Busch and the team are testing there as the track surfaces are worn and similar.(PRN's Garage Pass Radio Show)(4-17-2006)
Kurt Busch trying to mend fences: Kurt Busch says he has tried to talk with Greg Biffle about their accident Sunday during the Samsung/RadioShack 500 NASCAR Nextel Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. Biffle was angry that Busch ran into the back of him after Biffle slowed slightly on the straightaway. "I tried to reach out for [Biffle] and left a message on his phone, and I'm sure I'll see him this afternoon," Busch said Tuesday while teams were testing at Richmond International Raceway. "Biffle and I are both very competitive racers, and we both looked for the same real estate at the same time, yet I was trying to yield as a lapped car on the track.
Things like that happen, and we'll definitely try to smooth everything out and move on to the next race." Busch and Biffle were teammates at Roush Racing until this year, when Busch moved to Penske Racing South. "With the old teammates, we definitely had some great times together," Busch said. "Biffle and I grew up running trucks together, and when I moved to Cup he shortly followed. We have some great relationships, and it's not just one race that will tear it apart."(SceneDaily.com)(4-13-2006)
Kurt Busch wins at Bristol: #2-Kurt Busch won the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, booting #17-Matt Kenseth out of the way with 4 laps to go to win his 1st race of 2006, his first in the #2 Dodge, his 5th at Bristol and 15th career win. It is the first win for the #2 Penske Racing Dodge since Rusty Wallace won at Martinsville in April 2004. #29-Kevin Harvick finished 2nd [his last top 5 was Richmond last May, 30 races ago], followed by #17-Matt Kenseth [the new points leader], #99-Carl Edwards and #43-Bobby Labonte [the first top five for the #43 in Bristol, May 2001 with John Andretti]. Points leader coming in, #48-Jimmie Johnson had a rough day and fell a couple laps down early and finished 30th, 13 laps down, falling to 3rd in the points, 19 laps behind new points leader #17-Matt Kenseth. #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished 11th. #24-Gordon booted Kenseth, then Kenseth came back and booted Gordon, who spun and ended up 21st, last car on the lead lap. On pit road, Kenseth approached Gordon, Gordon got out of his car without even getting his helmet off and push Kenseth, then race officials got between the drivers. Race Results on my Bristol Race Results/Awards Page. Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Bristol page. Race Rundown: see my Bristol Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(3-26-2006)
Kahne Joins the Winners Circle UPDATE and now Busch: #9-Kasey Kahne has joined an elite group of drivers as a result of his victory in the Golden Corral 500 at Atlanta. Kahne’s second career victory earned the Ray Evernham-owned #9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge team a spot in NASCAR’s Winner’s Circle Program, if Kahne enters, qualifies and competes in the remaining 32 races on the schedule this season beginning with Sunday’s Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Kahne joins the Winner’s Circle Program as a “wild card,” leaving one more “wild card” slot open to an additional race winner this season that is not already in the program. The Winner’s Circle Program, which starts each season with the top 10 winning drivers from the previous season, is designed to reward teams who have typified the best in NASCAR racing. Two “wild card” slots are available each year, making a total of 12 maximum spots open for the program in any season. For more info, the 2007 and 2006 charts and more, see my Winner Circle page.(3-24-2006) UPDATE: after his win in Bristol on March 26th, #2-Kurt Busch takes over the final wild card spot on the program.(3-27-2006)
Kurt Busch on the tube Wed: In support of the Gillette Young Guns program, #2 Miller Lite Dodge driver Kurt Busch will be doing a "media blitz" in New York City on Wednesday, March 22. Busch is scheduled to appear on "Live with Regis & Kelly," [9am on ABC] ESPN's "Cold Pizza" [10am on ESPN2] and FOX News Channel's "Dayside with Linda Vestor."(TRPR)(3-22-2006)
Busch in a Charger: it was reported on NASCAR Live that Kurt Busch is in the #2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger and his teammate #12-Ryan Newman is still running a Dodge Intrepid.(Speed Channel's NASCAR Live)(3-17-2006)
ESPN following Kurt Busch: Kurt Busch will take an ESPN film crew around his hometown of Las Vegas this week. "It won't be what you might think," says ESPN feature producer, Jeremy Louwerse. "You probably won't see a single clip of The Strip or what Las Vegas is most famous for. Our intent is to go back and take a look at Kurt's roots - the neighborhood where the 2004 NASCAR champ grew up, his high school, his favorite fast food joint - all the local color he experienced growing up in Las Vegas before making it big time in racing." The feature is set to first air on Friday morning's popular ESPN2 program, Cold Pizza. The two-hour, weekday morning show airs live from New York City between 10 a.m. -12 noon. The program is hosted by Jay Crawford and Dana Jacobson.(Tom Roberts PR)(3-9-2006)
Kurt Busch on Wind Tunnel: #2-Kurt Busch, will be a featured interview on Wind Tunnel this Sunday, March 5. After switching teams at the end of last year, Kurt has renewed enthusiasm and a fresh outlook on life as a NASCAR champion. Host Dave Despain will talk to him about this change and about his new role with Penske Racing. Also included is the featured interview of Ed Clark, President and General Manager of Atlanta Motor Speedway. The Special Guest is Scott Speed a Formula 1 Series Rookie from the USA. Other Topics of Discussion include: NASCAR Hall of Fame; Busch Series in Mexico; Rolex Series in Mexico; F1 Preview with Scott Speed; AMA Supercross in Indy; WSBK in Australia…and much more.(Speed Channel)(3-4-2006)
Penske talks about Toyota: Of rumors Penske Racing South [#2, #12] would leave Dodge and align with Toyota, Roger Penske said, “I have no contract with Toyota. I have a long-term commitment with Dodge, so we’ve not made any commitments at all with Toyota.”(Speed Channel)(2-27-2006)
Penske plans to keep running Intrepids: Penske Racing South General Manager Don Miller said on Friday that the team plans on racing 2004 Dodge Intrepids at all 1.5.- and 2.0-mile tracks for the foreseeable future. Penske drivers #2-Kurt Busch and #12-Ryan Newman both brought Intrepids for Sunday’s Auto Club 500, as did Petty Enterprises for #43-Bobby Labonte. All the other Dodge teams brought the aerodynamically troublesome Dodge Charger, which was introduced last year. Asked how long Penske would campaign the two-year-old Dodges, Miller was blunt. “As long as Dodge will let us,” he said.(Speed Channel)(2-24-2006)
Piece of #2 car goes into the stands: have seen nothing of this, but noticed it during the race and have seen video, the rear bumper cover of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge that Kurt Busch drivers, came off during a wreck on lap 188 and flew over the catch fence and into the stands during the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. The piece looked like it flew through an opening in the stands. Have heard nothing more seen any reports at all about any injuries, and sources at the track say no injuries were reported.(2-21-2006)
Kurt Busch has ears pinned back...literally: #2-Kurt Busch has a new team, new cars and a new pit crew. He also has a new look. Busch saw a cosmetic surgeon in the offseason, and came out with his once-prominent ears pinned back closer to his head. "Yeah, a little slicker," Busch said Friday, grinning. "I've got it working in the draft now." Busch said he wasn't quite clear on the details of the procedure -- he was under sedation -- but he definitely is pleased with the result. "I've wanted to do it for a few years now, but never had the time," he said. The new look has turned a few heads in the garage.(ESPN.com/AP)(2-18-2006)
Miller Challenges Bud UPDATE: Miller Brewing Company is kicking off a new era in its 35-year history of motorsports sponsorship by boldly declaring its confidence in Kurt Busch's ability to drive the #2 Miller Lite Dodge to victory lane. Miller's chief marketing officer Tom Long today sent a letter to Anheuser-Busch vice president of brand management Marlene Coulis, betting the beer-market leader that Miller Lite driver Kurt Busch will finish ahead of Budweiser driver #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the final 2006 Nextel Cup Series season standings. The terms of the friendly wager: The losing sponsor must change the paint scheme on its car to match the winning brand's car for one Nextel Cup Series points-paying race next year. Budweiser has until the start of Sunday's season-opening race to accept the Miller challenge. Fans can win BEER: Earlier this week, Miller Lite announced that legal-drinking-age consumers can register to win its "When Kurt Wins, You Could Win" sweepstakes online at www.millerbeer.com until 11:59am/et Sunday, Feb. 19. If Busch takes the checkered flag in Daytona Beach, then 500 randomly selected registered fans will win a year's supply of Miller Lite. (See the official contest rules online.)(Tom Roberts PR)(2-17-2006) UPDATE: Anheuser-Busch's response came quickly: "I sincerely doubt we're considering it," said Brian Eaton of Busch's Public Affairs Office. Though Anheuser-Busch didn't formally say no, that's only because they don't want to entertain the idea. Better to leave their race car driver to speak for the company, though he was caught by surprise. "You're joking, right?" the Bud driver said when asked. "No … That's something dreamed up by the guys in Milwaukee."(ESPN.com)(2-18-2006)
Kurt Busch Resolves Arizona Traffic Incident: #2-Kurt Busch appeared in Aqua Fria Justice Court today and agreed to the terms proposed by the Maricopa County [Arizona] Attorney's Office and approved by the Court regarding a traffic incident that occurred on Nov. 11, 2005. "I am pleased to have this incident behind me," Busch said. "I have learned many lessons from the situation and one of them is that speeding should be saved for the race track. I am excited for the 2006 race season to begin and look forward to the racing activities at Daytona this week." Busch took responsibility for excessive speed, as well as citations for passing in a no passing zone and following another vehicle too closely. As part of the resolution, Busch will perform community service, which will be determined in the near future.(Penske Racing PR)(2-8-2006)
Penske likely to run Intrepids at Vegas & Calif: After #2-Kurt Busch tested both a 2004 Dodge and an 2005 model at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Penske Racing South expects to field 2004 models for both #12-Ryan Newman and Busch at California Speedway and Las Vegas. "We're going to use whichever car our team thinks is the better performer," team president Don Miller said Wednesday. "Right now, that looks like it's going to be the 2004." Dodge introduced the Charger nameplate last season, replacing the Intrepids it used from 2001-04. Both the '04 and '05 models are approved for use by NASCAR. Ray Evernham said his team plans to stick with Chargers for drivers #19-Jeremy Mayfield and #9-Kasey Kahne. While details have not been finalized, a number of Dodge teams are trying to schedule a group test at Nashville to see if they can come to a consensus before presenting an 2006 Charger to NASCAR to see if it can get a new nose approved.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(2-3-2006)
Newman/Busch split Busch duties: Penske Racing announced its two drivers, #12-Ryan Newman and #2-Kurt Busch, will split time in 14 Busch Series races this season [#39 Dodge](Florence Morning News)(1-27-2006)
Kurt Busch to test at Nashville: #2-Kurt Busch is scheduled to test at Nashville Superspeedway Tuesday, January 24. The test is closed to the public.(Nashville Superspeedway PR)(1-23-2006)
Busch tests at Lakeland: Kurt Busch was at Lakeland Speedway last Wednesday getting acquainted with his new team. Breaking in the #2 Miller Lite Dodge with Busch was crew chief Roy McCauley and new car chief Corey Tucker, who honed his skills on Ryan Newman's Penske team that won six races in nine Busch Series starts last year.(Sporting News)(1-9-2006)
Past 2005 News
Carter to Bill Davis Racing: although it was announced at Penske Racing that former #2 crew chief Larry Carter was staying there in another capacity, saw this reported on FoxSports.com in a Darrell Waltip article: "With my brother Michael being over at Bill Davis Racing, he's bringing NAPA and some resources. Davis brought back Dave Blaney, who is one of those consistent guys. If you put Blaney in a good car next year, Michael and Blaney could work well together next year. They brought in Larry Carter from the #2 car to help them. That's going to be a big plus. Derrick Finley has a few years under his belt as a crew chief. I see good things happening at Bill Davis Racing. But Michael has to stay out of trouble and finish races — that's got to be his number 1 priority.(FoxSports)(12-28-2005)
Busch court date postponed: #2-Kurt Busch has a January court date to face a criminal reckless driving citation he received while in the Valley for the Nextel Cup race last month. Busch was scheduled to appear in Tolleson Justice Court on Thursday but changed the court date to 9:00am on Jan. 27, according to court officials. The 2004 Nextel Cup champion was belligerent and uncooperative when he was pulled over by Maricopa County sheriff’s deputies on Nov. 11 near Phoenix International Raceway, according to sheriff's reports. A breath test and field sobriety tests confirmed Busch wasn't drunk, but deputies issued a criminal traffic citation for reckless driving. Busch's 2005 team, #97 Roush Racing [now #26 team, Busch to drive #2 Dodge in 2006], suspended him for the final two races of the season.(East Valley Tribune)(12-24-2005)
Rusty Wallace Shakes Down Daytona Prototype At DIS: Rusty Wallace has retired from Nxtel Cup Series competition, but he's still got one more race on his to-do list - the 44th anniversary of the Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 28-29. Wallace flew down to Daytona International Speedway for the day to shake down a Howard-Boss Motorsports Pontiac Crawford on the historic 3.56-mile road course as he considers competing in the upcoming prestigious twice-around-the-clock race. "This 24 Hours of Daytona has been on my plans for over a year and a half," Wallace said. "I've been on again, off again with it but the last couple of weeks I've really gotten on it again. Jim France gave me a call and said I ought to reconsider and go back down and try it out." Wallace says that the Howard-Boss Motorsports team hopes to have a driving team finalized within the week that will include him and a couple of sports car specialists. Sports car aces and former Rolex 24 champions Butch Leitzinger and Elliott Forbes-Robinson have been giving Wallace tips on the twists and turns of the road course as well as the Daytona Prototype. Wednesday's test was a star-studded one with several major drivers getting shake downs in Daytona Prototypes. Among the teams participating include Cheever Racing (Eddie Cheever, Christian Fittipaldi, Bill Lester, Paul Menard and Patrick Carpentier), Finlay Motorsports (Memo Gidley), Alex Job Racing (Patrick Long) and Brumos Racing (Hurley Haywood, David Donohue, Ted Christopher, JC France and Darren Law).(DIS PR)(12-22-2005)
Rusty and Dale Jr. well liked in poll - Genius Insight’s 25 Most-Liked Athletes Of ’05: The following presents recently released data from Genius Insight report, detailing the top 25 most-liked active athletes in ’05. The report includes 1,988 stars, approximately 400 of which are athletes, rated by U.S. respondents aged 13-49. Stars are ranked by the percentage of people who say they “like the star a lot.” Data was compiled during a six-month period, ending October 1. Fan base figures are rounded to the nearest whole (Genius Insight StarPower Report). The top five most well-liked were: Lance Armstrong (27%), Tiger Woods (15%), Shaquille O’Neal (14%), Brett Favre (14%), Serena Williams (14%). NASCAR's Rusty Wallace and Dale Earnhardt Jr were 8th with 12%, no other drivers were mentioned in the top 25.(Sports Business Daily(need sub/or Rustywallace.com)(12-22-2005)
Carter out at Penske? UPDATE changes: hearing #2 Miller Lite crew chief, Larry Carter has been released from his duties as crew chief at Penske Racing and is looking for work, supposedly Roy McCauley, an engineer for Penske Racingand crew chief for #39 Busch team of Ryan Newman will supposedly be Kurt Busch's crew chief.(12-7-2005) UPDATE: Penske Racing South announced today that Roy McCauley will become the crew chief of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge effective immediately. McCauley replaces Larry Carter who will move to a management role within Penske Racing South's operations division. "I am pleased to announce these changes to our racing organization," Roger Penske said. "Roy brings a wealth of technical and engineering experience to the #2 team. Roy and Kurt will be a great team and when you combine them with Ryan Newman and Matt Borland, we are looking forward to building on our recent successes. I want to thank Larry Carter for his contributions as crew chief with the #2 team. His leadership was instrumental in guiding Rusty into 'The Chase' this season. Whereas Matt and Roy will focus on the competition side of our business, Larry will bring a wealth of experience to an important management role within the operations of Penske Racing." The moves of Carter and McCauley were made along with other personnel changes at Penske Racing South as the company prepares its two NEXTEL Cup teams for the 2006 season.(Penske Racing PR)(12-9-2005)
Jasper's 2006 Plans...no #77: been told that an announcement was made at Jasper Engines today detailing their 2006 plans in which Jasper will supply the transmissions and differentials to Ryan Newman's #12 car and Kurt Busch's #2 car in the NEXTEL Cup Series; the Rusty Wallace owned Busch Series #64 car and the Penske Busch Series ]#39] team, as well as the #77 truck owned and driven by Brendan Gaughan in the Craftsman Truck Series. Penske Jasper Engines will build the power plants for all these teams with the exception of Gaughan's truck team which owns its engine program. Jasper also plans to add an expanded R&D area that will house the NASCAR transmissions and differentials operations. Jasper will not return as a sponsor of the #77 Penske Racing Dodge in Nextel Cup racing.(12-8-2005)
Carter out at Penske? hearing #2 Miller Lite crew chief, Larry Carter has been released from his duties at Penske Racing and is looking for work, supposedly Roy McCauley, Chief Engineer for the #12 team of Ryan Newman will supposedly be Kurt Busch's crew chief.(12-7-2005)
Rusty Honored: Friday morning's edition of the annual National Motorsports Press Club/Myers Brothers Awards Breakfast was notable for recognition received by Rusty Wallace and the absence of many of his peers. Wallace, the 1989 NASCAR Cup champion who won 55 career races, was named the recipient of the National Motorsports Press Association’s 2005 Myers Brothers Award. The veteran driver, who said farewell to his fans with his "Rusty's Last Call Tour" this season, started 706 Cup races, amassing 202 top-five and 349 top-10 finishes in addition to his 55 victories. He also won rookie of the year honors in 1984. In his final season this year, Wallace qualified for the Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup and ended the year eighth in points. "We started the team back in 1991," said Wallace of the team he co-founded with Roger Penske. "We won a lot of races, won our share, won our share of poles, accolades and all the cool things that comes with it. When get an award like this, it's something that really sticks. That's a great award. I've won the yearly awards and really treasured them, got the big checks ... but this one here will go high on my mantle," Wallace said. "It'll be something I'll be really proud of, so thank you very much." Voted on each year by members of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA), the Myers Brothers award recognizes individuals and/or groups who have provided outstanding contributions to the sport of stock car racing. It is named in honor of Billy and Bob Myers.(Speed Channel)(12-3-2005)
Busch eager to win back peers, fans: 2004 Nextel Cup Champions Kurt Busch was a full participant in Thursday's season-ending activities, dismissing all speculation that he would be excluded from NASCAR's festivities following the controversial close to his championship reign. He was suspended by his former team for the final two races of the year after a run-in with Phoenix police.
Although he was only charged with reckless driving -- reports that he was drunk were proven false when police said his blood alcohol limit was well below the legal limit -- Busch was lambasted for his belligerent attitude toward the officers. It cost him his reputation and much of the respect he had been working hard to earn across the garage. Clearly contrite, Busch says he's eager to move on.
"Everybody has a circumstance that comes up in life where you want to press the reset button and this is one of those," he said. "What has to happen is the real me has to come out. The fans have to get to know the real Kurt Busch better. I think you will see a difference, it's just going to take time, like everything does." Busch chose to take the high road Thursday when asked about [former owner Jack] Roush, and indicated he would reflect upon his accomplishments with the team in his Friday night speech. "I think we've had a great career together," he said. "I'll leave with my head high and pride that I developed in that #97. Once we get through all this, it's going to be a lesson learned for me," he said. "It will be great to turn over a new leaf next season."(ESPN.com/AP)(12-2-2005)
#77 Team....staying? going? changing? UPDATE 4 Kodak to the #2?: hearing Penske Racing South with dissolve the #77 Kodak team at the end of the 2005 season as Kodak is leaving as sponsor. No word on where Kodak will go or where Travis Kvapil will drive. Supposedly Penske will not be a two car [#2-Kurt Busch and #12-Ryan Newman] team for long they are going to develop another young driver in the same ABC [ARCA, Busch, Cup] format that was successful with Newman.(11-16-2005) UPDATE: been told this is NOT true..and that Penske Racing worked things out to keep Kodak and that Travis Kvapil will drive the #77 Kodak Dodge in 2006.(11-17-2005) UPDATE 2: Kodak has reached an agreement to extend its sponsorship of the Penske-Jasper Racing Nextel Cup team, and Travis Kvapil, a Janesville native, will return as the driver, a team representative said Thursday. A rumor had surfaced one day earlier speculating that the team could be disbanded.(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)(11-18-2005) UPDATE 3: have learned that the #77 team has been shut down...today, after Kodak decided not to re-up with the team. No word on Kvapil's plans or if Kodak will remain in the sport.(sources and PRN's Garage Pass Radio show)(11-29-2005) AND from a story at Janesville [Wisc] Gazette on 11/18: Deb Williams, director of public/media relations for Penske Racing South, has confirmed that Wednesday's rumor is completely untrue. Meanwhile, Tom Page, the manager of NASCAR marketing for Eastman Kodak, also denied the report. "I have no idea where that came from or how it got started," Page said. "Travis has done a very good job representing Kodak. He is an honest, hard-working driver. We signed a five-year sponsorship deal with Penske Racing in 2004. That's common knowledge."(Janesville [Wisc] Gazette) STATEMENT: from Penske Racing: "Penske-Jasper Racing and Kodak are currently working on their 2006 Nextel Cup plans which will be announced in the near future." of note: last year is was denied that Brendan Guaghan was being let go, denied that Rusty was retiring after 2005 and a few years ago denied for months that Penske Racing would switch to Dodge,....sooooo. UPDATE 4: hearing Kodak will stay with Penske Racing as a major associate for the #2 Dodge driven by Kurt Busch in 2006.(12-1-2005)
Penske to consolidate team headquarters UPDATE: Penske Racing is moving its headquarters next year, leaving Reading, Pa., after the 2006 Indy Racing League season concludes, relocating to the company's new NASCAR facility in Mooresville, N.C. The move will allow the organization to consolidate its stock-car, Indy-car and sports-car teams in the 424,000-square-foot facility Roger Penske opened last year in the Charlotte suburb. "There is certainly a lot of crossover capabilities," said Tim Cindric, the president of the team's Indy-car program. "Definitely one of the motives is to put everything under one roof." Penske set his team's roots in Reading in 1973 after it spent its first seven seasons in Newtown Square, Pa., a suburb of Philadelphia. Penske's Indy-car team has about 90 employees, most of whom are Pennsylvania natives. Cindric doesn't know how many people will follow the team.(Indianapolis Star)(11-1-2005) UPDATE: Penske Performance is moving its NASCAR, Indy Racing League and American LeMans Series programs under one roof in North Carolina, and Roger Penske has announced that Tim Cindric will oversee the entire operation. Since 1999, Cindric, 37, has been responsible for Penske Racing's IRL effort, Penske Cars Ltd., Racing Experience Inc., Penske Technology Group and Penske Motorsports Inc. Cindric led Team Penske to two IRL titles and 25 victories, including three consecutive Indy 500 wins. Penske Racing South president Don Miller will retain his role; Penske Racing South general manager John Erickson will become G.M. of Penske Motorsports' ALMS Porsche program.(Sporting News)(11-28-2005)
Standing 'O' for Rusty at drivers meeting, except....UPDATE: Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition, invited Rusty Wallace to the microphone within the first five minutes of the weekly prerace drivers meeting at Homestead on Sunday. Wallace, who went on to finish 13th on Sunday evening, drew a standing ovation from the drivers in the room. Everyone stood, with the exception of Penske Racing South teammate Ryan Newman, who has been at constant odds with the 1989 Cup champion."It's been a great ride," Wallace told his fellow drivers. "I can remember when I came in, it was [Cale] Yarborough, [David] Pearson, [Richard] Petty and [Dale] Earnhardt. Now those guys are all gone and you guys are all here. I'm looking forward to life after racing. And if I've roughed anybody up along the way, I'm sorry. I didn't really mean it, unless it paid more."(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(11-21-2005) UPDATE: Contrary to published reports, Ryan Newman, as well as his crew chief, Matt Borland, joined their fellow NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series competitors in a standing ovation in honor of their Penske Racing South teammate Rusty Wallace during the driver's meeting for last Sunday's Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. "I respect Rusty Wallace as a race car driver," Newman said. "And I put effort forward in recognizing that on Sunday."(Penske Racing PR)(11-24-2005)
Special Bike for Rusty: Award-winning custom bike designer Jim Wubben and his son, Shaun, owners of PB Choppers, to unveil a unique, one-of-a-kind motorcycle to honor Rusty Wallace. The bike will feature characteristics of the winning #2 Miller Lite car driven by Wallace over the course of his career - including its vivid blue coloring and sponsor logos. Wallace will work with Wubben to hand-pick the design of the wheels, gas tank and other custom bike features. Designs will be made public in the coming weeks and the Rusty Wallace Tribute Bike will make its debut in February, 2006.(PR)(11-23-2005)
Penske Talks about Kurt Busch: In an exclusive interview with Sporting News' Lee Spencer, Roger Penske expressed his feelings on the recent Kurt Busch incident in Phoenix and the future of the No. 2 car.
TSN: Can you address the situation with Kurt Busch last weekend and how you expect to move forward?
PENSKE: I hired Kurt Busch because I thought he was a great racecar driver. The situation that took place at Phoenix is unfortunate for him and certainly unfortunate for us. We stood by him 300 percent. Our sponsors stood by him. I think a lot of his peers stood by him. From my perspective, I think it's a lot better for something like this to happen now than if we have to deal with it in the future. I think the other thing is for every bad thing that happens, usually a good thing comes out. I think it's a wake up call for all of us in the sport. We're all under a tremendous magnifying glass here, and because of that we're going to have to watch the things we do. For Kurt, it's one of those things in life -- I have four sons and I could say there were defining moments as they grew up and now they're great guys. It's my personal goal to have the best race team and Kurt's going to be part of that. More at the Sporting News.(11-20-2005)
Newman to run 04 Dodge, Rusty/Kvapil the Charger: Don Miller, President of Penske Racing South told Claire B. Lang XM Satellite NASCAR Radio that: "We wanted to run ( an 04 Dodge) one earlier in the season and Dodge asked us to hold off until we did some further testing but now we fully intend to run it here and if it works out like we think it will, we will probably run it again next season on certain race tracks. We had trouble with the 2005 being so pitch sensitive on smooth high speed one and a half mile race tracks. Everyplace else the other car is just fine. Definately the #12 is going to run an 04 this weekend." Miller says the 2 and the 77 will run the 2005 Dodge Charger this weekend at Homestead.(Claire B. Lang XM Satellite NASCAR Radio)(11-18-2005)
Busch was tested and below blood-alcohol content limit: An alcohol test taken by defending Nextel Cup Champion Kurt Busch showed the 27-year-old fell far short of the legal level for intoxication last Friday night near Phoenix International Raceway, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Department said late Monday. Busch was charged with reckless driving near the raceway on Friday evening after he was clocked at 60-mph in a 45-mph zone by a Maricopa County deputy. Busch began fleeing from the deputy by running a stop sign and making erratic lane changes. Busch was pulled over less than three miles from the Phoenix track moments later after a second officer assisted in the pursuit. "Mr. Busch was administered a preliminary breath test at the command post which registered .017," Maricopa Sheriff's Lt. Paul Chagolla said. In Arizona, a person can be charged with driving under the influence with a blood-alcohol level at .08 or higher. A 170-pound male who consumes two drinks in two hours will have a blood-alcohol content of .01, according to estimates from the Mothers Against Drunk Driving Web site. Chagolla said the decision to have Busch take a second breath alcohol test — this time on an Intoxilyzer 8000 machine — was at the sole discretion of the deputy. "It's all up to the investigating officer," Chagolla said. "He could have made that decision, but this is an experienced deputy sheriff who does many DUI arrests. You have to trust his decisions." Chagolla said Saturday that Busch had performed a preliminary breath alcohol test during Friday evening's roadside stop. Chagolla admitted Monday night, however, the chronology of events he originally reported was erroneous, and the initial breath alcohol test was conducted at the county's command post at the speedway. "The odor of alcohol, combined with dangerous driving, gave the officer the right to transport Mr. Busch," Chagolla said. Media reports from Chagolla on Saturday said the Intoxilyzer 8000 had failed.
When asked why the .017 reading wasn't made available to the public on Saturday, Chagolla said he was still on a fact-finding mission.
"Whatever information I had at the time is what I was going to release," Chagolla said. "And it's important to note that never at any point did the sheriff's office say he was impaired."
Busch was suspended Sunday for the season's final two Cup events. Roush Racing president Geoff Smith defended the decision, saying Busch's actions violated contractual obligations with sponsor Crown Royal, whose parent company is Diageo. "Regardless of whatever level of [alcohol] presence was there while driving, we have some very strict sponsorship rules in place,," Smith told reporters. "We
feel very strongly that those rules have been significantly breached." Busch and Roush Racing representatives could not be reached for comment Monday evening.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(11-15-2005)
Miller Lite Comments: Kurt Busch will be with the Miller Brewing Company when he takes over the #2 Miller Lite Dodge in 2006. Asked if Penske Racing South was still confident that Busch was the right pairing for that sponsorship, the team president, Don Miller, said: "Absolutely. I see some qualities that he has that are excellent. But I've also seen some areas we need to work on."
Although he is not yet with Penske, Busch was contacted by officials at Miller yesterday. "We've spoken with Kurt and we're confident he truly understands the significance of his behavior, particularly regarding the fact we cannot and will not tolerate any behavior that demonstrates a lack of responsibility in the consumption of alcohol," the company said in a prepared statement. "We're going to stand by Kurt, but we made it clear to him that we expect him to also stand by us by demonstrating behavior befitting a true champion."(New York Times)(11-15-2005)
Busch not to participate in Homestead events: A day after Roush Racing suspended Kurt Busch for the remainder of the season, officials at Homestead-Miami Speedway announced that the defending Nextel Cup champion will not participate in events leading up to Sunday's Ford 400. The unveiling of the 2004 Nextel championship banner at 1:00pm/et Tuesday has been canceled, speedway spokesman Phil de Montmollin said. The banner currently is on display, but Homestead had scheduled to formally honor Busch, who last year won the first Nextel Cup under the current chase format. Entering this Sunday's race he ranks ninth, 441 points behind leader Tony Stewart. ``It's not a real big deal for us, because the championship banner will be up,'' speedway president Curtis Gray said. Greg Biffle, fourth in the chase, will replace Busch at a question-and-answer session during the ``All-Star Welcome to Ford Championship Week,'' with Marlins' outfielder Jeff Conine. During the event from 6 to 9 p.m. at Conine's Clubhouse Grille in Hollywood, fans can view the Nextel Cup and win two tickets to the Ford 400.(Mercury News)(11-15-2005)
Penske Behind Busch: Roger Pensek said before the race on NBC that the citation and Roush Racing Suspension of Kurt Busch will NOT change a thing and Busch will drive the #2 Miller Lite Dodge for Penske Racing in 2006. On Speed Channel's Wind Tunnel, Penske said he has already called the Sheriff and talked about doing somethign with the community and working things out.(11-14-2005)
OFFICIAL - Busch to Join Penske Racing in 2006: Penske Racing South announced today that Kurt Busch will drive the Miller Lite Dodge commencing with the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season. Busch, the 2004 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion, has reached an agreement with Roush Racing to be released from his driver responsibilities for the 2006 season. Busch will join Penske Racing South at the conclusion of the 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season. "We are pleased that Kurt and Roush Racing were able to reach an agreement on Kurt's release and appreciate the professionalism that it has taken to arrive at this result," said Roger Penske, chairman. "Kurt's joining us for 2006 will provide a smooth transition for the team and our sponsors." Busch had recently signed a multi-year agreement with Penske Racing South that was to take effect in 2007.(Penske Racing)(11-7-2005)
OFFICIAL - Busch released from Roush Racing Contract, McMurray in: Roush Racing has announced that Kurt Busch has been released from his Roush Racing contract obligations effective at the end of the 2005 year and that Jamie McMurray has signed to drive for Roush Racing commencing in the 2006 season. Newell-Rubbermaid and Diageo [Crown Royal/Smirnoff] will continue as primary sponsors of the McMurray driven entry in NASCAR’s Nextel Cup Series.(Roush Racing)(11-7-2005)
Rusty on Dateline Sunday: #2-Rusty Wallace will be featured in a segment on Sunday's edition of 'Dateline NBC,' the signature broadcast for NBC News in primetime. In Sunday's show, noted co-anchor Stone Phillips interviews racing legend Wallace about his career and upcoming retirement. Sunday's program airs at 7:00pm/et on NBC-TV.(11-5-2005)
Rudd to Penske or Retire? no to Ganassi MORE: Ricky Rudd said yesterday he has agreed to take the [#2] ride with Roger Penske, replacing Rusty Wallace next season, if Penske can't wrangle Kurt Busch from Jack Roush. "Roger and I have talked, but I really don't know how it will all work out," Rudd said. "We're all waiting to see. I'd really planned to leave the sport at the end of the season," Rudd said, revealing his plans after months of speculation. "And I told Eddie Wood (his car owner) that over the summer. But we were running so well that we didn't want to say anything. But then the phone started ringing. However there is only one man I'd answer the phone for." Penske, "If Roger needs me, I'll take the ride," Rudd said. Penske has signed Busch to drive in 2007 and wants Busch for 2006. But Roush won't release Busch unless car owner Chip Ganassi releases Jamie McMurray to take Busch's ride with Roush. And Ganassi won't release McMurray unless he can land another top driver: the top two names mentioned are Labonte and Rudd. But Rudd said yesterday he wasn't interested in taking the ride with Ganassi. So unless Ganassi can persuade Labonte to sign, it appears Penske is left with Wallace's seat still to fill. Rudd said he'll take that seat for one final season if Penske says he needs him.(Winston Salem Journal)(11-5-2005) UPDATE - Penske and Sports Cars? Ricky Rudd said Saturday that he could end up driving for Roger Penske, possibly in the American Le Mans Series, instead of in NASCAR. Rudd, an expert road racer, said he will drive Penske’s #2 Dodge Nextel Cup car in 2006 if Kurt Busch isn’t released from his contract with Roush Racing. But regardless of how that works out — and he put the odds at about 50-50 — Rudd said he’d like to have a shot at driving one of Penske’s new Porsches in the ALMS. “I’m pretty much just standing by for the No. 2 (Penske Nextel Cup) car,” Rudd said. “There have been other ones that have come to me, but what I like about the No. 2 car is that everything that is needed, from financials to personnel, sponsorship — everything there is in place. It’s not a building or rebuilding situation, and that’s what’s appealing to me right now. Rudd said if he doesn’t go Cup racing in 2006, that he had “a house to build and a house to knock down, and that’s the most immediate thing on my list. Once we get that going and under control, and June or July rolls around, I might do a few road races if the right opportunity exists if I’m not in the No. 2 car.”
As for the future of crew chief Michael “Fatback” McSwain, Rudd said he expects him to stay with the Wood Brothers #21 Ford next year, when Ken Schrader will take over behind the wheel. “I think that’s all done,” Rudd said. “He had a lot of great offers, but I believe he’s all squared away, and that’s great for the Wood Brothers.” And Rudd said he’s turned down a number of inquiries from other Cup teams. “There are options out there, but I’ve basically declined the other options,” he said.(Speed Channel)(11-6-2005)
Dominos Should Fall this week - Busch-McMurray released? UPDATE 2 McMurray release DENIED:: This will be the crucial week for a decision, Roush Racing president Geoff Smith says, in the long-running driver-swap negotiations involving Jack Roush's Kurt Busch, Chip Ganassi's Jamie McMurray, and Roger Penske. If it does happen, McMurray would join Roush [#97], and Busch would join Penske [#2]. "In order for it to work, there has to be a driver for Chip," Smith said. "Ten days ago it wasn't working for Chip, but now it can work, so I presume he's got somebody." That could be Ricky Rudd, who isn't saying what his 2006 plans are, but who is reportedly very close to a decision simply to retire at the end of the season. Or it could be Bobby Labonte. Or Labonte could be headed to Bill Davis, according to sources. If Labonte leaves Chevrolet's Joe Gibbs to join the soon-to-be-Toyota Davis team as Michael Waltrip's teammate, that would be a major pick up by Toyota, expected to join the Nextel Cup tour for the 2007 season. If Davis doesn't get Labonte, he will likely get Dave Blaney, according to sources. Blaney once drove for Davis. Penske officials, saying that Rudd isn't one of their options, agree that this is the week that will tell the tale, and they agree with Smith that the complicated deal will in fact be completed.(Winston Salem Journal)(10-31-2005) UPDATE: ESPN's Mike Massaro is reporting that Roush Racing has released 2004 Nextel Cup Champ #97 Kurt Busch from his 2006 contract obligations, allowing Busch to go to the #2 Miller Lite Dodge that Rusty Wallace will be retiring from at the end of 2005. ALSO Massaro is reporting that Jamie McMurray has been released from his 2006 Ganassi Racing contract to drive the #42 Texaco Dodge, allowing him to go to Roush Racing, taking over for Busch in the #97/#28 car or whatever number they will use with Crown Royal as the primary sponsor. So......who goes to the #42 Texaco Havoline Dodge? I am still hearing it'll be Bobby Labonte, and other reports have Ricky Rudd taking the #42 ride over.(10-31-2005) UPDATE 2: Jamie McMurray has not been released from his 2006 contract commitments at this time.(Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates PR)(11-1-2005)
Penske to consolidate team headquarters: Penske Racing is moving its headquarters next year, leaving Reading, Pa., after the 2006 Indy Racing League season concludes, relocating to the company's new NASCAR facility in Mooresville, N.C. The move will allow the organization to consolidate its stock-car, Indy-car and sports-car teams in the 424,000-square-foot facility Roger Penske opened last year in the Charlotte suburb. "There is certainly a lot of crossover capabilities," said Tim Cindric, the president of the team's Indy-car program. "Definitely one of the motives is to put everything under one roof." Penske set his team's roots in Reading in 1973 after it spent its first seven seasons in Newtown Square, Pa., a suburb of Philadelphia. Only A.J. Foyt Racing, which is now based in the Houston suburb of Waller, Texas, has stayed in one area longer. Foyt's team was founded in 1965 in Houston. Penske's Indy-car team has about 90 employees, most of whom are Pennsylvania natives. Cindric doesn't know how many people will follow the team.(Indianapolis Star)(11-1-2005)
Rudd to the #2? #97 to #28? MORE: Lee Spencer reports on Around the Track that Roger Penske spoke with Ricky Rudd
regarding taking over the #2 ride if Kurt Busch is not released from the #97 team. The #97 is expected to switch to the #28 in 2006. Around the Track runs on Fox Sports South [TV] at 10:30pm/et tonight.(10-30-2005) MORE: Bobby Labonte might be the most popular driver in the garage right now when it comes to teams that need drivers. What team wouldn't want to tease potential sponsors with a former champion? He has been mentioned as a candidate to drive the Nos. 43, 42 and 22. If Labonte drives the No. 43 for Petty Enterprises, Shell looks good as the sponsor. If Labonte jumps into the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing ride, that opens the door for Jamie McMurray to move to Roush Racing to drive the #97 (which could switch numbers and become the 28). Kurt Busch could in turn take over the No. 2 Penske Racing car after Rusty Wallace retires. Roger Penske admitted in Atlanta that he had spoken to Ricky Rudd about possibly doing a one-year deal if Busch were not released, but the surest bet in the driver's roulette would be on Busch in the #2 at Daytona.(Sporting News)(10-31-2005)
Rusty to appear on "The Big Idea": Miller Lite Dodge driver Rusty Wallace will be a special featured guest on Monday's edition of CNBC's "The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch." Hosted by Deutsch, chairman of Deutsch, Inc., the $2.8 billion marketing company
that has won numerous ad-agency-of-the-year awards and has offices in New York, Los Angeles and Toronto, the show is well known for its provocative, spontaneous and real look at celebrities in various industries. "NASCAR has become so popular that we decided to devote an entire show to the sport," said Meredith Applebaum, talent producer for CNBC. "Rusty Wallace is a legend in NASCAR and he has a household name in the sporting world today. It will be a very fun and entertaining hour on Monday night." Other guests on Monday night's program include NASCAR's George Pyne and Jamie McMurray, driver for Wallace's NASCAR Busch Series team. "The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch" airs nightly on CNBC at 10:00pm/et and features a second broadcast of the program at 1:00am/et.(Tom Roberts PR)(10-17-2005)
Rusty Induction at Lowe's Walk fo Fame: #2-Miller Lite Dodge driver Rusty Wallace will be inducted into the Lowe's Motor Speedway "Walk of Fame" on Friday at 11:30 a.m. The W.O.F. is located on the Avenue of Flags that lead up to Smith Tower behind the frontstretch grandstand at L.M.S.(Tom Roberts PR)(10-12-2005)
Rusty could race some in 2006: Rusty Wallace made his 700th start in NASCAR's top series on Sunday at Kansas Speedway, and hinted that he might not stop at #706 at the end of the season. Wallace has maintained all year that his decision to retire after the season is final. But at a fan forum before the Banquet 400, he appeared to hedge a bit. "I did say 'full-time,'" he said. "I don't want to box myself out." The real tests of his resolve, Wallace said, will come after the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 20, and when the 2006 season opens at Daytona in February. "I'm hoping I'm content after Homestead and get through the Daytona 500," he said. "But if I just can't stand it, then I'm maybe going to pop in for a couple." As a retirement present, Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius presented Wallace with a set of golf clubs at the drivers' meeting before Sunday's race. "You guys are probably getting sick of seeing me get all this stuff," Wallace told his fellow drivers. "But I'm enjoying it, even if you aren't."(ESPN.com/AP)(10-10-2005)
Career start #700 for Rusty at Kansas: Sunday's Banquet 400 at the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway will mark #2-Rusty Wallace's 700 th NASCAR NEXTEL Cup career start and it will be his final career in his native midwestern area of the country. Both of
those facts have contributed to the abundance of confidence the driver of the Miller Lite Dodge has entering this weekend. Rusty Wallace enters Kansas third in the point standings, trailing leader Tony Stewart by 76 points. He has eight top-five finishes, 16 top-10 finishes and 23 top-15 finishes (leads all drivers in top-15s). He has an average start of 16.4 and an average finish of 11.4. He has had no DNFs this season. After 29 races had been completed last year, Wallace was 17 th in points and a whopping 475 points behind 11 th-place Jamie McMurray. He had three top-five finishes and eight top-10s. He had a 15.2 average start and a 19.5 average finish with three DNFs.
Rusty Wallace has been running at the finish in 42 consecutive races - since Bristol last fall, the longest current streak. Rusty Wallace has competed in all four NEXTEL Cup races held at Kansas Speedway. He has scored three top-10 finishes. He currently has a 15.8 average start and an 8.5 average finish on the 1.5-mile track. Wallace has currently led 19,940 laps in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup competition and lacks only 60 laps to reach an unbelievable 20,000 laps led.(Tom Roberts PR)(10-4-2005)
More on McMurray/Busch moving on in 2006: #42-Jamie McMurray said leaving Chip Ganassi Racing a year early to join [#6] Roush Racing remains a possibility. "If people above me get things worked out and it happens, I'd rather be at Roush Racing next year because that's where my future is," said McMurray, who has a year left at Ganassi and signed with Roush for 2007. "It's going to be tough to stay with a team that you know you're not going to be with the following year." This week, #97-Kurt Busch affirmed #2-Rusty Wallace's comment at Dover that lawyers are working to move up Busch's departure from Roush Racing to Penske Racing South by a year.(Richmond Times Dispatch)(10-1-2005)
Alabama Governor To Proclaim Sunday "Rusty Wallace Day": Alabama Governor Bob Riley will proclaim Sunday, Oct. 2 as "Rusty Wallace Day" in the state, joining Talladega Superspeedway in special recognition of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series driver during pre-race ceremonies before the start of the UAW-Ford 500. Wallace will officially retire from full-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series competition at the end of this year, with this 2005 final season in the #2 Miller Lite Dodge titled "Rusty's Last Call." In addition to Gov. Riley's proclamation, Talladega Superspeedway President Grant Lynch will present Wallace with a framed, one-of-a-kind print thanking him for the many memories he's created over the course of his 25-year career. Also, Wallace and his wife, Patti, will be granted lifetime passes to Talladega Superspeedway. The UAW-Ford 500 at Talladega Superspeedway will be start #699 in the series for Wallace, his 45th here. Great seats are still available to the UAW-Ford 500 event weekend Sept. 29-Oct. 2 at Talladega Superspeedway by calling 1-877-Go2-DEGA. For hearing impaired guests, please call TDD 1-866-ISC-TRAK (1-866-472-8725).(Talladega Superspeedway PR)(9-27-2005)
McMurray in the #97 instead of #6? UPDATE 2: here is a new one....from the Tampa Tribune: When Jamie McMurray [current #42 Texaco driver] joins Roush Racing in 2007, he may drive [Kurt] Busch's #97 Ford rather than Martin's #6 Ford as originally planned, Roush said. McMurray is scheduled to join Roush in 2007, after his contract with Chip Ganassi Racing expires. Busch is leaving no later than 2007 to take over Rusty Wallace's #2 Miller Lite Dodge at Penske Racing South in 2007. Busch's contract with Roush runs through next year.(Tampa Tribune)(9-13-2005) UPDATE: Jack Roush confirmed on Sunday that Jamie McMurray, who is slated to move from Chip Ganassi Racing to Roush Racing in 2007, might wind up in the #97 Ford, which is being vacated by Kurt Busch. McMurray originally was pegged as the driver to take over the #6 Ford driven by Mark Martin. "Yes, there is a possibility of that," Roush said. "We're having discussions right now with sponsors and have several things on the table." Roush said he's close to finalizing his 2006 plans.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution) AND hearing Penske Racing and Roush Racing are close to working out as buyout deal for Kurt Busch so he can move to the #2 Miller Lite Dodge in 2006 and not have to wait until 2007, for which Busch signed to start.(9-19-2005) UPDATE 2: Rusty Wallace said lawyers are currently working to get Kurt Busch out of his contract at Roush Racing so he can drive the #2 Dodge at Penske Racing South next year. "I know he wants to drive the car next year," Wallace said. "They're trying to get everything worked out."(Augusta Chronicle)(9-26-2005)
Two plus 12 equals friction: Asked if there was anything that Penske Racing teammates Rusty Wallace (No. 2) and Ryan Newman (No. 12) could share in the Chase, Wallace crew chief Larry Carter said, “Nothing that comes to mind.” Wallace and Newman have gotten almost as much publicity for their inability to get along as the five Roush Racing drivers that made the Chase have for getting along. But Carter said sharing information goes beyond getting along. “Rusty and Ryan have different driving styles,” he said. “I’m not sure if we knew what the 12 car was doing would benefit us. It might, but we don’t know. We just don’t know.”(The State)(9-17-2005)
NHIS Celebrates Rusty's "Last Call": New Hampshire International Speedway celebrates Rusty Wallace's "Last Call" at today's Sylvania 300 with a special presentation during the pre-race ceremonies. Rusty will be presented with an original painting by local artist Jane Gilltrap Bready. This unique painting commemorates Rusty's win in the inaugural Nextel Cup Series event at "The Magic Mile" in July of 1993 and his "Last Call" run today. Mark Martin, the inaugural event pole winner, is also celebrated in the painting. This tribute
to two NASCAR legends graces the cover of today's Sylvania 300 souvenir program. For more information on Bready's work, please visit www.janebready.com.(NHIS PR)(9-18-2005)
Rusty a Good Guy: In honor of his retirement, Rusty Wallace received the Rick Mears "Good Guy" Award in appreciation of his longtime cooperation with the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association and the media. Making the presentation at California Speedway Sunday [Spet 4th] were AARWBA President Dusty Brandel (left), Eastern VP Lewis Franck and Western VP Mike Hollander. AARWBA's 50th Anniversary Celebration concludes with the All-America Team dinner Dec. 3 in Indianapolis.(PR)(9-8-2005)
Latest on Busch/Roush/Penske: Hanging over Jack Roush at the moment is the Kurt Busch affair. Busch has signed a contract to drive for Roger Penske beginning in 2007, and he says he'd like to leave Roush at the end of this season. Roush has so far said no. However, Penske officials say they fully expect to get Busch for next season, though it may not be until October that they can get everything sorted out. Roush though shows no signs of yielding. "The structure that surrounds our business, we need rules for the technical aspects of it, and we need rules and guidelines and to make commitments that work for our business ... and I guess we're going to have some trials with those things right now to see if the structure we've got with our business works so we can make guarantees," Roush said of the Busch contracts. But I'm looking to Kurt being in my car next season, and for (sponsors) Newell-Rubbermaid, Sharpie and Diageo (Crown Royal), to the extent that they negotiate with one another and get happy with it in 2006. And then we'll make new plans for 2007."(Winston Salem Journal)(8-29-2005)
Rusty honored II: In the prerace ceremonies, Bristol Motor Speedway track officials announced that the grandstand in turns 1 and 2 would be renamed The Rusty Wallace Grandstand. It was a very emotional moment. Wallace was fighting back tears.(Yahoo Sports)(8-28-2005)
Rusty Honored at Bristol: Bobby Allison, NHRA great Don Prudhomme and others were on hand to honor Rusty Wallace on the occasion of his final Bristol race. A card section in turns one and two spelled out “Rusty” in white letters on a blue background. Bristol Motor Speedway presented Wallace with a trophy that included an elaborate model of the track where he was bidding for his 10th victory. Bristol’s all-time leader in victories was Darrell Waltrip, who had 12 at the time of his retirement. Notable by his absence was Mark Martin, who was apparently not honored because of the likelihood that he will compete in Cup again next year while successor, Jamie McMurray, remains under contract to Chip Ganassi’s team.(Gaston Gazette)(8-28-2005)
Penske denies other Wallace rumor: Penske Racing South officials strongly denied rumors that Kenny Wallace was a candidate to replace brother Rusty next year in the team’s #2 Miller Lite-sponsored Dodge if #97-Kurt Busch can’t get out of the final year of his contract with Roush Racing. Roush officials said earlier in the week that it likely will be several weeks before a decision about Busch’s fate for next year would be reached. Busch has signed a contract to drive the #2 in 2007, but is hoping for an early release from his current deal so he can move to Penske next year.(Speed Channel)(8-27-2005)
Rusty running 'Blue Flames' at Bristol: Wallace's Miller Lite Dodge is carrying a special "Flames" color scheme this weekend at Bristol. "A few weeks back, they ran her back through the paint shop and put this kick-butt flame design color scheme on her, waxed her down really good and she's raring and ready to get after it once again this weekend," Wallace said of the special design for this weekend at BMS. "If looks have anything to do with it, she might even be a stronger car this time around than she was at Bristol back in the spring."(Tom Roberts PR/Penske Racing), see an image of the scheme on my #2 Team Schemes page.(8-25-2005)
Penske to Toyota? UPDATE: Penske Racing's deal with Dodge ends after 2006, with widespread speculation that Penske will side with Toyota in 2007. Penske's recent hiring of 2004 champion Kurt Busch (for 2007) is being cast as Toyota's way of strengthening its roster with a proven champion.(Speed Channel)(8-23-2005) UPDATE: Walter Czarnecki, vice chairman of Penske Racing and Penske Racing South, said Dodge's contract with the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup team extends past 2007.(Penske Racing South)(8-23-2005)
Rusty's son wins ARCA race at MIS: Steve Wallace, Rusty Wallace's son, won the Hantz Group 200 ARCA Race at MIS in the #27 Kodak Dodge in his third ARCA eace and first ever over a mile in length. In his two previous series starts, at Toledo and Milwaukee, Wallace has posted two top-10 starts and one top-10 finish. Wallace had his 18th birthday on Thursday. Penske Racing team member Gordon Miller oversaw the at-track preparation of the car, with a crew comprised of both Penske Racing and RWI Racing team members. Rusty Wallace's Larry Carter-led NASCAR NEXTEL Cup team pitted the car, with spotting duties handled by Wallace's NASCAR NEXTEL Cup team spotter, Earl Barban.(8-19-2005)
Rusty and Martin to be honored at MIS on Sunday: When the green flag drops for the GFS Marketplace 400 on Sunday at Michigan International Speedway, two drivers who have accomplished so much on the 2-mile oval, Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin, will be saying their final good-byes and racing in their final NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at MIS [well....maybe not Martin]. Wallace and Martin are no strangers to success at MIS with a combined 15 victories between the two of them. Wallace has seven wins (5 Cup, 1 IROC, 1 ASA) and Martin eight (4 Cup, 2 Busch, 1 IROC, 1 ASA) at MIS, making them two of the most successful drivers in track history. Both
drivers will be looking for one last victory at MIS in Wallace's 'Rusty's Last Call' and Martin's 'Salute To You' campaigns. At approximately 2:00pm/et MIS will honor Wallace and Martin during pre-race ceremonies prior to the GFS Marketplace 400. Both drivers will be presented a framed photo collage of memorable wins at MIS by track President Brett Shelton and have a chance to address the MIS crowd and thank them for all of their support during their two annual stops in the Irish Hills. Both drivers will then ride separate trucks to give an opportunity for one last salute to the great MIS fans. In addition, fans will also get a chance to see Wallace appear in MIS' all-inclusive Victory Lane Club prior to the GFS Marketplace 400 on August 21. Wallace will perform question and answer sessions for fans who have purchased the Fan Hospitality package. Guests who wish to purchase fan hospitality packages or already have tickets and would like to upgrade to a fan hospitality package are encouraged to contact the ticket office at (800) 354-1010.(MIS PR)(8-18-2005)
Roush not letting Busch go in 2006 UPDATE...well..maybe: Nextel Cup champion #97-Kurt Busch will be back to fulfill the final year of his contract with Roush Racing because his car owner will not let him go early. Jack Roush said Busch sought a release for 2006 after telling him earlier this week that he had a deal for 2007 with Roger Penske. "He said, 'I don't want to negotiate with you for 2007,'" Roush recalled Friday at Watkins Glen International. "I said, OK, and he said, 'I want to be released for 2006.' I said not OK." Busch said he understood that and is focused on winning another title or two before moving to Penske. He has called the Penske ride an "opportunity of a lifetime," and a challenge to prove he can win with a different team. He's hoping something still can be worked out that will permit him to move into the No. 2 Dodge next season, but didn't sound optimistic. "It's Jack's decision," he said. "We'll see what happens." Roush already is faced with trying to fill one of his five cars for next season. He has signed Jamie McMurray to replace Mark Martin in 2007, but is leaning on Martin to delay by a year his retirement from full-time Cup racing. Martin wants to move to the Truck series next season. McMurray wants to leave Chip Ganassi Racing after 2005. Like Busch, he can't get out of the final year of his contract. "That's not even on the radar screen," Ganassi said before the cars began practice for Sunday's Sirius Satellite Radio at the Glen. "His status has always been the same." So, Busch can't go to Penske as a replacement for the retiring Rusty Wallace, and McMurray is staying put. Will somebody give in and break the logjam? Ganassi and Roush certainly don't sound as if they will. Roush made that clear to Busch, saying he expected the driver to keep his commitment and that he was keeping commitments to his sponsors. "We'll have to work our way through this," he told Busch. "But the thing I'll give you today is that you shouldn't expect a release for 2006." Busch was asked if he thought his departure after this season would be best for everyone. "You could speculate on that," he said. "For me, I'm happy wherever I go." He called 2006 a question mark but said he has a great opportunity to win for either car owner. Beyond that Busch would not comment on 2007. "I've got 2005 to drive for this championship," he said. "We're in good position. We're fifth in the points. It's hard to go into the future." He called the team's chemistry great and said there is no misunderstanding among crew members about why he wanted to move to Penske. "They know that it wasn't them. They know that it wasn't me," he said. "They know that it wasn't Roush Racing. They know that it's this business." Busch said there would be no letdown in his level of intensity, whether it be practice, qualifying or racing.(ESPN.com/AP) UPDATE - well...maybe: [#6, #16, #17, #97, #99] Car owner Jack Roush is still thinking about letting Nextel Cup champion Kurt Busch out of the final year of his contract in 2006. "We will consider releasing him, but it's not presumed that we will," Roush said Monday at Darlington Raceway [Gong Show]. "We've got to consider ... the interests of our sponsors and the commitments we've made to our sponsors and to our people within the organization ... to see how it all fits together if we decide to have Kurt drive the #97 car. Right now, the presumption is that he'll be in the car in 2006 because that's a commitment he's made to me and I've made commitments to others around that," Roush said. Last week, Busch signed a deal to drive for Roger Penske in 2007 and asked Roush to be released from his current contract after this season. Roush already faces a high-profile opening next season with Mark Martin's pending retirement. Roush signed Jamie McMurray to replace Martin in 2007 but does not have anyone lined up to drive the #6 car next year. McMurray wants to leave Chip Ganassi Racing after 2005 but can't get out of the final year of his agreement. Roush said that's OK with him. "I don't want Jamie McMurray to drive for me in 2006," the owner said. "I want him to do exactly for Chip Ganassi what he's agreed to do, and I don't want to interfere with that. There's no circumstance under which I would consider a bargain or try to make a deal for that to happen." Roush understood that Busch had a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" to go with Penske. Still, "the thing with Kurt's been tough," Roush said. "He's been a challenge in a lot of ways. A lot of talented, bright and effective people are. He knows what he's looking for and is impatient with the things that don't line up for him."(ESPN.com/AP)(8-15-2005)
Driver Money: According to sources, Penske is giving Kurt Busch a five-year contract for anywhere between $6 million and $12 million a year. It is unclear what Busch is making with Roush, but the average Cup driver makes $3 million-plus a year, plus whatever he can generate in souvenir sales and through personal-services contracts. At the top end, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon are reported to be making about $20 million a year each.(Winston Salem Journal)(8-13-2005)
Larry King Live: Rusty, Kyle, Jeff: Three NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers are scheduled to appear on Monday's (Aug. 15) edition of "Larry King Live" on CNN-TV. Rusty Wallace. driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge [in his "Last Call" final season as driver], Kyle Petty, driver of the #45 Georgia-Pacific/Brawny Dodge [will discuss NASCAR and Victory Junction Gang Camp] and Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 DuPont Chevy. "Larry King Live" airs at 9:00pm/et nightly on CNN-TV.(PR's)(8-12-2005)
Rusty Wallace weekend in Troy NY: The city of Troy, N.Y., has proclaimed the upcoming weekend “Rusty Wallace Weekend” in honor of Wallace, the 1989 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Champion and 55-race winner. “It’s an honor I’m very proud of and I want to thank the people of Troy for remembering me this way,” said Wallace, in the middle of his final “Rusty’s Last Call” behind the wheel of his Miller Lite Dodge. “That area has a strong racing heritage and for them to be thinking of me during my final race at Watkins Glen this weekend is really cool.” Wallace will be celebrating his 49th birthday during Sunday’s running of the Sirius Radio @ the Glen at Watkins Glen International. It will mark Wallace’s 46th and final road course race in NASCAR competition.(Tom Roberts PR)(8-11-2005)
More on Busch to Penske...souvenir sales part of it? According to sources close to #97-Kurt Busch, one reason for his decision [to leave Roush and go to Penske] could be related to the souvenir-sales part of the business. Roush controls most of his drivers' souvenir sales, and personal-services deals must also be funneled through him. Drivers can make as much as $2 million a year off souvenir sales.(Winston Salem Journal)(8-11-2005)
Busch to leave Roush after 2006; to the #2 UPDATE 2: Roush Racing announced today that Kurt Busch has advised team officials that he has signed with another team commencing in 2007. The name of the team is not known. Kurt also requested a release from his contract for 2006. Due to sponsor and team considerations no decision on that request will be made for an indefinite period. Roush Racing will have no further comment at this time.(Roush Racing PR), could be the #2 Penske Racing team, but what about 2006 if Busch can't break his contract? Sources tell me it is for Penske Racing and hopes are that Busch will be able to buy out his contract and run the #2 Miller Lite Dodge in 2006. Odd that Rosuh is now in the same position that their signing of Jamie McMurray put Ganassi Racing in, as McMurray was signed by Roush to drive the #6 Ford for Roush in 2007, but hopes to get out of his contract to drive the car in 2006. Current driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge is Rusty Wallace, who is retiring and says he will not unretire and come back in 2006, unlike #6-Mark Martin who is also retiring BUT has agreed to run one more year if McMurray is not let out of his contract with Ganassi, which also runs thru 2006. Hard enough keeping up with what is happening next week let along in 2007, interesting trend we have going here. Looks like the new way of trying to get out of a contract.(8-9-2005) UPDATE: Penske Racing South announced today that it has signed Kurt Busch, 2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Champion, to a multi-year contract to drive for the team beginning with the 2007 season.(Penske Racing PR)(8-9-2005) UPDATE 2: Kurt Busch Statement regarding leaving Roush Racing and taking over the #2 Miller Lite Dodge in 2007 and his commitment to the #97 team: "I met with Jack Roush personally Tuesday morning to let him know that I am committed to Rousch Racing and the #97 team as we attempt to defend our Nextel Cup Championship this season and through the remainder of my contract, but that I have signed a multi-year agreement to drive the Penske Racing South #2 car beginning in 2007. We did briefly address, solely as a matter of timing, the possibility of a release from my 2006 contract with Roush Racing, but that is Jack's decision. There are a lot of factors involved in a release and no immediate decision was made. All of this, however, is in the future. For as long as I am in the #97 car, my total focus and commitment will be to Roush Racing, its sponsors and on our collective goal to win another Nextel Cup Championship. I look forward to success this weekend at Watkins Glen and hopefully solidifying our position in the 2005 Chase for the Cup."(Kurt Busch Inc. PR)(8-10-2005)
Rusty gets Sirius: #2-Rusty Wallace will run a Miller Lite/Sirius Satellite Radio scheme at Watkins Glen International on August 14th, see an image of the scheme on my #2 Team Schemes page.(8-8-2005)
Kenseth and Penske? Busch? Rumors persist that Roush Racing's Matt Kenseth is the top choice to replace Rusty Wallace, who's retiring, in the #2 Penske Racing car. Sources say Kenseth is sponsor Miller Brewing Co.'s first choice. Plus, Kenseth and his wife, Katie, are good friends of Penske driver Ryan Newman.(Sporting News) BUT: ....there were reports yesterday that Roger Penske had indeed approached Jack Roush with an offer of some sort for Kenseth, but that Roush had dismissed it out of hand. Penske continues to decline comment on his driver search. Is Kenseth's contract for sale? "Absolutely not," Roush Racing's Geoff Smith said. However, Smith said he hasn't had an opportunity yet to talk with Kenseth about the Penske report. "I've been traveling around on sponsorship business, and I've been trying to track him down to ask him," Smith said. Smith says he's confident that Kenseth will remain with Roush: "Matt is very happy about being at Roush Racing, and we've had some discussions about going forward." Kenseth's contract with Roush runs through the end of 2006, and Smith says he is working on a long-term renewal. Penske is down to two men in his search for a driver to replace Rusty Wallace next season. Penske will make his announcement by Sept. 1.(Winston Salem Journal), also hearing it could be Busch, but he is signed thru 2006.(8-8-2005)
Penske down to two drivers for the #2...but who? Penske Racing South is down to two drivers in its search for a replacement for Rusty Wallace in the #2 Miller Lite Dodge, but the team isn't saying who those drivers are. The team has been successful in keeping its opening out of the middle of most speculation so far. It may be early next month before a decision comes.(ThatsRacin.com/David Poole)(8-7-2005)
Wallace's test at MIS and will race there: Rusty Wallace will be making his 44th and final start in the August 21, GFS Marketplace 400, while son Stephen Wallace will make his superspeedway debut during the August 19, ARCA RE/MAX Series Hantz Group 200. In preparation for the special weekend at MIS, both Wallace's visited the 2-mile oval on Wednesday, August 3 for an ARCA RE/MAX Series testing day, where Rusty took to the wheel first to shake down the car, but quickly gave the wheel to son Stephen. The now 17-year old Wallace didn't take long to get up to speed, and turned a lap time of 40.20 on just his third lap, while eventually running a time of 40.10 during the morning session. "I drove the car and really bombed one lap off and ran pretty quick," said Rusty. "My lap time was 39.80. I told Stephen to take it nice and easy. I don't care if it takes all day long to get comfortable. On his third lap, I looked and saw 40.20. He has never been on the track before and I said 'Oh boy, here we go'. We're here preparing and doing some race runs and qualifying runs and hopefully coming away from this day with some confidence. Our goal today is just getting up to speed, make some changes, and don't put dents in anything. It's important to have a good, clean race on August 19. It's going to be tough weekend emotionally. I'm going to be here with Stephen on Wednesday night before the race and all day on Thursday. Nearly the entire #2 team is going to be here to support him," said Rusty. "The whole family will be here. It will be a great time. We don't dare leave the racetrack because we have so much racing going on that weekend. We've got Stephen in the ARCA car, my Busch car will be here and my Cup car will be competing. It's going to be a big weekend and I'm excited about it." Stephen shared his father's enthusiasm about racing during the same weekend at MIS. "It's a lot different racing at these big tracks like Michigan. It's wild. This is by far the biggest track I will have raced at," he said. "I'm looking forward to seeing my dad race in his final event at MIS. Hopefully we can both be successful that weekend. My goal is to win at Michigan for my Dad and Roger Penske (who is supplying the car for Stephen in the race). I think we'll run around 10 ARCA and 10 Busch races next year. Hopefully we can make it to the Cup circuit a few years down the road."
Stephen Wallace wasn't the only driver participating in the ARCA RE/MAX Series test session with a famous race car driving father, or
driving for a NEXTEL Cup affiliated team. Kraig Kinser, son of World of Outlaws champion Steve Kinser took laps around the 2-mile oval in a MBV Motorsports prepared car, the same team the fields NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series entries for Joe Nemechek and Scott Riggs.
Kinser is also expected to make his ARCA RE/MAX debut in the August 19 Hantz Group 200 at MIS.(MIS PR)(8-6-2005)
Rusty is close to 20,000 laps led and 200 top-5's: #2-Rusty Wallace is approaching yet another milestone in his career. He has currently led 19,931 laps in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup competition. That makes him only 69 laps shy of leading an unbelievable 20,000 laps. AND Rusty Wallace's runner-up finish at Pocono accounted for his 199th career top-five finish and now he is after his 200th. In 690 starts to date, he has finished in the top five in an impressive 28.8 percent of the races. He also has 343 top-10 finishes (in 49.7 percent of the races). He has 55 victories and 36 pole positions.(Tom Roberts PR)(8-4-2005)
Buddy Baker runs 200mph at Daytona, Rusty's son tests: Despite having a week off from NEXTEL Cup competition, where he currently sits 4th in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup standings, #2-Rusty Wallace was as busy as ever Monday, as his RWI Racing Busch Series operation completed tests at both Daytona International Speedway and Kentucky Speedway on the same day. In Daytona, racing legend Buddy Baker was behind the wheel of the #64 Miller High Life Dodge Charger, completing testing in conjunction with Racing Radios. Similar to the radio test Wallace completed at Talladega last year, in which he hit nearly 230 MPH, Baker wheeled the RWI Racing machine to an average lap speed of an even 200 MPH around Daytona's high banks. The ever-jubilant Baker was nothing short of thrilled at the opportunity stating, "That was a lot of fun, I have to tell you. Going that fast around here really brought back some memories, that's for sure. Blake Bainbridge and his guys really put together some first-class equipment and I'm really excited to have had the opportunity to do this."
On the other front, Wallace was present for his son Stephen's first speedway test, conducted at Kentucky Speedway. Stephen Wallace, the 2004 Snowball Derby Champion, wheeled a Penske Racing-prepared Dodge around the 1.5 mile oval in preparation for his first speedway start, the August 19th ARCA RE-MAX Series event at Michigan Speedway. Rusty's crew chief Larry Carter and the entire #2 Miller Lite team will handle Stephen's ARCA car. The test was manned by members of the RWI Racing Busch Series team, as well as representatives from Penske-Jasper Engines. To begin the test, the elder Wallace jumped behind the wheel of the #77 Kodak Dodge from Travis Kvapil's stable and completed a baseline lap of 32.65 seconds [165.390mph]. After some tweaking on the car's chassis set-up, it was Stephen's turn at the controls. By the end of his second outing, the younger Wallace had logged a best lap of 32.83 seconds [164.484mph], barely missing the time set by his father.(Rusty Wallace Inc. PR) AND ........And there was Wallace squelching any expectations of seeing his son, fledgling racer Steven, in the seat of the struggling #77 Penske Dodge any time soon. "No, no, none of that," Wallace said. "Roger (Penske) gave Steven that opportunity to start testing him, like a little driver development stuff, then after he does that Dodge has paid for some races for Steven. He's going to run Chicago in a Dodge development car and we just want to give him all the seat we possibly can. It's all about the seat time. Once I get confident with him, I'll put him in my Busch car for some races, too."(Florida Today)(7-27-2005)
Rusty talks about the future: Brandon Mudd of 590 the Fan KFNS in St. Louis spoke to Rusty Wallace who was at Gateway International Raceway testing his #64 Busch Series car Tuesday in preparation for the Wallace Family Tribute 250 on July 30th. When asked who was taking his place in his #2 Cup car, he said there have been a lot of applicants, but not too many worth looking at. "We don't have a clue as to who's going in that 2 car next year. We've got
a lot of guys wanting to, but Mr. Penske hasn't made a decision yet. The guys that are wanting to aren't really guys who have won races and there are a lot of guys who really want to get in a good car, but haven't had the experience yet. You have to weigh if you're willing to put a guy in the car who doesn't have the talent you need to have right now and teach him and waste two or three years. I'm afraid the Miller Brewing Company is not in the mood for that. I think they want a guy who's going to get in it and roll right now, someone who can win. That's who Roger's looking for." Rusty also said his son, Stephen, will race a limited schedule in the RWI Racing #64 Dodge in the Busch Series next season and will race under the RWI Racing banner at Michigan in the ARCA series later this season.(590 The Fan, KFNS.com)(7-21-2005)
Wood to the #2? hearing that Busch driver, Jon Wood, recently tested the #2 Penske Racing Dodge.(7-10-2005)
Mears to stay at Ganassi? #41-Casey Mears appears to be safe in Chip Ganassi's Dodges for another season, according to sources familiar with the situation. Mears has been anxiously awaiting official word from Ganassi about his future. Word that rival team owner Roger Penske is interested in Mears as #2-Rusty Wallace's replacement may be spurring Ganassi to exercise his option to keep Mears. Ganassi could expand to a four-car operation next season, with sponsorship available, although it's unclear who Ganassi might have at the wheel.(Winston Salem Journal)(7-16-2005)
More on Mears to Penske: With McMurray out of the picture, Casey Mears' name has popped up as replacing the retiring Rusty Wallace at [#2 Miller Lite Dodge] Penske Racing South. Mears, who drives the #41 for Chip Ganassi Racing, said yesterday he is waiting to hear from Ganassi on next year. "I've been told they want me around next season, but that's the extent of it," he said. "I just haven't seen anything solid that says I'm going to be there. I'm happy with my team. I think we can improve and do a lot better than we're doing now, so if I stick around, I'd be happy with that. If not, I'm keeping options open to go do something else. But right now it's their option, and as soon as they let me know I can make a decision. . . . The longer they wait to tell me anything hurts me.".(Richmond Times Dispatch)(7-9-2005)
Rusty....Back in Black at Chicago: Rusty Wallace’s #2 Penske Racing South Dodge will be carrying a special “retro” look in this weekend’s USG Sheetrock 400 at Chicagoland Speedway. “Just tell ‘em that black is back,” chuckled Wallace when discussing his team’s return to the familiar black-and-gold Miller Genuine Draft color scheme that graced his race cars from the beginning of the 1990 season through the end of the 1996 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season. “We had so much success during the years we carried that paint job and hope that it’ll bring us some more good luck at Chicago this weekend. The fans loved it back in the early and mid-90s and so many people remember Dale Earnhardt’s black #3 and my black #2 battling it down to the wire in so many races,” Wallace recalled. “We think the fans will really appreciate us bringing that color scheme out another time during our ‘last call’ season.” Wallace drove his black-and-gold #2 Miller Genuine Draft entry (a Pontiac from 1990-1993 and a Ford from 1994-1996) to an amazing 30 wins, 82 top-five finishes and 120 top-10 finishes in 179 races wearing those colors. He recorded 10 of his 36 career pole positions during that time.(Tom Roberts PR)(7-6-2005)
Martin and Wallace honored at Daytona: #6-Mark Martin and #2-Rusty Wallace were honored Saturday night before their final race at Daytona International Speedway. The retiring NASCAR stars were given framed photos of the first cars they drove at Daytona in 1982 and greeted with a standing ovation during the drivers meeting before the Pepsi 400. The photos also contained head shots that Martin said reminded him of "Starsky and Hutch." "You got me beat with the mustache, but I've got the hair," Wallace said.(ESPN.com/AP)(7-3-2005)
Truex Jr. to the #2? UPDATE 2: on Fox's pre-race show for the Dodge/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway, Jeff Hammond and Darrell Waltrip were asked who would be in the #6 Roush Racing Ford [to replace retiring Mark Martin] and #2 Pensek Racing Dodge [to replace retiring Rusty Wallace], for the #6 Hammond said is still up in the air [see some names mentioned on my 2006 Team Chart] and for the #2, Hammond said he keeps hearing the name Martin Truex Jr. popping up as he still has not been signed by DEI for 2006 [to drive the #1 Chevy in Cup next year](6-26-2005) UPDATE: when asked about the Truex rumor, Jeff Hammond says: "Anything is possible, but I do know that everybody at DEI expected to get Truex locked in by now. There's been a lot more pressure put on him, especially from the Penske organization. They've offered him a fairly lucrative contract to jump ship and go over there. When that's going on, it really challenges a guy's loyalty. DEI has been more than fair with Truex, but he's faced with a decision that could affect the rest of his career. From what I [Hammond] was told the other day, an offer had been given to Truex, and there was a decision made then not to sign the DEI contract. It puts a lot of people back in the position of almost playing poker with checking and raising. Now the onus is back on DEI and whether or not they want to raise the ante to try to keep him in their camp."(FoxSports)(6-29-2005) UPDATE 2: Martin Truex Jr. hasn't said why he hasn't yet signed a contract to remain with Dale Earnhardt Inc., but he did say Thursday at Daytona that he is trying to seal a deal. "It's not done yet, and we are trying to get it done," said Truex. At least two top-level Nextel Cup teams have immediate openings for the 2006 season. Truex Jr. is in the final year of his contract with DEI, and as reigning Busch Series champion, it is natural that he has found himself in the rumor mill. For his part, Truex has been mum on his talks with DEI, which are being led by his father.(NASCAR.com)(7-1-2005)
Rusty will test but not race at Iowa track: Rusty Wallace says he won't take part in the first race at the Iowa Speedway when it opens next summer. The legendary NASCAR driver is retiring from the Nextel Cup Series at the end of the season and designed the track which broke ground last week in Newton. Wallace says he will drive some laps at the track with his car to check the smoothness of the track and to "I'll drive the laps at the new track to make sure the consistency is right the racing's right on it before I sign off on it," Wallace says.Wallace says there are enough super speedways out there and the track of 7/8ths mile will fill a need. He says he believes it'll be "the most awesome speedway in the entire world that I've everworked on."Sanctioning bodies like ARCA and USAC are expected to hold events at the track and Wallace says down the road NASCAR events are a possibility. He says NASCAR "is totally in the loop" for everything they're doing at the Newton track.(Radio Iowa)(6-30-2005)
Sorenson to the #41? Mears to the #91? #2? UPDATE Mears to the #2? sources tell me it is a lock that Gannasi Busch Series driver, Reed Sorenson will drive the #41 Dodge in 2005. Where Mears will end up, last rumor had him possible at the third Evernham team #91, also hearing that Mears could end up in the #2 Penske Racing Dodge, as Penske does have a history with the Mears family [Casey's Uncle Rick won 4 Indy 500's for Penske and still works for Penske](6-15-2005) UPDATE - Mears to the #2? There hasn't been a serious candidate to replace Rusty Wallace in the #2, but team owner Roger Penske pow-wowed with the Mears clan--including Casey Mears, driver of the #41 for Chip Ganassi Racing--at Michigan. Obviously, Rick Mears, a Penske consultant and four-time Indy 500 winner, could put in a good word for his nephew, and in the bigger (sponsorship) picture, Casey is exactly the type of young driver Miller Brewing is looking for to combat legions of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Bud fans. Penske also is developing Billy Wiese, a youngster who is racing midgets in the Midwest.(Sporting News)(6-27-2005) AND Two of the sport's top car owners, Roger Penske and Jack Roush, are trying to find new drivers to replace retiring Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin. Penske says he probably won't make a decision until September.(Winston Salem Journal)(6-27-2005)
Sad News: Belated sympathy note to #2 Miller Lite team's gasman Doug Ingold and his family for the passing of Doug's mother, Joyce Ingold, on June 11. Mrs. Ingold, 71, died suddenly while on a church trip in Nashville, Tenn. "She and my sister had been going on these great bus trips with her church for several years now. Mom was just stepping down off the bus at one of the stops on the Nashville trip when she just collapsed. They did everything they could to revive her, but there was nothing that they could do. They said it was coronary failure, but she didn't have any kind of medical history of heart problems. It may sound strange, but my whole family took a lot of comfort in the fact that mom died a really happy lady and she was doing what she loved doing - out there enjoying life with all her great friends from the church." Services for Mrs. Ingold were held last Wednesday (June 15) at Stanly Funeral Home. She was interred in the cemetery at Silver Springs Baptist Church in Aquadale, N.C.(Tom Roberts PR)(6-23-2005)
No More Doubles for Rusty: #2-Rusty Wallace, who is retiring after this season, said he will rethink racing twice in one weekend. Wallace flew from MIS to Kentucky Speedway Saturday to compete in the Busch race, in which he finished 24th. He flew back late Saturday to prepare for Sunday's Cup race. "I'm a little tired after running Kentucky," Wallace admitted after finishing 10th at Michigan. "I was going to run the Busch race at (Indianapolis Raceway Park) before the Brickyard (in August), but I don't think I'm going to do that now."(Detroit News)(6-20-2005)
Harvick to the #2? UPDATE Harvick talks, denies and fumes: it was reported during Speed Channel's Texas Truck Series race that Kevin Harvick, driver of the #29 GM Goodwrench Chevy was in negoatiations with Penske Racing to take over the #2 Miller Lite Dodge fielded by Penske Racing. This was reported as a rumor back in Febuary by NASCAR.com and the Winston Salem Journal. The big questions would be, Harvick is supposedly signed thru 2006 with a 2-year option, how does this effect Harvick's Chevy Busch and Truck programs [not gonna see Stewart in a Dodge Busch car] and if under contract can't image Richard Childress just letting Harvick go.(6-11-2005) UPDATE - denied by Harvick: from a GM Racing PR after qualifying at Pocono Raceway for he Pocono 500:
KEVIN HARVICK, NO. 29 GM GOODWRENCH CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO - Responds to Craftsman Truck TV broadcast comment on 6/10 reporting that Harvick would be making a move to Dodge: "I think that Ray (Dunlap, SpeedTV on-air talent for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series) will probably be thoroughly embarrassed in the next couple of months there with everything we've been working on (contracts). The bad part about it is that I have another year on my contract with RCR and a couple of years with Chevrolet. I think if the facts would have at least been checked on and not just dreamed up over a couple of beers, we probably would have had a much better telecast on the Speed channel last night watching the Truck race. They need to worry about what the hell they're doing and things will be reported a little more accurately."
(ARE YOU A WANTED MAN? ARE YOU GETTING CALLS?) "No, I haven't gotten calls from anybody because I'm not available. It's one of those things that's dreamed up. Richard and I are working on a lot of things to go forward in the future and there isn't any other home that's going to be available for me. It's unfortunate, but stuff happens. Like I say, in the next couple of months it'll be something that he'll probably regret. He'll be embarrassed about saying it."
(WERE YOU WATCHING THE TELECAST LAST NIGHT?) "Yeah, the disappointing part about it is that I'm laying in my motor home and (Ron) Hornaday is pretty much annihilating them during the race. And they were talking about me driving another car and not even reporting on the race. That's the unfortunate part for GM Goodwrench and the race fans and everybody. They're not even worried about their own telecast. It's unfortunate. So I went to bed with a headache, to say the least. I was watching the race with the guys on my team and with Scott Wimmer, actually, and they all kind of looked at me and I (shrugged shoulders) said, 'Hey, you guys know how this world works.' So it was unfortunate. But like I say, it's pretty easy to put to rest and that's why I wanted to make sure that it didn't go any further. If all the facts were known with all the contractual stuff, it wouldn't even be reported."
(WHAT ARE YOU AND RICHARD CHILDRESS WORKING ON LONG TERM?) "Oh, it'll be great. It'll probably catch you guys (media) off guard a little bit. But once we get it all done, it'll be awesome."
(DOES IT INVOLVE OWNERSHIP?) "Oh, you never know."(GM Pocono Quotes/PR)(6-11-2005)
#675 for Rusty: #2-Rusty Wallace will be making his 675th consecutive NASCAR NEXTEL Cup start [684 races total] in Sunday's Pocono 500 at Pocono Raceway. In 42 career starts on the triangular-shaped 2.5-mile Pocono track, he has recorded 4 wins, 9 top-5 finishes, 16 top-10 finishes and 3 poles. He ranks third in career laps led on the track with 735.(Tom Roberts PR), unless Rusty comes back in 2006 for the first three races, his consecutive streak will stop ay 697.(6-8-2005)
Rusty talks a bit about the future: #2-Rusty Wallace is planning on making this year his last as a full-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup driver, however, this might not be the last time we see him in a racecar at Michigan. "I'm retiring full-time from NASCAR NEXTEL Cup racing," he commented. "But, I'm not going to say that I'll never get in a car again. I might run a few races in my Busch car. I have a lot of things I want to do. I want to help my son Steve. He's going to run in the second ARCA race here at Michigan in August, so I'm excited about that."(MIS PR)(6-7-2005)
Martin says he will run Trucks full-time in 2006, he and Rusty will NOT share a ride: #6-Mark Martin's final season on the Nextel Cup probably won't be his last on the NASCAR circuit if Roush Racing obtains a sponsor for him in the Craftsman Truck Series.
"I'm excited about 2006 racing a Jack Roush truck in the Truck Series full time," Martin said Friday at Dover International Speedway.
Martin ruled out a return to the Nextel Cup next season, saying he would not be sharing a ride with the retiring Rusty Wallace or any other driver. He prefers to picture himself in somewhat of a development role for Roush, his car owner since 1988. Martin likes the Truck schedule, which would give him an additional 13 weeks off to spend with his family. But he plans to approach the competition with the same desire that has made him one of the great racers of his time.(ESPN.com/AP)(6-4-2005)
Rusty to name Dover car "Melvin": If #2 Miller Lite Dodge driver Rusty Wallace has his way, the car now known simply as PRS-054 will carry a special moniker after the running of Sunday's MBNA NASCAR RacePoints 400 at Dover International Speedway. "We've been thinking about it since Melvin passed away a couple of months back and we think there's no better tribute we can pay to such a wonderful guy than to win the race and name our car after him," Wallace said of Melvin Joseph, a board member and Vice President and Director of Auto Racing at Dover International Speedway, who died suddenly on April 6. "I was very fortunate to really get to know Melvin well during the last 10 years and would love to honor him this way." The 83-year-old Joseph had been active in the NASCAR community for some 50 years, first as a car owner and then in his involvement with the one-mile high-banked Dover, Del., racing facility. He is credited with being a leader in the design and construction of the track that held its first NASCAR race in 1969.(Tom Roberts PR), Rusty in Philly on Thursday, see my driver appearances page for more.(6-2-2005)
Looks like Rusty declines to team up with Martin: Could Mark Martin and Rusty Wallace — both of whom are in their last full seasons in Nextel Cup — share time together next season behind the wheel of one of Jack Roush’s Ford Nextel Cup cars? It’s a long shot, the principals involved said Thursday, but not impossible. Martin said Thursday he’s contemplating doing a split Cup season next year in a Roush Ford. “If you could share a full schedule with the #6 car with another top driver, that’s never been done before,” said Martin. “Selling that to a sponsor, it would take the right sponsor and it would take a lot of things.” Martin’s car owner, Jack Roush, said the odd were not good that it would happen and the more realistic option is that Martin ends up in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in a Roush Ford F-150. “If you ask me to put odds on that (a part-time Cup deal for Martin next year), I’d say the chances of that are pretty slim, between a 1 and a 30 percent probability,” Roush said. “He’d have to reach an accommodation with Rusty (Wallace) or with another driver and I’d have to put together a sponsor package that would be attractive on a year-to-year basis to fund it at a level of a championship program. I’m not saying I couldn’t do it, but it’s going to be a challenge.”
“They’d like me to do that and right now my decision is not to do anything like that,” added Wallace. “Although that’s a very, very attractive offer and it does make a lot of sense.”(Speed Channel)(5-27-2005)
NC Senate OK's higher hotel tax for NASCAR HOF: The state Senate gave its final approval today to a temporary 2% increase in the Charlotte hotel room tax to help fund construction of a proposed NASCAR hall of fame. The bill would give Charlotte the authority to raise the local occupancy tax from six percent to eight percent. The revenues would help finance the museum and a new ballroom for the Charlotte convention center, next to the proposed site.(NBC 6/WCNC)(5-24-2005)
Daytona NASCAR HOF bid gets some $$: Supporters of the NASCAR hall of fame got a $20,000 shot in the arm Monday from the Volusia Council of Governments. The council, made up of elected officials from across the county, gave nearly unanimous approval to help The Chamber, Daytona Beach/Halifax Area and other supporters win the hall of fame over contenders in Atlanta; Charlotte, N.C.; Kansas City, Kan.; and Richmond, Va. Deltona Mayor John Masiarczyk issued the only dissenting vote, saying he didn't want the group to set a precedent of giving money for countywide fund-raisers. Chamber President George Mirabal told VCOG members the money would help pay for consultants and other costs, such as the formal proposal package that has been estimated to cost $250,000. The facility is expected to cost between $70 million to $100 million. Leaders are looking for private backing, but won't get a planned $30 million from the state. Lawmakers recently turned that proposal down, even though it included a plan to pay the money back with revenue from a state NASCAR license plate for cars.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(5-24-2005)
Sad News - man dies at LMS: A Charlotte man died after a race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway this weekend. Friends said Chris Keistler, 46, passed out after Saturday's All-Star race and never woke up. Jeremy Karle believes his buddy died from alcohol poisoning. David Hampton heads Cabarrus County's paramedic teams and said rescue crews rarely see cases of alcohol poisoning among race fans. “I can't remember the last one that we actually dealt with,” he said. The most common alcohol-related call comes when the weather is warm and fans drink too much beer and not enough water. But Hampton said race fans having fun do not always see trouble before it's too late. The Medical Examiner is waiting for a toxicology report to determine Keistler's exact cause of death. Friends said he was single and did not have any known health problems.(NBC 6/WCNC)(5-24-2005)
RCR Lawsuit Against United of Omaha Begins Today: Court proceedings in the lawsuit filed by Richard Childress Racing against the United of Omaha Life Insurance Company will begin on May 23, 2004, at 10:00 a.m., in Superior Court in nearby Lexington, NC. This case arises out of life insurance covering the death of Dale Earnhardt at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 18, 2001. It
involves the three-year contract Earnhardt and Richard Childress signed in 2000 to cover the years 2001 through 2003. Richard Childress Racing agreed to insure Earnhardt for $7.2 million, to be payable to Teresa Earnhardt if he died during the first year of the contract. A $3.5 million life insurance policy was already in effect with National Life of Vermont and Richard Childress Racing purchased an additional policy worth $3.7 million through agents of United of Omaha, a subsidiary of Mutual of Omaha prior to Earnhardt's death.
The insurance policy application with United of Omaha was completed and signed in January 2001 by all parties involved: Richard Childress Racing, Dale Earnhardt personally, and United of Omaha. Two premium payments were made by Richard Childress Racing to agents of United of Omaha.
Within 24 hours of Earnhardt's death, United of Omaha declined payment on the $3.7 million policy and stated they had closed their file on the case. Shortly after that, National Life of Vermont sent a check for $3.5 million to Richard Childress Racing, which was delivered to Teresa Earnhardt. The lawsuit against United of Omaha is for violation of North Carolina laws dealing with bad faith and unfair and deceptive trade practices by insurance companies. Under those laws, insurance companies must conduct a reasonable investigation of all claims based upon all available information. Richard Childress Racing contends that United of Omaha did not conduct such an investigation and illegally refused to pay under the policy, thus violating the law and regulations applicable to insurance companies in North Carolina. He is pursing this case on behalf of Dale Earnhardt, Dale's memory, and Teresa Earnhardt.
This trial is set for a special session of the Superior Court of Davidson County in Lexington, N.C., which will begin May 23, 2005, at
10:00 a.m. The case will be heard by a resident Superior Court judge in Davidson County, the Honorable Kimberly G. Taylor. This is to be a trial by jury that is expected to last for one to two weeks.(RCR PR)(5-23-2005) AND - MORE: But the insurance company, United of Omaha, argues the policy was never in effect. Part of the problem: Earnhardt died before taking a physical. There's also a dispute over whether Childress had paid enough of the premium. The team says it made an initial payment and got the bill for a second on Feb. 19, 2001 -- the day after Earnhardt's last race. It paid the bill. But the company says more money was owed before the policy would take effect. Richard Childress, who owned the No. 3 car that Earnhardt -- a Kannapolis native -- made famous, sat in front of the courtroom with his attorneys. He contends that United of Omaha didn't conduct a proper investigation of his claim, as required by N.C. law.(ThatsRacin.com)(5-24-2005)
Martin still retiring, Roush looks to blow folks minds UPDATE: Nextel All-Star Challenge winner Mark Martin told Sirius Speedway (MRN Radio/Sirius Satellite Radio) host Dave Moody that his plans for 2006 have not changed as a result of last weekend's win, but that Roush Racing is working on a deal that would "absolutely blow everyone's mind. As of now, my plan is to run the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series next season in one of Jack's trucks, but they're working on a sponsorship deal that could change things quite a bit. It's a real longshot to happen, but if it did, it would be totally different than anything we have ever done before. People will be blown away when they hear about it. It will absolutely blow everyone's mind. I'm not putting a lot of stock in it, though, because it probably won't
happen. My plan is to spend 2006 running a truck and spending more time with my family."(Sirius Speedway - MRN Radio/Sirius Satellite Radio)(5-23-2005) UPDATE: Mark Martin with Claire B. Lang on XM Satellite NASCAR Radio's "Dialed In" talks in detail about his plans for the future.....
Mark: Well, there's this far-fetched idea that someone has, to take two let's say "retiring" drivers and split a season [Rusty Wallace]. You understand what I'm saying?
Claire Yeah!
Mark: When I first looked at scaling back to do, let's say, 12 or 16 races, that's a great idea. Except the problem is is that you can't make that work. The team can't work. You can't have a top-notch crew chief and a top-notch team and get a sponsor that can afford to make that work. The only way you can do it is a full-time deal. And so the only way that you could see a possibility to make a deal work would be to run a full-time car with two drivers.
Claire: I've heard that brought up by the fans before, like two or three drivers doing it, they love that idea. Would it be a driver currently retired or one that's already stepped down?
Mark: Look (laughing) I told you I already gave you all I can give you.
Claire: (laughing) You did.
Mark: It's far-fetched. I really know what I really want to do is I really want to do this truck thing. But you know there's all kinds of crazy ideas out there, and that's one of them, but you know I expect I don't have a deal signed yet with Jack and with a sponsor on the truck but that's obviously not going to be any problem. That's where our focus is right now.
Claire: If you were to do this other wild deal, and there'll probably be other wild deals coming up, too, then would that mean you couldn't do the NASCAR Craftsman
Truck Series, that you'd have to choose? And is part-time racing something that is intriguing to you?
Mark: No, uh, first of all, that's something crazy that ..
Claire: But it's a cool idea.
Mark: It's a cool idea. Its really hard to find a sponsor that would, you know, sponsor multiple drivers for a full schedule and do it right. And then it's also hard to find the right drivers and everything. But, you know it is an idea. I'll say again, my focus is on getting this truck thing put together. That's what I want to do, and that is very real, and that's what we're working on and I expect to be doing that.(5-24-2005)
Hornish to the #2? or Paul Tracy? UPDATE Ganassi/Pensek trade? With all of the speculation about who will replace Rusty Wallace in the #2 car next year, everyone has forgotten about two-time IRL champion Sam Hornish Jr., who already drives for Roger Penske. I [Yahoo's Bob Margolis] hear that he's at the top of the list to replace Rusty.(Yahoo! Sports) AND Roger Penske's search for a new driver to replace retiring Rusty Wallace has become one of this sport's biggest mysteries. #42-Jamie McMurray seemed the obvious pick for a while, but car owner Chip Ganassi doesn't seem a bit interested in letting McMurray move over to arch-rival Penske. #16-Greg Biffle has also been in the heavy speculation since his contract with Jack Roush is up at the end of the season. Biffle insists he's sticking with Roush. but adds the caveat that even if he were thinking about moving on, he'd be foolish to say anything about it right now.
The latest Penske speculation focuses on Paul Tracy, a wildly aggressive Indy-car star who once drove for Penske - and who once worked with Matt Borland, one of Penske's top NASCAR crew chiefs, who works now with Ryan Newman. Borland said that Tracy might be a bit too aggressive for NASCAR's got-to-get-along world, but Borland said that if Tracy brings the right attitude, it could certainly work out. And Borland said it would be "very interesting" to watch Tracy learning to adjust to the NASCAR tour.(Winston Salem Journal)(5-9-2005) UPDATE Ganasi/Penske trade?: There has been talk in the motorsports world that Penske's IRL effort will become a one-car team in 2006. Speculation is that Sam Hornish either could take over Wallace's #2 car or be sent to Ganassi Racing, in exchange for Jamie McMurray, who would drive the #2.(Sporting News)(5-23-2005)
Rusty thinking of racing in Cup in 2006? not with Penske? Speculation is intensifying that #2-Rusty Wallace might not be retiring at the end of the season after all. This year has been billed as "Rusty's Last Call," as his final season on the NASCAR tour. However, in the past few days there has been intense speculation that Wallace is having second thoughts about hanging it up while he's running so well. A question - car owner Roger Penske may be under pressure from sponsor Miller to keep Wallace in that car another year. However Penske just bought out Wallace's share of Penske South, after nearly 15 years as business partners, and Wallace has been complaining about the huge tax bite that sale is costing him. The prospect that Wallace might not be hanging it up has some rival car owner eager to make a bid for his services. Ford men are expressing an interest in Wallace, who drove for Ford for several years before switching to Dodge. Chevy men are also expressing an interest in Wallace. Miller officials of course want their NASCAR team competing head-to-head against the Budweiser team, with superstar Dale Earnhardt Jr. And so far Wallace is doing just that - he's led 204 laps, to Earnhardt's five. Wallace has four top-10s, Earnhardt five.(Winston Salem Journal)(5-22-2005)
So what is up at Penske Racing? Now that Roger Penske owns all of Penske Racing South, crew chief Matt Borland has been signed to a contract extension and driver #12-Ryan Newman is in negotiations for a similar extension, the focus shifts to finding a replacement for Rusty Wallace. Penske bought the 48% share of the team owned by Wallace, Don Miller and John Erickson this week, giving the racing magnate complete control of the three-car [#2, #12, #77] team. Wallace has announced he'll retire at the end of this season, and many believe Jamie McMurray, whose contract with Chip Ganassi Racing ends this season, will climb into the #2 Miller Dodge. McMurray, who is dating Wallace's daughter, is trying to avoid all the speculation. "Last year I got to talking about my contract," McMurray said. "I'm not going to talk about that at all." Newman has talked with Roush Racing and Evernham Motorsports about a future, but he's leaning toward staying with Borland and Penske.(Augusta Chronicle)(5-19-2005)
Rusty in, Mikey out at Trackside? hearing that Rusty Wallace will replace Michale Waltrip on Speed Channel's Trackside show, starting sometime this summer. No reason mentioned. The show airs on Friday's at various times, sometime live and sometimes same day coverage and is hosted by Steve Byrnes with Darrell Waltrip, Larry McReynolds and Jeff Hammond adding commentaty and funny stuff to the mix. Guest each week include drivers from the different NASCAR Series and other NASCAR personalities. This weeks scheduled guests: Mike Skinner, Shane Hmiel and Kurt Busch. The SPEED Channel Stage Truck will be located outside the track behind Turns 3 & 4 at Lowe's Motor Speedway and will start at 4:10pm/et with air time at 11:00pm/et, after the Truck Series race. It is free to watch live and no tickets are required.(5-19-2005)
Rusty Busy: Rusty spent all day Monday (May 16) doing promotional work in the Chicago area. Among the activities he enjoyed was throwing the first pitch at the Chicago White Sox/Texas Rangers Major League Baseball game. Texas won the game 7-6 on Kevin Mench's solo drive in the ninth inning, his second home run of the game. "It was a pretty good pitch that I threw, I thought," he said on Tuesday. "The biggest thing was to get out there and not embarrass myself. They all said I did just fine and that was all I wanted to hear. We had a really fun time and you can have a blast visiting Chicago."
Miller Brewing Company will be celebrating Rusty's final season racing by inviting legal drinking age race fans to Lowe's Motor Speedway on Saturday (May 21) for a landmark free concert by the Black Crowes. As part of the Miller Lite Rock'n Racing Concert Series, the show is set for Saturday at 3:00 p.m. in the Lowe's Motor Speedway infield between Turns 1 and 2. Rusty will be present at the concert, addressing his loyal fans and introducing the Black Crowes.(TRPR)(5-18-2005)
Penske buying out Rusty and Miller? UPDATE 2: Roger Penske is buying out the 48% share of Penske South that is owned by Rusty Wallace and his long-time business manager Don Miller.(Winston Salem Journal)(4-16-2005) UPDATE: Wallace, driving his final full season in Nextel Cup, said Penske has offered to buy out his share of the team, as well as his longtime friend Miller's share. But Wallace said the ongoing fuss with Newman will not play a part in that decision, when he makes it. "Again, I want to stress I haven't made that decision,'' Wallace said. "I've got an offer to do that. I lay awake at nights wondering if that's what I should do.''(ESPN.com/AP)(4-23-2005) UPDATE 2: Penske Performance, Inc., the majority shareholder of Penske Racing South, Inc., announced today that it has purchased the individual ownership interests in the company held by Rusty Wallace, Don Miller and John Erickson. "The transaction represents an opportunity to reward Rusty, Don and John for their many contributions to the growth and success of the company," said Roger Penske, chairman of Penske Performance. "Penske Racing South is committed to its participation as a competitor in NASCAR. We enjoy the support of a dedicated and loyal group of sponsors who will be with us well into the future. Our focus is to maximize all three cars' performance every week with winning the NEXTEL Cup Championship as our goal." Don Miller said, "The purchase allows me to extract the equity that I put into the company over the last 14 years. For me, the time is right. Given our recent investments to grow the company, this helps relieve some of my personal financial burden. I look forward to fulfilling my management responsibilities on an ongoing basis." Rusty Wallace noted that "this deal is important to my future as I move into the next phase of my career. I value the opportunity to have been an owner at the NEXTEL Cup level and I am excited about contributing to the success of the team going forward, especially in my remaining races as a driver. Penske Racing South has been a great part of my life," Wallace said.
John Erickson said, "I appreciate having been part of the ownership structure. I will continue to do my best in helping build a championship team." The terms of the transaction are confidential.(Penske Performance PR)(5-16-2005)
Penske Happy with Dodge: #2-Rusty Wallace shot down talk of Penske Racing South aligning itself with Toyota. He said the team is happy with its current contract with Dodge. "People would think that [switch] would be a natural because he's running Toyota in the IRL Series, and he's the largest Toyota dealer," he said. "But he's also one of the world's largest Daimler Chrysler dealers." Wallace said he hasn't "personally talked" with Toyota about his #64 Busch Series team but said he would never say never.(Richmond Times Dispatch), remember the denials in 2000 that Penske would switch to Dodge?(5-15-2005)
Rusty receives Boy Scout award: Rusty Wallace made his annual trip Tuesday to Orangeburg, SC. For the 10th consecutive year, Wallace made an appearance at the Tourville Lodge to help raise money for the Boy Scouts of America at the "Friends of Scouting" event sponsored by Jim Roquemore of Super Sod. Hank Jones of Elloree, a personal friend of Wallace's, helped in getting the event together and once again arranging for the NASCAR star to be in attendance. Last year's event raised upwards of $100,000 and this year was no different, as the grand total came to more than $108,000 for the Boy Scouts of America. Over his 10 years of coming to Orangeburg, Wallace and company have raised more than $750,000. After the questions and answers, Wallace got a surprise when Charles Williams and Jim Roquemore introduced Wallace's wife, Patti. "Ya'll brought my wife here. I can't believe it," Wallace said. "I'm glad I said all the right things." Then came a host of awards for the NASCAR star.
The first was a scholarship fund that has been set up with Wallace's name and sponsored by the Boy Scouts. It was presented by Randy Scott, Larry Brown and Orangeburg Sen. Brad Hutto, all of whom help out with the scouts locally. Lane Boone, a member of Troop 45, was presented the first-ever scholarship to help with his studies at Georgia Military Academy.
The second presentation came from Sheriff Larry Williams, who made Wallace a reserve deputy five years ago when Wallace attended the event. This year he was made an honorary deputy sheriff of Orangeburg County, receiving a plaque from Deputy Tammy Robinson, officer of the year.
Orangeburg Mayor Paul Miller followed with a presentation declaring Tuesday, May 10, Rusty Wallace Day in Orangeburg.
The final presentation was made by the Southern Regional Director of the Boy Scouts of America, Parvin Bishop. Bishop presented the Silver Antelope to Wallace for his service to scouting. The Silver Antelope Award, created in 1942, is granted for outstanding service to youth within the territory of a BSA region. A recipient must be a registered adult member of the Boy Scouts of America. The awards are presented in connection with regional meetings or at other public functions within the region. The National Court of Honor bestows Silver Antelope Awards on the basis of the number of registered volunteers in a region.(Times and Democrat)(5-11-2005)
Rusty making Monday NYC TV Stops: #2-Rusty Wallace is scheduled to appear on two nationally broadcasted television shows on Monday (May 9) during a day's visit to New York City. The first stop on Wallace's agenda will be on FOX-TV's "Fox & Friends" which airs at 7:00am/et. This offbeat morning show features Anchors E.D. Hill, Steve Doocy and Brian Kilmeade. As their promotional materials boast, they take a look at the day's news, sports and weather from a different perspective. It is an interactive show where you can call in to voice your opinion or have your e-mail read.
Wallace is then scheduled to be a special guest on "The Tony Danza Show." Hosted by Danza, one of America's most recognized and likeable television personalities, the show is a one-hour talk show with guests that include actors, athletes, newsmakers and real people with interesting stories to tell. Monday's guests on "The Tony Danza Show" will also include actor David Hyde Pierce, who is appearing in the smash Broadway hit "Spamalot." "The Tony Danza Show" airs locally on Charlotte's WCNC-TV at 4:00pm/et. Consult your local listings for stations and broadcast times in your area. Wallace will also visit the "ESPN Zone" where he is to be interviewed by ESPN's "The Pulse" and by ESPN News.(Tom Roberts PR)(5-7-2005)
Newman comments on rift with Rusty: The never-ending feud between supposed teammates #12-Ryan Newman and #2-Rusty Wallace is apparently no closer to abating. Newman has been mostly silent, while Wallace has made no secret of his antipathy toward Newman and, in particular, his crew chief, Matt Borland. Newman said the feud has had no practical effect on the team’s performance. “Rusty has voiced his opinion in a lot of areas,” said Newman. “I’ve maintained a pretty calm stance, and basically our performance has been related to our performance as a team. We’ve had our goods and bads throughout the season, and none of it has been anybody else’s fault except ours.”(Gaston Gazette)(5-7-2005)
Rusty does call injured crewman Contrary to a recent report, Rusty Wallace said Thursday that he had, in fact, attempted to contact Richard Childress Racing crewman Josh Yost throughout the past week. Wallace and Yost finally spoke via cell phone Thursday morning. "I just spoke with him and he's fine," Wallace said. Yost, the jack man for Jeff Burton's #31 Cingular Chevrolet, was struck by Wallace's Dodge during a pit stop in the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway. An RCR team spokesman who had spoken directly with Yost on Wednesday told NASCAR.COM's Marty Smith that Wallace had not yet spoken with Yost. The spokesman said Yost had his cell phone with him throughout his hospital stay and had not received a call from the 1989 Cup Series champion. Smith then reported that information on SPEED Channel's NASCAR Nation Wednesday, greatly upsetting Wallace, who explained he had tried to contact Yost at home and had left messages on his home answering machine. "I'm glad I've spoken with him and that he's OK," Wallace said. Yost's right ankle suffered two ruptured ligaments, torn ligaments and a severe laceration in the incident, which the team confirmed would sideline him for the remainder of the 2005 season. Exploratory surgery Tuesday also revealed that the tip of Yost's right fibula was crushed. Yost had reconstructive surgery Thursday, and may be able to go home Friday, the team said.(NASCAR.com)(5-6-2005)
Rusty back in black at Chicago: #2-Rusty Wallace is scheduled to drive the #2 Miller Genuine Draft retro car at Chicagoland Speedway on July 10, 2005. See an image of the scheme on my #2 Team Schemes page.(5-5-2005)
Rusty tapes special message and host fan: One racing fan, who is battling cancer, requested to meet her favorite men: Rusty Wallace and Dr. Phil McGraw. Wallace couldn't make the taping of McGraw's show last Thursday, but he taped a spot for the episode, which was to be broadcast this Friday. Wallace also sent his race shoes from Las Vegas and will be host to the fan at the Nextel All-Star Challenge May 21 at Charlotte.(Sporting News)(5-2-2005)
Kvapil like Switzerland in in Wallace-Newman feud: #77-Travis Kvapil said he gets along fine with both his Penske Racing South comrades – #2-Rusty Wallace and #12-Ryan Newman. But he also said the ongoing feud between those two is awkward at times. "I don't want anybody to think I'm choosing sides," Kvapil said. "I do feel like I'm caught in the middle a little bit. I'm just trying to stay quiet. Whatever their differences are is between them. I wish we could work through it and it would all go away." Kvapil, who drives the #77 Kodak Dodge, said his team shares information with the #2 Miller Lite Dodge of Wallace and the #12 Alltel Dodge of Newman. But Wallace's and Newman's teams don't share info with each other.(Dallas Morning News)(4-29-2005)
Rusty to run Kentucky race: Rusty Wallace and his #64 Top Flite Golf car will swing into action with fellow NEXTEL Cup Series stars Michael Waltrip, Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and Kasey Kahne when the Busch Series takes the green flag for "The Meijer 300 Presented by Oreo" at Kentucky Speedway on June 18 at 8:00pm/et. The full day of family entertainment will include a prerace concert with decorated country music artist Travis Tritt and an appearance by race grand marshal and Pittsburgh Steeler quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, the 2004 National Football League offensive rookie of the year. Biffle, Edwards, Kahne, Wallace and Waltrip will split time between Kentucky Speedway and the June 19 NEXTEL Cup Series event at Michigan International Speedway.(Kentucky Speedway) AND A partnership between Bar-S Foods Company and RWI Racing has received the green flag. Bar-S will partner with the #64 Dodge race team to promote their lunchmeat, franks, sausage and bacon products. Bar-S will use the association with RWI to promote a consumer sweepstakes on-pack and in-store throughout the 2005 racing season.(RWI-Bar-S PR)(4-29-2005)
Rusty-Ryan Update: It's no secret that teammates #2-Rusty Wallace and #12-Ryan Newman have not been best of friends since their cars collided last fall during a race at Martinsville Speedway. Because Wallace is a co-owner of the team, along with Roger Penske and Don Miller, there was considerable speculation Wallace would make an effort to patch up their differences during the offseason. Instead, the relationship has grown, if anything, colder. At least part of the problem is their differing racing philosophies. The 48-year-old Wallace is an old-style, seat-of-the-pants racer, while 27-year-old Newman is a graduate engineer who likes to depend on technology and information from his engineers to set up his cars. "It's really two separate teams, totally,'' Travis Kvapil, the third member of the Penske team, races the #77 Dodge. "The 77 and 2 share, every tire pressure, every shock, every piece,'' Wallace said. "The 12 car is totally off limits. It's totally a separate team. They're at one end of the shop, and it's unfortunate. I'm resigned to the fact.
I'm tired of wearing myself out trying to fix it. I'm just going to do my deal and drive my guts out and give it everything I've got. ... I've beat this 12 thing to death forever, and they've got a whole different train of thought and that's fine.''(ESPN.com/AP)(4-23-2005)
Rusty Snap-On at Infineon: This June, Snap-on will recognize racing legend Rusty Wallace's "Last Call" with a special paint scheme salute on his #2 Dodge Charger. The paint scheme will be unveiled in the June 26 NEXTEL Cup Series Dodge/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. The scheme prominently features the familiar Snap-on red logo on the hood with the Miller Lite logo and a special Snap-on 85th anniversary logo on the rear quarter panels. The recognition, in collaboration with Penske Racing South and primary sponsor Miller Brewing Company, continues Snap-on Tools Company's sponsorship of Rusty Wallace's #2 Dodge, a
relationship that began in 2000. "Rusty's 'Last Call' represents the end of a racing era. During the last 24 years, Rusty has developed a skill for racing and a fan base unlike any other in NASCAR," said Carl Johanson, Snap-on Tools motorsports marketing manager. "Celebrating together with Penske Racing South, Snap-on couldn't be happier to commemorate Rusty's storied career alongside Miller Brewing Company." Beyond the special paint scheme, Snap-on Tools will feature special promotions and products throughout 2005 honoring Wallace's successful career on and off the track. (Ogilvy PR Worldwide), see an image of the scheme on my #2 Team Schemes page.(4-20-2005)
Biffle denies talk of him to the #2 MORE: Reports say that Greg Biffle, driver of Roush Racing's #16, may again be in play, although Biffle says he hopes to stay with Roush if terms can be made satisfactory. Biffle, rumored to be a top choice to replace Wallace, told reporters that an extension with Roush was "in final discussions. I haven't talked to anybody, and I don't plan to untl I have exhausted every possible resource [for] staying at Roush Racing."(Speed Channel)(4-17-2005) AND Greg Biffle, reported to be a top candidate for Penske Racing's No. 2 car when Rusty Wallace retires end of this year, insisted he will remain with Roush Racing. Biffle, two-time winner this season and fully competitive at most other stops, said, in the presence of owner Jack Roush, said that his contract-renewal negotiations with Roush are more a matter of timing. "There isn't a question about it, and there hasn't been this year," Biffle said.(Speed Channel)(4-18-2005)
Rusty's Crew Takes Checkers/Rally's Pit Award: Penske Racing South's crew for the #2 Dodge of Rusty Wallace won the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge for the fastest pit work in Sunday's Advance Auto Parts 500 at Martinsville Speedway. No times or details were reported, but the crew collected the $10,000 weekly prize after Wallace finished fifth. The contest also offers $100,000 at the end of the season for the crew with the most weekly wins during the year.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(4-13-2005)
Rusty goes yellow at Texas IMAGE: Rusty Wallace will be back with the Kodak colors at Texas Motor Speedway in April. Last year, Wallace had the Kodak sponsorship on his #2 Dodge at Watkins Glen, marking the first time [since 1989 when Koidak was the sponsor during his Championship season] he raced for another sponsor since being with the Miller Brewing Company.(RacingOne/Kodak)(3-19-2005) IMAGE: see an image of the scheme on my #2 Team Schemes page.(4-12-2005)
Rusty: It's Not Newman...... Much has been made of the feud between Nextel Cup teammates Rusty Wallace and Ryan Newman. Wallace clarified the situation a bit this week. He said his problem has not been with Newman, but instead with Newman's crew chief, Matt Borland. Wallace said the problem has been an unwillingness by Borland to share information. “The teams operate 100 percent separate, and they should not,” said Wallace who, like Newman, drives for Penske Racing South. “I know that, but they do, and nothing's being done about it, and it's just become such old news right now. You know, if he comes over and talks to me, I'd be happy to tell him anything I can. On the other hand, I went over the other day to talk to the crew chief about things, and he refused to tell me anything.” That is not the case with Wallace and his other teammate, Travis Kvapil, and his crew chief, Shane Wilson. “Travis and I did a test at Bristol, and we gave everything I could to Travis,” Wallace said. Wallace said he would like to see Borland do the same. “I really think that relationship will come around, but I really don't have a problem, believe it or not, the more I look at it, with the driver,” Wallace said. “The problem seems to be with the confidentiality problem with the crew chief, but we'll work that out.”(Kansas City Star)(4-8-2005)
Rusty wins Mid-race award: Rusty Wallace earned his first MBNA Mid-Race Leader Award of the 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season by leading Sunday's Food City 500 at half-way mark. Wallace went on to finish the race in the 13th position causing the MBNA Mid-Race Leader $25,000 race-win bonus to go unclaimed. The bonus will increase to $30,000 for next week's race at Martinsville. The MBNA Mid-Race Leader Award is worth $10,000 to any eligible NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series driver who leads a race at the halfway mark and displays the MBNA Mid-Race Leader Award decal on their race car. An additional $5,000 is earned if that driver also wins the race. If the race-win bonus goes unearned, the $5,000 rolls into the next week's award. Eligible drivers earn two points for winning the MBNA Mid-Race Leader Award and another point if they also go on to win the race. The driver who earns the most points during the season will win the MBNA Mid-Race Leader Award Championship. MBNA Mid-Race Leader will be eligible for $10,000 + $30,000 available bonus if they also win the Advanced Auto Parts 500 at Martinsville Speedway.(MBNA PR)(4-7-2005)
Rusty's Daytona 500 uniform to be auctioned for good cause: Rusty Wallace, Inc. and Blueflame Authentics, LLC announced that the authentic firesuit and driving shoes used by NASCAR legend Rusty Wallace, in his final Daytona 500, are now available for auction to the public at www.blueflameauthentics.com. The auction is set to last for seven days. "My son Greg came up with the Blueflame Authentics concept as a way to complement the Last Call Tour and thank our fans for all of their support over the years. He'll donate a large portion of the proceeds from every sale to Victory Junction Gang Camp, so this is a win-win situation for everyone. I think this is something that the fans are really going to enjoy," said the elder Wallace.(RWI)(4-6-2005)
Rusty's First win...19 years ago..today: April 6 marks the anniversary of #2-Rusty Wallace's first career win - coming on
4/6/1986 at Bristol - started 6th, led 3 times for 174 laps and cruised to victory in his 72nd career start.(Tom Roberts PR)(4-6-2005)
Rusty's son to make Busch starts: Just as Rusty Wallace's farewell tour is getting under way, his son Steven Wallace is taking one of the first steps up the NASCAR ladder. Wallace said Friday his 17-year-old son [turns 18 this summer] has been signed to a driver development contract by Dodge, which also supports the elder Wallace's racing. The younger Wallace, who is now competing on the Hooters Pro Cup circuit, likely will move to his father's Busch car next season for a partial schedule [about 15 races]. He got the deal with Dodge following a recent tryout with several other hopefuls, all of whom drove a Bobby Hamilton-prepared truck at USA International Speedway in Lakeland, Fla.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution), also on Speed Channel's Trackside show Friday, Wallace said that Steven would run two Busch races this year in the #64, Phoenix [Nov] and Memphis [Oct].(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(4-2-2005)
Rusty and Jeremy Makeup: When they competed together under the Penske umbrella, Jeremy Mayfield and Rusty Wallace endured a rocky partnership as teammates. Now, with Mayfield admittedly older and wiser and Wallace in the twilight of his career, time appears to have healed the wounds. Mayfield currently competes in the Busch Series driving the Miller High Life Light Dodge owned by Wallace. He'll steer that car throughout today's Sharpie Professional 250 at Bristol Motor Speedway. "I kind of feel honored to be honest with you," Mayfield said Friday. "His last year, (Rusty's) Last Call, he asks me to drive it." It's a surprising turn of events, considering the frosty state of affairs between the two in the Penske days. But Mayfield says that's all in the past. "You know, there's a lot of things I did wrong that I could've done better to make that whole deal work," he said. "We'd probably still be teammates right now. But I had a lot of growing up to do and had to be humbled and mature a lot, too, and I feel like I have." Now with the Ray Evernham Dodge team in Nextel Cup competition, Mayfield said he sees a whole different side of his former teammate. "We never really got to know each other when we were teammates," Mayfield said. "Now, the more I'm around him, I'm like ‘Man, this guy's cool as hell.'"(Kingsport Times News), may Newman and Rusty are next to fix things?(4-2-2005)
Rusty goes yellow at Texas: Rusty Wallace will be back with the Kodak colors at Texas Motor Speedway in April. Last year, Wallace had the Kodak sponsorship on his #2 Dodge at Watkins Glen, marking the first time [since 1989 when Koidak was the sponsor during hios Championship season] he raced for another sponsor since being with the Miller Brewing Company.(RacingOne)(3-19-2005)
Rusty's Crew Wins at California: Penske Racing South's crew for the #2 Miller Lite Dodge of Rusty Wallace has won the $10,000 prize for the fastest pit work during Sunday's Auto Club 500 at California Speedway among teams participating in the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge competition. Joe Gibbs Racing's crew for the #20 Chevrolet of Tony Stewart was named the winner of the prize for its work in the season-opening Daytona 500.(NASCAR Scene)(3-2-2005)
Miller named Business Person of the Year: Don Miller, president and co-owner of Penske Racing South [#2, #12, #77], was named Business Person of the Year Tuesday by the Mooresville-South Iredell Chamber of Commerce during its annual banquet at the Mooresville Citizens Center. Miller, a resident of Mooresville since 1990, was honored for his contributions to the town, which have included establishing the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame and Museum, Stocks for Tots to raise funds and toys for abused and neglected children, and assisting other race teams in locating in Iredell County. “This award means a lot to me because I believe in this town,” Miller said. “I know all of the people who work here feel the same way because Mooresville is a town with a heart.” Miller and wife Pat moved to the southern Iredell County town from St. Louis 15 years ago when the Chicago native joined Rusty Wallace and Roger Penske in forming Penske Racing South. “When Rusty and I came to Mooresville we met with the mayor and the Chamber of Commerce,” Miller, 65, recalled. “They had some reservations about the effect motorsports might have on the city. However, they gave their word they would support us if we came here and we would support them. This award is a by-product of those efforts.” Since moving to the North Carolina city that was named “America’s Best Small Town” in 2004, Miller has been honored with the Chamber’s Free Spirit Award and Citizen of the Year. In addition to his business ventures in Mooresville, Miller also was instrumental in the development of the roof flaps in 1993 after Wallace’s horrendous flip at Talladega in the spring of that year. He received the NASCAR Achievement Award for his design and testing efforts in that project. Miller also led the design team for the then new Ford Taurus used in NASCAR competition in 1997. Miller and his wife, Pat, have three daughters and two grandchildren. Their youngest daughter, Patricia, is currently involved in the restoration of the Saturn V rocket.(Penske Racing PR)(2-25-2005)
Rusty's hit was 41g's: #2-Rusty Wallace, who was collected in the Harvick-Johnson crash [2nd Gatorade Duel at Daytona on Thursday], said the impact was 41Gs. “That first head-on hit with Harvick is the one that about knocked my lights out,” Wallace said. “That was the very hardest of my life.”(Speed Channel)(2-19-2005)
Rusty Honored: #2-Rusty Wallace was inducted into the Goodyear Legends of Daytona area inside Daytona International Speedway's FanZone and never took off his sunglasses during the presentation Saturday morning. "I was having a tough time up there on stage," Wallace said. "They were laying out my stats and all the things I've done. I'm glad I had on my sunglasses because my eyes filled up after all that." Wallace said today's Daytona 500 will be business as usual when he starts 36th on the grid and begins to grind his way through the field. This will be his last 500 start as he begins the "Rusty's Last Call" tour before he retires following the 2005 season. Wallace announced his retirement plans last season in a news conference at the Speedway because he says Daytona is the center of the stock car racing universe. The Pepsi Theater in Daytona USA was packed with family, fans, officials and media that day. At the start of Speed Weeks, Wallace gave a television interview and wondered outloud if he had made the right decision. "Yeah, I waffled a little bit and tossed it back and forth, but I don't want to confuse my fans -- I am retiring," he said. "I'm not going to close the door entirely. If I want to come back and help my son practice his car, or test for Penske Racing, I'll do that. I'm not going to actively come back and run the Nextel Cup Series." He does have one race on his 2006 schedule. Wallace plans to run in the Rolex 24 at Daytona sportscar race, the annual Speed Weeks kickoff event.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(2-20-2005)
New Season of 'NASCAR DRIVERS: 360' return: The FX network has placed a second season order of seven episodes for "NASCAR Drivers: 360." The show, which takes a behind-the-scenes look at the everyday lives of NASCAR drivers, premieres May 13 at 10:30 ET. Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick, Robby Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Jamie McMurray, Kenny Wallace, Mark Martin and Rusty Wallace will be featured during the seven-week run.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(2-18-2005)
Harvick to Penske? UPDATE 2: The biggest question facing #2 [and #12, #77] owner Roger Penske this season is signing someone to take Rusty Wallace's place [after he retires at the end of 2005]. The most obvious answer, of course, is Jamie McMurray, who is already in the Dodge camp and driving Wallace's Busch cars. But McMurray is still under contract to Chip Ganassi [supposedly thru 2007], whose rivalry with Penske is well-known and who is not going to give up his own No. 1 driver easily. Penske shies away from even talking about McMurray. "I will tell you at this point I have not even had one conversation with Jamie McMurray about driving on this race team," Penske insisted. "Yes, he would be a great driver, but he's already under contract with Chip." One name that has just come up on Penske's tentative list, according to sources, is Kevin Harvick, who has been driving for Richard Childress since Dale Earnhardt's death in 2001. Miller Brewing, a longtime Penske-Wallace sponsor, has been pressuring the team for more results, in light of the impressive performance by Bud-sponsored rival Dale Earnhardt Jr. In fact, Miller execs, according to sources, have wanted Penske to bring Ryan Newman, Wallace's teammate - sometimes estranged teammate, as at the moment - into the Miller sponsorship fold.(in part from the Winston Salem Journal)(2-5-2005) AND .......McMurray is Wallace's first choice to replace him in the #2, but word is McMurray's Ganassi Racing contract spreads through 2007. Now, the name I [Marty Smith] continue to hear being associated with the No. 2 ride is Kevin Harvick, but Harvick told me Monday he's never been contacted by Penske Racing. He has heard the same rumors we have, but says that's the extent of his association with Penske.(NASCAR.com)(2-9-2005) UPDATE 2: Kevin Harvick is rumored to be under consideration for a ride with Roger Penske next season, possibly now the driver to take Rusty Wallace's ride. But Harvick's contract with car owner Richard Childress is reported to run through the end of 2006.(Winston Salem Journal)(2-18-2005)
Rusty back with VISA: Officials of Rusty Wallace Inc. and Visa USA announced the continued partnership between #2-Rusty Wallace and the world’s number one payment brand. Under the agreement, Wallace, the 1989 NASCAR Champion and 55-race winner, will continue to be a featured driver in the Visa Ultimate NASCAR Experience marketing campaign for the 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season. Now in its third year, Visa’sUltimate NASCAR Experience offers Visa cardholders VIP access to behind-the-scenes action at one of the final 10 chase races of the Nextel Cup season and the 2006 Daytona 500. Winners enjoy plush accommodations in the Visa luxury motor coach, situated in a prime infield location, tours of the garage and pit row, official team uniform to wear on race day, and a hot lap in the official pace car with Wallace or another driver.(Tom Roberts PR)(2-12-2005)
Sad News: A former beautician, business owner and homemaker, Mary Lou Roberts died at her home in Guntersville on Friday after a brief illness. She had been a dialysis patient for several years and had recently been hospitalized for surgery. She celebrated her 85 th birthday last Saturday (Jan. 29) and had her daughter, son and son-in-law by her side when she died. Mrs. Roberts is the mother of Tom Roberts, who handles Rusty Wallace's public relations. Wallace is the driver of the #2 Miller Lite Penske South Racing Dodge in the Nextel Cup Series.
Mrs. Roberts is survived by a daughter, Mary Emmenegger (Jim), and a son, Tom (T. Ray) Roberts (Joni), along with three grandsons (Chris, Zach and Seth Emmenegger) and special family friend, Sylvia Peppers, all of Guntersville. She was preceded in death by her husband and a son, Billy Hugh. The family requests that any memorial donations be made to the Guntersville First United Methodist Church, the National Kidney Foundation or God’s Love Account (for animal humane services) c/o GAS, 1609 Henry Street, Guntersville, AL 35976. Funeral services were held at the Chapel In The Pines at Carr Funeral Home on Sunday with interment at Crestview Cemetery. Pallbearers were Buddy Bunch, Keith Clines, Phillip Collie, Al G. Henry, Wade Sampson and Dan Warnes. (more at trpr.com)(2-6-2005)
Elliott to run three Busch races? for Rusty? and Gaughan? been told that Bill Elliott will race three Busch Series races for Rusty Wallace Inc., including Nashville Superspeedway, Pikes Peak and Milwaukee.(1-28-2005) AND Rusty Wallace said on Tuesday that he has some unresolved slots on his Busch Series roster this year, and he hopes Brendan Gaughan can fill the gaps. Gaughan was Wallace's teammate at Penske Racing last year. Wallace, who fielded Busch cars under the Rusty Wallace Inc. banner in 2004, says he is trying to add Gaughan to a long list of drivers of the #64, including Jamie McMurray, Jeremy Mayfield and himself. "I've got some races I've got to get filled in yet and I plan on calling Brendan and ask him to do it. I've got that much confidence in him," Wallace said.(NASCAR.com)(2-2-2005)
Rusty Kicks off 'Last Call" with Charity News: #2-Rusty Wallace has claimed that his 2005 retirement tour, dubbed "Rusty's Last Call," is all about giving back to the fans. After some of his recent charity initiatives, he has more than enough evidence to lend credibility to such a claim. Wallace and NASCAR Team Owner, Felix Sabates, recently made a trip to Boca Raton, FL, for a January 15 fundraiser. The event, held at the Boca Raton Airport, featured an auction to benefit the Cancer Center at Boca Raton Community Hospital. During the event, attended by nearly 1500 guests, Wallace auctioned one of his Miller Lite driving uniforms. The uniform brought $22,000 in proceeds for the hospital. Sabates personally matched this amount, bringing the grand total for
the uniform to approximately $44,000. Additionally, Wallace and Sabates teamed up to offer a one of a kind opportunity to witness, up-close and personal, Wallace's final attempt at the famed Daytona 500. The package included 2 pit passes to this year's race, team uniforms, accommodations on Sabates's private yacht and more. The audience responded with a winning bid of approximately $27,000. Overall, Wallace and Sabates together raised nearly $71,000 to benefit the Cancer Center.
Following this event, Wallace headed to Kansas City, Kansas, where he, along with various celebrities such as baseball legend, George Brett, participated in a fundraiser to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. During the event, held at the Fairmont Hotel, Wallace auctioned a set of his driving shoes and gloves. Together, the items brought approximately $1800 for the fight against blood cancers.
Needless to say, Wallace was thrilled with the events' results. "Over the years, the fans have been so great to me. Their support is really wonderful and what better way to show my appreciation than to lend help to these two wonderful causes. Both the Cancer Center and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society do very noble work; Felix and I are both really proud to be able to have lent them some support. Additionally, my son Greg recently started a company, located on the web at www.blueflameauthentics.com, which will help support the Victory Junction Gang Camp. This is just the very beginning of the things we're doing this year to give back to the fans," noted Wallace.(RWI PR)(1-31-2005)
Rusty comments: Brandon Mudd of KFNS (www.kfns.com) in St. Louis spoke to Rusty Wallace today at a new conference discussing the Wallace Family Tribute 250 [Busch Series Race] to be held July 30th at Gateway International Raceway. St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay proclaimed July 30th as Rusty Wallace Day in honor of his outstanding acheivement in NASCAR. Rusty said he plans on winning the race, since his Busch Series team will be running
for an owner's points championship with Jamie McMurray, Jeremy Mayfield, and himself in the driver's seat (Rusty is running the
Gateway race as well as the Mexico City road race). Discussing his testing at Daytona, he said his car wasn't very good the first day,
but came around and he was very pleased with it at the end. He also said he doesn't feel much difference between the new Charger and the Intrepid, the car formerly representing Dodge in the Cup and Busch Series.(KFNS.com)(1-29-2005)
Penske's New Shop: The new Penske Racing South shop [#2, #12, #77] debuted Wednesday night and entering the cavernous facility you felt as though you were there for a rock concert or looking for the anchor store of a major shopping mall. Penske himself acknowledged this: "If (this) doesn't work as a race shop, we can always have concerts in here." He quipped. Much of the space is done, but the team has yet to fully move from their present multi-building location five miles away, although the move should be completed by March. Penske purchased the former Matsushita manufacturing facility last summer and has been hard at work ever since getting it ready for occupation by his three Nextel Cup teams. Two shifts worked seven days a week to gut the interior and rebuild it to Penske’s specifications. The building itself (there are actually two if you include a smaller shop in the rear) encompasses a total of 424,697 feet. 240,781 square feet, that’s 8 acres under roof by the way, of which are occupied by the race teams. There are 3 paint booths, one for each team, 3-body prep stations and 17 surface plates. By far the most fan friendly shop on the tour, there is a 300-foot long second floor catwalk that will allow fans to view the ongoing work. Penske made sure to note to Lowes Motor Speedway president, “Humpy” Wheeler, that the 300 foot long stainless steel rail is the longest in North Carolina. See more and some images of the shop at Cupscene.com and some pics of the media tour also at Cupscene.com [looks like the site is down].(1-27-2005)
#2, #12, #77 to run Mobil schemes at Las Vegas: NASCAR sponsor ExxonMobil is partnering with Penske Racing South to help every-day drivers improve their cars' performance. As part of the initiative, all three of Penske Racing South's NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series drivers will race cars promoting the new line of Mobil high-endurance motor oils -- which guarantee engine protection for longer intervals -- during the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 on March 13 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. #12-Ryan Newman will run the Mobil 1 Extended Performance car in Vegas, with teammate #2-Rusty Wallace behind the wheel of the Mobil Clean 7500 car and NASCAR Rookie-of-the-Year candidate #77-Travis Kvapil driving the Mobil Clean 5000 car. Specially formulated for today's longer oil change intervals, Mobil Clean 5000, Mobil Clean 7500 and Mobil 1 Extended Performance were created to help alleviate consumer confusion about when to change their oil. The complete line of Mobil high-endurance oils guarantees performance and long-lasting protection of critical engine parts for 5,000, 7,500, or 15,000 miles, respectively. Special advertising for the new line of products will make its debut on Sunday, Feb. 20, during the Daytona 500. For more information about this new line of Mobil products, go to www.mobiloil.com. Additional information about Mobil racing programs can be found at www.mobil1.com.(Business Wire)(1-26-2005)
No McMurray in the #2 in 2006: Rusty Wallace admits he'd love to see McMurray replace him in the #2 Miller Lite Dodge in the Nextel Cup series next season. But he knows that's not happening. "I would love to see Jamie drive the 2 car, but Felix Sabates and ( Chip) Ganassi have a contract with him," said Wallace, 48, who is retiring. "If they didn't, I would love to have him drive for me. (But) those two are some of my best friends and there's nothing I could ever do with it." Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates invoked a one-year team option to retain McMurray, the 2003 rookie of the year, this season and reportedly can do so again in 2006 and 2007. Ganassi indicated with a no-dice smile that he doesn't plan to let McMurray get away. "Fortunately, I value our friendship as well," he said.(St Petersburg Times)(1-24-2005)
Rusty and Ryan still not talking UPDATE: #2-Rusty Wallace, 48, and #12-Ryan Newman, 27, had a falling out last fall at Martinsville Speedway. They haven't talked about it since, and the animosity between them has festered. Their strained relationship is generating a fair amount of banter and media attention during Daytona testing. During a Dodge dinner Tuesday night, Wallace was asked if he received a Christmas present from Newman. He laughed, raised an eye and gave a definite ``no.'' A week earlier, Newman was asked how things are going with Wallace. ``We're just peachy,'' he said wryly.(more at the Tampa Tribune)(1-20-2005) UPDATE: Rusty Wallace said he's planning a meeting with teammate Ryan Newman "to defuse" things before the season starts. Newman and Wallace had some run-ins last season, most notably at Martinsville. "What I want is respect," Wallace said. Wallace is a part-owner of the Penske South team.(Winston Salem Journal)(1-21-2005)
Rusty's plans? Drivers Pension and possible run in Rolex at Daytona: There are two other items on #2-Rusty Wallace's agenda. He wants to spark interest in a pension plan for NASCAR drivers. It's an idea he said he, Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon floated about five years ago but was shunted aside by Earnhardt's death in the 2001 Daytona 500. He also wants to run the 2006 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona sports car race.(Florida Today)(1-21-2005) AND Entering his final season in Nextel Cup, Rusty Wallace is calling on NASCAR officials to establish a pension plan for drivers similar to those provided to athletes in other professional sports leagues. NASCAR vice president of communications Jim Hunter says officials would look into a pension system if the "right plan" came along. But Hunter notes drivers are "independent contractors" working for teams, not for NASCAR — so any plan would need to be supported financially by team owners as well as NASCAR.(USA Today)(1-21-2005)
Penske Racing moving into their new digs: Penske Racing South is currently busy moving into its new home at
200 Penske Way in Mooresville, N.C. While many divisions of the race team have already moved, the #12 ALLTEL team looks to be completely and permanently housed in the new facility following the 2005 Daytona 500.(Penske Racing PR)(1-11-2005)
Rusty's Crew Intact: Rusty's Miller Lite "Over-the-Wall Gang" completely intact for the 2005 season: "Did you see those guys during the last three races last year - they were just incredible," said Rusty of the pit crew assembled by crew chief Larry Carter. "We had eight stops well down in the 13s (13-second bracket), a couple even in the 12s (12-second bracket) and they were so consistent. We didn't lose a single guy during the off-season and they're already getting practiced up for this year. They've all continued a pretty rigorous training schedule right on through the winter and Larry says he guarantees they'll be even better in 2005 than they were in 2004. I can't wait to see my guys back in action this season." (Wallace's pit crew members include rear tire changer Donald (D.J.) Richardson, front tire changer Jay Hackney, jackman Dave Cox, gasman Doug Ingold, rear tire carrier Andy Brown, front tire carrier Dave Littau and gas catch man Nick Giambruno.) "The neat thing about our group of guys is that they all
get along so well and they love working with each other. They are constantly challenging each other to get even better, but if one guy
makes a mistake, they'll all rally around him and get him right back in the swing of things. It's truly a team effort and my hat's off to
Larry for putting together such an iron-clad bunch like we have."(Tom Roberts PR)(1-11-2005)
Dodson to work with another Wallace: Barry Dodson, noted veteran crew chief who helped lead Rusty Wallace to the 1989 NASCAR premier series championship title, has been selected to lead promising young racing star Steve Wallace with his team's efforts in USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series competition during the 2005 season. "Barry was so instrumental in helping one kid named Wallace make it all the way to the top and now he's been given the challenge to take another capable young driver named Wallace up the ladder of success," said Rusty Wallace, owner of Steve Wallace Racing, in making the official announcement on Wednesday morning. "Barry was watching me when I was just a rookie on the Cup series and he helped get me the Blue Max ride. We've been like brothers ever since. There's nobody I'd trust my kid with more than Barry Dodson and we're so pleased that he's agreed to take the reins and lead Steve's team."
"Steve is the real deal and I can guarantee you that," said Dodson, a winner of more than 75 NASCAR events during his career. "They always talk about the apple falling near the tree when sports reporters draw comparisons with father and son athletes. Well, this is a case where the apple didn't fall near the tree - it hit it. Steve's shown that he can drive ever since he climbed behind the wheel of that little Bandelero car over at the (Lowe's Motor) speedway. He's known how to drive, but now he's really learning how to race and that's where we think we can be the most help - teaching the patience and bridling the great aggressiveness that Steve has. We're going to be really busy this season, but it'll be so much fun and so rewarding to see Steve mature into a great young racer," said Dodson, who also served as a television analyst for Fox Sports Net and Speed Channel for a five-year period before his appointment last season as general manager of RWI Racing. "The schedule calls for us to run the 13 regular season southern division races, up to five northern division races and then the five races in the championship series. Rusty and I have already been talking about possibly putting Steve in a Busch car at Memphis and at Phoenix late in the season. But the biggest focus will be getting Steve the seat time in these heavier cars and our big goal is to win the 2005 rookie title." The younger Wallace and his Dodson-led team will compete in a familiar #27 Dodge in the Southern Division of the Hooters Pro Cup Series competition. They will be competing in Steve Levitt-built chassis Dodge racecars that will be powered by Maurice Petty-prepared power plants. Wallace will be a candidate in the $90,000 Miller Lite Rookie of the Year Program this season.(Tom Roberts PR)(1-7-2005)
Past 2004 News
Rusty to run Busch race at Gateway: Gateway International Raceway announced that St. Louis native Rusty Wallace [#64 Dodge] would be driving in their annual NASCAR Busch Series event on Saturday night, July 30, 2005. Rusty will join brothers Kenny and Mike as the track will salute the First Family of racing in St. Louis and will dedicate the name of the event to the “Wallace Family Tribute 250”. It marks the first time ever that Rusty will drive in a major NASCAR event in his hometown and is part of the “Rusty’s Last Call” farewell tour. For his farewell tour Rusty decided to return home and run his first race ever at Gateway International Raceway.
“This is going to be a monumental event and I couldn’t think of a better place to do it,” stated Rusty Wallace. “I haven’t driven in the St. Louis area since the late 1970’s. It’s going to be an exciting homecoming for me and I know many of my friends will be there.” When Rusty returns to Gateway he will be running against some familiar faces in his younger brothers Mike and Kenny. It will be the first time ever that all three Wallace Brothers will be running against each other in a major NASCAR event in their hometown. Their parents, Russ and Judy Wallace, will also be present and a part of the pre-race ceremonies which will include tributes and dedications. “This is going to be pretty incredible,” stated Kenny Wallace [#22 Stacker 2 Ford]. “Rusty’s career is coming full circle and at the same time we have a chance to celebrate it in our home town of St. Louis. It is always extra special when you can run against your brothers, but this gives us a chance to say thank you to St. Louis for coming out to Gateway to support us. It would be a dream for me if Rusty, Mike and I were fighting it out on the last few laps for the win.” Mike Wallace [no current ride in any series] is the middle brother of the Wallace Family racers and has won on almost every kind of track you can drive on. He has over 300 short track wins and has Busch Series wins at IRP, Dover, Martinsville and Milwaukee. He added to that list in 2004 when he took the checkered flag in the Winn-Dixie 250 at Daytona International Speedway on July 2. Mike Wallace commented on running at Gateway for the special occasion. “I would just like to thank Gateway for doing this and honoring our family,” stated Wallace. “I know this is a big tribute year for my brother Rusty and I think it is very unique in the sense that this is probably the last time all three of us will get a chance to race together.” The “Wallace Family Tribute 250” will highlight Gateway’s “Year of The Tributes” in 2005. Oval season tickets are on sale now and start at just $125. There will be plenty of activities added including concerts, post-race fireworks and more to be announced. To order your tickets call 1-866-35-SPEED, or log onto www.gatewayraceway.com.(Gateway Intl Speedway site)(12-22-2004)
Rusty on Letterman: #2-Rusty Wallace is scheduled to be a featured guest on Tuesday's (Dec. 21) edition of CBS's Late Show with David Letterman. Wallace, the 1989 NASCAR champ and 55-race winner, announced last August that the 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season would be his last as a driver. A season-long celebration of his illustrious career is planned and the popular driver's final tour behind the wheel of his Miller Lite Dodge has been dubbed "Rusty's Last Call." Joining Wallace as a guest on Tuesday's LATE SHOW will be award-winning actor Dennis Quaid, known for his diverse acting roles in films such as "The Big Easy," "Far From Heaven," "The Right Stuff" and "Any Given Sunday." Also included on the bill with Letterman will be The Calling, the popular Los Angeles rock quintet featuring lead singer Alex Band. The is scheduled to air at 11:30pm/et on CBS.(Tom Roberts PR)(12-19/21-2004)
Wallace wins Snow Ball Derby: Steve Wallace survived an accident-marred race and a series of challenges from 2004 ASA
Champion, Kevin Cywinski, this evening to claim victory in the 37th annual running of the Snowball Derby, the crown jewel of southern
short track racing. The 17 year-old Wallace started from the third position and first took the lead on lap five of the 300-lap event. Despite challenges from Cywinski and run-ins with several lapped cars, Wallace was able to persevere and capture victory. The win in tonight's event was the first for the Wallace family. Wallace's father, NASCAR legend Rusty Wallace, was never able to find his way into Pensacola's victory lane, despite a series of runner up finishes in the all-star event. The younger Wallace's uncle, Kenny, made several unsuccessful starts in the event as well.(RWI PR) more info at snowballderby and trpr.com or at stevewallaceracing.com.(12-13-2004)
Penske Turns down Jack Daniel's: per Speedway Scene's S-Notes, Penske Racing [#2,#12,#77,#06] had plans for a 4th full-time Cup team for Travis Kvapil as the driver and Jack Daniel's as the sponsor. However someone within the 'Penske Family' found an issue with alcohol sponsorships [um.....Miller Lite ain't a soft drink], so the full-time 4th team was scrapped. That is leading to the rumors that Kvapil could replace Brendan Gaughan in the #77 Kodak Dodge, since it looks like Kvapil doesn't have a full-time gig in 2005 in any series. And while it is widely speculated that Jack Daniel's will go to Richard Childress Racing for the #30 [to #07?] car and driver Dave Blaney [supposedly already signed], rumor has it that NASCAR may have Jack Daniel's as a NASCAR Sponsor [like Gatorade...etc].(Speedway Scene Print Edition - Nov.19th)(11-24-2004)
Rusty and Newman still haven't talked: It sounds as if the shops of Penske South Racing might not be the warmest places in the world right now. Not with two of its drivers continuing to feud. Never close, Penske drivers #2-Rusty Wallace and #12-Ryan Newman have drifted even farther apart these days. So it sounds, anyway. The latest point of contention involves the race at Martinsville two weeks ago. Wallace thought his teammate treated him roughly on the track and may have cost him a victory. This week, Wallace was asked whether things have been smoothed over between him and Newman. “No,” Wallace said. “We've got a long way to go yet. We haven't had time to sit down and work it out. We've definitely got a lot of work to do to get all the teams working together. He's seeing red, and I'm seeing blue. We're not seeing eye to eye at all on what's going on right now.” Wallace said he hopes things can be straightened out before the 2005 season, which will be his last as a full-time driver at Penske.(Kansas City Star)(11-5-2004)
Rusty Announced Race-Used Memorabilia Program: Rusty Wallace announced an agreement with Blueflame Authentics, LL, a newly-formed provider of authentic racing memorabilia. Under the terms of this agreement, Blueflame Authentics, LLC will become the official authentic, race-used memorabilia supplier of Rusty Wallace and the 2005 Rusty's Last Call tour. Through the Blueflame Authentics, LLC website, located at www.blueflameauthentics.com, the company will offer race-used memorabilia from each 2005 race. Such memorabilia will include Wallace's race and qualifying used uniforms, driving shoes, gloves, steering wheel and limited edition Oakley sunglasses. Other items, such as helmets, will be offered at different intervals throughout the year. Each uniform piece will come embroidered with the name and date of its associated race. Most pieces will be autographed and all will come with a certificate of authenticity and numbered hologram. As a special gift to his fans, Wallace has decided to open his personal archives for the remainder of the 2004 season. This means that Blueflame Authentics, LLC is now offering for auction selected race uniforms and other memorabilia from different points of Wallace's illustrious career.
In addition to its arrangement with Rusty Wallace, Blueflame Authentics, LLC is proud to announce an affiliation with theVictory Junction Gang Camp. Under the terms of this affiliation, a sizable portion of the proceeds from each sale will benefit the camp. In addition, Victory Junction's logo will be prominently displayed on the Blueflame Authentics, LLC website, along with a link to the camp's site.(RWI PR)(11-4-2004)
Rusty to be fined? UPDATE Yep: NASCAR officials confirmed Sunday they plan to penalize Nextel Cup driver #2-Rusty Wallace for an incident following last Sunday’s race at Martinsville. Wallace is expected to receive a monetary penalty as early as Monday, sources said. Fines for similar incidents in the past have ranged from $5,000 to $10,000. Penske Racing South teammates Ryan Newman and Wallace traded bumps while battling for second place, which sent Wallace to the outside lane, on Lap 494 of 500 of last Sunday’s Subway 500. After the "cool down" lap, Newman, who finished third, drove onto pit road where the top-five cars are required to stop. Wallace followed Newman down and appeared to hit the rear of Newman's #12 Altell Dodge.(ThatsRacin.com)(10-31-2004) UPDATE: Driver Rusty Wallace was fined $10,000 for his role in an incident at the conclusion of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race held Oct. 24 at Martinsville Speedway, NASCAR officials announced today. Wallace, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge for Penske Racing South, was penalized for violating Section 12-4-A (Actions detrimental to stock car racing) of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Rule Book when he made deliberate contact with the #12 Alltel car of Ryan Newman as the field returned to pit lane following the conclusion of the race.(NASCAR PR)(11-2-2004)
Rusty clarifies airport comments: Rusty responds to comments made on Sunday regarding the Martinsville and Talladega airports: "My intentions certainly weren't to infuriate the folks running the local airports at Martinsville and at Talladega and I definitely didn't mean for it to sound as if I was putting any direct blame on anyone," Wallace said on Tuesday evening. "But when you have just found out that you lost some great friends in an accident like that and they stick a camera and microphone in your face, you certainly should understand the emotion I had building up inside when I made those comments. What I was attempting to do was point out that we have several airports where we fly in that desperately need upgrading."(much more on this in release at Tom Roberts PR)(10-27-2004)
Rusty talks about altercation with Newman: Rusty gives update concerning Sunday's altercation with teammate Ryan Newman: "It's an issue that I'm sure we will work out internally, but as of now (late Tuesday afternoon) I haven't had the opportunity to discuss it with Ryan personally," Wallace said just before boarding his plane after a sponsor appearance in Farmingdale, N.Y. "We'll learn from this and work a lot closer in the future - and the future begins in this weekend's race at Atlanta."(more on this in release at Tom Roberts PR)(10-27-2004)
So...some on Rusty...Ryan UPDATE NASCAR Investigating: #2-Rusty Wallace bumped teammate #12-Ryan Newman after the race to show his displeasure over a lap 493 incident between the two that dropped Wallace from second place to 10th while Newman took third. "I told [Newman] to stay out of my way and I could win the race, but he didn't do it," Wallace said. Newman's reply: "I don't guess Rusty and I are on speaking terms right now. I was underneath him, and I know he came down on me. I wasn't going to give him anything, so he got loose and lost a bunch of spots. Our car was faster than his at the end. I'm not sure he's aware of that, but he will be."(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(10-25-2004) UPDATE: NASCAR is investigating a post-race incident involving Penske Racing South drivers Ryan Newman and Rusty Wallace, spokesman Mike Zizzo confirmed Monday. NASCAR is still gathering information on the incident and looking at video and it is not clear as yet what - if any - penalties will be assessed, Zizzo said. Newman and Wallace traded bumps while battling for second place, which sent Wallace to the outside lane, on Lap 494 of 500 in Sunday's Subway 500 at Martinsville Speedway. After the "cool down" lap, Newman, who finished third, drove on to pit road where the top-five cars are required to stop. Wallace followed Newman down and appear to hit the rear of Newman's #12 Dodge.(ThatsRacin.com)(10-26-2004)
Steve Wallace wins again..and Rusty's plans for him: Steve Wallace, the 17 year-old son of NASCAR legend, Rusty Wallace, started from the pole and led every lap en route to a victory in tonight's National Dodge 150 at Coastal Plains Raceway Park [Jacksonville, NC]. His victory in the UARA-STARS season finale marks his third win of the year and his third victory in the last four UARA-STARS series events. By virtue of his performance, the younger Wallace secured the Hobart Sales and Service Rookie of the Year title. In addition, Wallace's qualifying lap of 15.69 seconds smashed the former track record by nearly three tenths of a second, adding to the plethora of track records he has secured this season. Rusty's [#66] Busch Series crew chief, Blake Bainbridge, started working with Steve's team before Bristol he has won three of four races since then. To learn more about Steve and Rusty Wallace, Inc., log on to www.rustywallace.com.(RWI PR), also on FSN's NASCAR This Morning, Rusty Wallace was interviewed and said he plans to get 17-year old Steve testing a Busch car as soon as possible and that Richard Childress will run Steve in a race at Caraway Speedway [Asheboro, NC] soon.(10-24-2004)
Miller will has a say in Rusty's Replacement: #2-Rusty Wallace said earlier this week that sponsor Miller Brewing Co. will have a strong say in hiring a replacement between the ages of 25 of 30 when he retires after 2005. "They've agreed to sponsor the car for an additional two years after I retire [so that would be thru 2007] as long as we come up with a driver to fit their criteria, which is fair," Wallace said. "We'll look for a driver that's actively involved in the setup of the car, knows a lot about the chassis, and somebody who knows what it takes to be successful in the sport. Somebody has got to be willing to work with the fans and media well. Somebody's got to be willing to sit in an airplane and fly around the country and service our sponsors."(Richmond Times Dispatch)(10-23-2004)
Kvapil to race 4th Penske car at Martinsville UPDATE BANG Closing? ot To Cup?: 2003 Truck Series champ Travis Kvapil will drive a fourth Dodge from the Penske Racing stable this weekend in the Nextel Cup Series Subway 500 at Martinsville Speedway. Kvapil, who is also in Martinsville to compete in Saturday's Truck Series Kroger 200, will drive a #06 Dodge as a teammate to Penske Racing's Rusty Wallace and Ryan Newman and Penske Jasper Racing's Brendan Gaughan. "This is a continuation of our driver development program," Penske Racing co-owner Don Miller, the listed owner of the 06 car, said. "We're taking Travis to Martinsville in the same way we took Chad Blount to Talladega." Roy McCauley will lead the crew with Kvapil at Martinsville. Kvapil has been fodder in the Silly Season rumor mill since he tested a Penske Racing Dodge at Kansas Speedway in September. He's eighth in the standings, 381 points behind leader Bobby Hamilton with four races remaining. Kvapil has two victories this season, which were Toyota's first in the series.(NASCAR.com)(10-20-3004) UPDATE: Roger Penske has turned some heads with the surprise entry of rookie Travis Kvapil in a fourth Penske team [#06 Mobil 1 Dodge] car here [Martinsville]. Penske's Don Miller had little to say about the entry, except that the decision was made Monday. Kvapil, who qualified an impressive fifth, is one of the drivers Penske has been testing for a possible Cup ride next season. "We're doing that development program and this an extension of that," Miller said. "Better to come here than Atlanta." Miller said this might Kvapil's only run for Penske this fall. Next year? "Maybe next year," Miller said with a grin. "But I don't know what may happen next year. Next year is another year."(Winston Salem Journal) AND BANG Racing closing shop at end of season OR have a sponsor for a Cup team?? More on my Truck Series site.(10-23-2004)
#06 to promote Stocks for Tots: Chad Blount will carry the "Stocks for Tots" banner on the quarter panels of his #06 Penske Racing South Dodge in Sunday's EA Sports 500 at Talladega Superspeedway in an effort to raise awarenesss for the charity.
Founded in 1990 by Penske Racing South co-owners Don Miller and Rusty Wallace, Stocks for Tots has raised thousands of dollars and collected hundreds of toys for abused and neglected children in North Carolina. Proceeds from the motorsports community's annual event have benefited the Exchange Club Child Abuse Prevention Center or Iredell County and Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN). This year's 15th annual Stocks for Tots is 6-10 p.m. Dec. 14 at the Lakeside Business Park in Mooresville, N.C. To gain admittance, a donation of a new, unwrapped toy, or a cash donation is required. For more information, go to www.stocksfortots.com.(10-3-2004)
Rusty's Son Wins at Bristol: Steve Wallace captured his first career UARA Late Model win on the series' biggest stage
Saturday night under the lights at Bristol Motor Speedway. Wallace's win came exactly one month to the day after a violent crash in a Hooter's ProCup Series race at Bristol, making his victory all the more sweet. Wallace, driving the #02 Food City Dodge, took the lead on Lap 83 and stayed in front for the remainder of the race. The 17-year-old Wallace's previous best UARA finish was a third-place effort earlier this year at Anderson Motor Speedway in South Carolina. Wallace is the son of NEXTEL Cup Series driver and nine-time Bristol winner Rusty Wallace. Josh Adams, driving the lone Toyota in the field finished second. Jamey Caudill, Keith Stiltner and Jamie Yelton rounded out the top-five. UARA points leader Jason York suffered a setback early on in the race as he and the No. 44 of Mark King got together in Turn 1 to bring out the race's third caution on Lap 36.(BMS PR)(9-26-2004)
Rusty on Trackside: Beginning Friday in Dover, NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series driver Rusty Wallace will join SPEED Channel's Trackside panel for six events in 2004. Rusty will work the next four shows in a row, Darlington and one more event TBA. Trackside airs LIVE from the SPEED Channel traveling stage truck from the site of each weekend's NEXTEL Cup Series race. At Dover International Speedway, the SPEED Stage is located outside the track, near Turn 4 in the area called "Tent Village." Fans are invited to the live show at 7:00pm/et.(Speed Channel PR)(9-22-2004)
McMurray NOT the Future #2 Driver: According to an interview with Kenny Wallace on last Wednesday’s edition of “The SpeedZone” (every Wed. on 590 The Fan, KFNS, at 6 p.m. CST, live via streaming at KFNS.com), Jamie McMurray has become quite close to the Wallace family and has run some races for Rusty Wallace’s Busch Series team . However, Kenny assured myself [Brandon Mudd, interviewer] and Tony Hubert that McMurray WILL NOT be the future pilot of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge. The youngest Wallace said Rusty has too much respect for Felix Sabates (McMurray’s co-owner with Chip Ganase) to try to steal McMurray from the #42 Dodge. Another reason for this is, according to Kenny, McMurray is a dead lock for the #11 Fed-Ex Chevy being fielded by Joe Gibbs Racing next season. While this is big news, a conversation I [Mudd] had with someone in the know said this is impossible, since McMurray’s contract is iron-clad, and the real driver for that JGR ride next year is likely Jason Leffler…[see rumors below on this](KFNS.com)(9-21-2004)
Replacing Wallace: Hornish or McMurray? Now that Rusty Wallace has announced that 2005 will be his final Nextel Cup season, speculation has begun as to who will replace him in the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge [in 2006]. The two names that keep coming up are IRL driver Sam Hornish Jr. and Cup driver Jamie McMurray. Hornish and Wallace have the same team owner in Roger Penske, and Hornish considered moving to NASCAR last year. McMurray is under contract with Chip Ganassi, but contract situations can change. "We've got a year and a half to make that decision," Wallace said. "But I don't think we're in the mood to go through a lot of growing pains. Miller wants a young hot shot. We need a guy who's kicking tail right now."(Dallas Morning News)(9-10-2004)
Wallace downplays Earnhardt influence: #2-Rusty Wallace sought to downplay remarks he made during his retirement announcement this week at Daytona Beach, Fla., in which he claimed he "didn't want to get hurt" and that the death of seven-time Cup champion Dale Earnhardt in 2001 "kind of got to me."
"It got misconstrued a little bit," Wallace said Friday at California Speedway. "That didn't cause my decision to retire. It influenced it a little bit. His death hasn't caused me to retire. His death hasn't caused me to get scared. His death hasn't caused me to do anything different. I just thought it was an unbelievable shame that the guy did that much in his life and – boom – he couldn't enjoy any of it." Wallace said his decision to retire at the end of the 2005 season has been a slow coming one. "I started thinking about it about two years ago. Then I kind of made the decision about eight months ago," he said. "I wanted to retire at the top of my game. I think I've still got enough in me that I can go out there and still kick all these guys' butts if I can."(ThatsRacin.com)(9-4-2004)
Rusty Fact: since Rusty Wallace started running the Cup tour in 1984 full time, the worst he has finished in the Drivers Points Standings is 19th [1985] and 14th [1984 and 2003], currently 21st.(ThatsRacin.com)(8-31-2004)
So who replaces Rusty? Several names have come up as consideration veers to who will drive the No. 2 car in 2006. Jamie McMurray has been mentioned, although Wallace denies he would try to pry McMurray from Chip Ganassi, and Ganassi recently exercized a contract option on McMurray. Also in the distance is young Indy Racing League star Sam Hornish, who drive for Penske in Indy Car. There have been indications that Hornish might like to try NASCAR, at least a Daytona 500, but no speculation about long-term NASCAR plans for Hornish.(Speed Channel)(8-31-2004)
Rusty on the tube...after? Word on the street is that Rusty Wallace, who Monday announced his retirement from driving, effective end of 2005, may take up television broadcasting when NASCAR renegotiates its network situations for 2007. Sources indicate that Wallace, 48, could have a spot in the booth for one of the networks, although details are not yet clear. NASCAR's current contracts with Fox (through 2008) and NBC/TNT (through 2006) are due for renegotiation.(Speed Channel)(8-31-2004)
It's Official - Rusty Wallace to retire, from driving Nextel Cup, after 2005; Rusty Wallace will retire at the end of the 2005 season, Wallace made he announcement at the opening of a press conference at Daytona USA, among those speaking included: Bill Weber [hosting], Rusty Wallace, Bill France Jr., Mike Helton, Roger Penske, Steve Lauletta [Miller], Fred Wagenhals [Action], Bobby Allison, NHRA's Don Prudhomme, Speed Channel had many transmission problems with the press conference and lost the press conference feed around 11:25am/et or so and it never came back, wonder if anyone bought a bowflex while waiting for the press conference to come back on?
Explanation of technical difficulties during this morning's Rusty Wallace press conference on Speed Channel from Daytona Beach: The initial loss of audio was due to the failure of a "mult-box" (single source of audio distributed to multiple outlets) provided by the facility. The total loss of signal was due to a loss of shore power at the venue and the failure of a backup generator. With the loss of signal from Daytona, the network returned to scheduled programming.(SC PR) AND Rusty Wallace announced plans for his final full season of competition Monday at Daytona USA, plans that include an elaborate merchandising effort featuring a number of different paint schemes at various events. Beyond that, however, Wallace said he's not going to walk completely away from the sport he's been around since his father won a trio of track championships in the St. Louis area. He'll continue on as a spokesman for Miller beer, his longtime sponsor, and maintain his ownership position in Penske Racing South, the team for which he has driven since 1991 and scored 37 of his 55 career Cup victories. Wallace also owns a team that competes in the Busch Series. He also has several auto dealerships and several other businesses that could occupy his time after he hangs up his helmet for good. Another thing that will keep Wallace around racing for a while is his son, Stephen, who wants to carry the family name into a third generation in the sport. See full column at ThatsRacing.com
and see past news/rumors on my #2 Team News and Links page.
and other sites with columns/announcement:
Fox Sports: Wallace announces plans to retire after next season and DW: Rusty's right to walk away while he can still win.
NASCAR.com: It's official: Rusty to retire after 2005 season.(8-30-2004)
Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain, will have Rusty as his guest on Tuesday, August 31st at 10:00pm/et, on Speed Channel.(8-30-2004)
Press Conference Re-Air: Due to technical difficulties during this morning's attempt to air the Rusty Wallace retirement press conference, SPEED Channel will re-air the program Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. ET. The half-hour program will include a one-on-one interview with SPEED's Bob Dillner. To clarify part of the earlier technical explanation, the "mult-box" that SPEED Channel used did not belong to the facility.(SC PR)(8-30-2004)
Rusty's son hospitalized after wreck at Bristol UPDATE: Stephen Wallace, the 17-year-old son of NASCAR star Rusty Wallace, was taken to Bristol Regional Medical Center after his Ford slammed head-on into the Turn 3 wall in a Hooters Pro Cup race. Wallace was able to walk away from the wreck with the help of safety workers.(Richmond Times Dispatch) AND Following his vicious turn three accident in Wednesday night's Food City 150 at Bristol Motor Speedway, Stephen Wallace, 17 year-old son of NASCAR Champion, Rusty Wallace, was airlifted from the speedway to Bristol Regional Medical Center. Currently, Wallace is in stable condition and is awake and alert. He will be held overnight for observation and further evaluation of possible injuries. Wallace started an impressive 10th in what was his Hooters ProCup Series debut and ran solidly in the top-five and top-ten, on the lead lap, until his accident with less than ten laps remaining in the race. The Wallace family greatly appreciates the outpouring of support they have received. An updated statement on Stephen's condition will be released Thursday afternoon. UPDATE - good news: Stephen Wallace, the 17-year old son of NASCAR star, Rusty Wallace, has been treated and released
from Bristol Regional Medical Center following overnight observation. Extensive testing on Stephen revealed only minor injuries. Wallace is currently in the process of being transported to his family's home in the Charlotte, NC area. Stephen Wallace was airlifted to Bristol Regional Medical Center following a severe accident in the final ten laps of Wednesday night's Food City 150 at Bristol Motor Speedway, in which his car made head-on contact with the turn three wall. Wallace was on the lead lap, in the top-ten, at the time of the accident. Wallace plans on returning to action next Saturday, September 4, with the UARA-STARS series at the site of his first career late model victory, Friendship Motor Speedway, in Elkin, NC.(RWI PR)(8-26-2004)
A few more years for Rusty....McMurray not Rusty's Replacement - Aug 30th announcement? UPDATE 2 "Rusty's Last Call"?: #2 Miiler Lite driver Rusty Wallace told Claire B. Lang from XM Satellite Radio Channel 144 Tuesday: "There is no source. I'll make it real clear today I'm glad I'm doing this. Felix Sabates and Chip Ganassi are one of my personal friends. Those guys are great people. I would never do anything like that even if anybody on my team would want me to do that. I'm honored enough that Chip was able to let Jamie drive for me and no way would I go back down the road and be trying to steal Jamie from Chip or Felix. And that's just the way it is so all the internet reports everybody can go ahead and update your stuff from what I just said. Jamie's got a contract with Felix for the next two to three years at least. Now once his contract runs out yea maybe we'd be interested then but no way in the world I'm gonna get in no bidding match to try to steal Jamie away from those guys I just wouldn't do that. Felix and Chip are just too doggone good of friends of mine." Rusty also confirmed today on a Dodge News Conference Call that right now his plans are to drive the #2 car for a couple of years and says their stable of drivers are safe right now.(XM Satellite Radio Channel 144).
From the Dodge Teleconference Transcript:
COMMENT ON REPORT THAT NEXT YEAR WILL BE YOUR LAST
"I'll tell you this. Right now, my mind is 100 percent on racing. If I do make that call, one of these days, you guys will be the first to know because I want to celebrate it in a proper way and have a good time. Right now, I'm not prepared to talk about retirement."(8-17-2004) AND: expect some sort of announcement on August 30th....maybe in Daytona?(8-18-2004) UPDATE: On Tuesday, Rusty Wallace said he's not ready to talk about retiring as a Nextel Cup driver. By Aug. 30, though, he apparently will be. The media has been invited to a news conference on Monday, Aug. 30, at Daytona USA for a "special announcement," at which Wallace is expected to announce that the 2005 season will be his "farewell tour." The e-mail invitation to the event at Daytona was sent by NASCAR Images and says the press conference will be hosted by Wallace and NASCAR.(ThatsRacin.com)(8-20-2004) UPDATE 2: hearing the 'farewell tour' could be called "Rusty's Last Call". However, Speed Channel reports: Sources say the "tour", leading to Rusty's retirement end of 2005, will be called "Rusty's Last Ride".(8-22-2004) TV Live: Speed Channel will cover the Rusty Wallace press conference from Daytona Beach LIVE beginning at 11:00am/et on Aug. 30.(Speed Channel PR) and XM Satellite NASCAR Radio 144 will also air the press conference live.(8-25-2004)
Rusty and team go sky diving: Rusty Wallace took team building to the extreme last week when he and his crew went sky diving at Fort Bragg, N.C., with an Army parachute team. "I never thought I would jump out of an airplane before, but when the opportunity came up with the Golden Knights, I was glad I did," says Wallace, the 1989 Cup champion. "I wasn't the most comfortable when I was looking down at 13,000 feet of sky getting ready to jump out of that sucker, but I did it, and I would go back. I had a semicrash landing. I'd like it to be smoother when I get back." Wallace's last full season in Nextel Cup could be 2005. He is expected to make an announcement regarding "The Last Call" tour on August 30 in Daytona.(FoxSports.com)(8-24-2004)
More on McMurray and Gibbs, for a year..then to Penske: Jamie McMurray is still in play, according to sources close to the driver, who is being wooed by both Roger Penske and Joe Gibbs - if he can resolve his contract with car owner Chip Ganassi. Gibbs wants him for his new third Nextel Cup team, to be sponsored by FedEx; McMurray would be a teammate of Tony Stewart and Bobby Labonte. Penske wants him to take over Rusty Wallace's ride when Wallace retires, apparently at the end of 2005. Also in the running for the Gibbs ride is sprint start J. J. Yeley, who was to race here but who didn't make the field because qualifying was rained out. However, FedEx, according to sources, wants a top-10 team out of the box, and that would be a tall order for a rookie.(Winston Salem Journal)(8-23-2004)
Did ya know? yesterday's Busch race at Michigan was the the first time that all three Wallace brother's ran in a Busch Series race at the same time. #66-Rusty finished 6th, #23-Kenny 16th and #4-Mike finished 9th.(8-22-2004)
McMurray unhappy? sit out a year? to Penske? UPDATE 2: While some close to Jamie McMurray insist that he is unhappy enough to want to leave Ganassi - or sit out the 2005 Cup season - others say he will bite the bullet and remain another year. However, some close to McMurray say he may battle the legal enforceability of the Ganassi contract. If McMurray were to sit out the 2005 Cup season, that might well be a first. McMurray is signing a deal to drive Busch #66 cars for Rusty Wallace next season, and it is unclear if Ganassi's contract covers McMurray's Cup efforts or Busch options, too.(Winston Salem Journal), could McMurray end up in the #2 Miller Lite Dodge if Wallace retires after 2005? see below for the news on the Ganassi PR that McMurray is signed for 2005....(8-9-2004) UPDATE: Jamie McMurray appears to be Roger Penske's top pick to join Penske South, according to team sources.(Winston Salem Journal)(8-14-2004) UPDATE 2: If and when Rusty Wallace retires, his personal pick to take his seat, according to those close to him, is Jamie McMurray. And 2005 could be Wallace's final season on the NASCAR tour. However, McMurray is also being heavily wooed by Joe Gibbs to take the [#11 Fed-Ex] ride as Tony Stewart's teammate next season, depending on how McMurray fares in his contract dealings with current car owner Chip Ganassi. Ganassi has exercised an option to retain McMurray for next season. However, sources close to McMurray indicate questions about that contract remain.(Winston Salem Journal)(8-16-2004)
Rusty to retire after 2005? Although nothing has been announced yet, Rusty Wallace, the 1984 NASCAR rookie of the year and 1989 champion, has begun planning for a farewell tour next season [2005]. Such announcements often come during the October weekend in Charlotte, but it wouldn't be surprising if Wallace, who will turn 48 Saturday, were to make his in two weeks in Bristol, Tenn., site of nine of his 54 victories.(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) - been told the announcement will come at California Speedway during the first labor day weekend race there.(8-13-2004)
Rusty to run some Busch Series, McMurray also for RWI: Effective immediately, Rusty Wallace and Jamie McMurray will assume primary driving duties for Duraflame RWI Racing in the NASCAR Busch Series. Wallace, a former NASCAR Premier Series Champion and McMurray, a former NASCAR Premier Series Rookie of the Year, will replace 27-year old rookie driver, Billy Parker, at the helm of the #66 Dodge for the remainder of the team's 2004 NASCAR Busch Series schedule. McMurray will be tapped for the team's next start at New Hampshire International Raceway. Said team owner and now driver, Wallace, "This was a really tough decision to make. The team's performance just isn't where we think it should be, so we have to start taking a look at what's going on. In order to do that, we had to get more of a veteran in the car so that we can evaluate our equipment. Jamie McMurray has a great track record in the Busch Series and I think that his input is going to really help this team. He's an incredibly talented and aggressive driver. Obviously, I've been doing this for a long time as well, so hopefully between the both of us, we'll be able to give the guys some good feedback." Wallace's 2004 Busch Series starts will mark his first starts in the series since Milwaukee in 1993. The 1989 Premier Series Champion and 55-time race winner has eight top-five and fourteen top-ten finishes in 33 career Busch Series starts. His 2004 Busch Series stint will mark his reunification with the legendary number 66, the number he drove to the majority of his over 200 short track victories. McMurray will participate in the New Hampshire, Bristol, California, Kansas, Richmond, Atlanta and Miami NASCAR Busch Series races on behalf of Duraflame RWI Racing and will drive in the Phoenix and Michigan Busch Series races for Discount Tire pursuant to a prior commitment with Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. In accommodation of this commitment, Wallace, eighth on NASCAR's all-time wins list, will take command of the Duraflame Dodge for the Phoenix and Michigan rounds of the series.(RWI PR), see the full PR and the 6 updates on my Busch Series Site. NOTE: actually Wallace last ran in the Busch Series at California Speedway in Oct. 1997.(7-22-2004)
Rusty and Puddle of Mudd at Chicago: As part of Miller Lite’s Rock n’ Racing program, Rusty Wallace's #2 Dodge will feature a special Miller Lite Rock n' Racing paint scheme featuring Puddle of Mudd to promote a concert by the popular California rock band at the speedway this Friday [July 9th - TODAY] The band will perform after the NASCAR Pole Day at Chicagoland Speedway in Expo Village. The concert is scheduled to begin approximately at 5:00pm, but because of the large crowd expected for NASCAR Pole Day and the concert, guests are urged to arrive early. For more information about Puddle of Mudd, visit their official website at www.puddleofmudd.com.(TRPR.com), see an image of the car on my #2 Team Paint Schemes page or Paint Scheme Gallery page.(7-9-2004)
Rusty and Kodak UPDATE also special scheme for Gaughan: Rusty Wallace is scheduled to run a Kodak paint scheme on his #2 Dodge at Watkins Glen in August, marking the first time Wallace will drive with another sponsor since he has been with the Miller Brewing Company. Kodak's main headquarters are located in Rochester, N.Y., and this opportunity now gives them more exposure on the track along with Wallace's teammate Brendan Gaughan, who is also sponsored by Kodak.(RacingOne)(4-8-2004) UPDATE: Rusty Wallace's Penske Racing South Dodge will feature Kodak as its primary sponsor in the Aug. 15 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at Watkins Glen International due to a unique cooperative effort between Penske Racing South, Miller Brewing Company and Eastman Kodak Company. Miller, which has been Wallace's primary sponsor since 1990, will be an associate sponsor on the car for the Sirius at The Glen. It marks the first time Wallace has not carried a Miller brand on his car as his primary sponsor in nearly 15 years. The unique marketing arrangement emerged earlier this year when executives with the three companies were discussing business and marketing objectives for the 2004 season. Miller Brewing Company has been involved with Penske's on-track efforts since 1985, initially with open-wheel star Danny Sullivan when he won the Indianapolis 500. Kodak is in its inaugural season with Penske Racing South, having signed a multi-year agreement to sponsor rookie Brendan Gaughan's Dodge. Gaughan's car will feature a paint scheme focusing on Kodak's Health and Imaging Division at The Glen. The two-car promotion provides Kodak with a major presence on the historical road course that the Rochester, N.Y.-based company considers its home facility.(Penske Racing PR)
see an image of the car on my #2 Team Paint Schemes page or Paint Scheme Gallery page.(7-9-2004)
New Penske Shop? UPDATE: hearing that Penske Racing South [#2, #12, #77] has purchased the Matsushita building in Mooresville, NC. Hoping to move in the 415,000 sq ft /105 acre property in Dec 2004. The building is located at Mazeppa Road and NC, 801.(5-11-2004) UPDATE: Penske Racing South said Tuesday it will remain in Mooresville, moving its three NASCAR teams to the vacant Matsushita Compressor Corp. of America building in the Mooresville Business Park. "I absolutely did not want to leave Mooresville," said Don Miller, president of Penske Racing. The team is currently located in Lakeside Park at Exit 36, and is one of the original racing tenants there. The decision to stay in Mooresville came in the face of pressure from nearby cities to relocate Penske's operations. Concord, which recently lured Chip Ganassi Racing from Mooresville, lobbied especially hard, Miller said. Penske has already placed a down payment on the Matsushita facility, and is awaiting final approval from banks and the Environmental Protection Agency to renovate and move in. In buying the 400,000-square-foot building, nearly as large as eight football fields, Penske is taking over a facility that has been vacant since 2001. "We're excited that it's not a vacant building (any longer)," said Melanie O'Connell Underwood, director of economic development for the Mooresville-South Iredell Chamber of Commerce, and manager of the Mooresville Business Park. "(Penske racing) is one of the first race shops in town, so they have career employees," Underwood said, commenting on the difficulty of relocation for employees. "That (Penske is) staying shows their belief in their employees, and Don Miller's belief that he wanted to be near the sport that he grew." Penske Racing South, which fields teams for drivers #2-Rusty Wallace, #12-Ryan Newman and rookie #77-Brendan Gaughan, has been in Mooresville since 1991. About 200 employees will work at the new facility. Penske Racing South plans to continue operations at the Auto Research Center wind tunnel facility at Lakeside Park, and at Penske-Jasper Engines in Concord. As for making changes to the Matsushita building, Miller said it would be the "finest facility in racing." He added that a 300-foot walk would be built above the shop area so fans can see the operations in action. Those operations will comprise about 227,000 square feet, he said. The rest will be leased, perhaps to another race-related business.(Mooresville Tribune - need to register)(6-24-2004)
Penske Racing Fair & balanced method: that's the way team shop foreman Gary Brooks explained the allocation of new race cars after Rusty's Miller Lite Team received the new PRS-75 they are racing in the Dodge/Save Mart 350 this weekend. "With Brendan (Gaughan) and his team switching over to our in-house chassis, we are handling the situation quite well," Gary explained. "Brendan's team joins the rotation with Rusty and Ryan - getting every third new chassis. Then, to speed up the process of making sure all three teams are running the same cars, each time the No. 2 or No. 12 team gets a new chassis, they'll also send over one they already have in their stable to the No. 77 team. That's a pretty fair and balanced method of getting the job done."(TRPR)(6-23-2004)
Rusty hits 228mph at Talladega: #2-Rusty Wallace gave a new meaning to the term "high speed communication" on Wednesday afternoon when he piloted his Miller Lite Dodge at speeds up to 228 mph at Talladega Superspeedway. "We hit 228 (mph) at the end of the straightaway and averaged 221 (mph) for that overall lap segment," an excited Wallace said late Wednesday afternoon as he prepared to head back home to North Carolina. "It was a helluva deal that I certainly will remember for the rest of my life. We'd all been wondering what it would feel like to run at Talladega again without the (restrictor-) plates and now I know. I'll bet we could be running speeds up to 235 (mph) without the plates if we spent time doing some tweaking. But I'll tell you this - there's no way we could be out there racing at those speeds," Wallace offered. "It was neat to be out there running that fast by myself, but it would be insane to think we could have a pack of cars out there doing that."
Wallace's high-speed opportunity came at the request of NASCAR officials on behalf of series sponsor NEXTEL and Racing Radios, the Hampton, Ga.,-based company that serves as the "Official 2-Way Radio provider" for all three of the major NASCAR racing series. "I've enjoyed a long-standing relationship with Racing Radios and I jumped at the opportunity to assist them with their 'Communication of the Future' program for NASCAR," Wallace said. "We were invited to bring our Miller Lite Dodge superspeedway car down for the test to assure quality audio at high rates of speed. The NASCAR, NEXTEL and Racing Radios officials were all extremely pleased at the end of the day, so I'd say that we did a good job for them." Wallace's speed far exceeded the official track qualifying record of 212.809mph (44.998 seconds), set by Bill Elliott on April 30, 1987.
"I guess it was about as official as you could get as we were operating under the watchful eyes of NASCAR," chuckled crew chief Larry Carter, who flew to Talladega with Wallace after testing at Sonoma, Calif., on Tuesday. "John Darby (NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Director) and Buster Auton (long-time series official who has served as the pace car driver since 1997) were in charge, along with officials from Racing Radios and NEXTEL. So, there were plenty of witnesses on hand.(Tom Roberts PR)(6-10-2004) AND A world record of 221.160mph for a close course was established at Talladega on Aug. 9, 1975 by Mark Donohue in a Porsche 917-30 [Non-NASCAR].(6-11-2004)
Rusty in trouble? #2-Rusty Wallace maybe in trouble with NASCAR for running an extra lap Saturday after NASCAR ended practice for the Coca-Cola 600.(Winston Salem Journal)(6-1-2004)
Miller Announces Concert Series: Miller Brewing Company announced this year’s “Rock ‘n’ Racing” concert series will kickoff with a trackside concert featuring popular rock band Live during the NASCAR Auto Club 500, May 1 at California Speedway in Fontana, California. Miller’s Rock ‘n’ Racing program combines two of our country’s greatest pastimes – racing and live music. It will feature a series of trackside concerts at select NASCAR Nextel Cup and the Indianapolis 500, including:
May 1, Fontana, NASCAR Auto Club 500 featuring Live
May 22, Charlotte, NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge featuring Live
May 27, Indianapolis, IRL’s Carb Day featuring Blues Traveler
July 9, Chicago, NASCAR Nextel Cup Tropicana 400 featuring Puddle of Mudd
Sept. 4, Fontana, NASCAR Nextel Cup Pop Secret 500 featuring TBD band
During the Tropicana 400 at Chicagoland Speedway, Rusty Wallace’s No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge will race with a special rock ‘n’ roll paint scheme featuring Puddle of Mudd to promote the July concert.(Tom Roberts PR)(4-30-2004)
Special Scheme for Rusty at California: #2-Rusty Wallace, driver of the Miller Lite Dodge, will beactive in sponsor Miller’s advertising push to be “President of Beers.” “Our Miller Lite Dodge will be carrying a special color scheme this weekend at California Speedway that reflects their latest advertising campaign,” said Wallace, who won two weeks ago at Martinsville, Va., to snap a victory drought of 105 races that dated back to his California win on April 29, 2001. “It’s a cool looking car and a real eye-catcher. The theme signals how determined Miller is to let consumers know that there’s a choice out there." Miller’s latest ad campaign features television commercials urging beer drinkers to reject a monarchy (King of Beers) and instead consider a democracy in which Miller runs for “President of Beers.” See an image of the car on my #2 Team Paint Scheme Page. AND - the Martinsville Car Name: got asked this question quite a bit this week so.....Martinsville winning car named "The Predator" -- "We've been trying to get Bell to name one of their new models (helicopters) that for some time now," Rusty explained. "The predator is the ultimate hunter and it strikes like nothing else. This was a brand new car that won right out of the box. The car never touched a race track until we got to Martinsville. That's quite impressive." The next race for the car will be Richmond, with the team scheduled to test there on May 5.(TRPR.com)(4-28-2004)
Sad News: Johnny Dodson, father of long time NASCAR Crew Chief/TV Broadcaster, Barry Dodson [currently the General Manager for Rusty Wallace's #66 Busch team] passed away on Sunday. Barry and wife Jan would appreciate that if anyone wishes to donate in Johnny's memory be made to the Victory Junction Gang Camp. You can make a donation on-line with a credit card by clicking here. Or, if you would like to mail your donation, gifts can be mailed to:
Victory Junction Gang Camp
Attn: Jayski Computer Lab Fund
311 Branson Mill Road
Randleman, NC 27317
or call 877-VJG-CAMP.(4-26-2004)
Carter gets the clock, nice gesture by Rusty: --"It's a heck of a trophy to remember my first win as a crew chief with," Miller Lite Dodge crew chief Larry Carter said on Tuesday morning. "Tracy and I will always be appreciative of Rusty and Patti for their thoughtfulness." Turns out that Rusty and Patti made a surprise visit to the Carter home on Monday night bearing a "thank-you" gift -- the grandfather's clock won at Martinsville on Sunday, along with a special plaque commemorating Carter's first big league win.(TRPR.com)(4-21-2004)
Rusty keeps commitment: Rusty Wallace didn't have to come to Orangeburg, SC on Tuesday night to help raise money for the Indian Waters Council of the Boy Scouts of America at the organization's "Friends of Scouting" fund-raiser at Buckridge Plantation's Tourville Lodge. Fresh off his first NASCAR victory in 105 races at Martinsville, Va., this past Sunday, the veteran racer and former Winston Cup champion (1989) has faced a positive whirlwind of activity.(Times and Democrat)(4-21-2004)
Rusty wins at Martinsville - breaks 3-year streak: #2-Rusty Wallace won the Advance Auto Parts 500 at Martinsville Speedway for his 55th career Cup win [breaks a tie with Lee Petty and is now 7th all-time], his first in 105 races [at California Speedway, 4/21/2001] his 7th win at Martinsville Speedway, Rusty's first ever win in a Dodge and first ever for #2 crew chief, Larry Carter. The win also puts the #2 team in the 2004 Winner's Circle Program, which is now full with 12 teams. #18-Bobby Labonte was 2nd, followed by #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr., #48-Jimmie Johnson and #12-Ryan Newman. Good narrative of the race at ThatsRacin.com INFO for my race rundown, see my Martinsville Race Info/Rundown Page, for Lucky Dog drivers and their finish, caution narrative, where did the top 10 starters finish...and more.
Results can be seen at: ThatsRacin.com MotorsportsOne NASCAR.com.(4-18-2004)
Did ya know II? That when #2-Rusty Wallace won the race at Martinsville Speedway, he became the 6th oldest driver to ever win a Cup race? Wallace is 47 years, 8 months, 4 days. The oldest, Gentleman Harry Gant at 52 years, 7 months, 6 days when he won at Michigan on Aug. 6, 1992.(see the top 10 list at ThatsRacin.com)(4-19-2004)
Rusty thinks Dale Jr' cost him a win: At Texas Motor Speedway Thursday, while keeping a watchful eye on his Busch Series driver Billy "Catfish" Parker and the #66-Duraflame Dodge, Rusty Wallace weighed in on NASCAR's fine and penalties handed down to Dale Earnhardt Jr. for intentionally spinning his car out at Bristol to get a caution flag. Wallace said "What he did by spinning that car out cost me a victory....I really think it did because I was right on that kids (Kurt Busch) quarter panel getting ready to get underneath him and.....the caution flags killed me personally but, it's done and there's nothing you can do about it. I guarantee if I would have done that I would have gotten fined probably a hundred grand and a hundred points, so in my eyes, and he knows it too he just got a token penalty. Wallace went on to say "obviously there had to be a penalty. I don't think his fans want him to do that, but if you're a Rusty supporter you're gonna support me, and if you're a Junior supporter you're gonna support him no matter what. You know the money isn't much to these big teams but when you take points that really hits home."(PRN's Garage Pass Radio Show)(4-1-2004)
More Crew Changes on the #2: Rusty Wallace continues to make changes to the pit crew on his #2 Miller Lite Dodge team in hopes of improving performance. He tried former crew chief and tire changer Bill Wilburn, but that didn't work out. Last week, he used a temporary fill-in from teammate Brendan Gaughan's team. This week, for Sunday's Food City 500, the team is using Jay Hackney for the first time as the front-tire changer. D.J. Richardson, who worked with the team earlier in the season, returns as the rear-tire changer.(ThatsRacin.com)(3-27-2004)
More Changes at the #2: Unhappy with his pit crew's performance in Sunday's race, driver Rusty Wallace and crew chief Larry Carter elected to make a swap of rear-tire changers with Penske teammate Brendan Gaughan's team. Rich Macco from Gaughan's team went to Wallace's team for the remainder of the race and Cole Chitty from Wallace's #2 team moved to Gaughan's #77.(ThatsRacin.com)(3-22-2004)
#2 Penske Team changes Pit Crew..again: Penske Racing South has undergone some personnel changes that will be in effect this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway, ThatsRacin.com has learned. Bill Wilburn, who served as driver Rusty Wallace's crew chief last season and moved into the role of shop foreman this season for the #77 Dodges and driver Brendan Gaughan, will return to his old role changing tires for Wallace's team, sources confirmed Wednesday. Wilburn will continue working with the #77 during the week, but will take over as front tire changer on Wallace's team this weekend, sources said. Wallace's team has tried several different people on its pit crew since the season started and decided to return to an experienced veteran. Wilburn began his career in the NASCAR Dash Series and his Cup career dates back to the Cliff Stewart Racing Team in 1982. Wilburn was part of Stewart's 1984 effort that helped Wallace win the rookie-of-the-year title. He has worked with Mike Curb Motorsports and Hendrick Motorsports and in full- and part-time efforts at Penske since 1992. In addition to Wilburn's change, Aaron Oakley, an aerodynamics specialist with Ryan Newman's #12 Dodges, will move into the spotter's role for the team this weekend, replacing Penske Racing South general manager John Erickson in that position, sources said. Oakley worked with Erickson last weekend at Las Vegas in the spotters' stand and the team was impressed with his performance, sources said.(ThatsRacin.com)(3-10-2004)
Rusty Farewell Tour? #2-Rusty Wallace's farewell tour could be the 2005 season, according to the team.(Winston Salem Journal), of note, XM Satellitte - NASCAR Radio's Claire B. Lang, interviewed Wallace over the weekend about the rumors that NASCAR was suggesting older drivers go part time, Wallace said he has no plans to run a part-time schedule and when he leaves, it will be full-bore, meaning no part-time deal. Wallace is also very excited and happy about his new Bsuch Series team, RWI, running Billy 'Catfish' Parker in the #66 Duraflame Dodge in a limited 2004 Busch Series schedule.(3-8-2004)
Parker ready to debut for Rusty's team at Vegas: Saturday's Sam's Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will mark the first race for the newly-formed RWI Racing and its rookie driver, Billy Parker. Team owner and former NASCAR Champion, Rusty Wallace, is quite optimistic about the race. "This kid's (Parker) going to be a good one, that's for sure. He grew up working on race cars and really knows what's going on with the car. The team came out here to test and just flew. They ran a 31.67 (seconds) in qualifying trim (170.508 MPH, the fastest unofficial lap in recent Busch Series testing at LVMS) and ran over 450 miles. The cars are fast and durable, Billy and Blake (Bainbridge, crew chief) are really getting along well and we're set to light it up for Duraflame and all of our other great partners."
For Parker, son of legendary fisherman Hank Parker, Sr., the Las Vegas race sets a new high-water mark for his career.
"All my life I've dreamed about getting to the Busch Series and the NEXTEL Cup Series. To able to do it with a legend like Rusty, an
incredible leader like Barry Dodson and a great sponsor like Duraflame is like a dream come true for me. We've all worked so hard over the past year to get everything ready, the cars, the shop, everything...it's definitely going to be fun to finally get behind the
wheel of the Duraflame Dodge and do what we're ready to do...race and win. First things first though, as a new team, we have no
provisionals, so we all really have to work hard to make sure that we get qualified well; I'm confident in our team and I feel like we can do that."
RWI Racing is not Rusty Wallace's first stint as a Busch Series car owner. Wallace founded Wallace Racing in 1989 with brother Kenny as driver. Together, they earned two wins, five pole positions and 19 top-5 finishes, garnering Rookie of the Year honors in 1989 and a
second-place points finish in 1991, the team's final year of operation.
Said Wallace, "We had a great run with Kenny in the 80's and 90's. We won the pole for our very first race, it was Daytona-believe it or
not, and really ran well. You know, we almost won the championship in 1991. There's no reason that Billy can't do just as well for us. All the parts and pieces are there; he's going to be one heck of a driver."
Saturday's race will mark Billy Parker's fourth career NASCAR Busch Series start. His previous Busch Series races are highlighted by a
seventh place start at Memphis in 2000. Prior to 2004, Parker's resume included starts in the NASCAR Busch Series, the American Speed Association, the United Auto Racing Association and the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series presented by Dodge.
Parker's 2003 season was spent in the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series presented by Dodge at the famed Hickory Motor Speedway in Hickory, NC. Against some of the toughest late model competition in the country, including Wallace's youngest son, Stephen, Parker scored five wins and five poles in six starts, including sweeping a pair of twin 50 lap races on March 29. He led every lap en route to four of his five victories. Notes of Interest: When the #66 was chosen for the Duraflame Dodge, it was no mere coincidence. The #66 has a long history with the Wallace family, as Rusty drove cars with the #66 to the majority of his over 200 feature race wins, including his 1983 ASA Championship. The number was revived when Wallace's eldest son, Greg, used it on a Jack Ingram-owned late model at Greenville-Pickens Speedway in 2001. Rusty Wallace and Billy Parker will appear together for an autograph session Thursday, March 4th at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. The event runs from 5:30-7:00 local time and will be held in the Viva Las Vegas lounge. In addition, Parker will make a personal appearance at the NASCAR Café in Las Vegas, Thursday, March 4th at 8:00 PM local.
For more information on Billy Parker and RWI Racing, please visit the newly-created www.rwiracing.com. To learn more about RWI Racing's primary sponsor, Duraflame, check out: www.duraflame.com.(PR)(3-3-2004)
Special Scheme for Rusty too: Rusty Wallace's #2 Miller Lite Dodge will sport a special paint scheme this weekend, celebrating “Great Moments in Miller Racing.” (see image on my #2 Team Schemes page). The one-time look for Wallace's car is in support of Miller's special six commemorative 24-oz. racing-themed cans currently available in convenience stores across the country. Each can features a different milestone in either Wallace's or Miller Lite NHRA drag racing teammate Larry Dixon's illustrious careers. Dixon 's Don ‘the Snake' Prudhomme-owned Miller Lite dragster is carrying a similar color scheme during this weekend's NHRA stop in Phoenix.(TRPR)(3-3-2004)
Rusty's son to race Hooters Cup: Plans are being ironed out for Stephen Wallace, Rusty's 16-year-old aspiring racing son, to compete full-time this season in Hooter's Cup competition -- in quest of the series' rookie title.(TRPR)(2-18-2004)
Crew Members replaces on the #2 after the Shootout UPDATE: Dave Littau front tire carrier, and Tim Boatwright, jackman are no longer with Penske Racing South. Mark Padgent [sp?] is the new jackman, no word on who the new tire carrier is.(in part from an XM Satellite - NASCAR Radio interview with Penske Racing's Don Miller / and the Rustys2Crew.com site)(2-13-2004) UPDATE: New jack man Mark Padgett and front tire carrier DeWane Colvard join front tire changer Donald "DJ" Richardson, rear tire changer Jay Fabian, rear tire carrier David "Double D" Doyle, gas man Dougie "Pooh Bear" Ingold and gas catch man Nick Giambruno. Padgett jacked previously for Petree Racing, while Colvard is veteran over-the-waller from Roush.(2-13-2004)
Rusty to be honored: Miller Brewing Company will honor former NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion Rusty Wallace, driver of the #2 Penske Dodge, and Miller Lite Racing teammate Larry Dixon, two-time defending NHRA Top Fuel champion, with a special commemorative can series. The program will launch in February and run through March. In conjunction with the six commemorative 24-oz. racing-themed cans, both Wallace's Penske Racing Miller Lite Dodge and Dixon's Don ‘the Snake' Prudhomme-owned Miller Lite dragster will sport a special paint scheme celebrating ‘Great Moments in Miller Racing.' Wallace's No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge will sport the one-race scheme during the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 7, while Dixon's Miller Lite dragster will feature the special paint scheme during the 20 th annual Checker Schuck's Kragen Nationals, March 5-7, near Phoenix.(see full PR at trpr.com), see an image of the #2 Dodge on my #2 Team Paint Scheme page.(2-12-2004)
Penske and Sirius Satellite Radio: Penske Corporation and SIRIUS Satellite Radio announced Friday an agreement designed to utilize motorsports as a platform to bring satellite radio to race fans across the country. SIRIUS Satellite Radio logos will appear on Penske Racing Team entries competing in NASCAR Nextel Cup and the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series commencing with events at Daytona International Speedway today. The sponsorship is an extension of a business to business agreement previously announced by SIRIUS aimed at expanding the availability of SIRIUS Satellite Radio services to new car and truck purchasers and lessees. "Racing is the common thread throughout our organization and a natural environment for us to highlight the SIRIUS brand to our fans in NASCAR and IndyCar." said Roger S. Penske, Chairman of Penske Corporation. "We are delighted that drivers Rusty Wallace, Helio Castroneves, Ryan Newman, Sam Hornish, Jr., and Brendan Gaughan will be competing under a SIRIUS Satellite Radio banner."(Penske Racing PR)(2-6-2004)
Miller leaving the #2? NO and UPDATE: heard a rumor earlier on Thursday that Miller Lite would be leaving as the sponsor of the #2 Penske Racing Dodge and driver Rusty Wallace [Wallace also has a long term personal services contract with Miller]. After some checking around, found out that Penske Racing, Wallace and Miller are close to signing a two year extension and it is all but a done deal.(10-24-2003) UPDATE: Rusty Wallace recently signed a two-year extension with Miller that will cover him until the end of the 2005 season, when he is expected to retire from Nextel Cup.(Yahoo Sports/Sporting News)(1-26-2004)
Holm Leaves Foyt: been told that #14 Crew Chief, Ben Holm, left Foyt Racing to join Penske working on #2 car in the shop. No word on the #14 Team Status, they have not tested in Daytona either this or last week.(1-14-2004)
Past 2003 News
Wilburn to the #77: After more than a decade, Billy Wilburn has left the #2 car to join Penske Racing's newly acquired #77 team [not announced...yet, see more on my #77 Team News and Links page] as shop foreman. Not only will Wilburn be an asset to first-time Cup crew chief Shane Wilson at the shop, he will work closely with him at the racetrack as well. Rick Carpenter will be team manager.(Yahoo Sports/Sporting News)(12-31-2003)
New Rusty Crew Chief? UPDATE 2 official: hearing Larry Carter, current crew chief of the #74 BACE Motorsports Chevy and driver Tony Raines, is under consideration for the #2 Miller Lite/Penske Racing crew chief gig with driver Rusty Wallace.(12-12-2003) UPDATE: haven't seen anything official but on a unofficial Rusty site there is this: Larry Carter's previous position as a Winston Cup crew chief materialized last December, when he was named to be the pit boss for the number #77 team [actually it is the #74 team] under owner Bill Baumgardner's first full season effort into Winston Cup, with driver Tony Raines. Before working for Baumgardner, he had been employed by Travis Carter at Haas/Carter Motorsports with driver #66-Todd Bodine at the wheel.(rustys2crew.com)(12-24-2003) UPDATE 2: Larry Carter, a 14-year veteran in NASCAR racing’s highest level of competition, has joined Penske Racing South as crew chief for driver Rusty Wallace and his Miller Lite Dodge racing team. “We’re extremely excited to have Larry join us as our new crew chief,” said Wallace, the 1989 Winston Cup (now Nextel Cup) champion and 54-race winner. “Larry brings an abundance of talent and experience to our program and he is a perfect fit to accompany the qualified staff we already have in place. We can’t wait to get the ball rolling in 2004.” Carter comes to Penske Racing South from #74 BACE Motorsports, where he served as crew chief for rookie driver Tony Raines during the 2003 NASCAR season. “This is a great opportunity and I am certainly thrilled to have the chance to work with such a successful organization as Penske Racing and a champion-caliber driver like Rusty Wallace,” said Carter. “This is a top-notch team with great people and ample resources. I am delighted that they have the confidence in me to lead their team and I’m really looking forward to this new challenge.”
Carter, a 41-year-old Raleigh, N.C., native, was active in motorsports at an early age, working part-time for a local dirt track team while in junior high school. After receiving a degree from North Carolina State in 1985, Carter worked for a Raleigh government agency for several years and worked part-time for his uncle Travis Carter, a fixture in NASCAR racing for decades. He became a full-time racer in 1990 and first served as a crew chief for the elder Carter’s effort in 1994.
“Travis was so instrumental in my career and he’s due a lot of credit for me getting an opportunity like this,” said Carter. “Rusty is known for being a driver with the knowledge of every inch of a race car and working with Travis for all those years has given me a similar background that I’m proud of. Rusty knows his racecar from the ground up and I’ve been involved in every aspect of our sport. I started in racing carrying tires and went up the ladder all the way to data acquisition before learning to set up racecars. So I’m very confident that the driver and the crew chief will be working on the same page from the very beginning.”
“Larry is the ideal person to lead the No. 2 team,” said PRS general manager John Erickson. “He’s a new age type of leader, but has an old school background and should mesh extremely well into our operation. I think he’ll have a level of communication with Rusty and his team that is second to none and his capabilities in working with Matt Borland and the staff of the No. 12 team will be exceptional.” Carter and wife Tracy reside in Mooresville, N.C., with their eight-year-old son Benjamin.(Tom Roberts PR)(12-28-2003)
Wilburn to be re-assigned? UPDATE 3: hearing current #2 crew chief, Bill Wilburn, will not be the #2 Miller Lite Dodge crew chief in 2004, but will be be re-assigned within the organization, no word on any candidates yet.(10-24-2003) UPDATE: during rain delay coverage, NBC interviewed Rusty Wallace, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge, and Wallace said Wilburn would be back in 2004 as his crew chief and that they have 2-years invested in working together.(NBC Rain Delay Coverage)(10-26-2003) UPDATE 2: Rusty Wallace refuted recent reports that crew chief Bill Wilburn would be leaving after the season. Wallace hasn't claimed a victory since Wilburn became his crew chief at the beginning of 2002. "We've got a lot of time and effort invested in Billy Wilburn, but we're getting better and better together," said Wallace, who is winless in 94 races. "There's been a lot of controversy on the Internet about Billy, but he's a friend of mine. He's a good kid, and we've got a good race team."(Richmond Times Dispatch)(10-27-2003) UPDATE 3: Bill Wilburn, crew chief for Winston Cup driver Rusty Wallace, said Saturday he plans to sit down with his driver after the season is over to determine whether he will return next season. Wallace and Penske Racing co-owner Don Miller have expressed confidence in Wilburn over the past week. Wilburn, however, said he wants to make sure Wallace is pleased with the team's direction.(ThatsRacin.com)(11-8-2003) Wilburn out? UPDATE 4 yes: hearing that #2 Miller Lite Dodge crew chief Bill Wilburn has decided NOT to return as Rusty Wallace's crew chief in 2004.(12-3-2003) UPDATE 5: Miller Lite Team Penske Dodge driver Rusty Wallace confirmed today that his team is engaged in an "active effort" to land a new crew chief for his Penske Racing South Team for the 2004 season. "We had a lengthy discussion and the situation with Billy is as amicable as it can possibly be," Wallace said of Bill Wilburn, his crew chief for the last two seasons. "Billy will continue to be an active team player with us and he will be a big asset as he has always been. He will remain as a key member within our organization. The bottom line was, after studying our team situation at great length and laying out our plans for the future, we concluded that this change was necessary," Wallace added. "Bill felt that it was in everyone's best interest that he go ahead and tell all the guys on the team what was occurring -- or going to occur -- and I applaud him for that. With Billy deciding to make it known that he would not be returning in the crew chief position and with our desire to launch an active effort to find the best person available to fill the spot, we just felt it was appropriate to get all of this out in the public. This is the best way to handle it -- to present the facts as they are -- and not see the rumor mill churn out hearsay, half-truths and innuendo."(Tom Roberts PR)(12-4-2003)
Get Well: Gary Brooks, shop foreman at Penske Racing South, was released from Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte last night and is resting and recuperating at home. Brooks, who has been with PRS since it was founded in 1991, was hospitalized for last Thursday's surgery for the removal of the upper portion of the lower lobe of his left lung, which proved to be benign. "Brooksy" as he is fondly referred to by his teammates and many friends, was a perennial "all star" jackman in the early 90s, before back problems ended his "over-the-wall" duties. He has long been known for his unique sense of humor. Brooks will be sidelined for several weeks. Cards and well wishes can be sent to him at home: Gary Brooks, 112 Beach Lane, Mooresville, NC 28117.(Tom Roberts PR)(11-24-2003)
Third Penske Team in 2004? UPDATE 3 Gaughan and Penske and Kodak? to the #77? Blaney OUT? The Kodak fact finding mission stopped at Roush Racing, BAM Racing, Bill Davis Racing, Dale Earnhardt, Inc., and reportedly to Penske Racing South – where there is interest in starting a third team.(Ford Racing)(11-10-2003) UPDATE: hearing Brendan Gaughan is "supposed" to go to a third Penske team next year, with Kodak sponsorship. Somehow, the whole (Kodak) deal is contingent on his winning the Truck Series championship.(11-14-2003) UPDATE 2 and more: Kodak's departure from the #4 Morgan-McClure car appears imminent [may stay as an assoc - Jayski]. Several organizations have bid on the Kodak account, including Dale Earnhardt Inc., BAM Racing and PPI Motorsports. Although DEI has been rumored to be the front-runner, Kodak officials were spotted at Penske Racing last weekend. Garage chatter has Craftsman Trucks driver Brendan Gaughan running a limited 2004 Nextel Cup schedule for Penske with eight-figure sponsor support from Kodak.(FoxSports/Sporting News)(11-17-2003) AND on Wednesday's Wind Tunnel show, Brendan Gaughan called in and said Dodge was working on a few race Cup deal for him in 2004, but he didn't know which team and that the 'rumor' was blown out of proportion.(11-20-2003) UPDATE 3: Don Miller Penske Racing South on XM Satellite - NASCAR Radio when asked if Penske is starting a third team: "This is where we are. We have been approached by another sponsor to run a third car. As You know it's Kodak. Kodak has come down in the Charlotte area and talked to half a dozen of the really good race teams and we just happen to be one of them. At this point, you know, nothing has been settled one way or the other but they have let us know that we are (one of the teams) in the final selection process."(XM Satellite- NASCAR Radio - Subscription Required) AND Penske Racing and Jasper Motorsports are considering an arrangement where they would split ownership of Jasper's #77 Fords and bring the team under the Penske umbrella next season. Truck series driver Brendan Gaughan is the preferred candidate for the ride if the new deal is completed, sources said. Dave Blaney, who currently drives the #77, would not return to the team next season. The completion of the deal rests largely on the team's ability to secure a sponsor and a decision in that regard could come as early as Monday. The Penske-Jasper deal is one of three teams from which Kodak, which bought out its remaining contract with Morgan-McClure Motorsports, will select as its new home in what will become the Nextel Cup Series in 2004, sources said. Kodak is expected to make a final decision by Monday, choosing offers from Penske, Roush Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc. "There could be the possibility of a third team next season, but how that team is structured and who the driver would be remains up in the air," said Don Miller, Penske vice president, who was reached Friday by phone. Team owner Roger Penske, in an appearance on the Speed Channel show "Wind Tunnel" Thursday night, was asked by show host Dave Despain about a possible third Penske team. "There has been interest by our team to possibly look at a third car. Kodak has come back through and talked to four or five teams in Charlotte - they came to our shop and we made a proposal," Penske said. "At this particular time, we have interest, we have engine capability with our Penske Jasper program ... to bring another young driver in might be a real opportunity for us for next year." Asked specifically about Gaughan as a driver, Penske said, "Brendan is one of the young Dodge drivers and obviously with our relationship with Dodge with Rusty and Ryan, he could be a possibility." Gaughan, 28, won six races this season and led the series points entering the season finale at Homestead, Fla. He was involved in a wreck in the race and ended up fourth in points. If he gets the ride, Gaughan would become the third member of the 2004 Nextel Cup rookie class, joining Brian Vickers and Scott Riggs [and maybe Johnny Sauter and Kasey Kahne??]. Gaughan in is Mexico racing this week and was unavailable for comment. Several issues remain to be worked out before the Penske-Jasper deal is completed, including: the car's number; where the team would be based; the listed car owner; and whether it would keep car owner's points from the 2003 season. The team would join the Dodge camp and utilize Penske engines, sources said.(ThatsRacin.com)(11-21-2003)
Rusty looking to talk to Tony: #2-Rusty Wallace took the blame for an accident last weekend at Phoenix International Raceway that started when he bumped Tony Stewart. The wreck has caused Wallace so much anxiety that he's still not over it, he said at Rockingham. Wallace bumped Stewart in Turn 2, causing the two to slide up the track. As they slowed, Bobby Labonte and Kevin Harvick also piled in. "We had a pretty good car until I screwed up," Wallace said. "I caused that whole damn mess myself. I sailed off into the corner at Phoenix, totally uncharacteristic of myself, and got in too deep. I got the front end pushing, and I bumped Tony." Wallace said he would seek out Stewart this weekend. "I haven't talked to Tony about it yet, but I will," Wallace said Friday morning.(NASCAR.com)(11-8-2003)
Special Schemes for Penske Cars IMAGE: As part of Penske Racing's 50th win commemoration this weekend at Rockingham, Wallace's Miller Lite Dodge will carry the familiar and popular black and gold colors that Wallace used in recording 30 of his 54 career wins (total of 36 [not 38] at Penske Racing) and in three of his five Rockingham victories.(TRPR - no image of the car...yet) AND also #12-Ryan Newman is supposed to run a special 50th win commemoration scheme at the Rock, nothing mentioned, but see an image of the scheme on my 2003 Winston Cup Paint Schemes - Car #'s 0-23 page.. Penske's 50 wins [actually 53] are Wallace, 36; Newman 9; B Allison, 4; Mayfield, 3; Donohue, 1.(11-6-2003) IMAGE See an image of the #12 on my 2003 Winston Cup Paint Schemes - Car #'s 0-23 page..(11-7-2003)
Rusty's tire changer to race: Rob Fuller, rear-tire changer & assistant shock specialist for Rusty's team, is competing in this weekend's North/South modified "shootout" at the Concord Motorsports Park. He is to drive a Jamie Tomaino-owned car.(TRPR)(11-6-2003)
Rusty's son at the Snowball Derby: Stephen Wallace, Rusty's 16-year-old son, is hoping to compete in the annual prestigious Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla., the first weekend of next month. "Trying to put a deal together to run Richie Wauters car down there," Stephen reported. "Thing is that we need some sponsorship to make the trip and we're looking for it now." Rusty participated in the annual racing classic several times. His best finish was second (to winner Freddy Fryar) in the 1979 edition.(TRPR)(11-6-2003)
Rusty has his replacement: #2-Rusty Wallace has offered no solid hints on when he will retire, but he has his replacement in mind. Billy Parker, a Late Model star who will drive for Wallace's new Busch team in 2004, apparently is being groomed to take over Wallace's No.2 Dodge at Penske Racing South. Stephen Wallace, Rusty's 16-year-old son, then would replace Parker in the Busch car. "I really like this kid," Wallace said yesterday of Parker. "He's good looking and going to be great for the sport. I'd love for two to three years down the road, or whenever I decide to get out of the car, that Billy would drive the No.2, and Stephen would get in the [Busch] car."(Richmond Times Dispatch)(10-29-2003)
Wallace Testing? AND: hearing #2-Rusty Wallace is testing at Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Ill. on Tuesday and Wednesday in preparation for the race at Phoenix International Raceway.(10-21-2003) AND heard this was in conjunction with a "Season Ticket Holder" appreciation party held on Tuesday, 21 Oct 2003. Wallace ran laps while season ticket holders at Gateway watched from the stands. There was a Autograph session following the laps, and Wallace stayed until he had signed autographs for everybody who wanted them. Free food and drinks were also provided, as well as a special sale of leftover souvenirs from 2003. Track GM Matt Strelo had a Q&A session with Season Ticket Holders, briefed them on plans for 2004, and gave away prizes, including two tickets to the 2004 Daytona 500. The Track will be open on to the public on Wed for more of Wallace's practice.(10-22-2003)
Rusty's Son Wins First Feature: Stephen Wallace, 16-year-old racing upstart and son of former Winston Cup Champion Rusty Wallace, claimed his first career Late Model Stock Car win in a 200-lap feature event yesterday at the new Friendship Motor Speedway, a paved four-tenths-mile racetrack near Elkin, NC. "It was a helluva impressive performance," said Billy Parker, who served as Stephen's crew chief and who will drive for the senior Wallace's new Busch Series team in 2004. "Stephen started sixth in a tough field of more than 30 cars. He came from the back to the front three different times. He was tenacious, to say the least. It was a rough bunch there yesterday, but Stephen didn't back down from anybody. Greg was spotting and we both worked to keep Stephen focused," Parker said of Stephen's 23-year-old brother who has also spotted for his famous racing father. "By the end of the race, Stephen was missing the hood and a lot of the sheet metal was either missing or bent up. He got airborne once and broke the right front shock. He was able to keep his poise, though, and finally made the winning pass with less than 10 laps to go. When you can beat the likes of Wayne Grubb, Jason York and Rock Harris, you've put in a heck of a day's work. That's what Stephen was able to do at Friendship on Sunday and we're all so proud of him. He had the crowd all standing and screaming and definitely created a ton of Stephen Wallace fans with his performance yesterday."
"Now that's the way I'd always hoped that Stephen would win his first big race - with sparks flying, emotions running high and a packed grandstand screaming their lungs out," said proud father Rusty, who was at the IRL finale at Texas Motor Speedway rooting on his Penske Racing teammates Gil de Ferran and Helio Castroneves and unable to witness his son's victory. "I'm so proud of him. He's gonna be a great one, I'll tell you that."
"It was a real cool deal," summed up Stephen of his first big win and eerily sounding almost identical to the elder Wallace.(Tom Roberts PR)(10-13-2003)
Rusty off to Texas on Sunday: Rusty Wallace will fly to Fort Worth, TX Sunday morning after competing in Saturday night’s UAW-GM Quality 500 NASCAR Winston Cup race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Wallace will be cheering for IndyCar Series “teammates” with Penske Racing, Helio Castroneves and Gil de Ferran, along with his longtime car owner Roger Penske. Castroneves and de Ferran are title contenders in the Chevy 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Castroneves and Scott Dixon are tied for the IRL IndyCar Series point lead entering the Chevy 500 with Tony Kanaan, Sam Hornish Jr. and de Ferran still in contention for the championship.(TMS PR)(10-10-2003)
Hot Seats - Crew Chiefs: Several crew chiefs are on the hot seat, including Bill Wilburn with the #2 Dodge. Someone mentioned as a possible replacement is Todd Parrott, who returned to Robert Yates Racing last month as Elliott Sadler's crew chief after a lengthy sabbatical. Parrott says any talk of his leaving is "crazy." "Not in this lifetime," Parrott says. "I'm back at home, and this team is starting to come together." Parrott believes Sadler and the team are gaining confidence in him, and winning the pole at Talladega is an example of the crew's potential. Sadler was running third before he was involved in a spectacular crash. The wreck forced the race to be red-flagged with six laps remaining.(Sporting News/FoxSports)(9-30-2003)
Rusty to start Busch team: Winston Cup driver [#2] Rusty Wallace formally announced plans Saturday to begin fielding his own Busch Series next season, which will run Billy Parker in 17 races in the #66 Dodge sponsored by Duraflame. Wallace is constructing a new race shop in Mooresville, N.C., for this team. He formally owned a series team for three years beginning in 1989 with his younger brother Kenny Wallace as the driver. Parker, 26, currently competes in the NASCAR Late Model series at Hickory (NC) Motor Speedway and has made three Busch starts in his career. "This chance to drive a race car for Rusty Wallace is an unbelievable opportunity, and I'm already looking forward to next season," said Parker, brother of Busch series driver Hank Parker Jr. "This year, I raced against Rusty's son, Stephen, at Hickory and we became pretty friendly. One day, Stephen asked me if I wanted to have lunch with his father. Next thing I know, I'm driving a Busch car for Rusty Wallace."(ThatsRacin.com), see image of the car on my 2003 Busch Schemes page and a full PR and image at Tom Roberts site.(9-20-2003)
OK, next Horish rumor....to the #2? UPDATEs NO; But to Penske...in the IRL: Although Rusty Wallace admits he is looking at the happy downhill side of his long racing career. he declares he will be racing in NASCAR through 2005, amid reports that Indy Racing League charger Sam Hornish would replace him in the seat of the Penske Racing #2 after 2004. "I've told everybody I'll run to the end of 2005, and I'm not guaranteeing anything after that," the 1989 NASCAR champion said recently. "It'll be a stretch for me to go beyond 2005." Word from Nazareth, Pa., site of this weekend's IRL IndyCar race, is that Hornish, subject of much speculation as he leaves Panther Racing after two championship seasons, would join Penske with an eye toward a NASCAR run in 2005, replacing Wallace, who turned 47 this month. As it is expressed now, Hornish instead would be given a part-time ride in IndyCar (particularly for the Indy 500) and would be graduated through a sort of ABC (ARCA/Busch/Cup) stock car schedule, as Newman was on his way to the premium seat. Hornish then would take over Rusty's Miller Beer ride in 2005. None of that could be confirmed late last night.(Speed Channel)(8-23-2003) UPDATE Hornish to Penske - IRL Team - de Ferran to retire, Official AND: Penske Racing, Inc. announced today that 2003 Indianapolis 500-Mile race winner and two-time National Champion Gil de Ferran will retire at season's end. Two-time IRL IndyCar Series champion Sam Hornish Jr. has signed a multi-year deal to drive for the team beginning in 2004. "Sam Hornish Jr. will be an excellent addition to Marlboro Team Penske. Certainly, we were fortunate to have the opportunity to hire someone with Sam's ability. He and Helio will give us a great combination next season," said Tim Cindric, President, Penske Racing, Inc. "I am thrilled to be joining Marlboro Team Penske," said Hornish. "The opportunity to drive for the most successful open-wheel team in history and to follow in the footsteps of the organization's remarkable driver lineage, including Gil, is an honor."(full story at the IRL Site) AND Hornish announced last week that he was leaving Panther Racing, for whom he won his IRL titles. The driver from Defiance, Ohio, said he wanted to continue to compete in the Indy 500, but also stated a desire to race in the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400 - NASCAR's biggest events. Moving to Penske gives him that opportunity. The team also fields cars in Winston Cup for Ryan Newman and Rusty Wallace.(ThatsRacin.com/AP)(8-25-2003) UPDATE 2: There had been speculation Hornish might sign with Penske's NASCAR program. But Hornish, who said he might one day compete in NASCAR on a limited basis, insisted he is focused on the IRL and winning the 500. "I don't foresee doing anything like that (NASCAR) in the future," he said.(Indianapolis Star)(8-26-2003)
Wallace goes to the hospital UPDATE 3: #2-Rusty Wallace, involved in a hard crash with #15-Michael Waltrip and walked away from the wreck, requested to be airlifted to a nearby hospital to be checked out as he didn't feel right. UPDATE: Rusty has been released from the hospital, is ok and is on his helicopter and headed home.(TNT Race Coverage)(8-23-2003) UPDATE 2: Wallace was treated and released later in the evening after a negative CT scan.(NASCAR.com)(8-24-2003) UPDATE 3: After the vicious crash that Miller Lite Team Penske Dodge driver Rusty Wallace endured Saturday night on lap 88 of the Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, it could be expected that he would spend Sunday at home in bed trying to shake it off. Not Wallace. Instead, after a nice lunch at the family dining table, he could be found flying daughter Katie back to school at the College of Charleston (S.C.) "I have some really sore ribs and I bit the heck out of my tongue, but I've been up and moving around all morning long," Wallace said early Sunday afternoon. "I haven't seen the tape of the crash yet and several people have told me that I might not want to see it," Wallace said, managing a chuckle. "I did all I could to avoid hitting the 15 car," Wallace said of the accident in which Michael Waltrip got into the outside wall and slid back down the track in Wallace's path. "I'm just glad that we both came out of that one okay. When I was in the infield care center there at the track, Dr. Petty said that it might be a good idea to go get a CT scan, so we went over to the hospital (Wellmont Bristol Regional Medical Center) and checked out just fine. Like I said, I'm fine but really sore right now. But if we had to race at Darlington tomorrow, I'd be right there ready to go I'm disappointed more than anything else because after we made that pit stop, our car was really flying. But we'll never get to see just how strong it was. This season is beginning to remind me of our year in 1992 when we had all kinds of problems and just never could get things rolling along in the right direction," Wallace said. "But as wacky as things are in the sport today, it'd be just right for us to win at Darlington this week (where Wallace is winless in 39 prior races)."(see full story at Tom Roberts Site)(8-25-2003)
Childress; IRL; and Wallace's son; and.....another Horish rumor: [#29,30,31 team owner] Richard Childress is putting together a major technological association with a top Indy-car team, to add another layer of expertise to his Winston Cup operation, and to give Robby Gordon a solid Indy 500 option next May. Childress also confirmed that he is considering a fourth Winston Cup team, but only if he feels his current three teams are each solid. 'I've been exploring with Indy-car teams how to use their technology, the way Roger Penske and Chip Ganassi can use their own Indy-car technology down here,' Childress said. 'We're trying to hook up with a top Indy-car team to put a technology program together and tie the sponsorship programs together. We haven't worked out the structure, but it's all being discussed.' One possible driver for a fourth Cup team would be Sam Hornish, the GM Indy-car star who is being wooed by other NASCAR teams as well. Childress already has a long-term contract with Rusty Wallace's 16-year-old son, Steven [actually Stephen], 'because he's good. He wins in everything he sits in. And he couldn't have a better teacher.'(Winston Salem Journal)(8-25-2003)
Latest on Rusty's Busch team: Rusty Wallace plans to field a Busch Series team next season and will make the announcement soon. The driver is expected to be Billy “Catfish” Parker, a late-model competitor and brother of Busch driver Hank Parker Jr.(Sporting News)(8-25-2003)
Rusty to do Polish Victory Lap before Bristol race: #2-Rusty Wallace is set to make yet another Polish victory lap at Bristol this Saturday night in his Miller Lite Team Penske Dodge. As the "kick-off" for the recently announced "Victory Lap" program (where still-active past champions are paired with another inactive or late champ), the NASCAR tribute to long-time series sponsor R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Wallace is paired with his late pal Kulwicki. Part of the pre-race activity will feature Wallace making the lap in reverse direction around the track. His Miller Lite Dodge will carry a special one-race commemorative color scheme in this weekend's Sharpie 500.(Tom Roberts PR), the #7 Kulwick car will be driven it's lap by Jimmy Hensley.(8-21-2003)
Marlboro, Penske and Cup? NASCAR's proposed ban on tobacco sponsorships comes as reports are surfacing that Philip Morris' Marlboro brand may be interested in sponsoring a Roger Penske Winston Cup team. There have been persistent reports that Penske is considering a third Cup team, but the team continues to deny those reports.(Winston Salem Journal)(8-5-2003)
Penske Incentive: Indy Extra Incentive -- 50th Stock Car Win For Penske:
The count is at 49 with Ryan's win Sunday at Pocono and a win this Sunday at Indy by Rusty or Ryan would reach that monumental 50th stock car victory for Penske Racing. Here is the breakdown entering the Brickyard 400 (driver & wins):
Rusty Wallace - 36
Ryan Newman - 5
Bobby Allison - 4
Jeremy Mayfield - 3 Mark Donohue - 1 (the first win, which came in the 1/21/73 Winston Western 500 at Riverside, Calif. Donohue started 4th and led 138 of the 191 laps in a Penske Racing AMC Matador)(Tom Roberts PR)(7-30-2003)
Drivers for Rusty's Busch team? Rusty Wallace is looking for a driver for his Busch team, and two men he's considering are Billy 'Catfish' Parker, Hank Parker's kid brother, and Burt Myers, the son of Bowman Gray racer Gary Myers. Chad Blount has been scratched from the list, according to sources.(Winston Salem Journal)(7-28-2003)
New Enginer for the #2: Wallace's team changed its engineer this week. Chief engineer Roy McCauley was with the team at the track for the first time this season.(Roanoke Times)(7-28-2003)
Rusty's Son back racin': Stephen Wallace [Rusty's son] will be back in late model action this weekend, running Friday night at Tri-County Speedway, the short track in Hudson, N.C., in a regular feature for the USAR cars.(Tom Roberts PR)(7-25-2003)
Blount to test for Penske at Kentucky, no shake-up coming, more on Rusty's Busch team: Chad Blount, who is under contract with Roger Penske for uncertain duties, will test at Kentucky next week for Penske and Rusty Wallace, fueling rumors that Blount, 23, has a bigger future, perhaps as the next Ryan Newman. And Wallace's proposed Busch team, according to sources, is a possible Winston Cup team. But crew chief Bill Wilburn dismisses rumors about a shakeup looming in the Penske camp, though he recognizes pressure from sponsor Miller's new owner, South African Breweries, the second-largest beer company in the world. 'As far as I know, Chad Blount is testing for us, and that's it,' Wilburn says. 'He has no commitments to race anything. He has no commitments to drive a Busch car for Penske Racing, other than we might provide a engine or build a car. He's not going to be racing any Penske-owned car. He is not driving any Miller car. Rusty has his own Busch team going, and he's going to lease engines from Penske Engines, and he's got a couple guys he's looking at as drivers for 15 races.'(more at Winston Salem Journal)(7-21-2003)
Rusty's Car to get new fire-suppression system: #2-Rusty Wallace's crew will be laying out a new in-car fire-suppression system today, with a new engine-compartment extinguisher and a high-tech-foam extinguisher in the trunk. The foam should be more effective than standard Halon. However, NASCAR has been reluctant to OK the special foam agent, even though it would be safer for a driver than Halon (which is toxic in such close confines), because foam might make the track more slippery.(full story at the Winston Salem Journal)(7-21-2003)
Penske signs Blount UPDATE 5: Penske Racing part-owner Don Miller said the team, which fields Dodges for drivers Rusty Wallace and Ryan Newman, has signed NASCAR Busch Series driver Chad Blount to an agreement to test the organization's Winston Cup cars. Miller said, contrary to recent reports, that Blount has not been hired to drive for a Busch program. "We don't have a Busch team and we don't have any Busch cars," Miller said. Miller said Penske's agreement with Blount lasts through the end of the year.(ThatsRacin.com) ....so Blount is not with Rusty in a Busch deal, but did run the #66 Miller High Life car for Wayne Jesel at Milwaukee with Penske-Jasper engines...AND The field at Milwaukee last week was set per owners points/the rules book [past winners, race attempts and qualifying draw]. No matter how #66 team owner Wayne Jessel figured it out, he was not able to get driver Chad Blount in the race as it was their first race of the season [no owners points of race attempts] and they hadn't drawn a high enough position in qualifying [34th]. Jessel convinced the teams of #52-Brad Teague [10 attempts, 43rd owners points, 2nd in qualiying order], #70-Morgan Shepherd [4, 53rd, 21st], #97-Kenny Hendrick [3, 73rd, 11th] and #67-Brad Mueller [actually #66 was in better position then this team also attempting it's first race and was 45 in qual order].....to withdraw from the event and ensure his team a spot in the race [starting 43rd and finishing 40th]. No one would comment, but it reportedly took a low five-figure range to seal the deals. PLUS have heard that word around the garage area at Daytona this weekend is that Roger Penske funded the payoff of the four Busch teams to withdraw. It reportedly cost Penske $50,000 total to convince those four drivers to withdraw.(7-5-2003)
Rusty to Design a Racetrack: Rusty Wallace, has entered into a consulting agreement and will help lead the team in the first-ever driver-designed speedway. Wallace will fuel the success of a proposed speedway as part of The U.S. MotorSport Entertainment Corporation's planned complex in Newton, Iowa. He was in nearby Des Moines this week, beginning his services as a consultant to the project. The asphalt track will have 25,000 permanent seats with the option of adding 20,000 more temporary seats. Beyond the anticipated hosting of ASA, USAC and ARCA (Automobile Racing Club of America)-sanctioned speedway events, the complex will also offer entertainment opportunities. U.S MotorSport Chairman, President and CEO Paul R. Schlaack has announced that Rusty Wallace, 46, of Charlotte, North Carolina, will serve as ongoing consultant for the Corporation and be actively involved with the Corporation as it builds the track and motorsport entertainment complex. The proposed $30 million complex has received significant support from Newton, Iowa City Council, which has approved a development agreement, including a city contribution of $9 million, an additional $1.3 million economic development grant for purchasing a 226-acre tract and more than $7 million for public improvements.(Tom Roberts PR)(6-20-2003)
Rusty Busch Team UPDATE 3: Rusty Wallace is planning to field a Busch team next season, and the questions now are: Who might drive for the Winston Cup veteran, and will this team be a step toward the expansion of Penske South to a three-team Cup operation?(Winston Salem Journal); Chad Blount?(6-9-2003) UPDATE: hearing Chad Blount could be the driver and it will not be a Penske fielded car. The announcement should come this week or next week.(6-11-2003) UPDATE 2: hearing Miller beer is involved somehow and that Jessel Motorsports, who ran the #36 and #66 Dodges in the Busch Series last year will be involved somehow or rent cars/equipment/shop. Also of note, some folks think this may a team for his son Stephen, who will run a Late Model at Hickory, NC this year, but he is only 15 and won't be 18 until Aug 2005, in NASCAR, you need to be 18 to race in the top three divisions.(6-11-2003) UPDATE 3 - Rusty's team? Hearing that Chad Blount will be in the #66 Miller Dodge at Milwaukee and will be testing at that track next week.(BGNRacing.com)(6-13-2003)
No 3rd Penske Team: Don Miller, president of Penske Racing South, said the team is not looking to field a third car to join #2-Rusty Wallace and #12-Ryan Newman.(Roanoke Times)(6-4-2003)
Wilburn runs WoO: #2 Miller Lite crew chief Bill Wilburn participating in the A-main World of Outlaws feature on Saturday night at the short track at Lowe's Motor Speedway (qualified 23rd and finished 18th). "I'd planned on going over and coaching Johnny on," Bill said of driver Johnny Herrera, whose team Bill is an owner. "When we got over there, we decided to pull off the backup car and let me drive it. We had a lot of fun and guess you could say that climbing back into one of those cars is my golf game."(Tom Roberts PR)(5-28-2003)
Another Wallace hits the track: June 14th will be the date and the historical .363-mile Hickory Motor Speedway will be the place where 15-year-old (16 on 8/18) Stephen Wallace [Rusty's son] will make his late model racing debut. The third generation driver has entered his Hamke Chassis Dodge (equipped with Maurice Petty-built Dodge engine) in the June 14 United Auto Racing Association (UARA) 150-lap feature at the track. "Steve's been practicing there and he's really getting the hang of it," says proud father Rusty Wallace. "It's to the point now that he's getting around that place faster than I can. This will be a good starting point for him. We'll see how he does there in that race and then look at the plans for the future. Unfortunately, we'll be racing up in Michigan that weekend and it will probably be impossible to get back to Hickory to help cheer him on. He's gonna' be a good one and we're proud of him."(Tom Roberts PR)(5-28-2003)
Rusty and Kenny Help Out the Boy Scouts: Rusty and Kenny Wallace were in the Orangeburg, SC on Wednesday for the annual Indian Waters Council of the Boy Scouts of America's "Friends of Scouting" dinner function held at the Tourville Lodge at Buckridge Plantation. Eight years ago, Wallace traveled to Orangeburg to lend his support for what has become one of the most successful scouting fund-raisers in the country. In that first year the event raised a substantial amount of $12,000. Now, eight years later, the annual support has become even more substantive as the donations have increased to over $100,000, leaving Wallace quite pleased with the results of the 2003 fund-raising effort. Wallace has helped the organization to raise in excess of one million dollars over the eight years that the driver has been involved.(Times and Democrat)(5-22-2003)
Penske Racing on Junkyard Wars:Junkyard Wars, the television show on The Learning Channel, will air a contest recorded after the 2002 racing season ended. The 'war' was between the Penske Racing NASCAR Team, the Penske Racing IRL Team, and Don Prudhomme's drag racing team. The show will air on Sunday, May 25th from 9:00-11:00pm/et (re-air dates/times: May 26, 12:00mid/et; May 28, 9:00pm/et; May 29, 12:00mid/et and June 1st at 6:00pm/et).
From their website: They don't speak to each other — much less compete in the same race! But Junkyard Wars has done the impossible. Never before have the three main auto-racing sports competed against each other on such a uniquely level playing field. It's a tough challenge, but the three car-crazy teams are up to it. The teams must build a vehicle from the ground up, from only junkyard parts, and then compete against one another on three courses: a drag strip, twisting road track and half-mile oval — all to win Junkyard Mega-Wars' Triple Track Trophy. The Triple Track Challenge was held at Irwindale Speedway in California. For each of the three challenge stages, a different driver was at the controls. The junkyard race cars will be tested on acceleration, maneuverability and overall racing performance. The first race was held on the 1/8-mile-long drag strip and the teams went for the fastest time from a standing start to the finish line. Next, the cars tackled a tricky figure-8 course in which they had to navigate their way around various cones. Finally, the teams took on the banked 1/3-mile oval circuit. Each car completes 10 laps. The fastest 10-lap time will win this stage. A combined score for all three events will determine the Triple Track Trophy winner. Keeping an eye on the proceedings is veteran dragster driver and builder Pat Foster, who lends his expertise as judge. Tyler and Karyn are also joined by former host Cathy Rogers to make the occasion special. This one-of-a-kind event will bring auto-racing's "backroom boys" — the brains and muscle behind racing heroes — into the spotlight. But these teams are no strangers to success: they've put drivers like Rusty Wallace, Larry Dixon and Helio Castroneves into the winner's circle. See the website: tlc.discovery.com for more info.(5-20-2003)
Rusty to be on Beyond the Glory: Fox Sports Net will profile Rusty Wallace in an episode of its documentary series "Beyond The Glory." The one-hour biography of Wallace will premiere Sunday, June 1, at 8:00pm. Fox Sports Net is in the process of putting the finishing touches on the show. It delves into Wallace's youth growing up and racing cars in St. Louis, his beginnings in NASCAR as a Midwesterner in a Southern sport and his rivalries with Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon. "Beyond The Glory" is a weekly Emmy-nominated sports documentary series that profiles many of the biggest names in the contemporary sports world. The subjects profiled in the series tell their own story in a unique format. Other drivers who have been the subject of "Beyond The Glory" profiles include Dale Earnhardt, Dale Jarrett, Sterling Marlin, Mark Martin, the Petty family and the Waltrip family.(St. Louis Post Dispatch)(5-17-2003)
Some Paint Scheme Stuff: Rusty Wallace's #2 Dodge did not carry the 600th consecutive start logo on the rear quarter panel at the Richmond race last weekend. Wallace plans to run it at the Coca Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Also the #30 RCR Chevy was to run a Kraft scheme in honor of the 100th Anniversary of Kraft, which is scheduled to run at Chicago, with the driver change, the program has been put on hold.(5-8-2003)
Rusty to Retire in 2005? He didn't say it in so many words, but in the pre-race notes for Saturday night's race at Richmond, Rusty Wallace hinted he might retire from driving in the Winston Cup Series at the end of the 2005 season, or at least cut back his schedule. Wallace, 46, celebrated 600 consecutive Winston Cup starts at Richmond, and has 609 total starts. "700 straight?" Wallace asked rhetorically. "I honestly don't think I'm going to make 700 straight, but it'll be probably 675." If he stays on his current pace, Wallace would be 49 years old at the end of the 2005 season, would have 687 consecutive starts if the schedule remains at 36 races a season and would amass 697 total events.(NASCAR.com Buzz)(5-5-2003)
Milestone for Rusty: Rusty Wallace will start 600th consecutive Winston Cup race at Richmond and run a special paint scheme (see my Paint Scheme Gallery), Ricky Rudd currently hold the all time racord at 690, Ken Schrader is 3rd at 569.(Stats Menu and Links page)(5-1-2003)
Wilburn staying at the #2 UPDATE 2 Parrott to the #2? Denied: #2-Rusty Wallace/Penske Racing crew chief, Billy Wilburn, said there are no truth to the rumors [not here!] that he is leaving the team or being released.(XM Satellite- NASCAR Radio - Subscription Required)(4-10-2003) UPDATE: the rumor floating around is that once Todd Parrott gets out of his 'lifetime' contract with Robert Yates, he could be headed to the #2 Penske team.(4-10-2003) UPDATE 2: Penske Racing president Walt Czarnecki says the rumors that Todd Parrott would take over as crew chief for Rusty Wallace were "nonsense." That was comforting to crew chief Bill Wilburn, who who "went right to Rusty" when talk of a change began circulating. "I know we haven't run well lately," Wilburn says. "But if we won a race, no one would be talking." Parrott was placed on indefinite leave by Robert Yates Racing, and sources in the garage say Parrott has been told he has 30 days to find another job.(Sporting News)(4-14-2003)
Rusty's son to race Late Models: Stephen Wallace, the 15-year-old son of Rusty and Patti, will be getting his feet wet in late model competition later on in the year. Driving a Robert Hamke-built chassis (Dodge sheet metal of course)and powered by a Maurice Petty engine, Stephen will be testing at various short tracks until he turns 16 (on 8/18) and then will enter selected late model events. A scheduled test on Monday of this week at Hickory Speedway fell victim to rain.(Tom Roberts PR)(4-9-2003)
Wallace Paying Tribute To Fallen American Hero: When Rusty Wallace sports his United Association hat during Sunday’s Aaron’s 499 pre-race activities at Talladega Superspeedway, he will be paying a special personal tribute to a fallen hero. He will be wearing the hat to honor Marine Reserve Sgt. Bradley Korthaus, who died on March 24 while participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Korthaus, 28, of Davenport, Iowa, was a UA member out of Plumbers and Pipe Fitters Local 25 in Rock Island, Ill. “Brad lost his life in the line of duty and he is an American hero,” said Wallace. “His story is certainly an inspiration. He pursued his lifetime dream of becoming a U.S. Marine and joined the military right out of school."(Tom Roberts PR)(4-3-2003)
Rusty Testing by his 'Lonesome'? UPDATE: hearing #2-Rusty Wallace tested at Lonesome Pine Speedway in VA on Tuesday. UPDATE: Rusty Wallace and the #2 Miller Lite Dodge team took to Lonesome Pine Raceway Tuesday in preparation for the upcoming Virginia 500 at Martinsville Speedway. Wallace used the 3/8 mile NASCAR Dodge Weekly Racing Series track as a platform to test and tune the #2 Dodge he will pilot in the April 13th Winston Cup race. The crew tested numerous shocks and different setups to find a winning combination to use at Martinsville. Wallace, who has not won the spring race at Martinsville since 1996, looks to combine yesterdays test session with past notes and tests to find victory lane once again. Overall, the team says the test was very beneficial.(Lonesome Pine Raceway PR) Lonesome Pine Raceway, in Coeburn, VA, kicks off its weekly racing season with the Reno’s Roadhouse 260 on Saturday, April 19th. Tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for students and seniors. Children 12 and under are admitted free. Racing will begin at 7 p.m. The evening schedule includes the Morgan-McClure Late Model Stock Cars, Honda of Prestonsburg Limiteds, Grand Stock, Vic’s Decorating Modified 4’s, Community Trust Bank Pure Stock 4’s and Legends. The evening will
conclude with a fireworks show.(4-2-2003)
Penske Leaving ISC: Roger Penske will give up his spot on the board of directors of International Speedway Corp. prior to ISC's annual meeting on April 9, according to a report published in the current issue of National Speed Sport News. The weekly publication cites an ISC-issue proxy statement saying that Penske will exit as vice chairman and will give up his seat on the board, which will reduce its membership from 17 to 13. Walt Czarnecki, executive vice president of the Penske Corporation, will also leave the ISC board. Greg Penske, Roger's son, will retain a seat on the board, the published report said.(ThatsRacin.com)(3-29-2003)
Goo Goo for Rusty UPDATE: hearing that #2-Rusty Wallace will feature a Goo Goo Dolls (rock band) scheme at Chicago in July.(3-20-2003) UPDATE: see an image of the scheme on my Paint Scheme Gallery.(3-22-2003)
Rusty's Helmet: On lap 176 of Sunday's race, there was a seven-car wreck that started when Mike Skinner initiated contact with Rusty Wallace. Fox reported that Wallace hit the wall extremely hard. So hard, in fact, that it cracked his helmet. They didn't have a chance to tell the rest of the story on the NASCAR on FOX broadcast so Jeff Hammond wanted to clear up something for fans who thought a broken helmet was a bad thing. If you hit hard, believe it or not, it's actually a good thing. These helmets are designed to absorb all the energy of a hard impact and crack. The helmets, head and neck restraints and other safety devices work together so the helmet takes the shock, not the skull or the brain. NASCAR's approved manufacturers, including Simpson Safety Products and Bell Helmets, do an outstanding job of engineering, testing and research to protect the drivers. On Sunday, everything worked as it should to prevent serious injury to Wallace.(Fox Sports)(3-4-2003)
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)
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)
#600 for Rusty: #2-Rusty Wallace will be looking to make his 600th career NASCAR Winston Cup start this weekend at Rockingham. He is 14th on the NASCAR all-time starts list, two behind 13th-ranked James Hylton.(2-19-2003) UPDATE: hearing there may be a special paint scheme or decal to commemorate this.(2-20-2003) UPDATE 2: didn't see any special scheme on the car during qualifying, in fact when interviewed, Wallace said he didn't even realize it was his 600th start.(2-22-2003)
Rusty's Carb: NASCAR put Rusty Wallace's controversial carburetor on display yesterday for teams to examine. The specific alteration that Wallace's crew had made to the carburetor was to the walls of the four venturi, to alter the air flow to make it more effective.(Winston Salem Journal)(2-17-2003)
Rusty to the back? Bad Carb? UPDATE 3 - Rusty's Twin 125 finish disqualified and crew chief fined: hearing from sources that #2-Rusty Wallace will be sent to the rear of the field for Sunday's Daytona 500 after NASCAR found an illegal carburetor in inspection after today's qualifying race. Inspection will continue through the evening. It will not affect who will make the Daytona 500 lineup.(2-13-2003) UPDATE: NASCAR inspectors said late Thursday afternoon there was a "potential problem" with the carburetor on the #2 Miller Lite Dodge that Rusty Wallace drove to a fourth-place finish in Thursday's second Gatorade 125. NASCAR said inspections would continue through the evening and into Friday before any potential sanction against Wallace's team would be announced. It also said the outcome would not change which 43 cars will be in the starting lineup for Sunday's Daytona 500.(ThatsRacin.com) UPDATE 2: the news is that there was a template infraction on the carb and a decision is supposedly to be announced 11:30am to 12:00noon/et timeframe today.
as of 4:00pm/et, Speed Channel reports that NASCAR will announce a decision on the #2 team around 5:00pm/et. UPDATE 3 - announcement: per a NASCAR press conference heard on XM Radio - Channel 144: the #2 Miller Lite Dodge was disqualified from the Twin 125 it ran and crew chief Bill Wilburn has been fined $10,000. The fine is appealable, the disqualification is not. Will have a revised lineup soon, Wallace will have to use a provisional. Once I see how NASCAR handles this, I will post what I find. OK here is my understanding how this MAY work.
#2-Wallace is disqualified from the 2nd Twin 125;
#45-Kyle Petty who made the Daytona 500 field per speed and was to start 32nd moves up to 15th (from 16th) in the 2nd Twin and this goes into the 30th starting spot in the 500;
then #97-Kurt Busch who was to start 37th using the first provisional, moves to 36th as he would had been the next fastest driver to get a spot with speed;
#12-Ryan Newman, who was to start in the 2nd provisional spot (38th) moves to 37th;
and #2-Rusty Wallace gets the 2nd provisional spot. This is still unofficial, but it makes sense. Actually this is the way NASCAR has done it many times in the Busch series and how it has worked for years.
See my Daytona 500 Starting Grid page for an unofficial lineup.(2-14-2003)
No Free Beer? UPDATE: Miller Lite's plans to celebrate a Rusty Wallace victory in the Daytona 500 by handing out coupons for free six-packs of Miller beer have been foiled at every point so far by Daytona officials. First, they were told it wouldn't be allowed to hand out anything inside the track. Then it was told it couldn't hand out anything on any speedway grounds. And then Miller officials got a letter from the Daytona Beach police warning them not to do anything to impede pedestrian traffic.(Winston Salem Journal) UPDATE: When the green flag waves to start Sunday's 500-mile stock car season-opener in Daytona Beach, Fla., Rusty Wallace will be looking for his first win in the world¹s most prestigious stock car race and looking to make race fans in attendance winners too. In order to make it 'Miller Time' for everyone in attendance at the track, Wallace will have to guide his #2 Miller Lite Dodge stock car through the field and take the checkered flag after 200 laps around the 2.5-mile track. If Wallace is able to do that and capture his first win in Daytona Beach, all legal drinking age race fans in attendance will receive a coupon for a free six-pack of Miller Lite. If Wallace is the first driver to cross the finish line Sunday, Miller Lite will distribute coupons following the race by company representatives. Easily identified Miller Lite representatives will distribute the coupons in areas outside the track and off of track property.
If Rusty Wallace wins the stock car season-opener at Daytona Beach -- Miller Lite will give all adult fans in attendance at the race a coupon for a free six-pack of Miller Lite.
The coupons will be distributed following the race by Miller Lite representatives, who will be easily identified stationed outside the track and off of track property.
Coupon is valid in Florida, through February 28, 2003.
Coupon is good for $4.99 off of a Miller Lite six-Pack, or larger Miller Lite package.(Tom Roberts PR)(2-14-2003)
Wilburn to Change tires: Bill Wilburn, second-year crew chief for Rusty Wallace, will pull double duty the next few weeks as he returns to his role as front tire changer. "It's the only option we have right now because no one in the shop wanted to do it," Wilburn says. Dennis Terry, who had inherited the position after Wilburn became chief, resigned after last season.(Sporting News), AND got the Pit Crew Chart Page done, with the over the wall people and crew chief/car chief/spotters listed of the full time teams. plus for news and links see my Pit Crew Info/Championship Page.(2-10-2003)
Hmmm....beer UPDATE 2 yes: When the green flag waves to start this year¹s Daytona 500 stock car race on Sunday, February 16th, it will truly be OMiller Time¹ for everyone in attendance at Daytona International Speedway. Today, Miller Lite announced that should Rusty Wallace win his first Daytona 500, all legal drinking age race fans in attendance will receive a coupon for a free six-pack of Miller Lite. Wallace, the 1989 series champion and a former series rookie-of-the-year, has recorded 54 career NASCAR Winston Cup wins and 36 pole positions during his career. In his last five Daytona 500s, Wallace has registered three top-five finishes, including a career best third-place finish in 2001. During his stock car career, Wallace has made 40 starts at Daytona International Speedway, including a best-ever second-place finish last July in the Pepsi 400.(Tom Roberts PR)(1-29-2003) UPDATE: Coors Light is the official beer of Daytona International Speedway, but that doesn't necessarily stop Anheuser-Busch from sponsoring a race here (or a car, of course). But it reportedly cramps the style of everyone who recently became Rusty Wallace fans. Wallace's sponsor, Miller Lite, had announced that if Rusty wins his first Daytona 500 on Feb. 16, every adult in attendance would receive a coupon for a free six-pack of the primary sponsor's product. That, however, constitutes marketing, and without track approval (and a waiver from Coors, no doubt), Miller won't be allowed to give away anything "on property."(Daytona Beach News Journal) UPDATE 2: Rusty Wallace/Miller Lite Daytona Promotion Specifics:
-If Rusty Wallace wins the stock car season-opener at Daytona Beach -- Miller Lite will give all adult fans in attendance at the race a coupon for a free six-pack of Miller Lite.
-If Rusty Wallace wins the race: Coupons will be distributed following the race.
Coupons will distributed OFF track property. (Coupons will NOT be distributed on the track grounds.)
Coupons will be distributed by Miller Lite representatives, who will be easily identified -- surrounding the track after the race -- but not on track grounds.
- Coupons are being distributed in this manner to respect the track's relationships with other breweries.
- Coupon is valid in Florida.
- Coupon is valid through February 28, 2003.
Coupon is good for $4.99 off of a Miller Lite six-Pack, or larger Miller Lite package.(Tom Roberts PR)(2-7-2003)
Rusty and Harley ride again in 2003 UPDATE 2 um..nope: hearing #2-Rusty Wallace will run a Harley Davidson scheme in 2003, a 100th Anniversary scheme, not sure where...yet.(12-18-2002) UPDATE: hearing the scheme will run at the Brickyard 400 in Indy.(12-19-2002) UPDATE 2: been told that Rusty Wallace will not be driving a Harley 100th paint scheme in 2003.(1-27-2003)
Engine stuff UPDATE 3: the word is that Dodge's Ray Evernham may be supplementing his own in-house engine operation by signing up for a Penske engine leasing program with Penske's engine man Larry Wallace..(Winston Salem Journal)(8-24-2002) UPDATE: Larry Wallace may be taking over command of the engine program for Ray Evernham's three teams, according to Detroit sources. Wallace has been the Ford engine builder for years for Rusty Wallace (no relation), but his contract with the Roger Penske team is reported to be up at the end of this season.(Winston Salem Journal)(8-25-2002) UPDATE 2: hearing Larry Wallace has left Penske Racing, no word....yet...on where he many go...Evernham?(12-19-2002) UPDATE 2: Sources say Larry Wallace, who until recently was chief builder for Penske South, has been approached by Toyota, although that could not be confirmed.(Speed Channel)(1-11-2003)
Rusty says no retirement...just yet: Rusty Wallace has no plans to stop racing any time soon. "I'm going to drive for at least three more years," said the 46-year-old Wallace said. "I'm not looking for anything after three. I've always said the day I can't be competitive and I'm just out there running, I don't want nothing to do with it. But I'm not even close to that. I should have won a ton of races [in 2002]; we had great runs last year," he said. "Everybody keeps talking to me about (retirement) for some reason. I guess when you get 46 years old, that's a question you get asked. But I'm not close."(ThatsRacin.com/AP)(1-10-2003)
#2 Crew Member back..but: Earl Barban, crew member for Rusty Wallace’s #2 Dodge, fully recovered from the November motorcycle accident that occurred on his way to the Rockingham, N.C. event, but pre-season testing brought another hazard. The last time Barban was at the track was Homestead, Fla., and he appeared an ashen gray color from the pain he was enduring at the time. Barban suffered internal injuries and an injury to his leg in the crash. Fully recovered Barban was ready for testing. That is until he stepped off the truck at a wrong angle and twisted his ankle — severely. “Ya, I was in great shape — for the first 15 minutes of practice. Now I’ve got these things [crutches] again.”(Ford Racing)(1-9-2003)
Past 2002 News
Rusty and Harley ride again in 2003: hearing #2-Rusty Wallace will run a Harley Davidson scheme in 2003, a 100th Anniversary scheme, not sure where...yet.(12-18-2002) UPDATE: hearing the scheme will run at the Brickyard 400 in Indy.(12-19-2002)
Beer wars? The "beer wars" may be heating up, along demographic lines. Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s success in reviving Bud's business has Miller and Coors both itching to promo a similarly young driver, Miller with Ryan Newman and Coors with Jamie McMurray.(Winston Salem Journal)(11-18-2002)
Rusty looking to extend the streak: #2-Rusty Wallace has won a race in 16 consecutive seasons, a mark passed only by NASCAR legends Richard Petty (victories in 18 consecutive seasons) and David Pearson (wins in 17 straight years) [Rick Rudd had a streak of 16 season].(11-14-2002)
#2 Crewman Injured: Earl Barban, mechanic and chief spotter for Rusty Wallace, was involved in a motorcycle accident while en route to the speedway last night. According to Barban, he sustained three broken ribs, a punctured lung, lacerated spleen and various cuts and bruises. He was reached in his hospital room Friday afternoon and updated his condition. Barban is expected to remain in the hospital until at least Saturday evening.(Ford Racing)(11-2-2002) UPDATE: on Earl Barban (team mechanic/spotter injured in 10/31 motorcycle crash en route to Rockingham). Released from Rockingham hospital last night (Monday) recuperating at home under watchful eye of his mom visited his personal physician today to see if further tests are necessary biggest concern at this time seems to be the lacerated spleen and painful swollen ankles.(Tom Roberts PR)(11-6-2002)
Team Penske to honor Dixon: To celebrate Larry Dixon's NHRA Top Fuel Championship, a special logo will be placed on both the #2-Rusty Wallace and #12-Ryan Newman Ford race cars for this weekend's Phoenix race. In addition, for the in-car camera in Rusty's car, sponsor Miller Brewing is placing a dash board sign featuring the Lite logo and the message: "Congratulations Larry Dixon and Don Prudhomme Snake Racing NHRA Powerade 2002 Top Fuel Champions."(Tom Roberts PR)(11-6-2002)
Stuff: Rusty Wallace is winless in his last 59 races, tying his longest drought between victories. He went 59 races between a win at Richmond in 1997 and a victory at Phoenix in 1998. Eight drivers who won at least one race last year still have yet to win this season: Ricky Craven, Jeff Burton, Robby Gordon, Bobby Hamilton, Joe Nemechek, Steve Park, Elliott Sadler and Rusty Wallace.(Roanoke Times)(10-28-2002)
Rusty Tests at Gateway: Testing for Phoenix and Homestead, but not at Phoenix and Homestead. #2-Rusty Wallace and crew tested Tuesday & Wednesday (Oct 22nd & 23rd) at Gateway International Raceway, the 1.25-mile track near Madison, Ill., in preparation for the upcoming races at Phoenix and Homestead. "We were out of tests and it was a logical alternative," reports Penske Racing South shop foreman Gary Brooks. "Rusty and the guys are testing today (22nd) for Phoenix and tomorrow (23rd) for Homestead. They carried the (PC-) 51 car and the (PC-) 27 up there. The plan is to race the 51 at Homestead and we'll run the 49 at Phoenix. We used the 49 at Martinsville on Sunday and couldn't get it turned around in time, so we sent the Martinsville backup (27) to the test. They're saying that St. Louis (Gateway) has similar characteristics of both Phoenix and Homestead, so we'll see how it benefits. On thing for sure is that testing there is better than no test at all, isn't it?"(Tom Roberts PR)(10-24-2002)
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)
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)
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)
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)
Dodge....Penske......: Ford men say they are resigned to losing Roger Penske to Daimler-Chrysler's Dodge brand next season. The Penske-to-Dodge rumors began more than two years ago, but they really heated up this spring. An announcement had been anticipated last month; Dodge sources say that an announcement could come within the next two weeks. Penske men will only say that there's an offer on the table.(Winston Salem Journal)(9-23-2002)
Penske to Dodge anouncement....this week? UPDATE: hearing the long rumored Penske Racing to Dodge announcement could occur this week.(9-17-2002) UPDATE: well no anouncement, just more rumors....(9-21-2002)
Tired of this yet...? More Penske to Dodge stuff: Roger Penske’s switch from Ford to Dodge for 2003 and beyond in NASCAR is more than a 50-50 proposition: A bit more than half the people around NASCAR say it’s done and the rest say it’s preposterous. Don Miller, an executive within Penske South, says the notion isn’t preposterous at all, but a deal isn’t done. “They’ve made us a pretty good offer, so we’re reviewing it,” he said at Loudon. “It would be difficult to switch brands, but we’ve done it before [switching from Pontiac to Ford]. We’ll decide something once NASCAR settles on its rules for next year. We want to see about the templates and what engine combinations would work best.”(Autoweek)(9-18-2002)
Penske Q&A: Q: Can you comment on the rumors that your Winston Cup teams will switch from Ford to Dodge next season? Roger Penske A: Our contract is up [with Ford], and when our contracts are up, we look and see what's available out there. We obviously have talked to Ford. We've talked to Dodge and in fact, built a Dodge engine and run that. ... But we've got to make a decision here by the end of the month.(Fort Worth Star Telegram)(9-14-2002)
Rusty wants changes at NHIS: Rusty Wallace said he hopes New Hampshire International Speedway will make "major, major changes" following this weekend's Winston Cup race at the 1-mile oval. The track surface proved to be hazardous in two of the turns that were repaved prior to the July 21 race at the Loudon track. "They need to get started with the project as soon as they can after we run there on Sunday," Wallace said. "They're going to have to come in there and bulldoze the place; they're going to have to rebuild the track, reconstruct the turns. They need to come in there and put some banking in the turns and make it a permanent fix, not just the band-aid-type approach that's been going on there for the last couple of seasons."(Las Vegas Sun)(9-11-2002)
Penske Dodge UPDATE (like 200): Despite reports that owner Roger Penske will convert his Ford teams to Dodge in 2003, Penske insists no deal has been done. Penske cites NASCAR's new templates and what would be a complete overhaul of engine development as his greatest concerns about getting Dodges ready and testing them in time for next season. Penske South has 38 cars and 94 Ford engines housed at its facility in Mooresville, N.C.(Sporting News)(9-9-2002)
Penske to Dodge likely: this weeks Winston Cup Scene (print edition) reports that while Rusty Wallace said he expects Roger Pensek to make a decision within three weeks, several sources believe Penske has already chosen to field Dodges in 2003.(9-4-2002)
and even More Penske to Dodge talk: There are more indications of a Penske move from Ford to Dodge next season. According to team sources, more than three dozen Dodge engine blocks have been delivered to Penske South. A Penske move to Dodge would, according to team sources, be part of much larger business venture between Penske and Mercedes, which is DaimlerChrysler's top-of-the-line car. Penske already has extensive business ties with Mercedes, and he is expanding his Mercedes dealerships which are run under the United Auto Group (UAG).(Winston Salem Journal).(9-2-2002)
Penske, Jesel and Dodge? Members of Roger Penske's Winston Cup team have been spending time in the garage area of Ray Evernham's team, fueling the continuing speculation that Penske will switch from Ford to Dodge next season. Evernham is one of the top Dodge operations. Dodge officials reportedly have offered Penske $20 million to make the move.(Dallas Morning News) AND in this weeks Winston Cup Scene (need sub and adobe to read) it reports that #36/66 BGN team owner Wayne Jesel is hoping to get factory support from Dodge and an alliance with a Winston Cup program. Penske Racing is considering switching from Fords to Dodges and speculation is that Jesel would form an alliance with the organization throught Penske official Dan Luginbuhl. Jesel admits he has had discussions with Penske about an alliance, but has also contacted Evernham Motorsports and Ganassi Racing.(8-30-2002)
More Penske to Dodge stuff UPDATE: Adding fuel to the intense speculation that Roger Penske may be moving from Ford to Dodge next season is the word now, unofficially, that Dodge's Ray Evernham may be supplementing his own in-house engine operation by signing up for a Penske engine leasing program with Penske's engine man Larry Wallace. According to one unconfirmed report Dodge has offered Penske a $20 million-a-year deal to switch.(Winston Salem Journal)(8-24-2002) UPDATE: The latest on the Dodge engine front: Larry Wallace, one of NASCAR's top engine builders, may be taking over command of the engine program for Ray Evernham's three teams, according to Detroit sources. Wallace has been the Ford engine builder for years for Rusty Wallace (no relation), but his contract with the Roger Penske team is reported to be up at the end of this season.(Winston Salem Journal)(8-25-2002)
More Penske to Dodge stuff UPDATE: Adding fuel to the intense speculation that Roger Penske may be moving from Ford to Dodge next season is the word now, unofficially, that Dodge's Ray Evernham may be supplementing his own in-house engine operation by signing up for a Penske engine leasing program with Penske's engine man Larry Wallace. According to one unconfirmed report Dodge has offered Penske a $20 million-a-year deal to switch.(Winston Salem Journal)(8-24-2002) UPDATE: The latest on the Dodge engine front: Larry Wallace, one of NASCAR's top engine builders, may be taking over command of the engine program for Ray Evernham's three teams, according to Detroit sources. Wallace has been the Ford engine builder for years for Rusty Wallace (no relation), but his contract with the Roger Penske team is reported to be up at the end of this season.(Winston Salem Journal)(8-25-2002)
#2 Crewman plans to run a BGN race: Just could be "the fastest" rear tire changer in the business.Rob Fuller, the rear tire changer on Rusty's "two crew" team, is hoping to show his driving skills in the Friday night Grand National race at Bristol in a few weeks. "If things work out like we hope, I could be a teammate to Stacy Compton in that race," said the 29-year-old Massachusetts native. "Tad and his guys (ST Motorsports owner Tad Geschickter) are working with me to possibly give me the opportunity of a lifetime and I'm very thankful for that."(Tom Robets PR)(8-8-2002)
Wallace expects to stay with Ford: Penske Racing South's contract with Ford ends after this season and while there have been reports that the team of Rusty Wallace and Ryan Newman will switch to Dodge next year, Wallace said he expects to remain with Ford.(Roanoke Times)(8-5-2002)
Penske to Dodge? may be true after all UPDATE: A Penske Racing South official said the organization is still talking with Dodge about a potential switch from Fords to Intrepids for Rusty Wallace and Ryan Newman next year. At this point, there is no clear favorite, though speculation remains that it will take a blockbuster offer for the teams to switch.(Winston Cup Scene - need subscription to read online)(8-1-2002) UPDATE: from a DW column on Foxsports: "I firmly believe that Indiana native Ryan Newman, two-time Brickyard 400 runner up Rusty Wallace and Penske Racing will switch to Dodge next year based on what I know and what I've been told. There's some pretty extensive testing going on, and I don't believe they'd be doing the kind of testing that they're doing if they weren't pretty serious about making the switch so it wouldn't come as a big surprise to me. I'd give it a 98.9 percent chance that it could happen. That's going out on a limb a little bit. I know the Penske shop has got a good relationship with Ford, but just keep an eye on that situation because I've got a gut feeling that that could happen."(FoxSports)(8-2-2002)
The return of the rumor - Penske to Dodge - pretty much denied...again: Dodge sources are describing the Roger Penske-to-Dodge move as "a done deal," with the superstar car owner making a long-speculated switch from Ford and putting Rusty Wallace and Newman in Intrepids next season. The Penske camp isn't saying much, there has been no confirmation out of any of the parties, and some Penske South officials have, in fact, said they expect to field Fords again next year. But they concede they still haven't signed a new contract. "If we were switching to Dodge," crew chief Bill Wilburn said with a laugh, "why would we be building a third Daytona-Talladega car? For the sun not to be out, you seem to be running quite a fever." According to Detroit sources, Pontiac wooed Penske, but balked at the $20 million check he wanted them to write, saying that $11 million was the best they could do. So Pontiac is faced with having maybe only two or three teams lined up to run their cars next season, four or five depending on what Cal Wells does. Ironically, the newly remodeled Pontiac may well be the best model on the track in 2003. But that may not be enough to entice teams to change over, and some drivers in the mix are saying that the bosses in that GM division need to get up off their billfolds.(Winston Salem Journal)(7-30-2002)
IRWIN Rough to Finish Award: Last week, the #2 Miller Lite racing team posted one of its best finishes of the 2002 season, both at the finish line and in the pits. As a result, team crew chief Bill Wilburn takes home his second "IRWIN Rough to the Finish" award for the team's efforts at the Pepsi 400 in Daytona Beach. After starting in 37th position, Rusty Wallace, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Ford, quickly made his way through the field, climbing to 11th position by the second lap of the race. Backed by a strong race car and solid effort from crew chief Bill Wilburn and the #2 Miller Lite pit crew, Wallace raced in the top-five most of the night, avoiding "the big wreck" late in the race that took out much of the field. Once NASCAR resumed racing, Wallace continued to battle for first-place, but ran out of time as the race finished under a late-race caution, its ninth of the night. Wallace's second-place finish is his best restrictor plate race finish of his career. 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.(Golin Harris PR)(7-13-2002)
Wallace back to black? hearing #2-Rusty Wallace will run a MGD (Miller Geniune Draft) black and gold scheme at either Martinsville or Atlanta (or both) and......it may be a preview to the return of the black and gold scheme for 2003.(6-27-2002)
More news on Penske, Ford and Dodge. Denied? or is it Toyota in 2005 UPDATEs now a Pontiac rumor? been told that the equipment that Andy Petree bought from Penske was sold at an open auction. The vast majority of the equipment were surplus items and most of it came from now defunct Jeremy Mayfield team [was #12 last year]. Also been told that the Penske team will be sticking with Ford and are still developing new cars and engines.(6-19-2002) UPDATE: Once again, Robin Miller, of RPM 2 Night on ESPN2 said on Wednesdays show that Penske Racing will switch to Dodge.(6-21-2002) UPDATE 2 - NO DODGE: Rusty Wallace has dismissed talk that Penske Racing will switch to Dodge for the 2003 Winston Cup season. "There is nothing to that at all," Wallace said. "We have so much time invested in what we are doing. We are not changing." Penske Racing has been one of Ford's flagship teams since 1994, when they switched to Ford from Pontiac.(NASCAR.com Buzz)(6-22-2002) UPDATE 3: Might Ford teammates Rusty Wallace and Ryan Newman be driving Dodges next season? Penske Engines, a division of Penske Racing South, has been working on a Dodge prototype for the last three months, and owner Roger Penske says the organization must make some decisions soon. The team's contract with Ford is up at the end of the season. Many in the garage expect Penske ultimately to team with Toyota if the automaker decides to race in Winston Cup beginning in 2005.(Sporting News)(6-24-2002) UPDATE 4: Which manufacturer will Roger Penske sign with for next season? He has been penciled in by outsiders for a Dodge deal, but that would make him just one of five NASCAR Dodge operations. And that makes more credible the speculation out of Detroit last week that Penske might instead be moving toward a return to Pontiac.(Winston Salem Journal)(6-24-2002)
Rusty and Insurance: The announcement last week that Britney Spears will star in a NASCAR-themed movie has created a buzz on the circuit, as well as some skepticism about what kind of film is planned. But Rusty Wallace said he would love a cameo. But it's not because he wants any added exposure. Wallace said he spends about $250,000 a year on health and disability insurance. But Wallace is a member of the Screen Actors Guild, and that means the union's insurance helps knock down his expenses when he's actively working in front of the camera. "`That's the only reason I did `Days of Thunder,' to keep up the insurance,'' Wallace said, referring to the 1990 NASCAR movie starring Tom Cruise.(Mercury News)(6-23-2002)
Petree buying Ford equipment? UPDATE 4 Penske Dodge? Denied by Wallace: But insiders say that this week [Andy] Petree [#'s 33/55] has been on a six-figure shopping spree buying cars and parts from Penske.(Sporting News) AND Chevy car owner Andy Petree and Jerry Jones, of the Dallas Cowboys, still haven't announced anything officially, but sources say that Petree and Jones have bought a number of Fords from Penske South.(Winston Salem Journal)(6-15-2002) UPDATE: Andy Petree Racing has purchased several Fords from the Penske South team in preparation for switching to the Ford Taurus next season when Petree becomes a partner with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, a Penske official confirmed Sunday. Petree now uses Chevrolets with the No. 55 Schneider Electric car that Bobby Hamilton drives, but the team, which will be back to two cars next year, will switch to the Taurus in 2003 because of a sponsor relationship the Cowboys have with Ford. The fact that Roger Penske is willing to sell some of his cars to Petree could be an indication that the two-car Penske team may switch to Dodge next year as Penske has been talking to Dodge officials for more than a month.(Dallas Morning News - may need to register to read)(6-17-2002) UPDATE 2: been told that the equipment that Andy Petree bought from Penske was sold at an open auction. The vast majority of the equipment were surplus items and most of it came from now defunct Jeremy Mayfield team [was #12 last year]. Also been told that the Penske team will be sticking with Ford and are still developing new cars and engines.(6-19-2002) UPDATE 3: Once again, Robin Miller, of RPM 2 Night on ESPN2 said on Wednesdays show that Penske Racing will switch to Dodge.(6-21-2002) UPDATE 4 - NO DODGE: Rusty Wallace has dismissed talk that Penske Racing will switch to Dodge for the 2003 Winston Cup season. "There is nothing to that at all," Wallace said. "We have so much time invested in what we are doing. We are not changing." Penske Racing has been one of Ford's flagship teams since 1994, when they switched to Ford from Pontiac.(NASCAR.com Buzz)(6-22-2002)
More Penske to Dodge rumors: Roger Penske may be getting close to a decision on his car sponsorship [Ford vs Dodge] for next season, and NASCAR sources say he is leaning toward a switch to Dodge. That would fill the Dodge camp with a lot of teams and car owners: Bill Davis has two teams, Kyle Petty has three teams, Chip Ganassi has two teams, and Ray Evernham has two teams. Ford officials insist they expect Penske to stay with Ford. A Penske move to Dodge might not set well with the three original Dodge operations, with Bill Davis, Kyle Petty and Ray Evernham. But Chip Ganassi has been the most productive car owner for Dodge, with Sterling Marlin leading the Winston Cup standings. And now there are serious questions about the pecking order within the Dodge camp and just where Dodge executives might want to budget their racing money.(Winston Salem Journal), and if Petree is buying Penske Fords........(6-15-2002)
Red Wings win Cup - Will be honored by Rusty: Rusty Wallace and his Penske Racing South crew will be paying a special tribute to the NHL Champion Detroit Red Wings at Michigan. Wallace's Miller Lite Ford Taurus will carry the familiar Detroit Red
Wings logo on the lower quarter-panels in the action this weekend. "The Red Wings took their third Stanley Cup in Game 5 in Detroit on
Thursday night," said Wallace. "We want to salute them for a job well done. We're hoping that we can put their logo in Victory Lane on
Sunday. Now that would really be a cool deal." Wallace is a five-time winner at the Michigan track.(TRPR) NOTE: actually it is the Red Wings 10th Stanley Cup, the 3rd in the past six years.(6-14-2002)
Wallace has a broken foot: What was thought to be fractured toes on #2-Rusty Wallace's left foot after his wreck in The Winston, has now been diagnosed as a broken foot. Wallace thought he cracked three toes when he collided with Dale Jarrett during the Winston at Lowe's on May 18. While filming some commercials for the 2003 Daytona 500 in Daytona Beach, Fla. on Wednesday, Wallace started to feel extreme discomfort on the top part of his foot, after X-rays it was found that Wallace found out that two bones on the top of his foot were broken. Although Wallace said he can still drive the car, he feels discomfort after extended periods of walking. But Wallace isn't thinking about sitting out a race. Pocono Raceway and Michigan International Speedway don't require the use of the left foot as much as other tracks. However, the Sears Point race on June 23 could be a problem. One of two road courses on the NASCAR Winston Cup Series circuit, its 11 turns require shifting and heavy braking -- and use of the left foot more than other tracks.(NASCAR.com)(6-7-2002)
Philip Morris Sells Miller Brewing UPDATE: South African Breweries will buy Miller Brewing in a $3.6 billion stock deal that will make it the world's second-largest brewer. The new company will be called SABMiller PLC and will compete in the U.S. market with Anheuser-Busch, the world's largest brewer, SAB announced Thursday. Miller spokesman Michael Brophy said the acquisition would not lead to any job cuts at Miller's seven U.S. breweries. SAB is the world's fourth-largest brewer by volume, after Anheuser-Busch, Belgium's Interbrew and Heineken of the Netherlands, according to British beverage consultancy Canadean. Miller ranks sixth. The deal is expected to close as early as July, pending shareholder and regulatory approval, South African Breweries said. SAB has agreed to buy a 64% stake in Miller for $3.6 billion in stock and assume $2 billion in Miller debt. Miller's parent company, Philip Morris, would initially keep 36%. The Miller deal marks a major step in SAB's strategy of expanding largely through acquisitions to become a top player in the consolidating global beer business. SABMiller would be headquartered in London, with Miller's Milwaukee headquarters acting as a subsidiary, said Brophy. Philip Morris has wanted to sell its beer business because Miller has lost market share over the past decade, analysts said. Camilleri told industry analysts last fall that the tobacco and food giant's beer business has continued to face challenges. Profits have dropped as sales declined and advertising costs increased for Miller's strongest brands, such as Miller Lite and Miller Genuine Draft. For SAB, the deal would provide a major base in the United States and reduce its dependency on earnings made in the rand, the weak South African currency. Miller was founded in 1855 in Milwaukee, a city renowned for its breweries.(USA Today), no idea how this effects the sponsorship of the #2 Penske Racing Ford and driver Rusty Wallace(5-30-2002) UPDATE: Penske Racing South General Manager John Erickson said the recent sale of Miller Lite shouldn’t affect the company’s sponsorship agreement with the operation. Phillip Morris recently sold Miller Brewing Company, which sponsors the Winston Cup cars of Rusty Wallace. "Obviously Miller Lite’s not going to go away and I would think they’re going to keep a lot of their marketing strategy, for now,” Erickson said. “We’ve had a long relationship. I would think everything would stay pretty solid.”(Winston Cup Scene - need sub to read)(6-6-2002)
Rusty and Phone: PTN Media a leading developer of branded handheld products announced that it has entered into an agreement with Rusty Wallace to develop branded mobile phones, face plates and mobile content including Wallace news and games. Wallace drives the #2 Miller Lite Ford owned by Penske Racing South. The agreement calls for the creation of Wallace branded mobile phone handsets, phone covers as well as a subscription service which may include premium content, games, and ring tones. Subscribers to premium services will be able to receive messages from on a variety of subjects such as qualifying, race results and fan club information. Additionally, subscribers will be able to use their phones to receive special communications prior to a race or personal appearance.(Business Wire)(6-6-2002)
Rusty to the Dogs: Rusty Wallace will be in New York on Wednesday "going to the dogs" serving as Grand Marshal for the Beggin' Strips® A-Mazin' Bacon Race,which will offer select national dog charities a chance at $1 Million. The event will take place on Wednesday, June 5th at 11:30 am, at the South Street Seaport-Pier 17 (89 South St.) in New York City. The Beggin' Strips A-Mazin' Bacon Race will showcase three professionally trained dogs that will compete against each other and the clock, on the racecourse, an interactive agility course. Each dog will race on behalf of pre-selected national dog charity. The dog that wins the race will earn his assigned charity representative the chance to choose from 100 bags of Beggin' Strips. If the charity representative chooses the correct bag, his or her charity will receive a $1 million donation. If the charity representative does not pick the 'million dollar bag', Beggin' Strips® brand dog snacks will make a $5,000 cash donation to the charity in the winning dog's name. The A-mazin' Bacon
Race is touring the country this summer visiting twenty cities, and the $1 million donation race honors the fact that most of the dogs racing were adopted from humane societies. `For more information on the Beggin' Strips A-Mazin' Bacon Race, log-on to www.begginstrips.com.(TRPR)(6-5-2002)
Wallace's Son Spots for him at Lowes: Greg Wallace, Rusty's 22-yr.-old son, served as chief spotter in Sunday night's race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. With Earl Barban called back to jacking duty and Dave Kenny on vacation, Rusty chose Greg to provide the second pair of eyes. "Greg did a tremendous job and was a big help," Rusty said after the race. "I had him up there and (Tom) Polansky as a backup and they were a helluva' team." Greg graduated from college (Hampden-Sydney) a couple of weeks back. He is racing late models on a limited basis and raced at Greenville-Pickens on Saturday night. He will also be working with a Charlotte area law firm during the summer and plans on entering law school next year.(Tom Roberts PR)(5-30-2002)
Rusty Injured but ok: Broken Toes and all #2-Rusty Walace participated in NASCAR's special test at Richmond Wedneday and will be behind the wheel of his new car (PC-43) at Lowe's on Thursday. Wallace sustained three broken toes on his left foot in the grinding crash on lap 14 in the first segment of last Saturday night's "The Winston" all-star race at Lowe's. "It's about as hard as I've ever hit and that includes that head-on deal at Pocono a couple of years back," Rusty said. "What made it worse was the fact that I saw the whole thing unfold right in front of me and couldn't do anything about it. I saw the wall and knew it was going to be a hard hit.and it definitely was that."(Tom Roberts PR)(5-22-2002)
Penske to Stick with Ford? UPDATE: Although Penske Racing's contract with Ford runs out at the end of the season, don't expect the #2 (Rusty Wallace) and #12 (Ryan Newman) teams to jump ship to another manufacturer anytime soon. Roger Penske has been mentioned as a possible candidate to field Toyotas when the auto manufacturer comes to NASCAR because he owns the greatest number of dealerships. But Toyota isn't targeted to introduce its first North American V-8 until 2003. Insiders at Penske South expect the teams to renew with Ford.(Sporting News)(4-29-2002) UPDATE: Roger Penske, a Ford man for nine years, is looking at negotiating a new Detroit contract some time this season. Penske team officials have said they expect Penske to sign again with Ford. However, Detroit sources suspect Penske will move to Dodge.(Winston Salem Journal)(5-18-2002)
Rusty Honor: As part of the NASCAR After Dark festivities, defending NAPA AUTO PARTS 500 winner Rusty Wallace (#2 Miller Lite Ford) will be immortalized today at California Speedway during a Walk of Fame induction ceremony inside Gate 12 at 6 p.m. Wallace will place a plaque in the ground, sign his name and leave his footprints in cement alongside each of the previous California Speedway race winners.(Calif Speedway Site)(4-26-2002)
NAPCM Pit Crew of the week: #2-Rusty Wallace's Miller Lite Crew - Smokin' fast pit stops (14.7, 13.5, 14.3) make the Miller Lite Crew their pick this week. Check the current standings of the MechanixWear Pit Crew of the Year Award at www.napcm.com.(4-9-2002)
Rusty and Carrot Top? AT&T's 1-800 CALL ATT collect calling brand this week will launch its first NASCAR promotion, a TV, print and radio effort -- replete with comic Carrot Top -- dangling tickets to races. TV, via Young & Rubicam, New York, pairs Carrot Top with Rusty Wallace to explain the mechanisms of the April 1-May 1 campaign: 20 people will be chosen at random and matched with a driver at the starting position at the Winston Cup in Charlotte, N.C., on May 18. If one of those drivers places in the top three, the winners will receive two tickets to the Nascar race of their choice. The winners also get three days' stay at a hotel and $300 in spending cash, plus airfare. At the end of the TV spot, Wallace exits with denim mini-skirted model Angie Everhart, a trophy and gives a shove to Carrot Top, who doubles over.(Brandweek, thanks to MotorsportsTV for the heads up)(4-2-2002)
#2 Changes Tire Changer: #2 Miller Lite/Penske Racing Ford Crew chief Bill Wilburn pulled himself off of front tire changing duties last Sunday at Atlanta.placing Dennis Terry into the spot. Terry, who changed tires for the #77 Jasper Motorsports Team last season, is expected to continue that role, allowing Wilburn to stay on the pit box and focus more on his crew chief duties.(TRPR)(3-16-2002)
#2 Changes? UPDATE: hearing the #2 and #12 team owner, Roger Penske is supposed to be in Mooresville Thursday to meet with both race teams, but to spend considerable time at the #2 (and #12) shop. Word is several personnel changes might be happening by the end of the day "to straighten things out" because of the poor qualifying to start the season (3 provisionals in 4 races)(3-14-2002) UPDATE: looks like this was incorrect, been told by team sources that Penske is not in North Carolina or the shop and no changes are looking to be made.(3-14-2002)
Harley and Rusty team up again: For the fourth straight year, Miller Brewing Company and Harley-Davidson, two Milwaukee landmarks with legendary racing programs, are joining together in a program that will feature Miller Lite stock car driver Rusty Wallace. Rusty Wallace will drive a special #2 Miller Lite/Harley-Davidson stock car in three races this year. The Miller Lite/Harley-Davidson stock car will debut in 'The Winston' night race at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, May 18. Wallace and the Penske Racing team will also field the Miller Lite/Harley-Davidson stock car at Daytona International Speedway, July 6, and Michigan International Speedway, August 18. Along with partnering at three stock car races, Miller Brewing Company and Harley-Davidson will also work together to promote responsibility at a number of motorcycle rallies across the country, including events in Daytona Beach, FL and Sturgis, SD. Both companies will help dealers and distributors focus on responsible drinking and safe riding issues. In addition, both companies will prepare materials that can be used in conjunction with local activities and special events, including a poster featuring Miller Brewing's "Live Responsibly" message and Harley-Davidson's "Ride Straight" slogan. Another element in the partnership is a special NASCAR-themed, custom-painted 2002 Harley-Davidson" Softail" that will be on display in the Miller Lite Racing Garage, a mobile display that will visit 25 auto racing events during the year. This ultimate racing experience, which combines the best features of a racing museum with the excitement of a popular bar, will be equipped with race car displays, auto racing memorabilia and simulators. Miller Brewing Company and Harley-Davidson have worked together numerous times in the past. Last year, Wallace drove a special Miller Lite/Harley-Davidson at stock car races in Charlotte, Daytona Beach and Brooklyn, MI. Two years ago, Wallace drove a car featuring the brewery and motorcycle manufacturer at events in Daytona Beach, Bristol (TN) and Richmond.(Tom Roberts PR), see a diecast image of the car on my Paint Schemes Gallery.(3-8-2002)
Elvis to enter the race track UPDATE: Race fans help celebrate the legend of Elvis Presley in 2002. As part of the Elvis Presley 25th Anniversary program, Elvis.com, Action Performance Companies, Inc., Rusty Wallace, and Miller Brewing Company will bring the King of Rock N. Roll back to the track. Rusty Wallace's #2 Miller Lite Ford Taurus at the Las Vegas Cup race on March 3, 2002. The special program will mark the second time in five years Wallace features Elvis Presley on his racecar.(Action PR)(11-15-2001) UPDATE: The city of lights [Las Vegas] welcomes race fans for a sneak peak at three special Elvis paint scheme race cars. The stock car of NASCAR Winston Cup Champion Rusty Wallace, the funny car of 11-time NHRA Funny Car Champion John Force, and the top fuel dragster of NHRA ace Larry Dixon all featuring Elvis Presley themes will be on display for public viewing at Caesars Palace on Friday, March 1, 2002. The three Elvis cars were designed by Action Performance as part of the Elvis 25th Anniversary program. Rusty Wallace will race his Elvis car at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, March 3, 2002. This special program marks the second time in five years that Elvis Presley is featured on Wallace's race car. Both NHRA drivers will also compete with their Elvis themed cars in Las Vegas. They will race at the NHRA event on April 4-7, 2002. In addition to the cars, Action Performance designed the uniforms and helmets the drivers will wear in the race, as well as limited edition die-cast replicas of the cars, apparel, and other merchandise for collectors. Visitors to Caesars Palace on March 1, 2002 will have the opportunity to meet the drivers, see their race cars, and enjoy Elvis tunes. Admission is free. The cars will be on display all afternoon and drivers will arrive at 7:30 p.m. Caesars Palace is located at 3750 Las Vegas Blvd., South.(Action Performance PR) and see column by Wallace at the Las Vegas Sun: Unveiling of Elvis car highlights week.(2-27-2002)
Rusty goes nuts: Rusty Wallace, Inc. announced that Planters, part of the Kraft Foods Snacks Division, has become an marketing partner for the 2002-racing season. The marketing partnership aligns Planters with NASCAR Winston Cup star Rusty Wallace in his bid for the 2002 series championship. The arrangement between Planters and Wallace calls for Mr. Peanut,, the Planters icon, to be featured on Wallace's driving uniform. Wallace in turn, will be prominently featured in Planters racing-related marketing efforts during the 2002 season.(Tom Roberts PR)(2-12-2002)
California Testing UPDATE:: #2-Rusty Wallace and #36-Ken Schrader are scheduled to test at California Speedway on Thursday, January 24, 2002(California Speedway PR)(1-19-2002) UPDATE: #12-Ryan Newman and #36-Ken Schrader will test on Jan 24th, 2002, not #2-Rusty Wallace as announced(California Speedway PR)(1-24-2002)
Rusty re-ups thru 2004: #2-Rusty Wallace says he has signed a contract extension that will keep him at Penske Racing South through 2004(News and Record)(1-19-2002)
Rusty and Andy test Spolier: With permission from NASCAR, #2-Rusty Wallace and #28-Andy Hillenburg (subbing for Ricky Rudd) made three more runs once testing concluded at 5:00pm. The teams wanted to find out what it would take to speed up their Tauruses. After one lap around the track, the two teams took one-quarter inch off the rear spoiler. Then, after another lap, the same amount was taken off again. Wallace said he was a little disappointed with the results. "We picked up 3.3 tenths of a second, I was hoping we would pick up four," Wallace said afterwards. "NASCAR thought it would pick up five tenths." Currently, the Ford spoiler is 57 inches wide and six-and-a-half inches tall. Dodges have the same size. Chevrolets have a 57-inch by six-and-a-quarter inch spoiler.(NASCAR.com)(1-18-200)
Penske 3D: 3D Systems Corp. announced it has joined forces in a technology and marketing alliance with Penske Racing for its NASCAR Winston Cup programs. Penske Racing uses 3D Systems solid imaging technology to build prototype parts for Winston Cup Series cars driven by #2-Rusty Wallace and #12-Ryan Newman. The process enables Penske engineers to produce new parts easily and quickly from computer-aided design (CAD) data -- a necessity for making quick adjustments to improve the performance of their cars between racing events. As part of the marketing alliance, Penske uses an SLA(R) 5000 system and a ThermoJet(R) solid object printer from 3D Systems. The machines, in use and on display at Penske Racing headquarters in Mooresville, N.C., create concept models, visual aids and wind tunnel models, as well as aid in the production of final assemblies fitted on the racecars.(Business Wire)(1-18-2002)
Wallace Mechaic to make a Dash: Chuck Gafrarar has made plenty of trips to Daytona International Speedway as a mechanic on the #2 Miller Lite Ford driven by Rusty Wallace in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. On Saturday during the first day of a two-day NASCAR Goody's Dash Series test session in preparation for the Feb. 9 Daytona USA 150, Gafrarar wasn't a crew member anymore. This time, he was driving a Pontiac Sunfire for Randy Humphrey Motorsports. Gafrarar posted the second fastest speed of the day with a lap of 161.293mph. As a fabricator at Penske Racing, the 31-year-old Gafrarar, a native of Lancaster, PA, works on the bodies Wallace's #2 Ford making them as aerodynamically sound as possible. But during his spare time, he has been pursuing a career as a race car driver. Gafrarar, who doesn't travel too often with Wallace's Winston Cup team, will make a run at NASCAR Goody's Dash Series Rookie of the Year honors this season. During the Feb. 9 DAYTONA USA 150 NASCAR Goody's Dash Series season opener, Wallace will be on the radio serving as a coach to Gafrarar.(DIS PR)(1-14-2002)
2001 News
Weird but probably a typo? UPDATE yep: on this weeks Thunder Previews at Action's goracing.com, they list the #2 Miller Lite/Elvis Pressley scheme that will run at Las Vegas as a "2002 Dodge Intrepid R/T", typo or are the past Robin Miller rumor's true about Penske switching from Ford to Dodge (even thought they have a contract with Ford thru 2003)? UPDATE: as mentioned, it looks like it was a Typo and has been corrected to FORD as Penske will NOT switch to Dodge(12-13-2001)
Pemberton to Petty? rumors have former #2 crew chief, Robin Pemberton going to work for Petty Enterprises in some capcity (team manager, general magaer, consultant - but not as a crew chief) for the 2002 season.(12-7-2001)
Not NASCAR but.... CART co-founder Roger Penske [and owner of the #2-Rusty Wallace and #02-Ryan Newman Cup teams] is leaving CART for the rival IRL. Penske plans to race in all IRL events next season, including the Indianapolis 500, Penske Racing president Tim Cindric said Thursday in a statement from company headquarters in Reading, PA. Drivers Gil de Ferran, who won the CART title the last two years and Helio Castroneves (winners of the 2001 Indy 500) will remain as Penske's drivers(That's Racin'/AP)(12-7-2001)
Pemberton out? Sospenzo in? UPDATE yes...and no: hearing that former #12 Penske crew chief, Peter Sospenzo, will be named to the crew chief position of the #2 Miller Lite/Penske Racing Ford and driver Rusty Wallace. Supposedly current #2 crew chief, Robin Pemberton wants to spend more time with his family. No word on if Pemberton will stay at Penske in some capacity(12-4-2001) UPDATE: Bill Wilburn, a 20-year NASCAR Winston Cup veteran and a team member at Penske Racing South since 1992, has been named crew chief for Rusty Wallace's [#2] Miller Lite Team Penske effective immediately. Wilburn, a 35-year-old native of Kernersville, NC, assumes the position vacated by Robin Pemberton, who cited his desire to cut back on travel as the reason for leaving his position. "This is definitely as amicable a situation as possible," said Pemberton, crew chief for Wallace's team since 1995 who is expected to stay with the team until the end of the year. "I've been on the road for 22 straight years and I'm ready for a change. My boys are growing up so fast and I'm really missing that side of life so much. I'm looking forward to staying in the sport, but in a position where I'm in the shop most of the time and not a road warrior any more. I'll always be thankful to everyone involved here at Penske Racing for giving me some of the best years of my career. I may be changing jobs, but the friendships I've made here through the years will remain forever."(Tom Roberts PR)(12-5-2001)
Locked out and released? Rumor has it that there have been more job cuts with the #12 team at Penske Racing. The team used to employ around 60 people, but roughly 40 were let go when Penske decided to cut back from three Winston Cup teams to two. Word is that some of the remaining 20 were given the pink slip on Wednesday morning. The 20 employees had gone over to the #2 shop to hear the announcement that Robin Pemberton was leaving as Rusty Wallace’s crew chief; and when they returned, the locks had been changed on the #12 shop. Some received new keys, and some didn't. More cuts at Penske may be coming soon.(NASCAR.com Buzz)(12-6-2001)
Penske at NASA? hearing that Penske South had the 2001 Daytona 500 #2 Ford in the X-38 building at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston on Wednesday. Supposedly being scanned a40% scaled car can be made to test in their wind tunnel.(11-29-2001)
Rusty and Elvis ride again: Race fans help celebrate the legend of Elvis Presley in 2002. As part of the Elvis Presley 25th Anniversary program, Elvis.com, Action Performance Companies, Inc., Rusty Wallace, and Miller Brewing Company will bring the King of Rock N. Roll back to the track. Rusty Wallace's #2 Miller Lite Ford Taurus at the Las Vegas Cup race on March 3, 2002. The special program will mark the second time in five years Wallace features Elvis Presley on his racecar.(Action PR), see an image of the car on my Paint Schemes Gallery (11-15-2001)
Penske to Dodge? UPDATE 2: on Wednesday's(8-15-2001) ESPN2's RPM2 Night. Robin Miller mentioned to look for Penske Racing(#'s 02,2,12) to go to Dodge in NASCAR for 2002. But back in Jan 2000, it was announced that Penske had signed with Ford to run the manufacturer thru 2002(8-16-2001) UPDATE? from an ESPN's (Robin) Miller Mailbag - "Is there any truth to what you said a few weeks ago,that that Penske NASCAR is going to run a Dodge in 2002?" - answer: "A.J. Foyt told me Penske would be in a Dodge next year"(ESPN - Robin Miller Mailbag), back in late 1999 it was reported that Penske signed a three year deal with Ford that would last thru 2002.(11-13-2001) UPDATE 2: Roger Penske, according to A. J. Foyt, is considering a switch from Ford to Dodge. But crew chief Robin Pemberton said, "If we're switching, somebody better tell me. Take that as a no."(Winston Salem Journal)(11-17-2001)
Rusty to be penalized? UPDATE: NASCAR is expected to issue a penalty against Wallace by Tuesday for his bump and spin of Rudd during last weekend's race at Dover, Del. Rudd was the race leader at the time. Sources said the penalty is being issued for Wallace's "unrepentant" attitude following the incident. Rudd and Wallace got into a mostly verbal confrontation in the garage area after the race. The two sat down with NASCAR officials for a private conversation this weekend about the matter.(That's Racin')(9-30-2001) UPDATE: NASCAR has opted not to penalize Rusty Wallace for his involvement in a late-race wreck with Ricky Rudd at Dover .Wallace was expected to be assessed a fine this week for his bump and spin of Rudd, then the race leader, in the Sept. 23 race at Dover. Rudd was attempting to put Wallace a lap down at the time of the incident. The two got into a physical confrontation in the garage area following the race. Sources confirmed Wednesday NASCAR has decided not to penalize Wallace following his speeding penalty during last Sunday's race at Kansas Speedway(That's Racin')(10-2-2001)
Rudd, Wallace meet with NASCAR: Rusty Wallace and Ricky Rudd, who have had on-track incidents in three of past four races, met with NASCAR officials Thursday to discuss their "feud." Both drivers said they consider the incidents, which included a confrontation in the garage last weekend at Dover, Del., to be over.(That's Racin')(9-27-2001)
Scary Stuff: On Sunday, a crew member playfully was throwing a wadded ball of duct tape at NBC analyst Benny Parsons, but when Parsons moved, the tape hit Penske (#2) crew chief Robin Pemberton in the left eye and tore the cornea. That didn't stop Pemberton, who wore a patch over the eye(Sporting News)(9-3-2001)
Penske to Dodge? on Wednesday's ESPN2's RPM2 Night. Robin Miller mentioned to look for Penske Racing(#'s 02,2,12) to go to Dodge in NASCAR for 2002. But back in Jan 2000, it was announced that Penske had signed with Ford to run the manufacturer thru 2002(8-16-2001)
Rusty Cruises: Following the highly successful debut of the first "Rusty Wallace Cruise" aboard the 2,052-passenger "Fun Ship" Fascination last month, Carnival Cruise Lines has announced that the NASCAR Winston Cup champion will host two additional "racing-themed" voyages in spring and fall 2002. The 2002 "Rusty Wallace Cruise" schedule includes a four-day western Caribbean sailing aboard the 2,052-passenger Imagination departing May 9, and a seven-day eastern Caribbean voyage aboard the 2,758-passenger Carnival Triumph departing Dec. 7. Another "Rusty Wallace Cruise" departing Dec. 9, 2001, aboard the 2,052-passenger Sensation from Tampa is nearly sold out.(Catchfence)(7-10-2001)
#2 Wind Tunnel: hearing that Penske South Racing a #2 Ford, intermediate configuration(Lowes, Michigan,etc) in the wind tunnel at N.A.S.A.'s Langley Research Center located in Hampton, VA today(6-14-2001)
Wallace named to Council: International Motor Racing Research Center Chairman John Bishop announced that World Champion Jackie Stewart, Indy 500 winner Mario Andretti, Endurance Champion Hurley Haywood and Winston Cup Champion Rusty Wallace have accepted invitations to be founding members of the driver's council. The IMRRC, the only one if it's kind in the country, is a research center dedicated solely to the preservation of motorsports history. Housing more than 2,500 rare and reference books, the IMRRC has a vast collection of artwork, programs, magazines and other items that have notable worth in the history of racing. Striving to be a leader in the motorsport community, the IMRRC invited select drivers to be a part of the driver's council in order to expand the knowledge of the facility. As driver's council members, Andretti, Haywood, Stewart and Wallace will be able to give input and guidance to the facility and collections in addition to the opportunity to overlook the significant historical data related to the many type of motorsports that encompass the IMRRC. "It's certainly an honor and a pleasure to serve on the council," said Wallace, who has captured 54 NASCAR Winston Cup victories. "There is so much history that's wrapped up in motorsports… to be part of this exciting new project is quite a thrill, it promises to be very interesting." The International Motor Racing Research center is located on 10 Decatur Street in Watkins Glen, NY. The facility is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. and is closed on Sundays. Additional information can be obtained by logging on to www.racingarchives.org or by calling 607-535-9044.(Watkins Glen PR)(6-8-2001)
Rusty's Son to Race UPDATE: Greg Wallace, 21-year-old son of Rusty and Patti Wallace, will get his shot at racing in the late model ranks. He will be teamed up with legendary competitor Jack Ingram, who'll head the program for the Wallaces, Greg will go to Greenville-Pickens(SC) the first time out next Saturday (June 9).(TRPR.com)(6-4-2001) UPDATE: Greg Wallace becomes the second late model driver to run a car built and maintained out of the Jack Ingram Racing stables. The 2001 season marks the third consecutive year that 19-year old Michael Chaney out of Abingdon, VA is competing at Kingsport Speedway. Ingram, who won 29 of his 31 career victories on short tracks, serves as Chaney's spotter and crew chief at each race. The pair have combined for several pole positions including a track record and tied a career-best 2nd place finish at Chaney's final race of the 2000 season. They also have competed at New River Valley Speedway in Radford, VA and at Martinsville Speedway. Plans for 2001 include running weekly at Kingsport Speedway and selectively at New River Valley Speedway through out the summer(6-7-2001)
Wallace Tire Changer Double Duty: It's not quite as strenuous as running 500 miles at Indianapolis and 600 miles at Charlotte in the same day, like Tony Stewart did last month, but the double duty that Pennzoil World of Outlaws racer Billy Wilburn has planned for this weekend is still no small feat. Wilburn, who also works as a tire changer on Rusty Wallace's NASCAR Winston Cup team, plans to race Friday and Saturday in the ‘‘Channellock Challenge at Bristol'' and then hop a plane to Michigan to change tires for Rusty Wallace in Sunday's Winston Cup event(Kingsport Times News)(6-6-2001)
New Wind Tunnel: NASCAR teams won't have as far to travel if they're looking to conduct aerodynamic research in the future. Last month, Auto Research Center opened the first commercially-available wind tunnel in North America, in Mooresville, N.C. It has a yawing, rolling road design to simulate actual race conditions. The project is a partnership between Adrian Reynard and Roger Penske. Mooresville is home to many Winston Cup, Busch Series and Craftsman Truck teams(Sporting News)(5-14-2001)
Ride the Rails...with Rusty: Rusty Wallace rode the rails from Charlotte to Richmond on Thursday as part of an Amtrak promotion. Amtrak unveiled plans for a "Monster Mile Express" -- a special train to Dover, Del., on June 3. Instead of driving, fans can board the train in New York, Newark, Trenton, Philadelphia and Wilmington, Del., for the ride to the Winston Cup MBNA Platinum 400 at Dover Downs International Speedway. The Monster Mile Express, complete with race stripes and special fares for riders, is promised to be a "party on wheels," according to the release from amtrak.com. "NASCAR and Amtrak have always been the fastest thing on the tracks," Wallace was quoted as saying. "Now people can enjoy the speed and ease of both by riding the Monster Mile Express to Dover." Amtrak claims fans can get to 32 of 38 Winston Cup races via train this season.(NASCAR.com Buzz)(5-3-2001)
Wallace Wins the NAPA Auto Parts 500 at California Speedway. #2-Rusty Wallace won the race at California, his 54th career win (ties Lee Petty for 7th all time - my mistake, Gordon has 53, not 54) and his first of 2001. The win was Wallace's first in 21 races, Bristol in Aug 2000. Wallace is the 8th different winner in 2001. It is the 16th straight year Wallace has won a cup race (see the current list on my Richmond Race Info page). The win by Wallace allows Ford to close the Manufacturers Championship to 2 points behind Chevy, each has 5 wins each. Winston Cup Points Leader #88-Dale Jarrett(finished 24th) maintains a lead of 66 points over #24-Jeff Gordon(finished 2nd). #77-Robert Pressley had his first top ten of 2001 and best finish since a 5th last June at Michigan. #90-Hut Stricklin had a nice run, finishing 12th, his best since a 9th at Michigan in August of 1999 and from the AP/That's Racin': NAPA 500 Results(4-29-2001)
#2 Owner In Hospital: The co-owner of Rusty Wallace’s team, Don Miller, underwent back surgery on April 14 in Charleston, S.C., and remains a patient there. "The good word is that Don came through just fine, and the situation wasn’t as serious as they thought it would be," said Penske Racing South general manager John Erickson, "but, any surgery on the spinal column is serious enough stuff, so Don will be spending at least the next week in Charleston before he can come home."(Gaston Gazette)(4-19-2001)
Pemberton Back: #2 Crew chief Robin Pemberton was at the shop Monday after missing his first race last weekend since joining Rusty Wallace 's team at the end of the 1994 season. Pemberton skipped the race at Texas because of fatigue. He plans to be at Martinsville this weekend(Roanoke Times)(4-4-2001)
Pemberton may sit out UPDATE no Texas: Robin Pemberton, crew chief for Rusty Wallace's #2 Miller Lite Ford, was not with the team Friday at Texas. Pemberton was, instead, back home in the Charlotte area undergoing medical tests to seek the cause for the fatigue he has been feeling in recent weeks. "I was really feeling pretty normal as far as being run down and stressed out - just like about 400 other friends of mine feel like every day," Pemberton said. "But my doctor didn't like the way I was looking and he told me to come in for some tests." Pemberton had a heart stress test before last week's race at Bristol and then had a heart catheterization. Those tests did not reveal any blockages. On Friday, he was having his carotid artery checked. Pemberton wouldn't rule out coming to the race on Sunday. If he doesn't, team general manager John Erickson said that Jeffrey Thousand would likely be on top of the team's pit box on Sunday communicating with the driver(That's Racin')(3-31-2001) UPDATE: Rusty Wallace's crew chief, Robin Pemberton, opted not to fly to Texas yesterday. Pemberton has been undergoing a series of medical tests, but he had considered joining the team in time for today's race. Now he is taking the weekend off and planning to be back with Wallace next weekend at Martinsville(Richmond Times Dispatch)(4-1-2001)
Rusty Special Scheme UPDATE: not sure what it'll look like or what it's for, but the Rusty Wallace site (www.rustywallace.com) is showing an image of a car under a tarp, no idea what it is for, but the announcement will be on March 5th (this coming Monday) at 6:00pm/et. It looks gray and orange, Harley Davidson?(3-1-2001) UPDATE: For the third straight year, two Milwaukee landmarks with legendary racing programs, Miller Brewing Company and Harley-Davidson, are joining together in a program that will feature Miller Lite stock car driver Rusty Wallace. Rusty Wallace will drive a special Miller Lite/Harley-Davidson stock car in three races this year. The Miller Lite/Harley-Davidson stock car will debut in 'The Winston' night race at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, May 19. Following the event in North Carolina, Wallace and the Penske Racing team will field the Miller Lite/Harley-Davidson stock car at Florida's Daytona International Speedway, July 7, and Michigan International Speedway, August 19. Along with partnering at three stock car races, Miller Brewing Company and Harley-Davidson will also work together to promote responsibility at a number of motorcycle rallies across the country, including events in Daytona Beach, Sturgis, SD, and Milwaukee. Both companies will help dealers and distributors focus on responsible drinking and safe riding issues. In addition, both companies will prepare materials that can be used in conjunction with local activities and special events, including a poster featuring Miller Brewing's "Think When You Drink" message and Harley-Davidson's "Ride Straight" slogan.(Rusty Wallace Site/TRPR), see image at either site or on my Paint Scheme Gallery(3-5-2001)
Cup driver to retire? UPDATE 2: many readers have emailed saying that Larry Woody from the Tennessean was on the radio(WKDF 103.3 in Nashville) this morning and said said that it is highly speculated that a top Winston Cup driver will be announcing his retirement soon and that the death of Dale Earnhardt was just too much for them, no names were mentioned. I had heard Ken Schrader and checked into that but team sources say that Schrader would not retire or leave the Cup Series(2-23-2001) UPDATE: hearing that Nashville TV Channel 4 WSMV reported during their 10:00pm newscast, that the driver retiring would be Rusty Wallace(checked their site and have not seen it there, listened to two video clips but neither mentioned it, about five readers reported seeing it on the news). Have found nothing to back this up and sources have not responded to my email and in a story on That's Racin': `We're racers - It is what we do' by David Poole, Wallace says - "I'd be lying if I said I haven't though about it (retiring)," Wallace said. "I don't need to race any longer, I enjoy racing. Patti (his wife) would probably be just as happy if I didn't race at all right now, but this is what I do for a living. I've been pretty fortunate my whole life and have been real successful on the track and off the track. So I am going to continue on." UPDATE 2: been told through Wallace's PR folks that Nashville TV Channel 4 WSMV did not report that Wallace was retiring and comments from Wallace thru Ford Qualifying Notes: WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS DO YOU EVER THINK ABOUT NOT DRIVING AGAIN? "No, not really. There are spurts that go through you when you think about it occasionally. I'd be lying if I said I haven't thought about it. Yeah, I have thought about it. I don't need to race any longer. I enjoy racing. Patti would probably be just as happy if I didn't race at all right now, but this is what I do for a living. I've been pretty fortunate my whole life and been real successful on the track
and off the track, so I'm gonna continue on. I've probably got three to four years left in me before I don't want to do it. I just hope when I quit that I quit on a high note and that's it. I hope I don't get hurt or mangled or something stupid happens to me."(2-25-2001) UPDATE 3: Wallace is now leading the Winston Cup Points standing, I doubt he is going to retire(2-26-2001)
New #2/Wallace sponsor(assoc): Expect to hear Rusty announce a new relationship with Learjet in the upcoming weeks(RaceWarrior)(2-9-2001)
New Wind Tunnel: The new ARC (Auto Research Center) is a joint effort between Raynard and Penske Racing and located right next door to Penske South in Mooresville, NC. This new aerodynamics facility allows teams to test 50-per cent scale models of their cars on a moving ground plane, inside a wind tunnel. Add to this the ability to yaw the car from side to side and the possible test data gets long and important. It may not replace the conventional tunnels now widely in use, but it will be on every serious Winston Cup teams schedule shortly. See full story at Speedway Illustrated(2-7-2001)
Wallace Honors Driver: Helping induct Larry Phillips into the Ozarks Area Racers Association Hall of Fame was more than just a commitment fulfilled for Rusty Wallace. It was an honor, Wallace said. Phillips won five Winston Racing Series titles and more than 2,500 races as a driver. His proteges fill the Winston Cup garages. An estimated 3,000 people turned out Saturday at the Shrine Mosque in Springfield, MO to see Wallace and honor Phillips and nine other inductees. See full story at the Kansas City Star(1-31-2001)
More Penske Wind Tunnel: hearing that Penske South Racing has two #2 Fords in the wind tunnel at N.A.S.A.'s Langley Research Center located in Hampton, VA today. Supposedly they are Las Vegas/Intermediate cars with.....the Talladega/Daytona Aero Package(1-25-2001)
Wallace and Utz: Utz Quality Foods announced a sponsorship partnership with Rusty Wallace(#2 Miller Lite Ford) for the 2001-2002 racing seasons. Because of Wallace's love for the Utz product, he approached Utz about forming a partnership, which led to Utz's first entry into NASCAR's Winston Cup Series(Catchfence)(1-12-2001)
Penske Cars in the Wind Tunnel: hearing that Penske South racing/Penske Racing LLC is testing four restrictor plate cars at the wind tunnel at N.A.S.A.'s Langley Research Center located in Hampton, VA today(1-5-2001)
2000 News
Wind Tunnel: Roger Penske's new wind tunnel in Mooresville, NC is close to completion. It will handle 50-percent, scale-model race cars, so Rusty Wallace's Ford team won't have to make the haul to the Lockheed tunnel in Marietta. The new wind tunnel will be the first in North Carolina, and it marks a major escalation in the cost of the sport(PitNow)(11-21-2000)
New Rusty Sponsor: Amtrak, the nation's passenger train service, is making its first venture into NASCAR as an associate sponsor for Rusty Wallace, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Fords(That's Racin')(11-12-2000)
Wallace Commercials: Rusty Wallace, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Ford, completed shooting new TV commercials for sponsor Miller Brewing Company last week in Charlotte. He will be featured in four spots which will have prominent major network placement and are expected to air in rotation format with two spots per race broadcast in 2001(Speedway Illustrated)(10-18-2000)
#77 and Penske? UPDATE 2: Roger Penske is reported considering buying the Doug Bawal (#77) operation, possibly as a base for the new Ryan Newman team. Bawal's shop sites adjacent to Penske's in Mooresville. Ryan Pemberton, who runs the team for Bawal, says he's unaware of any possible sale pending(PitNow)(10-9-2000) UPDATE - Engines? hearing that the #77 Jasper Engines team has shut down their engine shop effective this week and will begin using Penske Motors(10-10-2000) UPDATE 2: Jasper Motorsports has closed its engine shop and will use Penske engines for the remainder of the 2000 season. Next season, the team will form a partnership with Penske and Pressley's team will run a newly designed engine produced by the collaborative effort. Pressley is in the third and final year of his contract and he and the team were working extending the contract(That's Racin')(10-14-2000)
#12 Rumors/News? UPDATE 2: hearing that #12 Mobil One owner, Michael Kranefuss is to sell the #12 team to Roger Penske, who owns the #2 Miller Lite Ford team. Also, Kranefuss is expected to purchase the #41 from Larry Hedrick and run Shawna Robinson with a possible Cup deal out of the Statesville, NC shop. One thing that makes this odd, is the #41 is a Chevy team, Kranefuss is a Ford guy. No word on if Mayfield stays of goes to one of the other teams looking for a driver (#'s 01, 4 or 7), seems to be something going on with the #12. Kranefuss was not in Charlotte for the race week and during the Ryan Newman announcement (#02 ALLTEL) there was NO mention of Mayfield being a teammate or Kranefuss UPDATE: Penske Performance South, Inc., the managing member of Penske-Kranefuss Racing, LLC, and Michael H. A. Kranefuss today announced the purchase of Kranefuss' 50 percent stake in Penske-Kranefuss Racing, LLC by Penske Performance South, Inc., effective immediately. The Team will now be known Penske Racing, LLC, and Walter P. Czarnecki, vice-chairman of Penske Performance South, Inc., has been elected president of the company. Jeremy Mayfield will continue as the driver of the Team's #12 Mobil 1 Ford Taurus, with Michael Kranefuss continuing as a member of the Team for the remainder of the NASCAR Winston Cup season(Williams Company)(10-9-2000) AND see related stories at the Sporting News: Source: Penske now sole owner of No. 12 Ford team and SpeedVision: Penske Buys Out Kranefuss and That's Racin': Penske buys out Kranefuss UPDATE 2: The Penske-Kranefuss Racing NASCAR Winston Cup team Monday night announced an ownership change, one that could lead to driver Jeremy Mayfield's departure from the operation at the end of the season. A Penske news release said Mayfield and Kranefuss will continue to be associated with the Mooresville, N.C.-based team through the end of this season. Mayfield is considered a candidate for at least two Winston Cup cars that will be vacant at the start of the 2001 season(Greenville News) BUT an NOL column reports: A spokesman for Mayfield said the driver had two years remaining on his contract with the team and he had "no plans to go anywhere."(10-10-2000)
Wallace scheme: hearing Rusty Wallace will run a special Miller scheme on the #2 Ford at Atlanta in November's season finale. Supposedly a 10th Anniversary car (between Miller and Wallace)...this is all I have heard and do not have an image of it(9-2-2000)
Sweep at Bristol: Rusty Wallace is the first driver to win both races at Bristol Motor Speedway in one season since Dale Earnhardt in 1987(Roanoke Times)(8-28-2000)
#2 in Wind Tunnel: Penske South racing is testing two #2 Fords at the wind tunnel at N.A.S.A.'s Langley Research Center located in Hampton, VA today. One is supposedly the car that Rusty Wallace just ran and won in at Michigan(8-22-2000)
Penske at the Wind Tunnel: the #2 Ford of Rusty Wallace and the Penske ARCA #27 Ford from Pocono are at N.A.S.A.'s Langley Research Center located in Hampton, VA today. Roush Racing had some of their Trucks there earlier in the week(7-27-2000)
Name Rusty's Car: Rusty Wallace is asking fans to help name the car that won the Pennsylvania 500 Sunday. The car, which finished eighth at California in April and 10th at Pocono in June, was previously known as PC-22. Fans can send their suggestions to Tom Roberts Public Relations, P.O. Box 890, 2222 Taylor St., Guntersville, AL 35976 or email at trpr@ix.netcom.com or see Tom Roberts site (Citizens' Voice)(7-24-2000)
Rusty News: NASCAR fans made waves Saturday on Lake Norman in Charlotte, NC, at the Rusty Wallace "Splash for Kids," a Polaris watercraft charity ride. Wallace led dozens of participants on the four-hour ride on a Polaris Genesis watercraft custom-painted to look like his #2 Winston Cup Ford. During the event, riders zig-zagged the lake on a "poker run" to win prizes, including a Richard Petty Driving Experience and two pit
passes for the October 2000 Winston Cup Race at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte. After the ride, riders mingled with Wallace and placed bids on authentic NASCAR memorabilia, including a Rusty Wallace die cast car,
rear ¼ panel and chase jacket. All auction proceeds also benefited Speedway Children's Charities, a nonprofit foundation that distributes funds to charities providing emotional support, medical and social services to children in need(Polaris PR)(7-16-2000)
Rusty Tied UPDATE add Gordon: Rusty Wallace is tied with Richard Petty and Bobby Allison with the most career wins on a road course. Also Jeff Gordon has five and can tie the trio with a win at Sears Point and Rusty can take the career leadership(6-24-2000) UPDATE: Gordon now ties Wallace, Petty and Allison for having the most career road course wins(6-25-2000)
Rusty Penalty: why was #2-Rusty Wallace penalized towards the end of the MBNA Platinum 400 at Dover? Rusty Wallace was in the NASCAR trailer after the race questioning a black flag that cost him in the final miles. Instead of battling Dale Earnhardt for seventh, a lap down, Wallace wound up 14th after the penalty. Wallace had been racing Earnhardt for position when the last caution came out. So just before the single-file restart Wallace passed several cars that were behind him on the scorecard, to get to Earnhardt's rear bumper. NASCAR then blackflagged him, pointing to the 10-lap rule that sets a single-file restart inside 10 to go and that doesn't allow anyone except drivers still on the lead lap to close up. If Wallace and Earnhardt had been on the lead lap, Wallace could have closed up; since they weren't, he couldn't(PitNow). Also, see the explanation at That's Racin' and NOL(6-5-2000)
Penske Wins #100: as an owner in CART. #2 Miller Lite team owner, Roger Penske won the 100th CART race as an owner today when Gil DeFerran won the postponed CART race at Nazareth, PA(SpeedVision). Among those 100 wins are ten(10) Indy 500 victories(5-27-2000)
FBI and the #2 Team: the FBI was brought in to help stop the theft of team and driver uniforms, helmets, and other racing-related items from the shop by a team member(RacingOne)(5-11-2000)
Penske to Indy...as a sponsor: Joe Gibbs BGN driver, Jason Leffler, will be sponsored by Roger Penske under the UnitedAuto Group banner for his 2000 Indy 500 attempt in the #55 Treadway Racing owned GForce/Aurora(SpeedVision)(5-5-2000)
Wallace Money: another question being asked, why did Rusty Wallace only win $50 more then 2nd place Johnny Benson? from the Florida Times-Union: Rusty Wallace's take for winning yesterday's race was $87,585. Johnny Benson, who finished second, made $87,535. Wallace doesn't carry a sticker promoting NASCAR's "official" spray paint, so that cost him $4,300 in bonus money. Not carrying the Gatorade sticker cost him another $10,000. Benson won several bonuses, including one from Gatorade and one for making the best move of the race. Those bonuses added up to $21,800(3-27-2000)
#50 for Rusty: #2-Rusty Wallace wins at Bristol for the 2nd spring race in a row and hos 50th career Winston Cup win, tying him with Ned Jarrett and Junior Johnson for 8th on the all time list and putting him one in front of Jeff Gordon. Lee Petty is next in line with 55. For results of the Food City 500 see NASCAR Online, That's Racin' or the Racin' Network(3-26-2000) UPDATE: the win also extends Wallace's streak of having a win in each of the last 15 seasons(3-27-2000)
Rusty Scheme REPOST UPDATE a Harley again: from the goRacing Rusty Wallace chat transcript: Q) Is there a small chance in heck that you will be back in a black car in the future? A) I loved the black car...but there's not a chance. I've been trying to get a black car out of the Miller Brewing company...but I'm sticking with The Blue and White Miller Lite Car. We're announcing a new paint scheme on March 6th(goRacing)(2-24/3-6-2000) -- UPDATE: Announced in Daytona during Bikeweek(which is a wild time by the way), Wallace will run a Miller Lite/Harley Davidson paint scheme in three Saturday night CUP races. The #2 Ford will debut in the Pepsi 400, then will appear in the Aug. 26 goracing.com 500 at Bristol and the Sept. 9 Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400 at Richmond. See the full story and an image(do not send it to me) at NASCAR Online(3-7-2000)
Penske Summit: Rusty Wallace has called a summit meeting Tuesday morning between representatives of Penske Racing and Penske-Kranefuss Racing to formulate a common chassis(Speed Magazine)(3-8-2000)
Rusty Scheme: from the goRacing Rusty Wallace chat transript: Q) Is there a small chance in heck that you will be back in a black car in the future? A) I loved the black car...but there's not a chance. I've been trying to get a black car out of the Miller Brewing company...but I'm sticking with The Blue and White Miller Lite Car. We're announcing a new paint scheme on March 6th(goRacing)(2-24-2000)
Crew Move: Tire changer Mark Armstrong has left #2-Rusty Wallace for #99-Jeff Burton‘s team(Times-Dispatch)(2-12-2000)
Penske South News: In addition to primary backers Miller Lite and Mobil 1, four associate sponsors announced increased support on Friday. Mead Coated Papers, which has been with Penske South for the past four years, has re-signed for another four years, and Snap-on Tools, a fixture at Penske Racing for the past 18 years, signed a three-year deal with both Stock car teams. Mazak, one of the prime machine-tool manufacturers in the United States, has signed a three-year deal with both teams. Also it was announced that both teams will field Fords for the next three years as the teams re-signed with Ford Motor Company(TNN Media Tour Coverage)(1-15-2000)
Snap-On News: I hear Snap-On Tools announced at their annual kick-off that they will be associate sponsors for Rusty Wallace, Jeremy Mayfield, Mike Skinner, Bill Elliot, and current teams of Dale Earnhardt Sr & Jr and Steve Park(1-11-2000)
Rusty News UPDATE: hearing #2 Miller Lite driver Rusty Wallace cracked his shoulder blade in a ski accident. Buddy Baker will be testing the #2 car next week(12th and 13th) at Talladega, unsure who will test the car at Daytona on Jan 20th-21st -- UPDATE: Wallace said he won't be at the Talladega test due to previously scheduled sessions he must take in Arizona to maintain his private pilot's license, not due to a broken shoulder he suffered in a snow skiing accident last month. Baker will test at Taladega, Wallace will test at Daytona(NOL)(1-6-2000)
Testing? hearing that the #2 & #12 cars are involved in some testing at the Ford Proving Grounds outside of Lake Havasu City in Yucca, AZ. The shakedowns are on the 2000 Taurus on the highspeed track with Shawna Robinson & Buddy Baker doing the driving and Robin Pemberton overseeing the test(1-5-2000)
No Dodge for Penske: Roger Penske last week signed a new three-year commitment with Ford. So Rusty Wallace won't be one of the drivers in a new Dodge Intrepid in 2001(Savannah Morning News)(12-19-1999)
AND...Announcement UPDATE: Details of a one-of-a-kind partnership involving NASCAR Winston Cup Series stars Bobby Labonte, Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin will be announced at a press conference on Friday, December 17 at 2pm/et.....plus the newest NASCAR Winston Cup Series primary team sponsor will be introduced, the car will be unveiled and you'll find out what team the sponsor is backing and who will drive the car(#27 team?)(12-16-1999) -- UPDATE: Mark Martin, Rusty Wallace and Bobby Labonte will participate throughout the upcoming racing season as part of a Men's Health Tune-Up for LifeT program that is created to help educate men and their partners about common medical conditions. As part of the Men's Health Tune-Up for Life program, Pfizer will conduct on location health screenings for men prior to most Winston Cup races. The Men's Health Tune-Up for Life Trailer, a specially equipped mobile unit, will be at every racing event using questionaire or simple medical tests to screen for common medical conditions such as high cholesterol, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), depression, hypertension and erectile dysfunction. Educational materials on common health conditions will also be available. The Men's Health Tune-Up for Life Trailer has the capacity to screen more than 35,000 men during the upcoming racing season(Keystone Marketing)(12-17-1999)
Rusty Paint: a few readers that get the Rusty Wallace Newsletter report
that the latest issue says: "Next year our 2000 Taurus will look a little different and i think you fans will like the new one better than the one we used this year. Look for the Miller Time Taurus to have at least a couple of special paint schemes in the coming year that i think you will be excited to see". This may where the Baywatch deal comes into play(12-3-1999)
Burdette Back? UPDATE: sources tell me that former #98 team part owner, Wayne Burdette is looking to come back into the Cup Series with...get this...Baywatch (yep the show) as a sponsor in some way(11-23-1999) -- UPDATE: I now hear that Baywatch will be an associate sponsor on the #2 Miller Lite Ford driven by Rusty Wallace in an associate sponsorship role(12-1-1999)
1998 winners who didn't win in 1999: Bobby Hamilton, Jeremy Mayfield and Ricky Rudd are the drivers who earned victories in 1998 who did not win in 1999. Rudd failed to keep his 16 straight seasons with at least a win streak intact and was not able to extend it to 17 seasons. #2-Rusty Wallace is now the active leader with a win in 14 straight seasons(11-21-1999)
Rusty Book: David Bull Publishing will announce its latest publication, Rusty Wallace: The Decision To Win, at Homestead on Friday, November 12 at 10 am in the media center. The book is authored by award-winning NASCAR writer
Bob Zeller. Rusty, the author, and the publisher will be on hand to introduce the new book and to answer questions. Review copies of the book will be available at the media center. The 160-page softcover retails for $24.95 and is
available at all major book stores or by calling David Bull Publishing directly at 1-800-831-1758 or in Jayski's Racing Bookstore. A limited-edition collector's hardcover, hand-signed by Rusty and the author, and featuring Rusty's complete NASCAR career statistics from 1980 through 1998, is also available from the Publisher for $79.95.(PR)(11-11-1999)
Penske to buy out Kranefuss? UPDATE 2 Nope: according to reports, Roger Penske is ready to buy out Michael Kranefuss, half owner of the #12 Mobil One team and driver Jeremy Mayfield. Supposedly Penske wants complete control so he can switch both teams to Dodge at the end of the 2000 season. Dodge would then have six Cup teams, two with Evernham, two with Petty and two with Penske(Speedway Scene Mag/Jack Flowers)(11-3-1999) -- UPDATE: I hear that Roger Penske, Michael Kranefuss and Walter Czarnecki recently denied any desire on anyone's part to buy anyone out and that they recently said it was completely and totally untrue and they planned on continuing together and planned on winning together -- UPDATE 2/REPOST: Rumors of tension between NASCAR team owner Roger Penske and partner Michael Kranefuss are greatly exaggerated, both sides said over the weekend at North Carolina Speedway. Kranefuss, half-owner (with Penske) of the #12 team with driver Jeremy Mayfield, said Sunday morning at Rockingham that he and Penske intend to keep to course as co-proprietors of one of NASCAR's better racing organizations. Walt Czarnecki, vice president of Penske Racing, strongly reinforced the point(Racer Mag)(11-4-1999)
Penske News: Roger Penske said yesterday he has no plans for a third Winston Cup team and he doesn't plan to switch from Ford to Chrysler -- at least not any time soon(PitNow)(10-25-1999)
#2 Associate: The Lawman Armor Corporation announced a partnership with Rusty Wallace to endorse Unbrakeable Autolock, the company's latest breakthrough anti-theft device. The Lawman Armor Corporation and Wallace will officially announce their partnership at a news conference during the APAA '99 Show at the Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas. The conference is slated for Wednesday, Nov. 3, from 1 - 1:30pm/pt in room 103 of the Sands Expo Center. Lunch will be provided. In addition, Wallace will be signing autographs from 2:30 - 5:00pm/pm at the Lawman Armor Corporation booth located in the Sands Convention Center, booth #8949(NOL)(10-22-1999)
Pemberton signs: #2 driver, Rusty Wallace said Saturday that crew chief Robin Pemberton has a new deal with the team. Pemberton, whose contract expired after this season, signed a three-year deal Thursday(Roanoke Times)(10-17-1999)
Penske Chassis: Heard this on NASCAR2Day and during the race a few times - That #2-Rusty Wallace and #12-Jeremy Mayfield are using different chassis and are unable to share data when they test. I am getting a lot of email wondering what this means and maybe the team will switch to Chrysler/Dodge. Not sure what it means and am not looking to speculate on it. Penske is known to experiment with his teams(in CART etc) and to try new things(10-12-1999)
Cowboys and NASCAR: The NFL Dallas Cowboys are negotiating to have two cars bearing their colors and logo race in next April's Direct TV 500 at the Texas Motor Speedway, owner Jerry Jones said Thursday. The two Winston Cup cars - one predominantly silver and the other predominantly blue - would compete in the April 2 race. The Cowboys also want a car with their colors to compete in the Texas 300, a Busch Series race, on April 1. Jones would not divulge the names of the drivers the Cowboys have targeted, but spokesmen for Bobby Labonte and Rusty Wallace's primary sponsor say they have had preliminary discussions with the Cowboys. For example, the Cowboys wouldn't use Earnhardt because he has an endorsement deal with Coke. Jones has ties with Pepsi(Dallas Morning News) NOTE: that should rule out Labonte also as he has an endorsement deal with Coke also(10-1-1999)
Short Track Season: The short track 'title' goes to Rusty Wallace by four points over Dale Earnhardt. The top ten: 1) #2-Wallace 891; 2) #3-Earnhardt 887; 3) #6-Martin 838; 4) #88-Jarrett 835; 5) #40-Marlin; 6) #24-Gordon 788; 7) #44-Petty 772; 8) #99-Burton 766; 9) #20-Stewart 734; 10) #31-Skinner 727 (Stock Car Fans Rumblings)(10-3-1999)
Rusty News: Tom Knox has joined Rusty Wallace, Inc., in the newly created position of Director of Marketing. Knox comes to RWI after a two-year stint as an account executive with NASCAR. Based out of NASCAR’s New York corporate offices, Knox was responsible for sales and renewals in working with the sanctioning body’s official status and partner status sponsors. Knox’s new spot at RWI will see him dealing primarily with new business development and personal endorsements(PR)(9-2-1999)
Martin/Wallace incident: Robin Pemberton, crew chief for Rusty Wallace, says NASCAR officials have apologized for directing Wallace on to the track and into Mark Martin's way Thursday. The two hit in the final practice session, causing moderate damage to both cars(News and Record)(8-7-1999)
Penske Crew: Mark Armstrong, rear tire changer for the Penske Racing South Miller Lite car driven by Rusty Wallace, returned to Gastonia, N.C., prior to Sunday's race for the birth of his first child. Armstrong arrived in San Rafael at the hotel Saturday afternoon only to learn that wife Lorie had gone into labor. Front tire carrier Ben Leslie replaced him. In turn, Leslie's job was picked up by crew chief Robin Pemberton, who had given up his over-the-wall duties last year following surgery on both knees(NOL) Congrats!!(6-28-1999)
#2 Crewman: Bob Tracey, gas man/transport driver for Rusty Wallace, was recovering after he was injured on pit road at Dover. He broke two bones and had two chips in his left foot and was fitted in a full plaster cast. He's also undergoing hernia surgery which he had been delaying(SpeedNet)(6-24-1999)
Testing UPDATE 2: Kyle Petty and John Andretti are supposed test at Road Atlanta on Monday and Tuesday(June 14-15th)in preparation of the upcoming road course races(Williams Co)(6-13-1999) -- UPDATE 1: I hear Ward Burton and Tom Hubert will test Bill Davis' Pontiacs at Road Atlanta on Monday - UPDATE 2: Rusty Wallace in the #2 Ford and Kenny Irwin in the #28 also tested(WC Today Radio)(6-14-1999)
Update on Rusty crewman: Bob Tracey, transport driver/gas man for Rusty Wallace's Team Penske car, was scheduled to see an orthopedic surgeon in Charlotte, N.C., Tuesday afternoon to determine whether any additional medical procedures are necessary on his left foot he injured on pit road at Dover last week when an air gun was spun by the rear tire of Wallace's car when the jack dropped. Tracey was initially treated in the infield medical center before being transferred to Kent General Hospital in Dover for further observation. He was diagnosed with a hairline fracture and a chipped bone on the side of his foot. Tracey was released from the Dover hospital Sunday evening and flown back to Charlotte. Doug Ingold will be moved in as gas man until Tracey returns while Earl Barban will be filling in as the transport driver(SpeedNet)(6-9-1999)
Rusty's Gasman hurt: Bobby Tracey, gasman and truck driver for the #2 Miller Lite Team and driver Rusty Wallace, injured his left ankle during a pitstop. According to team officials, Tracey was apparently hit by an air gun and a lug nut that spun off a tire as Wallace was leaving the pits. Tracey has a hairline fracture of his foot(NOL)(6-7-1999)
Rusty Tests: Rusty Wallace tested the #2 Miller Lite Ford at Michigan Speedway earlier this week(Times-Dispatch)(6-4-1999)
Rusty and Harley: from the Harley Davidson site, in part: Two Milwaukee landmarks with legendary racing programs, Miller Brewing Company and Harley-Davidson, are joining together for a summer promotion that will offer consumers an opportunity to win Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and introduce a special limited-edition Miller Lite/Harley-Davidson design for three racing teams. A national sweepstakes, where legal, during June and July will provide consumers with an opportunity to win one of 35 Harley-Davidson motorcycles in the Miller Lite and Miller Genuine Draft promotion, 'Instant Summer, Just Add Beer.' As part of the promotion, the three Miller Lite-sponsored race teams of Rusty Wallace, Max Papis and Larry Dixon will feature the special navy blue and chrome Miller Lite/Harley-Davidson limited-edition design in races beginning this weekend (June 6), through August 1. The three Miller Lite/Harley-Davidson race cars will debut this weekend. Rusty Wallace will be racing his NASCAR stock car at Dover Downs International Speedway (June 6) and Max Papis will pilot his CART Champ car at 'The Milwaukee Mile' (June 6). Larry Dixon will be at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, IL with his NHRA Top Fuel dragster (June 6).(many readers forwarded this too me, I cut out most except for the Wallace parts. See the full release at the Harley Davidson site - Miller Brewing Company and Harley-Davidson team together for a summer racing promotion(6-2-1999)
Suspension: NASCAR on Wednesday suspended Rick Burgdoff III, a crew member for Jeff Green's BGN team(#32) who works for Penske South and Progressive Motorsports, for fighting in the garage area following last Sunday's race at Nazareth. Burgdoff was involved in an altercation with a track photographer at the speedway. He is suspended from NASCAR events until June 14 and must pay a $2,500 fine. Burgdoff also serves backup tire changer for Winston Cup driver Rusty Wallace(That's Racin')(5-27-1999)
RWI: Rusty Wallace's RWI (Rusty Wallace, Inc.) complex is in its finishing stages. Not open to the general public yet. RWI is located across Knob Hill Road from Penske Racing South in Mooresville, NC(NOL)(4-29-1999)
Rusty Paint: hearing rumors that Rusty Wallace will run a Harley Davidson scheme at either the Winston or later in the year??(4-28-1999)
Rusty Chat: during Rusty Wallace's NOL chat, it was asked about special paint schemes, Wallace said "that they aren't going to have any special paint schemes but he knows that the Miller Brewing Company is planning something special for his 50th win, but are not even telling him and it'll be a surprise(4-16-1999)
Another New Car: Rusty Wallace, who took his 49th career Cup win in a brand new car at Bristol, will debut his new "PC-11" this coming weekend on the .526-mile Martinsville short track. "That was a pretty cool deal for our team at Bristol," Wallace said from his North Carolina mountain home on Monday. "When you stop and think about it, it was pretty incredible that we were able to take a brand new car...a car that had never seen a lap on a race track until last Friday...win the pole, and then kick butt like we did there on Sunday. "The big difference [at Martinsville] is that we've already had the 'PC-11' out for a shakedown," said Wallace, who has six career Martinsville wins. "We had the car down at Greenville-Pickens (Speedway, near Greenville, S.C.)once and hope to go back this week. We logged a lot of laps and know we have a strong piece in this car. We'll tweak on it some more before we get to Martinsville."(Tom Roberts PR via Speedwords)(4-13-1999)
Rusty Tests UPDATE: I hear Rusty Wallace tested at Greenville Pickens Speedway on Wednesday(3-25-1999) -- UPDATE: Mentioned during the CBS Broadcast that Rusty and the team did test and ran over 200 laps(3-29-1999)
Special Visitor: Rusty Wallace had a special guest at TMS Sunday. Former pro baseball star Mitch “Wild Thing” Williams attended the Primestar 500. Williams appears with ex-baseball star Lee Smith in a current Miller Lite television commercial. Williams helped the Philadelphia Phillies to a pennant in 1993, but perhaps is best known for
his wild pitching style(Jayski Note: his motto was that he pitched like his hair was on fire)(TMS Notes)(3-29-1999)
Rusty Paint Scheme: Rusty Wallace and the #2 Miller Lite Ford team will have a special paint scheme at Texas, with the "True to Texas" on his #2 Ford on the side quarter-panels and the back TV panel. The car will also have a big star on each side, representing the "Lone Star State" of Texas(NOL)(3-24-1999)
Rusty/Miller: Rusty Wallace has signed another contract renewal with Miller, this time through 2003. Wallace has been sponsored by Miller since starting his own team with car owner Roger Penske in 1991(JournalNow)(2-12-1999)
Shootout Notes: Rusty Wallace missed drivers intorductions(not the meeting) for the Shootout and had to start from the back of the pack; Schraders #33 was blue; for the qualifying race, Dave Marcis had the Rainbow Warrior crew(#24) do his mandatory pitstop during the qualifying race(2-7-1999)
Wallace on the pole for the shootout UPDATE: Rusty Wallace drew the pole this morning in Daytona, see the lineup for the Bud Shootout at NASCAR Online -- Geoffrey Bodine drew the pole for the qualifier, see the starting lineup of 15 drivers at NASCAR Online, missing from the qualifier lineup are Todd Bodine and Dennis Setzer, so I guess the rumored rides for them didn't pan out, Bodine in the #11 and Setzer in the #89.(2-4-1999)
Rusty to Icehouse? UPDATE 2 Hearing many rumors that Rusty Wallace will carry the Icehouse Beer (made by Miller) on the #2 Penske South Ford in 1999.(10-19-98) -- I now hear Miller sources say the car will remain Miller Lite in 1999.(10-27-98) -- heard from many readers that Rusty Wallace himself said on Eli Gold's radio show that the #2 Ford would stay Miller Lite and would also have a few special schemes in 1999.(10-29-98)
