Frank Cicci Jr., who joined forces with former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly to form a BGN team, could have a sponsorship deal within the next week. “We’re getting real close to having sponsorship,” Cicci said Wednesday from his Mooresville, NC, race shop. Cicci said the manufacturing company would provide enough backing to compete in the BGN for the full season at a “proper level of funding.” He declined to name the company but said it has been a sponsor in racing previously. Cicci is also planning to enter August’s Sirius Satellite Radio at the Glen — the Winston Cup race at Watkins Glen International — with a different sponsor that he said is associated with Kelly. Cicci has owned or co-owned Busch teams for 14 years. He partnered with Scott Welliver for 10 years before splitting from the team in August of 2001. Cicci returned to the Busch Series briefly last season as team manager for the Jimmy Spencer-owned Spencer Motorsport Ventures. He hooked up with Kelly in October. Kelly, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame last summer, talked about his interest in racing in August of last year at Watkins Glen International, where he was the honorary starter for the Winston Cup race. “I brought Jim Kelly in as a partner to offer his services to a sponsor and help promote their product,” Cicci said when he announced the new team. “Kelly has been real instrumental in trying to secure this sponsor,” Cicci said. “It will be a rush to get to Daytona, but we can do it if we hear on the sponsorship by early next week,” Cicci said. Cicci, who still has to purchase cars and assemble a crew, has a race shop of 10,000 square feet as his only team asset. He said the team is ready to sign a young driver who has some experience in Busch and Hooters Cup racing. The team will use the familiar car #34, which Cicci has owned since he started in the BGN in 1987.(Elmira Star Gazette)(1-23-2003)
UPDATE: hearing Rich Bickle is close to signing a one race deal to run at Daytona.(1-24-2003)
UPDATE 2 McLeod could be hired, No Bickle: Frank Cicci and his partner, former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly, should know if they will have a Busch Series team for 2003 by the end of this week. Cicci plans to meet with his prospective sponsor Friday. “Everything looks good,” Cicci said Wednesday from his Mooresville, NC, home. Cicci said he will hire [but has not hired] former team member Clyde McLeod as his team manager. Clyde’s wife, Anne-Marie, will join the team in the Mooresville, NC, shop office as soon as the sponsor is signed. McLeod, who served under Cicci for 11 years, lost his job with the #03 Angela’s Motorsports team [see news below], which closed its doors because of financial problems earlier this week. Mike McLaughlin, a former Cicci driver, lost his ride when Angela’s Motorsports folded. “I wish I could help Mike, but at this time I can’t,” said Cicci, who is committed to a younger driver for his team by the sponsor. Cicci said there is no truth to the rumor that briefly appeared on the Web site www.jayski.com [OOPS] that said he would use Rich Bickle and his car for the first event, the Koolerz 300 at Daytona on Feb. 15. “I had just asked Rich to look for a car for me,” Cicci said. “It’s doubtful we’ll be ready for Daytona but we may try.”(Elmira Star Gazette)(1-30-2003)
UPDATE 2 sponsor and driver named: Frank Cicci Racing with Jim Kelly has announced plans to run a minimum of 10 Busch Series races in 2003 with Clay Rogers as the driver. Blake Bainbridge will assume crew chief duties and Clyde McLeod will be the team manager. The team will run the #34 Chevy in races at Darlington (3/15), along with the spring races at Bristol, Nashville, Talladega and Richmond; the races at Daytona and NHIS in July, both races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway and the Busch North Series race at Watkins Glen. LesCare Kitchins will be the sponsor for the races and Rogers. Rogers last competed in the Busch Series in nine races in 2001 in the #17 Chevy, splitting time with Matt Kenseth. Last season, Rogersran in the Hooters Cup series, finishing 7th in the series points. Cicci indicated that LesCare could add 14-18 more races to the team’s schedule in 2003.(Frank Cicci Racing with Jim Kelly PR)(2-24-2003)
