Arnold Motorsports will field the #79 Dodge in seven races as the 2003 season winds down, with hopes of embarking on the full NASCAR Nextel Cup schedule in 2004. Billy Bigley Jr., the former Hooters Cup and NASCAR All Pro late-model champion and Craftsman Truck Series leadfoot, will occupy the driver’s seat. Having completed two days of test laps this past week at the USA International Speedway in Lakeland and with two days of tweaking ahead Monday and Tuesday at the storied Indianapolis Motor Speedway Arnold Motorsports’ initial foray into the most competitive stock car arena of all will be a qualifying attempt for the Brickyard 400 in Indianapolis on Aug. 3. After Arnold got the green light from NASCAR this past fall to move forward, he officially registered the team and began the process of finding a location where the operation could fit in. Arnold negotiated on a number of race-team warehouses and workshops in the Charlotte, N.C. area, ultimately reaching an agreement with Mark Melling, son of Harry Melling, to occupy a 21,500 square foot, turn-key operation. The Melling team that had transformed Dawsonville, Georgia’s Bill Elliott into a marquee name in the sport, ceased operation due to lack of sponsorship after the 2002 NASCAR season. Now leasing the modest shop with an option to buy, Arnold took possession on Feb. 1 and went right work, inventorying the goods and ordering in additional supplies that were needed. Doug Howe is now the crew chief of the #79 Dodge that at least initially, will have Arnold Development Companies plastered on the hood and rear-quarter panels as the team sponsor. Arnold now has 14 employees on his race-operation payroll still bare bones compared to the established, highly financed, multi-car teams that compete week in and week out. Arnold says he thinks he already as established a good rapport with the powers that be in the Dodge Motorsports headquarters. Two cars built by the established Bill Davis Racing operation and driven by Ward Burton have been purchased. Two others are being built from scratch. A fifth car, which also was built over a two-month span in the Arnold Motorsports shop, was demolished after only three laps of practice recently at the Kentucky Speedway in Sparta. Because of its connection with Dodge and record of race reliability, Arrington Manufacturers of Martinsville, Va., has been chosen as the engine supplier by Arnold. He will lease the engines under what is called the “Arrington A” program. The involvement of NASCAR Legend Bobby Allison the patriarch of the famed “Alabama Gang” has been on board about six weeks came about largely because of Bigley’s long career in the All Pro late-model ranks. The team’s seven race schedule [6 Cup, 1 ARCA]: Aug. 3: Brickyard 400; Aug. 23: Bristol; Sept. 6: Richmond: Sept. 21: Dover; Sept. 27: ARCA race at Talladega; Oct. 19: Martinsville; and Nov. 16: Homestead.( Naples Daily News ), see past news and rumors about the team on my #79 Team News and Links page .(7-13-2003)
