Former Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach haven’t decided whether they will buy an existing Winston Cup team or start one from scratch. But Aikman, who attended Media Day at Texas Motor Speedway on Wednesday, said they are in the process of putting some of the key pieces together to do either one. Bill Saunders, who is the managing partner of Aikman and Staubach’s organization, Hall of Fame Racing, said they plan on choosing the car manufacturer within the next month and also form a partnership with an existing Winston Cup team in the next 60-90 days to probably use their facilities and technology. Saunders also said the team would hire a director of race operations that is “an existing NASCAR guru.” [Robin Pemberton? just a guess] The team, which Saunders hopes will total 50 employees by the time racing begins, also plans on announcing the main sponsor in the next three months, so that Hall of Fame Racing can begin testing the latter of this year and hopefully be ready to race in 2004.( Dallas Morning News – need to register to read) AND Troy Aikman believes ownership of a NASCAR Winston Cup team will fulfill the competitive urges remaining for the three-time Super Bowl champion quarterback-turned-broadcaster. “I have a competitive nature and have to find a way to solve that urge,” Aikman said Wednesday during the annual media day at Texas Motor Speedway. “Having money and time invested fulfills it tremendously. Broadcasting is tough, but when the game is over and you put down the headphones, you don’t care who won or lost.” Aikman has teamed up with Hall of Famer Roger Staubach, the quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys’ other two Super Bowl wins, as part owners of a racing team they hope to have ready for the 2004 season. Bill Saunders, a former Trans-Am driver, is the team’s managing partner. Saunders said Hall of Fame Racing hopes to have a sponsorship agreement within the next 60-90 days. “We have a legitimate, major-type sponsor interested,” Saunders said. “There is value added because of Troy and Roger,” Saunders and Aikman said a final decision hasn’t been made on whether the group will try to buy an existing team or put together one from scratch. Determining the driver or drivers will come later.( Fort Worth Star Telegram/AP )(1-30-2003)
