Papis and Fukuyama in NASCAR? Travis Carter said his Lakeland, FL test with Indy-car driver Max Papis was inspiring: “He is the most dedicated race-car driver I have ever seen.” Carter said he wants to put Papis, who has a rigorous weight-training program, into a Busch car next season if he can put together a sponsorship package. Carter will head to Japan this week for some PR appearances with Hideo Fukuyama, one of that country’s top drivers, who would like to run the Winston Cup tour next season in one of Carter’s two cars. “He’s real cautious and doesn’t want to get in over his head,” Carter said of Fukuyama. “He wants two little mirrors – but said he figures he won’t need them for at least the first 10 laps.” One problem: Fukuyama speaks very little English, and Carter speaks very little Japanese. Spotting could be a problem. Danny Culler spotted for the team on the Motegi-Suzuka trips.(Winston Salem Journal) UPDATE: Former Japanese GT champion Hideo Fukuyama has tested a Haas Carter Motorsports Ford in hopes of making his Winston Cup debut this fall. Fukuyama, 47, was able to test one day last week at Dover before rain interrupted the test. Owner Travis Carter has hired young crew chief Teddy Brown, who at the beginning of the season worked on the turnaround by BAM Racing with Shawna Robinson, to engineer Fukuyama’s program. Carter, who was planning a trip this week to Japan, would like to test Fukuyama again at Dover and at Rockingham before he attempts Winston Cup races at Dover, Martinsville and Rockingham [in the #66 Ford?]. Fukuyama has also raced in a couple NASCAR Winston West Series events, including one at the Twin Ring Motegi oval in Japan and another at Pikes Peak International Raceway. He met Carter at the first NASCAR exhibition race in Japan, at the Suzuka Circuit road course and drove his #23 Team Camel Ford. Fukuyama competed in both Winston Cup style exhibitions at Suzuka and also drove in the Winston Cup race at the 1.5-mile Motegi oval in 1998 and the final NASCAR appearance in Japan, the Winston West finale in 1999.(NASCAR.com) AND Winston Cup car owner Travis Carter plans to enter Japanese driver Hideo Fukuyama in his No. 66 Ford in three races this season, at Dover, Martinsville and Rockingham. Fukuyama has two starts in Winston West series events, November 1999 at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan and July 1998 at Pikes Peak in Colorado. His best finish was 15th at Motegi. He also competed in the NASCAR exhibition race at Suzuka, Japan, in 1996. The team expects to have a sponsor in place for the races soon.(ThatsRacin.com)(9-1-2002)
