Junie Donlavey, owner of the #90 Ford, doesn’t possess a driver or a sponsor, but he does hold the will to bring his Richmond-based Winston Cup team to Daytona International Speedway this week to attempt to qualify for the Daytona 500. An offseason search for financial backing has proved fruitless, but the team decided to finish preparing a superspeedway car and make the trip.( Richmond Times Dispatch )(2-2-2003) UPDATE: Kirk Shelmerdine will run the #90 Freddie B’s Ford fielded by Donlavey Racing at the Daytona 500. Freddie B’s is in Winston-Salem, NC. See a drawing of the car on my Paint Schemes Gallery .(2-3-2003) UPDATE 2: Junie Donlavey has hired a driver who is well known for his accomplishments in the Winston Cup Series but not for what he’s done behind the wheel. Kirk Shelmerdine, who helped guide Dale Earnhardt to four Winston Cup championships between 1986-92, will attempt to qualify Donlavey’s #90 Ford for the Daytona 500 on Feb. 16. Shelmerdine retired as a crew chief in 1992 and since has driven part time in several series, including Cup, CTS, BGN and ARCA. Shelmerdine contacted Donlavey last Friday, and a deal was worked out Saturday. Shelmerdine is bringing sponsorship to the Richmond-based team from a restaurant in Winston-Salem, NC. Donlavey, who missed nearly all of last year’s second half, received a steady stream of well-wishers while standing at the back of his hauler yesterday. “It’s good to be back,” said Donlavey, who is attending his 53rd Daytona 500 as a car owner. “I’ve met so many nice people doing this, and they’re worth more to me than all the money in the world.”( Richmond Times Dispatch ) AND Kirk Shelmerdine has a one-race deal to run for car owner Junie Donlavey, with quarterpanel sponsorship from the Sioux Indian Tribe of Minnesota and Freddie B’s Sports Bar in Winston-Salem.( Winston Salem Journal )(2-8-2003)
