- Bodine Returns to Victory Lane at Music City Motorplex: Friday night´s Old School RacersReunion.com Shootout at the Music City Motorplex was truly a look into the track´s incredible history as Geoff Bodine, the winner of the last NASCAR Sprint Cup race held at the Motorplex in 1984, made his return to victory lane in dramatic fashion. Competing against other NASCAR greats such as Harry Gant, Sterling Marlin, Randy LaJoie, Dave Marcis and Charlie Glotzbach, Bodine proved that he still knows his way around the high banked 5/8th mile track. The results: 1) Geoff Bodine; 2) Sterling Marlin; 3) Randy LaJoie; 4) Harry Gant; 5) Lake Speed; 6) Joe Ruttman; 7) Dave Marcis 8) Charlie Glotzbach; 9) Larry Pollard; 10) D.K. Ulrich; 11) Jack Ingram.(Music City Motorplex PR)(7-19-2008) Comment here
- Jimmy Spencer to be Honored at New Hampshire: As part of a season-long celebration of 60 years of Modified champions, two-time NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour titlist Jimmy Spencer will be honored at the New England 100 on June 28 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Spencer, who currently works for SPEED TV as a co-host for "NASCAR Raceday" and "NASCAR Victory Lane," became the first driver to earn back-to-back NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championships in 1986 and 1987. He is one of just three NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour drivers to capture consecutive titles. NASCAR plans to honor each of its 31 all-time Modified champions throughout the season. The celebration began with the recognition of Frankie Schneider, Donny Lia and Richie Evans at Thompson on April 6. Since the season-opener Red Byron, Jeff Fuller, Ernie Gahan and Mike Stefanik have also been recognized. (NASCAR PR)(6-22-2008)
- Darrell Waltrip Racing Experience to open in Fall of 2008: Belle Island Village – along with three-time Cup Champion and FOX Sports analyst Darrell Waltrip and fellow motor sports veteran Jeff Hammond – announced key components of the Darrell Waltrip Racing Experience, scheduled to open in fall 2008 at Belle Island’s themed
development, located in the heart of Pigeon Forge, TN. The new $5 million, 27,000-square-foot racing-themed attraction promises to place visitors in the driver’s seat with diverse and highly interactive components to showcase the racing experience from all vantage points of today’s motor speedway. Included in the Darrell Waltrip Racing Experience, visitors will find:
* a variety of racecar simulators integrating virtual reality
* competition remote-controlled cars that race around a mini-Bristol Motor Speedway replica
* an interactive theater and a soundstage with an actual studio-quality media set, hardwired to allow either live television production with editing capabilities or guests’ interactive fun, such as seeing what it is like to sit in Darrell Waltrip’s studio chair on race day
* interactive pit crew area with images of Darrell Waltrip and his former Crew Chief Jeff Hammond
* both permanent and rotating exhibits, such as a variety of actual stock cars that have won racing events
* an exhibit that commemorates the history of stock car racing
* an “Infield Experience”
* a gift shop and a Victory Lane arcade with the latest in NASCAR and racing-related games
“Anyone who isn’t a die-hard racing fan when they get here will be when they leave,” Waltrip said. “We’re making sure this place is a true 'experience,’ including the sights, sounds, smells, atmosphere, motion and intensity of racing that give people an opportunity to know what it feels like to be part of a real stock car race, from a lot of different perspectives.” According to Waltrip, it will take the average guest approximately two and a half hours to see all of the attraction, given the range of components within the facility. More info at belleisland.com/dwre.htm.(PR)(5-8-2008) Comment here
- Old School Racing Postpones Inaugural Season: Old School Racing announced today a new plan for the series. Under the new plan The Old School Racing (OSR) Series will launch its inaugural season in the spring of 2009 and not in the spring of 2008 as originally planned. The postponement of the inaugural season of the OSR will allow a partnership to form that will make the OSR bigger and better for the drivers, crews and fans. The new partnership between OSR and the soon to be named partner has not been completed, but plans have already begun to move forward for the 2009 debut of the redesigned OSR program. The Old School Racing Series is based in Mooresville, NC and is scheduled to field cars for such drivers as David Pearson, Harry Gant, James Hylton, Geoff Bodine and more.(OSR)(4-26-2008) Comment here
- Trickle skipping races this season UPDATE: Dick Trickle had plans to run select races in the Midwest this summer, but those plans will be put on a hold. Wirphotos.net has been told Dick Trickle had to have heart surgery in which 2 stents/shunts were put in. Trickle won't be able to wheel a car this season per doctor orders. Trickle has drove a car prepared by Tim Rothe over the last couple a seasons and has told Tim Rothe not to prepare a car for him as he will be taking this year off.(Wirphotos.net)(3-18-2008)
UPDATE: Dick Trickle is touched by everyone who is concerned about his health. Or maybe the better word is overwhelmed. He's just fine for a 66-year-old man who underwent heart catheterization last week, his daughter, Vicky Trickle Bowman, said Thursday. (Factor in caffeine and nicotine addictions, chronic sleep deprivation and a nearly 50-year history of high-speed crashes and the Wisconsin short-track racing legend is downright great.) Besieged by questions about his heart this week, Trickle begged out of a slew of interviews, and instead Bowman offered this update: Trickle began to experience chest pains shortly after hip replacement surgery in November. Numerous medical tests turned up nothing until doctors performed a catheterization last week to check blood flow to his heart. They found two blockages and put in stents - tiny wire tubes designed to keep the arteries open - during an outpatient procedure. Because Trickle is taking blood thinners and cannot take unnecessary risk of internal injuries, he won't race this season.
"He's fine," Bowman said. "It's nice that people care."(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel )(3-21-2008) Comment here
- DW presented #11 Mountain Dew Buick Regal: Three-time Cup champion Darrell Waltrip, who leads all drivers with 12 wins at Bristol Motor Speedway, received a surprise gift from Ralph Santana of PCNA VP Sports , Media and IMG, on behalf of the Mountain Dew Racing. Waltrip, who is currently a television analyst form FOX, was presented the #11 Mountain Dew Regal he drove during back-to-back championship seasons in 1981-1982. During those two years, he captured 24 captured flags, 12 in 1981 and another dozen in 1982. His streak of seven consecutive victories at Bristol Motor Speedway began with a sweep of both Cup events in 1981 along with both Bristol events in 1982 and 1983 along with the spring race in 1984. The Owensboro, Kentucky native garnered 84 career wins in 809 starts and he sat on the pole 59 times with career winnings of $19,416,618. Waltrip’s 84 victories ties him with Bobby Allison for third in series wins. He has also been named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers.(TriCitiesSports)(3-17-2008) Comment here
- Rusty shakes down Nationwide car: Rusty Wallace, the retired NASCAR champion and current ESPN analyst, returned to the high banks of Daytona International Speedway for the first time since 2006 ARCA RE/MAX Series testing when he shook down one of his Rusty Wallace Inc. Chevrolets [#64J, was 13th fastest in the afternoon session]. Wallace, the 1989 NASCAR champion, has both of his Nationwide Series teams in attendance for this week's test as his drivers David Stremme and son Steve were preparing for the season-opening Camping World 300 presented by Chevy.(DIS PR)(1-22-2008)
- Gant to Race the Famed #33 in the Old School Racing Tour: Old School Racing will take old school fans back in time when they kick off their inaugural Old School Racing Tour this May. That is when the fans will be able to see their favorite drivers and the paint schemes they made famous. Harry Gant will pilot the #33 that he made famous. Along with the green and white paint scheme made famous by Gant, “old school” fans will also see the familiar red and white scheme made famous by David Pearson, the gold and black scheme made famous by Davey Allison, the “Kings” paint scheme and many others that will bring back memories of the good ‘ole days of racing. The inaugural race at Concord Speedway on May 18th of 2008, the season will run a ten race schedule. The OSR will field cars for such racing legends as Harry Gant, James Hylton, David Pearson, Geoff Bodine and some 30 other racing icons. More info at the Old School Racing Champions Tour (OSRCT) site.(1-17-2008) Comment here
- Lake Speed still racing: Lake Speed, who won a world karting championship in his youth, competed in 402 Cup Series races, scoring one victory at rugged Darlington Raceway in 1988. This past weekend, he was back on a go-kart flying over the high banks of Daytona International Speedway, the site of his famous runner-up finish to Bill Elliott in the1985 Daytona 500. Speed, who celebrates his 60th birthday Jan. 17, is now a business real estate developer who plays every so often on a stock class go-kart. Speed dabbled with historic stock car racing for a few years, but said the costs of fielding a competitive car got too high for his budget. "So I sat around a few years and this NASCAR official I know said, 'Hey, come out and do karts with me at the kart track in Charlotte,' " Speed said. "Then the bug hit me again real bad. I had forgot how much fun these things are to drive." Speed was one of hundreds of competitors who have made camp at the Speedway for Daytona KartWeek by Cometic Gasket. The World Karting Association's races ended Sunday. Speed may add more racing to his schedule this season if an old-timer series launches in May. Old School Racing Champions Tour hopes to run 10 races featuring stars of NASCAR past and other motorsports notables. "Those people asked me about racing with them and I told them to put my name on the list," Speed said. "It would be like waking up like 15 years ago."(Daytona Beach News Journal)(1-1-2008)
- Pearson, Marcis, Gant back racing in 2008? Racing legends David Pearson, Dave Marcis, Harry Gant, James Hylton, Geoff Bodine and more have signed up to race in The Old School Racing Champions Tour (OSRCT) in 2008. Scheduled to run ten races in 2008, starting on May 18, 2008. Driver safety is priority number one with the OSRCT. All tracks on the schedule are ¾ a mile or less and include such venues as two-time Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart’s Eldora Speedway, the Music City Motorplex, Southside Speedway, Hickory Motor Speedway, South Boston Speedway, Flat Rock Speedway and the Springport Speedway. (OSRCT) is a new racing series debuting in 2008 that will have retired and semi-retired champion drivers competing in a 10 race regular season schedule followed by a “Last Chance Race” and a “Championship Race”.(OSRCT)(11-16-2007)
- Jeff Hammond joins the Darrell Waltrip Racing Experience: Jeff Hammond has teamed up with the Darrell Waltrip Racing Experience (DWRE) at Belle Island Village in Pigeon Forge, TN. Jeff Hammond, sports analyst for NASCAR, FOX Sports, Co-Host of Trackside Live, former NASCAR crew chief and co-creator of the PIT Instruction and Training facility in Mooresville, NC, joins his long-time teammate, Darrell Waltrip to lend his technical expertise to the DWRE. Hammond will assist in the design and development of the technical aspects of the project. His years of experience in and around NASCAR will help to authenticate the guest experience for the estimated 500,000 visitors a year that are expected to visit the venue. Darrell Waltrip has stated many times that it is his vision to give the visitor the total sensory experience at the venue, letting them …"smell, hear, touch and see.." what the drivers and crews experience. The Darrell Waltrip Racing Experience is a 27,000 square foot, interactive attraction that highlights the action, history and future of stock car racing. The high-tech attraction will feature theatres, exhibits, hands on racing and full, live production capabilities. Belle Island Village, the $114 million themed entertainment/hospitality project is set to open Fall of 2008 and will be home to the Darrell Waltrip Racing Experience, the Debbie Reynolds Hollywood Motion Picture Museum, the Knoxville Zoo's North American River Otter exhibit along with over 300,000 square feet of retail, dining, attractions and lodging. The Darrell Waltrip racing Experience and all of Belle Island Village is scheduled to open in fall 2008. Belle Island Village is located off the Parkway between traffic lights 3 and 4 in Pigeon Forge, TN. More info at www.bellelsland.com.(Allwaltrip.com)(10-17-2007)
- Plans announced for Rusty Wallace HOF: The Rusty Wallace Racing Hall of Fame is announced that Bill Sanders, Founder of the Hall, and Eddie Hurley, Principal of Lakeview Management and Development LLC, have signed a Letter of Intent and reached an agreement in principle to jointly develop the Rusty Wallace Racing Hall of Fame in Morristown, Tennessee. The Hall site will be located just northwest of the I-81/US 25E Exit 8 Morristown interchange in south Hamblen County. Only an hour southwest of Bristol Motor Speedway, 40 miles northeast of Knoxville, and 22 miles from the I-40 Sevierville Exit 407 interchange, the site is in the heart of the tourism corridor of East Tennessee and NASCAR country. A press conference officially announcing this agreement and providing details will be held at the Holiday Inn-Conference Center in Morristown at I-81 Exit 8, which is adjacent to the proposed Hall of Fame site, at 12 Noon on Wednesday, August 22, 2007. It is anticipated that the founder of the Hall, the developer, area elected officials, and several others who are to be involved in the project, will be in attendance at the news conference. They will answer questions regarding it, and make themselves available for media interviews for both print and broadcast regionally and nationally. Preliminary plans for the estimated $2 million privately owned and operated project will include construction of a 10,000 square foot facility that will include a visitor center, NASCAR-themed gift shop, refreshment center, and the state-of-the-art Racing Hall of Fame display.(Rusty Wallace Racing Hall of Fame PR)(8-21-2007)
- Rusty turns down offer to un-retire: Rusty Wallace told ESPN on Monday that he turned down an offer to drive for Richard Childress Racing next year. "I'm retired and am a broadcaster now," the ESPN motorsports analyst said. Foxsports.com reported Monday that Wallace "still has the bug" and that Richard Childress Racing was interested in hiring him to drive for the team in 2008. "Rusty Wallace is not an option for our fourth Cup team. He is not on our list," Richard Childress told ESPN on Monday. "There was never anything that went anywhere with trying to do anything with him. We never went down that road." Wallace, who retired from racing in 2005, joined ESPN as a racing analyst in 2006. He won 55 Cup races in his 22-year career and was the Cup series champion in 1989.(ESPN.com)(8-13-2007)
- A.J. Foyt OK after mishap: A.J. Foyt [former Indy.Cup driver, former Cup owner ands current IRL team owner], 72, cheated death once again in a lifetime chronicled by close escapes. Late Thursday afternoon his bulldozer plunged sideways into a lake as the bank gave way under the 35,000 lb. machine. He had been working the dirt on the lake's edge which was about three feet deep at that location, that is, until the bank gave way. For the man who survived one of the most dangerous periods in motorsports (although not without some telltale scars) in his 40-year career as a race driver, Foyt has been sorely tempting fate as a rancher lately. "It was such a helpless feeling when that dirt broke away and I was going down and down," said Foyt, who estimates the bulldozer dropped upside down into the lake about 15 feet. "The dozer had a steel cage on it which probably saved my life," said Foyt, "because without it, the dozer would have crushed me. But the cage also made it hard to escape. I had to crawl through the front of it and it was hard to do under water with all my clothes on and with my bum legs and all. I'll be honest, I was panicked a little bit. If I hadn't made it to the top of the dozer, they would never have found me because it was completely under water. I didn't want to swim to the bank 'cause it was covered in vines and steep and I was already out of breath from getting out of the dozer. I knew I'd get too tired trying to haul my big butt outta there. But as I was calling for help, I saw a water moccasin [snake] swim by. I started splashing like hell then. After about 15 minutes someone heard me and stopped to help." Once on land, Foyt, who did not go to the hospital, spent the next four hours trying to get his bulldozer out of the lake. Three wreckers later, the dozer was finally pulled out. He plans to have it trucked to his race shop today.(A.J. Foyt Racing PR)(8-3-2007)
- Rusty Wallace to Sell Part of Busch Team; Move to Cup? Rusty Wallace announced last week he will expand his Busch Series operation to two teams in 2008. But what about Sprint Cup? Wallace said Monday he would like to field Sprint Cup Series teams. However, his contract with ESPN/ABC forbids that, given the conflict of interest involved in commenting races in which teams he owns compete. So he is contemplating the future sale of a majority stake in Rusty Wallace, Inc., he told ESPN.com Monday. Wallace said the move wouldn't happen until 2009 at the earliest, and added that some current sponsors are among the interested parties in acquiring majority ownership.(ESPN.com)(7-24-2007)
- Tim Steele Retires: three-time ARCA RE/MAX Series national driving champion, Tim Steele, has officially announced his retirement from driving. After a very successful career in the ARCA RE/MAX Series that produced championships in '93, '96 and '97, and more superspeedway victories than any other driver in series history, Steele was on the verge of signing a contract to race fulltime in the Nextel Cup Series [then Winston Cup]. Then a [testing] crash at Atlanta Motor Speedway on November 5th, 1997 left him with a closed head injury and changed his world forever. "I was 10 days away from signing a Winston Cup contract when I crashed; and we were going to run for the 1998 Cup Rookie of the Year. My dad and (Green Bay Packers quarterback) Brett Favre were purchasing the team from Bud Moore, and we had Nike and Sony lined up as sponsors. Looking back in '98 when I was at the Mayo Clinic, I now know the doctors were right when they told me I should probably find a different career. I just wasn't willing to accept that. It was like admitting defeat. Racing was my life; it's how I earned my living, and the only job I ever had since I was 20. I didn't know anything else, so it was so hard to walk away from my life. I had worked so hard to get where I had gotten. I just couldn't give up on it now." Unfortunately, there would be ongoing, residual physical and personal issues that would plague Steele during his comeback phase of his career. Regardless, it's worth noting that despite the ongoing struggles, Steele still managed 11 more ARCA RE/MAX Series victories after the accident. From 1993 through 2006, Steele, driving his father Harold Steele's HS Die entries, won 41 ARCA RE/MAX Series races in 146 attempts, which equates to victories in 28% of all the races he entered. He also won 31 career pole awards.(ARCA Racing site), Steele also ran five Cup races [1994 for Bobby Allison] and ten Busch Series races and thirteen Truck Seires Races.(6-28-2007)
- NASCAR Legend Owens loses garage: Cotton Owens Enterprises burned Thursday morning in a fire the NASCAR legend described as a “big loss.” The fire destroyed Owens' collection of old car parts and antiques from Owens’ racing years. One man said the fire started when a shop at the rear of the property lit a beehive on fire, and that fire got out of hand.(Upstate.com)(6-15-2007)
- Terry Labonte testing at Montreal UPDATE: Former NASCAR Nextel Cup champion Terry Labonte will be on the 4.361 km Circuit Gilles Villeneuve road course today in an NBS stock car to provide feedback to teams who will be taking part on the NAPA 200 race in August on the island. These kinds of tests are normally done by Cup driver Jeff Burton, but with the possibility that Burton may race in the August event, NASCAR decided it give him an unfair advantage over other teams so close to the race date.(Toronto Sun)(6-12-2007)
UPDATE: History was made Tuesday when Terry Labonte tested with members of Richard Childress Racing's (RCR) NASCAR Busch Series teams at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in preparation for the inaugural Canadian Busch Series race scheduled for Aug. 4 at the Montreal road course. It was the first time a Busch Series race car has turned a lap on the 13-turn 2.709-mile circuit, which has been home to the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix since 1978. The 2007 edition of the race was held last weekend. Labonte drove RCR's #21 AutoZone Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS. He made a total of 21 laps (57 miles) with a fast lap of 1:49:86 minutes at an average speed of 105.602 mph. "The test went very well and it was an honor and quite a thrill to drive the first laps here in a NASCAR stock car," said Labonte. "The biggest thing was figuring out the braking points that will be used for the race. We can't get into the corners as deep as the Formula 1 cars. I think there will be at least two good places to pass so track position will be very important but it's the same as Sonoma (Infineon Raceway) or some of the ovals that NASCAR races at." Labonte, retired from fulltime NASCAR competition, was chosen to be the test driver because he will not compete in the Canadian event. All the information collected from the test, including videotape taken of the course from laps in a street-legal sedan, will be shared with every Busch Series team that will participate in the event. RCR did a similar test in January 2005 with driver Jeff Burton prior to the first Busch Series race at Autodromos Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City.
On hand from RCR were NBS team manager Will Lind, all three Busch Series crew chiefs (Dan Deeringhoff/#2 BB&T, Shane Wilson/#21 AutoZone, and Pat Smith/ #29 Holiday Inn), and crew members from all three teams.(RCR PR)(6-13-2007)
- Terry Labonte to run the #55 at the road courses? UPDATE: hearing that two-time Cup champ, Terry Labonte, will run the #55 NAPA Toyota at the road course races at Infineon Raceway [where he finished 3rd in the #96 last season] and at Watkins Glen in August. Labonte would have the past champions provisional to use and since he won his last championship in 1996, he would vault ahead of #21-Bill Elliott who win his championship in 1988, guaranteeing the #55 will make both races.(6-12-2007)
UPDATE: Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) announced today that two-time NASCAR Nextel Cup Champion [1984 & 1996], Terry Labonte will step into the #55 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry for the road course races at Infineon Raceway and Watkins Glen International. "It's not an easy decision for me to remove myself from the car, but I know it is for the betterment of our whole program," said Waltrip. "I know Terry's experience and road race savvy will breathe a little bit of fresh air into my young NAPA team." Labonte has had much success at road course tracks finishing third at Infineon Raceway last year and has six top-10 finishes at Watkins Glen International.
"To put Terry in the car is a reflection of the big picture we are trying to establish with this NAPA Racing team and hopefully, it will be the spark this team needs," Waltrip said. "I look forward to watching the NAPA team compete and learning more about all the MWR cars from a different perspective, exclusively as an owner." NAPA supports Waltrip's decision. "NAPA appreciates and respects Michael's dedication to move our racing program forward and regain our on-track competitive edge," said NAPA President Bob Susor. "We thank him for his efforts and dedication to NAPA and welcome the addition of NASCAR champion Terry Labonte to the NAPA family for these road-course events." Waltrip will return to his NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota for the Lenox Industrial Tool 300 on July 1st at New Hampshire International Speedway.(NAPA/MWR PR)(6-12-2007)
- Geoff Bodine visits troops in Bahrain: Touring the Middle East: Former NASCAR Cup driver Geoffrey Bodine, oldest of three driving brothers, has just returned from a 10-day trip which took him to Bahrain, right off Saudi Arabi. Bodine made the trip at the request of the U.S. Navy. "I was there to let our troops know somebody cares and to entertain them some, too," said Bodine. Bodine said our troops are "very upbeat and believe everything they're doing over there is the right thing and right way to do it. They are doing a lot of humanitarian things which never get reported and that's what I figured I had to do: come back here and tell people the truth about what's going on over there." Bahrain is close to Iran and four to five hours from Iraq. This was Bodine's third trip to the Middle East, having been to Iraq and Afghanistan on former trips. Bodine said he spent all his time onboard ships - 13 total - including aircraft carriers, battleships and destroyers. "I even got to drive one of the aircraft carriers," said Bodine, who made a stop at the Time Warner Media Center at Lowe's Motor Speedway this afternoon, after returning from the trip on May 25. While in Bahrain, Bodine was treated to a trip to the newly built Formula 1 track in Bahrain. "They had what they called Australian V-8s, powered by Corvette engines," said Bodine, who finished third in the 1994 Coca-Cola 600 in a race many people thought he should have won, had it not been for a late-race tire change. "They were fast and, within three laps, I was beating my instructor. I still like racing and I'd still like to be racing, but I'm out of a job and I was able to go over and, hopefully, do some good. They baked me a cake and served me ice cream on my last night there, and ice cream is a big thing over there. So, if you have any extra ice cream, send it to our troops. And remember our troops on Memorial Day (Monday, May 28)."(LMS Pit Notes)(5-27-2007)
- Junior Johnson in the legit Moonshine biz: Piedmont Distillers and NASCAR legend Junior Johnson have joined forces and introduced the company's second moonshine product, Junior Johnson's Midnight Moon. The company will continue to produce its popular original brand, Catdaddy Carolina Moonshine. Johnson is now a part owner of Piedmont Distillers, the only legal Distiller in North Carolina. Johnson's new brand, Junior Johnson's Midnight Moon, joins Catdaddy Carolina Moonshine, which is now available in eight states. Junior Johnson's Midnight Moon joins Catdaddy on North Carolina store shelves this week and will follow in several other states immediately. Distribution in additional states will be announced in the very near future. "I am really proud to own part of this company," Johnson said.
"I've done a lot of things in my life, and my history in the moonshine business is no secret. Back in the old days, we learned to drive cars fast because we'd go to jail if we didn't. Now, you can buy part of a moonshine business, tell everybody where they can buy your product, and it's all legal. It's a different deal than it was back then. I'm looking forward to being a part of this company." Like many of the other early stock car racers, Johnson grew-up tending to the family's whiskey business. He helped his father work the copper stills during the day and developed his incredible driving skills by running shine at night. Junior combined his understanding of how to make a car run flat-out with his legendary driving skill to become one of the most successful drivers and owners in racing history. As a NASCAR driver, Johnson won 50 races and 49 poles. He is tied with Ned Jarrett for 10th place on the all-time victory list. For more information on either brand, please visit www.catdaddymoonshine.com.(3-G Sports PR)(5-19-2007)
- Rusty/Dale Jr. rank among top-20 in Athlete Biz Index: Although former NASCAR champion, ABC / ESPN Lead Auto Racing Analyst and Busch Series [#66-Steve Wallace] team owner Rusty Wallace has retired from driving, his well-known commitment to corporate partners and sponsors undoubtedly remains as solid as ever. This was proven recently, as New York-based TSE Sports and Entertainment released the April 2007 edition of the Athlete Business Index. The index, highlighted in Sports Business Daily, ranked Wallace 16th among all athletes. Other athletes appearing in the top-20 of the index included Michael Jordan [3], Tiger Woods [4] and Lance Armstrong [6] - (Magic Johnson was 1st). Danica Patrick [15th] and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. [11th] were the only other auto racing-related personalities to appear in the top-20. The rankings were based upon the results of surveys completed by 213 Fortune 500 marketing executives who make use of athletes for corporate purposes. In explaining the rankings, TSE notes that the executives surveyed were asked to score athletes' ability to succeed in ten specific corporate categories or functions. These categories included trade show appearance, keynote speech, sales promotion, clinic / demonstration, meet and greet and others. Athletes are graded on a point system in each category and are given a score for both local market presence and national marketability.(RWI PR)(5-8-2007)
- Kevin Parsons Racing in Memory of his Father: Kevin Parsons will be racing with a heavy heart when the green flag drops on the 2007 season [Saturday], but he hopes it doesn't slow him down. The Myrtle Beach Speedway veteran on the Super Truck Series is the son of 1973 Winston Cup champion and longtime broadcaster Benny Parsons, who died from lung cancer in January at the age of 65. The younger Parsons is doing what his father would have wanted - keep on trucking. "I never would have gotten into racing if it wasn't for him," said Parsons, 41, who lives in Ellerbe, N.C. "He instilled the love for the sport in all of us. I never made it to the Cup Series, and that's fine with me. I just do it for the love of racing." In honor of if his famous father, Parsons is changing the number on his truck to #72, which Benny raced to the NASCAR title in 1973 and the Daytona 500 crown in 1975. He hopes it might help him to win his first series championship.(Myrtle Beach Sun)(4-8-2007)
- Rusty to consult in development of N Calif track: Riverside Motorsports Park and Rusty Wallace Inc. (RWI), announced that the two companies have entered into a five-year agreement that enlists NASCAR Champion Rusty Wallace as a consultant in the development and construction of Riverside Motorsports Park in Merced County, CA. The terms of the agreement call for the 1989 NASCAR Premier Series Champion to provide track design enhancement engineering to the eight world-class motorsports venues within the RMP facility, which was approved for construction in December 2006.
Originating in August 2000 as RMP Founder and CEO John Condren's concept for the future of motorsports in California and first announced as a development proposal on 12 August 2003, Riverside Motorsports Park will include eight different motorsports venues, offering 15 race tracks within a single recreation and entertainment park:
" Northern California's first world-class oval speedway (length: 7/8-mile) for all major stock car and open-wheel racing series
" A 3.2-mile road course for sports cars, endurance and open-wheel racing (closely replicating the world-famous Riverside International Raceway, which closed in 1988)
" A 1/4-mile (5,000-foot total length) drag strip
" An integrated 1/3- and 1/2-mile, banked paved oval tracks for stock cars and sprint cars
" A 3/8-mile dirt oval track for motorcycle, stock car, sprint and midget racing
" A 3/4-mile karting course (for sprint and shifter karts)
" 1/2-mile motocross and 1/8-mile BMX courses
" A 1-mile off-road course for trucks, buggies, rally cross cars, etc.
(Rusty Wallace site)(4-7-2007)
- Rex White to drive at Atlanta and a Book: Rex White is driving a car in NASCAR's premier series once more. Before the start of today's Kobalt Tools 500 Nextel Cup race, White will drive a 1962 Chevy Impala race car identical to the one he drove to victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway that year. The 1960 NASCAR Grand National champion's laps kick off the return of the model, this time as the Impala SS, in next weekend's car of tomorrow race at Bristol Motor Speedway.(SceneDaily.com).
BOOK: also the follow-up book to "Gold Thunder" will be hitting the book stores and news stands in May 2007. The new book, "All Around the Track: Oral Histories of Drivers, Mechanics, Officials, Owners, Journalists and Others in Motorsports Past and Present" written by Anne B. Jones and Rex White with a foreword by Ed Clark. More info on the book on my Bookstore page.(3-18-2007)
- Terry Labonte to race.....in Maine: One of NASCAR’s living legends will continue the recent tradition of Nextel Cup champions competing in the TD Banknorth 250 at Oxford Plains Speedway. Terry Labonte, who won stock car racing’s top prize in 1984 and 1996 and was named one of NASCAR’s 50 greatest drivers of all-time in 1998, Labonte, 50, plans to compete in a car prepared by Richard Moody Racing out of its spacious race shop in Auburn. He will attempt to make his fourth career start in the TD Banknorth 250 as a teammate to two-time race champion Ben Rowe of Turner. Labonte qualified for the OPS crown jewel in 1983, 1986 and 1992, with a best finish of 17th in his third try.(oxfordplains.com)(3-14-2007)
- DW visits with Dion: Three time Cup Champ and FOX broadcaster Darrell Waltrip and his family were guests of Celine Dion
last night at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. When Celine heard the Waltrip's were coming to her show, she invited them backstage for a pre-show visit. Celine's husband, Ren-Charles and their two sons are huge NASCAR fans.(3-10-2007)
- Bobby Labonte says Terry not contacted about #45 ride: #43-Bobby Labonte said he’s not spoken with his older brother Terry about pinch-hitting for Kyle Petty this summer when Petty steps out of the #45 Dodge to work as an analyst for TNT for five races.(SpeedTV.com)(2-9-2007)
- Without Pension, NASCAR Stars Forgotten: The living room of Sam Ard's brown doublewide trailer speaks to his short but successful NASCAR career. Trophies surround the fireplace and crowd its mantel. Plaques and pictures dot the living room walls. What's not there speaks to Ard's life after NASCAR, the two championship rings and a handful of grandfather clocks from Martinsville Speedway that he sold because "we was running short on cash." Unlike veterans of other sports, Ard has no pension to fall back on.
As the booming stock-car series built by men such as Sam Ard heads to Daytona International Speedway this week to kick off its 59th season, NASCAR remains the only major-league sport without a pension plan. "You can drive for NASCAR, but when it's over, it's over. You get nothing," Ard said. "When you fall out of racing or something happens to you, it seems like NASCAR just forgets about you. It's your friends and the people around the race track who have to remember you and keep you going."
Other leagues have pensions. Today's 10-year veterans in baseball will receive a six-figure annual payout beginning at age 62. Even middle-of-the-road professional golfers can pile up millions under the PGA Tour's deferred-compensation plan, which puts money away for players based on performance. An NFL player with six seasons between 1998 and 2003 will get about $2,500 a month beginning at age 55, and the NBA has a similar plan. The NHL contributes about $45,000 per year to retirement accounts for veterans. The ATP and WTA tours make annual contributions averaging between $7,500 and $9,500 to retirement accounts for each tennis player. NASCAR's policy always has been that its drivers are "independent contractors" who bear full responsibility for their finances, health care, retirement and life insurance. Few in NASCAR are arguing for a fund to help today's drivers, who make millions from team contracts and even more from race purses and merchandise sales. Jeff Gordon, the sport's all-time money leader, has won a record $82,366,716 through 14 full seasons and isn't sure what the responsibility should be.(Associated Press)(2-7-2007)
- Darrell Waltrip and Mountain Dew Celebrate a “Flashback to Glory”: Mountain Dew will once again be partnered with legendary NASCAR Champion Darrell Waltrip for the upcoming 2007 NASCAR season. Mountain Dew Racing will be celebrating DW’s Championship seasons in the Mountain Dew car over 25 years ago. In 1981 and 1982, Waltrip won back-to-back NASCAR Cup titles behind the wheel of the #11 Mountain Dew Buick. DW’s 1981 Championship season is now recognized as one of the most impressive runs in NASCAR history, as he fought back from a 341-point deficit in the final 17 races to capture the Cup. During those two seasons, Waltrip amassed an unbelievable 24 victories, 18 poles, 38 top-five finishes, and two Cup titles. Now, a television analyst for FOX Sports, Waltrip remains legendary to the sport. “It truly is an honor to be back with my friends at Mountain Dew”, states Waltrip. “Those years together were the glory years of my career. Just look in the record books - in '81 and '82...Mountain Dew and DW were virtually unbeatable!” Mountain Dew will honor DW’s history-making moments with the Fueled by Dew: Flashback to Glory national campaign. Waltrip and the #11 Mountain Dew Buick will be featured in national Mountain Dew advertising, including radio commercials, print materials, online, and on in-store point of sale materials. Mountain Dew has even refurbished one of the actual #11 Buick race cars from the Championship season and will let fans check it out at events throughout the year. Fans will also have the chance to win VIP race trips, meet Darrell and receive retro Mountain Dew Racing merchandise by participating in retail promotions throughout the country over the course of the Flashback to Glory campaign.(Darrell Waltrip Motorsports PR)(1-23-2007)
- Goody's and Petty to Celebrate 30th Anniversary Together: For 30 years, the "King" Richard Petty has been synonymous with Goody's Headache Powders and its fast pain relief. Now through a landmark agreement, Petty's status as spokesperson for the fast pain relieving headache powders will be guaranteed for life. This announcement marks the first time a current or former NASCAR driver and a sponsor have agreed to lifetime terms. The lifetime contract guarantees that Petty, NASCAR's most decorated champion
will continue his role as Goody's spokesperson and "expert on fast pain relief." This is a title that he has held since Goody's entered the sport in 1977. Petty will continue to star in Goody's advertising and make appearances on behalf of Goody's. Additionally, fans will have the opportunity to celebrate with "The King" and Goody's through a host of special promotions throughout 2007. These include limited edition Commemorative Goody's Headache Powders packaging featuring Petty's greatest moments along with a new logo titled "Goody's and 'The King', 30 Years Together." A sweepstakes to win "The King's" 30th Anniversary custom Dodge Charger will also take place to give fans a chance to drive like "The King." Petty's lifetime contract announcement is only the beginning of the most exciting year ever for Goody's. In 2007, Goody's will dramatically increase its involvement and participation in NASCAR with the Goody's Cool Orange 500 Nextel Cup race at Martinsville Speedway, the Headache of the Race Award, the Goody's Fast Relief Zone and a multitude of celebrations surrounding the Brand's 30th Anniversary in NASCAR, including car paints that will delight fans. Fans can also look forward to a major upcoming announcement with Goody's and two-time Nextel Cup champion Tony Stewart. To further celebrate Richard Petty and his 30 years with Goody's, the brand has also announced a $50,000 donation to the Victory Junction Gang Camp. Since the
camp opened in 2004, Goody's has continued its status as a major sponsor of Victory Junction and was the first company to donate $1,000,000 to help build the camp's hospital named "The Goody's Body Shop."(Lighthouse Marketing PR)(1-23-2007)
- Wallace takes some laps in his Busch car: Rusty Wallace visited Daytona International Speedway Saturday with several of his ESPN announcing colleagues to meet with Busch Series competitors testing for the Orbitz 300. Wallace, who will provide color commentary for nearly 50 ESPN race broadcasts, was asked by his son Steve to shake down one of his #66 Dodges. "Steve said the car was real loose, so I made some changes to it, fired it up and went out to draft," Rusty Wallace said. "I made four laps and the spotter tells me, 'Here comes the draft.' "As soon as they caught me, the thing blows up on the front stretch right near the start/finish line." Wallace said he hopes to draft with his son today and give him pointers via two-radio while turning laps over the 2.5-mile tri-oval.
"I want to watch him and I want to talk back and forth with him, plus I want to give him some input and help him," he said.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(1-21-2007)
- Sad News: Benny Parsons: Benny Parsons, 65, passed away today [Jan 16] at the Intensive Care Unit of the Carolinas Medial Center in Charlotte, NC. Parsons, who became a popular television and radio personality after retiring from driving in 1988, entered the hospital Dec. 26 as the result of complications stemming from his battle with lung cancer. The cancer was diagnosed earlier this year and was recently reported to be in full remission.
Survivors include his mother Hazel Parsons; wife Terri Parsons; sons Keith and Kevin Parsons; brothers Steve and Phil Parsons; sister Patty Severt; and granddaughters Emily and Libbie Parsons.(PRN/LMS PR)
See info about Benny's career and bios at BennyParsons.com, goPRN.com or rendezvousridge.com and many articles, quotes, slideshows on my Article Links page.(1-16-2007)
SERVICES, correction: SERVICES, correction: A memorial service to celebrate the life of 1973 Nextel Cup champion Benny Parsons will be held Friday, Jan. 19, at the Grace Covenant Church, 17301 Statesville Road [Rt 21], Cornelius, NC [next to the Home Depot in Huntersville]. Family, close friends and beloved members of the racing community who knew and loved Benny will be received at the 2:00pm/et service. The Parsons family has respectively requested that media members honor their wishes and not bring cameras or video equipment into the church during either the 2:00pm/et service or the following period during which race fans can pay their respects. Following the memorial, from 4pm - 5:30pm, race fans are welcome to pay their respects at the church.
In lieu of flowers, Parsons asked that donations be made in his name to the Connie E. Parsons Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 443, Ellerbee, NC 28338; to the Blumenthal Cancer Center, 1025 Morehead Medical Drive, #600, Charlotte, NC 28204 or to The Victory Junction Gang Camp at victoryjunction.org. E-Mail Condolences to the Parsons Family at bp@goprn.com.(PRN site).(1-17-2007)
