#33 and Wallace to Las Vegas UPDATE 5 not going to Vegas: Andy Petree plans to take his second car [#33, it used to be his first], which is unsponsored, to Las Vegas next weekend. Mike Wallace is driving that car.(Roanoke Times)(2-23-2002) UPDATE: hearing that the #33 APR team has decided NOT to run the #33 Chevy at Las Vegas.(one source Mike Wallace Fanclub)(2-25-2002) UPDATE 2: FSN’s Totally NASCAR has Mike Wallace as still running the race at Las Vegas in the #33 APR Chevy.(2-25-2002) UPDATE 3: on ESPN2’s RPM 2 Night, Kenny Wallace said he talked to his brother Mike today and the #33 owner Andy Petree said that the team won’t be able to continue on, which means the team won’t be at Las Vegas, unless a sponsor comes aboard within the next few days.(2-25-2002) UPDATE 4: but the Andy Petree Racing site is reporting the the #33 will go to Las Vegas: Full-season sponsorship remaining the most important part of car owner Andy Petree’ thinking, the #33 Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet and driver Mike Wallace will compete in Sunday’ race at Las Vegas. “Weve had so many inquiries and so many discussions with potential sponsors, we just think the smartest thing for us to do right now is to take the long-range view – and that means running the race this week,” said Petree. “I dont want to be sitting there in a few weeks when sponsorship does come together and think, Man, I wish we had run that Vegas race, and be in bad shape in the points and all that goes with it because of that,” Petree said. “Looking at the big picture can be hard sometimes in this sport but the big picture is the only way for us to look at things right now.” Petree, who also fields the #55 Schneider Electric Chevrolet of driver Bobby Hamilton, did say he needed some time to consider the Atlanta race, one week after Las Vegas. “At this point, we just about have to look at things that way. We didnt make the decision to run Las Vegas until this past weekend,” Petree said. “We took a look at where we stood with cars, with engines and with Mike (Wallace) and said, OK, we can go out there and have all of the capabilities of being pretty competitive.”(from a William Co PR on the APR site), so…….?(2-26-2002) FINAL? UPDATE: Citing a potential sponsorship situation, Andy Petree Racing will not field the #33 car in this weekend’ NASCAR Winston Cup stock car racing event at Las Vegas after all. “A couple of things came up early this week that we werent anticipating on the sponsorship side and because of new needs we have with the crew and team, we just figure well do better working in the shop this week,” Petree said. “There are things we need to do now to put us in a better situation for the future. Running Las Vegas this weekend is the thing to do if we look at it short term; taking this time to prepare for the future is the thing to do if we look at it long-term.” Petree said a sponsor for the #33 has not been signed and the team is still seeking sponsorship but that recent events led him to believe it best to prepare for future races instead of competing in this one. “Were still looking but were seeing some movement we havent seen before,” Petree said. “Nothing is tougher on a racer than having a race and not being there. But this is just the smart thing to do.” The #55 Schneider Electric Chevrolet with driver Bobby Hamilton will, of course, compete in this weekend’ 400-mile event.(Williams Company PR/APR)(2-26-2002)
