Shawna to Try again: When she starts the 400-miler this Sunday, Shawna Robinson will become the first female driver since Patty Moise competed at Talladega, AL., on July 30, 1989, to start a NASCAR Winston Cup event. With the addition of four more races currently on her schedule this season – Chicago (July 15); Indianapolis (Aug. 5); Kansas (Sept. 30); and Atlanta (Nov. 18) – she will become the first female to run a regular schedule of NASCAR Winston Cup events since Janet Guthrie in 1980. The last female driver to finish a NASCAR Winston Cup race was Janet Guthrie at Pocono, who was 28th and running at the finish on July 27, 1980. Robinson entered and attempted to qualify the NASCAR Winston Cup race at California Speedway on April 29. Apparently headed to a very quick lap, the rear end gearing broke in her Aaron’s Sales and Leasing Taurus, ending her lap – and her shot at making the race. With no points, she is driving the final car eligible for a provisional starting position. Aaron’s Sales and Leasing of Atlanta is sponsoring MK Racing and Robinson in the races at California, Michigan, Indianapolis and Atlanta. MK Racing is owned by former Ford Racing executive and winning NASCAR Winston Cup car owner Michael Kranefuss. The team is planning on following its six races this season with a full NASCAR Winston Cup schedule in 2002, and Robinson competing for Rookie of the Year honors. Some thoughts of Aaron’s Sales and Leasing Taurus driver Shawna Robinson heading into California: “We tested at California and we tested at Michigan. California and Michigan aren’t identical but there are things we found at California that we’ve been able to use for Michigan. We think we’re going to have a pretty good car. Again, our goals are to have a good practice on Friday, set down a really good qualifying lap Friday afternoon, practice well Saturday and then run a solid race Sunday. If we can do all of that, we will leave Michigan feeling we’ve had a pretty good weekend, and we’ll feel like we’re ready to get things started for Chicago. I have been preparing myself for quite some time on the physical end of things and getting myself ready for that because I know that can do nothing but help. With my preparation and focus for being in shape, being fit, being prepared to run Winston Cup, we have a lot of good things going on. Michael Waltrip putting me in a Busch car for three races has been a really big help. The biggest thing is the seat time. My career has taken a lot of steps over the years to get with good people. I think with (Robert) Yates motors in the cars and Michael Kranefuss putting this team together, and with Aaron’s working with us this year, we have a lot of things going for us. Robert Yates’ record speaks for itself but so does Michael Kranefuss’ I think he has proven he can put a Winston Cup team together that can win races, and that’s pretty exciting. Having (Aaron’s Sales and Leasing President) Ken Butler and the people at Aaron’s come with us and support us, that just means a whole lot. It means a lot financially, sure. But it means a lot that they see the potential we see in this race team and they want us to meet our goals. I know they make dreams come true for people all over the country but they really have made our dreams become a reality.”(see more at Williams Company) and past news at my #84 Team News and Links page(6-5-2001)
