“Dale Earnhardt’s new Winston Cup team(presently the #14 Burger King Chevy), still in a startup mode, has apparently landed Pennzoil as a sponsor for next season, according to NASCAR sources. Pennzoil has another year remaining on its contract with Chuck Rider and Johnny Benson, so it’s unclear if that means Pennzoil would sponsor both teams in 1998. Earnhardt’s driver will probably be Steve Park, according to Don Hawk, Earnhardt’s manager.” The team hopes to make an announcement within the next 14 to 30 days and has a verbal agreement with one driver, and a right of first refusal with another one. “Earnhardt has six full-time employees in his 108,000-square foot shop. and four race cars done — one road course and three speedway cars. Felipe Lopez (crew chief for Park) will either be the crew chief or director of racing operations at the track, could be a team manager type position”(JournalNow)(8-11-97)
