The remainder of Brian Rose’s season with BHR is uncertain beyond the Aug. 10 event at Nashville. Rose, 15th in points, is seeking sponsorship to keep his ride for the year’s final seven races.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(8-1-2002)
UPDATE: Bobby Hamilton Racing has announced the release of Brian Rose as driver of the #4 Dodge. According to Hamilton, the decision was based more on sponsorship than performance. Rose is 15th in points with one top five and five top-10 finishes. Hamilton drove the truck in Friday’s Power Stroke Diesel 200 at Indianapolis Raceway Park and finished 30th.(NASCAR.com)(8-2-2002)
UPDATE 2 Brian Rose has lost his ride with Bobby Hamilton’s #4 CTS team due to loss of his sponsor, but still plans to be racing in Saturday’s Federated Auto Parts 200 at Nashville Superspeedway. Rose was in North Carolina yesterday lining up another ride. ”It’s disappointing not to get to finish the season with Bobby’s team, but this was a business decision that was out of our control,” Rose said. ”My sponsor left and Bobby said he couldn’t continue to run the truck without it.” Rose said he expects to land at least a part-time ride with a team owned by Rick Ware and based in Thomasville, NC. Hamilton drove the #4 Dodge at Indianapolis Raceway Park last Friday night and his son, Bobby Jr., will drive the truck in Saturday’s race at Nashville Superspeedway. Team spokesman David Pepper explained why the Hamiltons are able to keep driving the truck while Rose can’t: ”When we got to Indy last week we learned that Brian’s sponsor had left,” Pepper said. ”Square D, which sponsors Bobby’s Winston Cup car, stepped up and offered to sponsor the truck for that race, provided Bobby drove it. ‘This week we have Square D back, along with an associate sponsor, for Bobby Jr. After that we don’t know whether the #4 truck will run any more or not.”(Tennessean)(8-6-2002)
UPDATE 3: Brian Rose will team up with Ware Racing for Saturday’s Federated Auto Parts 200 at the Nashville Superspeedway. “I’ll be driving the #51 Dodge Ram, so it will be sort of a return to my Truck Series roots,” said Rose, who drove the first thirteen races of this season in the #4 Dodge of Bobby Hamilton Racing. Ken Glen, Rose’s crew chief last year in the #51 of Ware Racing, will once again be calling the shots in the pits. Negotiations are underway for the remainder of the 2002 season, but no firm plans are made as of yet. “Right now we’re excited about Nashville and putting Brian as close to the front as we can,” said team owner Rick Ware. “We’ve watched Brian continue to mature as a driver throughout this season, and know he’s capable of capturing his first victory very soon.” Rose is continuing to seek sponsorship for the remained of this season, and for next year as well. “We have a great product which will generate tremendous exposure for a sponsor,” said Rose. “We’re willing to work on a race-by-race basis, or get the ball rolling on a comprehensive media plan which will span the next few years. This is NASCAR, after all. There’s no better vehicle for increasing market penetration for a sponsor than what we have right here.”(PR)(8-6-2002)
