March 18 -Today in Jayski’s NASCAR history

March 18, 2000

• • • Cope? Foyt? UPDATE Mast?: hearing Derrike Cope, presently in the unsponsored #15 Fenley-Moore Ford may move on to the #14 Conseco Pontiac owned by AJ Foyt, if he can get out of his deal with the #15(3-17-2000)
      UPDATE: Ted Musgrave is likely to move into the #14 Pontiac owned by A.J. Foyt within the next few weeks. When Musgrave takes over the Foyt ride, Todd Bodine is likely to drive the #60 until his older brother returns(Gaston Gazette) AND Rick Mast, who drives the #41 Chevy for Larry Hedrick, has been approached about replacing Mike Bliss with A.J. Foyt’s #14 team. Mast isn’t commenting on the situation(Times-Dispatch)(3-18-2000)
    • Lowes Tire Test: #5-Terry Labonte and #12-Jeremy Mayfield tested more than 15 Goodyeat tire combinations Tuesday and Wednesday night at the 1.5-mile Lowes Motor Speedway. Labonte was unofficially the fastest during the test, posting a speed of 181.818mph and Mayfield ran laps in the 181.208mph range in race trim. The two drivers ran a combined 500 laps and 750 miles of testing(LMS)(3-18-2000)
    • Little E’s Problem UPDATE 2: got this from quite a few readers – “….on the scanner today(at Atlanta on Sunday), was listening to the #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr team and it was relayed that the speed sensors that were put on the car to relay telemetry for TV somehow cut or rubbed a hole in the brake line that caused Earnhardt’s problem”(3-13-2000)
      UPDATE: … Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s day ended early when a television(not a camera, but telemetry for Mph, RPM etc) sensor cut a brake line(PitNow)(3-14-2000)
      UPDATE 2: Dale Earnhardt Jr. confirmed that a wheel sensor placed on his car last week by ABC came off and sheared his brake line early in the race, causing him to hit the wall. Dale Earnhardt, owner of his son’s car, said at Atlanta he wasn’t going to let TV put that kind of sensor on the car again(Total Sports)(3-18-2000)
    • #25 Special Paint: Lance, Inc. is spearheading a campaign to re-launch its “Gold-n-Chees” cracker product with an attractive paint scheme for the #25 Team Rensi Motorsports Chevy for the March 25 BGN Cheez-It 250 at Bristol Motor Speedway. The Lance Racing Chevrolet will shed its normal orange and white paint scheme for that of a primarily red and gold colored car for the Bristol race(PR)(3-18-2000)
    • #72 News: Randy MacDonald and the #72 CTS team have signed 3M to a three race sponsorship deal which started at Phoenix on Saturday. The other two races are next week at Mesa Marin Raceway and Martinsville Speedway on April 8(NOL)(3-18-2000)
    • Ruttman again: #18-Joe Ruttman won the pole at Phoenix by winning his third consecutive pole, the others were at Daytona and Homestead. Ruttman broke the CTS track record with a run of 129.204mph. Greg Biffle in 1998, Mike Bliss and Rich Bickle in 1997, Ron Hornaday in 1995 and Mike Skinner in 1995(4 striaght) also had three straight. It is being reported that Ruttman tied a record for winning three straight poles but looking through the 1996 UMI NASCAR Press Guide, Mike Skinner won four(unless it rained at one event and he was awarded the pole). For the results and the starting grid for today’s race see NOL(3-18-2000)
    • #73 Sponsor: Speedmonster.com has agreed to sponsor Sonntag Racing’s #73 Chevy and driver B.A. Wilson for the races at Phoenix on March 18th and Bakersfield on March 25th. Speedmonster.com will cover a broad range of motorsports activities, whether they exist on land, in the water or in the air. In addition to NASCAR and the Craftsman Truck Series, Speedmonster will also cover drag racing, monster truck events, motorcycle racing, dirt bike racing, land speed record attempts, stunt driving events, boat racing, jet ski racing and air shows(PR)(3-18-2000)
    • Cook Sponsor: PickupTruck.com signed on as a full sponsor for 2000 with SealMaster Racing and driver Terry Cook(PR)(3-18-2000)
    • New Team: Jason Small, the youngest rookie ever in the long-running NASCAR Winston West Series will be a rookie again this year, a rookie in the CTS. Small Motorsports has acquired a Craftsman Truck from Ron Hornaday Jr. The team will be running the full Winston West season and a few CTS races starting at Mesa-Marin(Racing West)(3-18-2000)
    • Arizona Republic column: Mexican driver aspires to NASCAR about Carlos Contreras(#12), by Mark Armijo(3-18-2000)

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