Doug Bawel, CEO of Jasper Engines and Transmissions and an owner of the #77 Ford driven by Robert Pressley, says that Jasper Engines will not be the team’s major sponsor next season. Bawel said the company’s board of directors made the decision Friday. Jasper plans to stay as a major associate sponsor(Roanoke Times) UPDATE: This is NOT true. The remarks by team owner Doug Bawel have been taken out of context in the quotes written in the Roanoke Times. Jasper Motorsports will be issuing a statement later today regarding their committment to remain in this sport for the future(Jasper Motorsports PR)(8-21-2000) UPDATE 2: Valvoline is the second company to have part-ownership in a Cup team. The other is Jasper Engines and Transmissions, which sponsors and owns part of Robert Pressley’s #77 Ford team. Doug Bawel, CEO of Jasper and a majority owner in the team, says such a situation can work in certain circumstances. “I think there’s more benefits for people that are automotive-related,” said Bawel, whose team is looking for additional sponsorship for next season. “If you’re not automotive related, i.e. a bubble gum company, I don’t know if owning a Winston Cup team would help them. But if you’re automotive related and you want to use that platform to take you in other areas, I think it makes a lot of sense.”(Roanoke Times). Actually Valvoline is the first “major consumer products company” to own a Winston Cup team.(8-23-2000)
