March 20, 2002
- 300th for Bobby Labonte: In typical Bobby Labonte fashion, a simple shrug of the shoulders is all you get when he was told this weekend’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway would be his 300th career NASCAR Winston Cup start. For Labonte, he feels as though it’s not really that big of a deal. To him, it’s just another race, except for the fact that it will take place on the high banks of Bristol. “It’s cool that I am making it to my 300th start and all,” said Labonte. “But when you look at what Terry (Labonte – 715 career starts this weekend) has done, it really doesn’t mean that much. I remember my first Cup start at Dover in 1991. We didn’t belong there and we bit off more than we could chew and realized that real quick. There were times like that early on in my career I doubted I would even make 50 starts let alone 300. I have been so fortunate to be associated with two great owners in Bill Davis and Joe Gibbs while racing at the Winston Cup level. Without them, I wouldn’t be here that’s for sure.” When asked about racing long enough to equal the number of starts his older brother Terry has, Labonte quickly remarked, “Absolutely not! That would mean I would have to race at least 11 more years and I am not planning on racing that long I don’t think. I love racing and who I work for and all that, but I can not imagine doing this for 11 more years.”(Joe Gibbs Racing PR)(3-20-2002)
- Testing at Texas UPDATE 2 rained out: testing at Texas Motor Speedway continues today for the Samsung/RadioShack 500 NASCAR Winston Cup race and O’Reilly 300 NASCAR Busch Series races (April 6-7th). Three remaining scheduled test sessions, which are closed to the public, include 16 drivers from both the NASCAR Winston Cup and Busch Series. The following drivers/teams are currently scheduled:
March 19-20 – #2-Rusty Wallace; #5-Terry Labonte; #45-Kyle Petty; and for the BGN – #12-Kerry Earnhardt.
March 25 – #49-Shawna Robinson
March 26-27 – #99-Jeff Burton; #18-Bobby Labonte; #22-Ward Burton; #25-Jerry Nadeau; #14-Stacy Compton; #55-Bobby Hamilton; and for the BGN – #2-Johnny Sauter; #29-Kevin Harvick (the Sonic car); #87-Joe Nemechek; #14-Larry Foyt; #37-Jeff Purvis.(Texas Motor Speedway PR)(3-19-2002)
UPDATE: looks like no cars took to the track Tuesday at TMS as it rained most of the day and is supposed to rain Wednesday morning.(3-20-2002)
UPDATE 2: testing at Texas has been rained out and the teams that were to test this week may come back and test next week with the other teams scheduled to be there.(3-20-2002) - 43 cars or No Pay? this is interesting, didn’t know this: NASCAR almost had a short field (fewer than 43 cars) last weekend at Darlington. If so, it would have been the first time since 42 cars ran at Talladega in October 1997. #49-Shawna Robinson and #71-Andy Hillenburg were late entries and ran only a few laps. Didn’t matter … they’d earned their money by showing up and filling the field. NASCAR probably will have to make midweek phone calls to rustle up enough cars to get to 43.(see story below, looks like 43). There’s a good reason for that number: The contract with NBC and Fox says NASCAR must present 43 cars each weekend. If not, the networks aren’t obligated to pay as much for the rights to televise the event.(Daily Press). NOTE: being told that NASCAR has asked the #49 BAM Racing and #71 Marcis Racing teams to go to the Cup race in California to insure a full field. The race is not on either teams schedule and Bristol could be the last race for the #26 car and Joe Nemechek unless a sponsor is found. UPDATE: But California is already on the #49’s planned scheduled and the #74 BACE Motorsports team with Chad Little plans on debuting there.(3-20-2002)
- BACE and Little to Cup UPDATE: BACE Motorsports announced this week that the team will make its NASCAR Winston Cup debut at California Speedway on April 28, 2002 with driver Chad Little in the #74 Chevy. In the coming weeks, Team Manager Terry Wooten will be announcing a crew chief for the Winston Cup team, as well as a strategic alliance with another Winston Cup program that will supply engines to the new venture. Operations of the #74 BGN Team, also piloted by Little, will cease immediately. “We’re excited to make the transition to the Winston Cup level with the #74 Team,” owner Bill Baumgardner said. “We’ve made a strategic change in plan for the No. 74 and are now dedicating 100 percent of the focus of this team to our Winston Cup effort. Since BACE was formed in 1990, we’ve been committed to a standard of excellence that has led our team to success. With the elements we currently have in place, we believe that this is the appropriate time to make the move to Winston Cup.” BACE’s debut marks the return of Chad Little to Winston Cup. Little joined BACE late in the 2000 BGN campaign, posting two Top-5 and six Top-10 finishes en route to a 9th-place finish in the 2001 BGN Championship race. “This is a great opportunity for me to return to Winston Cup with a team that understands how to build a winner,” Little said. “Their success in the Busch Series is undeniable and we have high expectations for Winston Cup,” he added. “I’m excited to be a part of a team with such a great tradition and honored to drive for BACE in their first Winston Cup effort.” Little, a former NASCAR Winston West Champion, will pilot the #74 entry in a limited schedule, initially focusing on intermediate tracks, as the team actively seeks corporate sponsorship. Following BACE’s California Speedway debut, Little will run The Winston Open and Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, then the June events at Dover International Speedway and Michigan International Speedway. Additional events will be named as the 2002 season progresses, with as many as 20 races possible.(Chad Little Site)(3-14-2002)
UPDATE: Quote from note about Chad going Winston Cup racing: “We will be picking up several cars tomorrow, intermediate and I believe a speedway car. Our engines will be supplied by the same organization supplying the cars, wish I could officially tell you, however, they will make a press announcement the week following Bristol.”(Chad Little Forum)(3-20-2002) - Elliott tests at Talladega…short track: NASCAR Winston Cup driver Bill Elliott made a visit to the Talladega Short Track Tuesday to test his late-model dirt car against local drivers Staci Holmes and Ted Lackey and legendary short-track driver Red Farmer. Elliott tested for approximately four hours.(Anniston Star)(3-20-2002)
- #77 Crew Member sick UPDATE: Scott Stallings, gas runner and fabricator for the #77 Fords of Jasper Motorsports, felt light-headed and dizzy before the start of Sunday’s race and was transported to Carolinas Hospital System in Florence, SC. He underwent enzyme tests to determine whether he was suffering from a heart problem. The initial tests were negative but he was kept overnight for observation.(ThatsRacin.com)(3-17-2002)
UPDATE: Scott Stallings, gas man for the #77 Jasper Engines and Transmissions team, was transported to Carolinas Hospital System in Florence during last Sunday’s Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 at Darlington Raceway after experiencing light-headedness, dizziness and chest pain during pre-race activities. Initial enzyme tests were negative. However, subsequent tests including a heart catheterization, have shown some cardiac damage. Stallings will remain at CHS until later this week. he is in stable condition. (ThatsRacin.com)(3-20-2002) - Earnhardts sued by former associate UPDATE: Gray London says he helped finance “The Intimidator’s” successful career. Now, he’s suing the multi-million dollar racing empire Dale Earnhardt Inc. to get a return on his 28-year-old investment. Jury selection took up the entire Cleveland County Court [NC] session on Monday. Juror after juror was excused from the trial after attorneys had trouble finding any who weren’t fans of Earnhardt or his son, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Winston Cup champion car owner Rick Hendrick was in Shelby on Monday for the trial. Teresa Earnhardt, Earnhardt’s widow and head of DEI, as well as legendary driver Harry Gant could also make appearances as witnesses, possibly as early as today. In his complaint filed in the summer of 2000 Gray London of Boiling Springs alleges he entered an agreement in 1999 with DEI to release Earnhardt from the defunct racing team the two men formed in 1974. London granted the release in exchange for $550,000 and the rights to make collectibles of three of Earnhardt’s first cars through his company, Driver on a Mission. The complaint alleges DEI violated the agreement and “used its economic clout within the racing souvenir industry to pressure individuals and businesses to refrain from or to stop doing business with DOM.” The complaint says DEI told London’s prospective business partners they would “suffer if they do business with Mr. London or DOM.” London claims that in 1974 he and Earnhardt formed the Earnhardt Racing Team, with each man putting up half of the money. “He helped Dale Earnhardt get started in 1974 after Dale’s father died. He put up the money for him to get started in racing,” said London’s attorney Irving Brenner. “Over the years, Mr. London and Dale Earnhardt talked about settling up on their agreement and in January of 1999 they did. There was an agreement between Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Mr. London,” said Brenner. London filed a lawsuit against DEI because, Brenner said, the agreement between the two men was broken by DEI. “The dispute is over not paying him the money the agreement calls for,” Brenner said. London claims DEI owes him $100,000 through Action Performance, a racing souvenir company, under the 1999 agreement and alleges his company was not allowed to sell Earnhardt collectibles, which was also provided for under the agreement. DEI filed a countersuit claiming London breached the contract. Both the suit and countersuit ask for unspecified monetary amounts. “Basically, Mr. London knew Dale and his family and they had a racing team and it went under in two years,” said attorney Judson Graves, who represented the Earnhardts last year in a Florida courtroom to restrict access to Earnhardt’s autopsy photos. “London came back looking for something out of the old days and threatened a suit. DEI lived up to their agreement and they (London) didn’t,” said Graves. He said neither side disputes the existence of the 1999 contract between London and DEI.(in part from the Gaston Gazette, a short term link is gone)(3-12-2002)
UPDATE: Lawyers for Dale Earnhardt Inc. opened their case against Boiling Springs resident Gray London on Tuesday with testimony from one of London’s former employees. Dale Earnhardt’s mother, Martha, and racing legend Harry Gant gave their testimony during Tuesday’s proceedings. London alleges in his complaint he entered an agreement in 1999 with DEI to release Earnhardt from the defunct racing team the two men formed in 1974. London granted the release in exchange for $550,000 and the rights to make collectibles of three of Earnhardt’s first cars through his company Driver on a Mission. His complaint claims DEI violated the agreement and “used its economic clout within the racing souvenir industry to pressure individuals and businesses to refrain from or to stop doing business with DOM.” Sharon Miller testified Tuesday she was told by London to pass someone else’s work off as her own while employed at his company Driver on a Mission. DEI called Gant to testify about the car Earnhardt drove to his first victory on asphalt. The car was co-owned by London and the Earnhardt family, and was purchased from Gant, who built the car. London contends the car was a 1965 Chevelle, while DEI says the car was a 1964 model. Graves said Gant testified Tuesday the car was a ’64 model. Die cast models of a 1964 Chevelle were manufactured and distributed by Action Performance, while London marketed the car as a 1965 model. Also in dispute is the sponsor of the car at the time Earnhardt captured his first asphalt win on July 19, 1974, at Metrolina Speedway. London claims his company, Dainty Maid Foods, was on the car at the time of the win, while DEI says Doc’s Cycle Center was the car’s sponsor in victory lane that night. Marshall Brooks, former owner of Doc’s Cycle Center and one of Earnhardt’s old “drinking buddies,” said his company sponsored the car the night Earnhardt took his first checkered flag on pavement.(in part from the Gaston Gazette, a one day link then a paid archive)(3-20-2002) - Fittipaldi’s 2002 debut delayed: Christian Fittipaldi, who was scheduled to make his 2002 BGN debut this weekend in the Channellock 250 at Bristol Motor Speedway, will instead debut the #30 Mike’s Hard Lemonade Chevy at the Hardees 250 at Richmond on May 3. A conflict arose for Fittipaldi this weekend when his Newman/Haas Racing CART team scheduled a last-minute test session in Sebring, FL, on Thursday and Friday. The CART series remains Fittipaldi’s priority this season, and the session precludes his ability to qualify at Bristol. “I am disappointed that Bristol did not work out,” Fittipaldi said. “I was really looking forward to racing there. We will get everything ready for Richmond, and I am excited about racing under the lights there at night. I’ve raced at night in many parts of the world, in many different types of cars, and I really enjoy it.” Fittipaldi’s first and only BGN start came last November at Homestead. Mike’s Hard Lemonade served as the primary sponsor for that one-time effort with the Innovative Motorsports team.(Innovative Motorsports PR)(3-20-2002)
- DW to drive a truck at Martinsville UPDATE 4: although ESPN2’s Dr Jerry Punch wouldn’t say his name, he said D.W. [Darrell Waltrip] is coming out of retirement for one race only to drive a truck at Martinsville in Mark Melling’s truck that Stacy Compton ran last year [#92 Dodge won the pole at Phoenix last year].(ESPN2’s PRM 2 Night)(3-19-2002)
UPDATE: actually been told that D.W. was ASKED to drive the truck and has NOT committed to it yet.(3-20-2002)
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