Roadrunner Motorsports and driver Jim Inglebright will announce plans for 2002 sometime next week(10-13-2001) UPDATE: Jelly Belly and Jim Inglebright have announced they will be part ways at seasons end. Inglebright has run the past two years with Jelly Belly on a limited basis and was hoping to go full time in 2002. “This was a decision predicated more on the new direction with our advertising program, ” said Robert Simpson, president and chief operating officer for the Jelly Belly Candy Co. “It had nothing to do with Jim and the performance of the team. In fact, we exceeded all of our marketing objectives these last four years. .Above all, we consider Jim to be family and will always root for his success.” The Jelly Belly Candy Co. first came on board with Inglebright and the Roadrunner Motorsports team back in 1998 when Inglebright was running part time in the NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series. He won three times with Jelly Belly as primary sponsor, twice at the Sears Point Raceway in 2000 and 2001 and once at the Phoenix in 1999, a place where Inglebright made his CTS debut. Inglebright also claimed victory in the inaugural NASCAR RE/MAX Challenge Series event at the Pikes Peak International Raceway. Simpson and other officials at the Jelly Belly Candy Co. are assisting Inglebright and his Roadrunner Motorsports team to secure sponsorship for next year and beyond. They have written a letter of recommendation to anyone interested in associating themselves with the team. Inglebright says he is looking at several options for next year. “My future is up in the air right now,” said Inglebright, who has competed in the NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series since 1993. “I would like to stay in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series or try the Busch Series, if possible. But if nothing comes up, I will probably be a spectator next year. We still have two races to go under our agreement with Jelly Belly and I’m very optimistic about these last two races of the season, I’m starting to understand these trucks and how to drive them the way they need to be driven. We’re running good and Rodney Haygood, my crew chief and I are working better together.(Roadrunner Motorsports PR)(10-18-2001)
