The season is well into its third month and business is booming, yet still four regular Winston Cup teams lack reliable, week-to-week sponsorship. Four owners — Junie Donlavey, Joe Falk, Cale Yarborough/Wayne Burdette and Billy Jones — do not a principal sponsor. Jones’ Pontiac, driven by his son Buckshot, carries Crown Fiber, which is the elder Jones’ own company. Donlavey’s car is being driven this weekend by Morgan Shepherd, Falk’s by Dick Trickle and Burdette’s by Rick Mast. Ricky Rudd, who has won at least one race in each of the last 16 seasons, is trapped in a long-term deal with Tide that no longer provides adequate funding. Larry McReynolds, crew chief for Richard Childress Racing’s No. 31 team, confirmed that he recently made an offer to buy Rudd’s team, which Rudd considered but declined. Rudd was also rumored to be selling out to CART owner Chip Ganassi, a notion now strenuously denied on all sides( Monte Dutton/SpeedNet )
