March 23, 2002
- fan-owned NASCAR team relaunches UPDATE 2: Fanz Enterprises, which announced plans to form fan-owned NASCAR teams last fall, has re-launched its effort to allow race fans to own stock in NASCAR teams. The company’s debut was interrupted by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington. The company is offering a maximum of 2.5 million shares of its common stock at a price of $10 per share. Fans can become part owners by purchasing a minimum of 25 shares (a $250 one-time investment). The money raised through the public offering is expected to allow Fanz to field a minimum of two full-time race teams. Sources of operating revenue are expected to include sponsorship monies, race purse winnings, race bonuses and sales of collectible and consumer motorsports products. For more information or to obtain a prospectus on the stock offering, visit fanzracing.com, or call (888) 444-8233.(ThatsRacin.com)(3-16-2002)
UPDATE: In addition to Larry McReynolds, Chipper Jones of the Atlanta Braves has joined the Fanz team. Jones is a die-hard NASCAR fan and has dreamed about being a team owner. After learning about Fanz, Jones is “revved-up” to tell race fans across America about the benefits of Ownership and what it means to “be an Owner”.(Fanz Enterprises PR)(3-22-2002)
AND see an article at USA Today: NASCAR fans hope stock helps them go racing.(3-23-2002)
- Sharpie Announcement at Bristol UPDATE 2: an announcement will be made by the maker of the permanent marker, Sharpie, at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, March 23 at 9:00am at the brand new Victory Lane Building at Bristol. Not only will the press conference feature this announcement, it will also unveil a special paint scheme to be driven by #97-Kurt Busch of Roush Racing. “Announcements like this one don’t come along every day,” Busch said. “I’m real excited about it, and am thrilled to have the opportunity of driving this one-in-a-million special paint scheme. I have seen a lot of neat stuff on the track, but this one is sure to get everyone’s attention.” Beginning in August 2001, Sharpie came on as the title sponsor for the August night race at Bristol and appropriately called it the Sharpie 500. This year, with the addition of their special announcement, they are planning to make it a race that fans won’t forget and for one fan it may even change their life.(Roush Racing PR), hmmmm…..sounds like a contest of some sort?(3-19-2002)
UPDATE: see an image of the car on my Paint Scheme Gallery.(3-21-2002)
UPDATE 2: the #97 Ford of Kurt Busch is running a special scheme this weekend at Bristol to promote a sweepstakes: 10 lucky winners can win a Trip Prize: a 3-day/2-night trip for two to the SHARPIE 500 race in August 2002 at the Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, TN and a chance to win up to $1,000,000. For more info see the Sharpie Site.(3-23-2002)
- Fittipaldi and Petree? #55 and #33 car owner Andy Petree is expressing an interest in CART-Busch driver Christian Fittipaldi. Petree has cut back his two-car effort to a single-car [#55] team after losing sponsorship.(Winston Salem Journal)(3-23-2002)
- Chevy’s get measured different starting at Texas UPDATE: Officials for NASCAR announced modifications in the inspection and measuring process, specifically for the Chevrolet Monte Carlo, beginning with the NASCAR Winston Cup event weekend at Texas Motor Speedway on April 5th. The current NASCAR Winston Cup Series inspection process utilizes reference lines for inspection located on the inspection-room floor to help determine the overall length of the front of the car for each manufacturer. The Chevrolet’s reference line has been moved to the same point as the Ford Taurus and Dodge Intrepid. It will now be measured at 100 ¼ inches in length. (Prior to this modification, the Chevrolet was measured at 99 inches). The Pontiac Grand Prix is measured at 100 ½ inches.(NASCAR PR)(3-22-2002)
UPDATE: Chevy team owners call NASCAR’s newest rules break “just a bone they’re throwing us,” according to car owner Andy Petree. NASCAR’s John Darby hinted he planned to follow up this rule with one cutting back something on the Dodges. General Motors’ Alba Colon said GM would welcome that move: “I would be very glad to hear that. We asked (NASCAR) to do something with the Dodges and the Fords, but they replied ‘What can we do for the Chevrolet? We don’t want to take anything away from them. What can we do for you?’” The new Chevy rule, Darby says, will give that make more front downforce. However, Chevy crew chiefs dismiss that, saying it may add only 10 pounds of downforce; NASCAR wind tunnel tests last week showed the Dodge with more than 130 pounds more front downforce than the Monte Carlo, out of nearly 1400 pounds of total downforce.(Winston Salem Journal)(3-23-2002)
- Earnhardt Jr – a no show UPDATE: Dale Earnhardt Jr. was a no-show at Food City Family Race Night. Advance promotions for the event stressed all scheduled appearances were tentative, and someone who answered the phone at the North Carolina offices of Earnhardt’s public relations contact said their office indicated Wednesday that Dale Jr. would not attend. But among hundreds of NASCAR fans waiting in line Thursday afternoon for the doors to officially open for Race Night were scores of disappointed Earnhardt fans – some complaining they would not have made their way to the event had they known ahead of time he would not attend.(see full story at the Kingsport Times News and Bristol Herald Courier)(3-22-2002)
UPDATE: Dale Earnhardt Jr. was a no-show at a local autograph session, instead flying with Stewart to a Kid Rock concert Thursday night in Huntington, W.Va. Earnhardt also may face a civil fine for riding his four-wheeler on someone else’s property, according to a Charlotte television station.(Winston Salem Journal)(3-23-2002)
- Spencer Hauled in: Before his team was allowed to unload his hauler and begin race preparations, driver Jimmy Spencer had to meet Friday morning with Winston Cup officials regarding his participation in last Sunday’s 11-car accident at Darlington. Event director David Hoots had asked that Spencer report to the NASCAR hauler following the Darlington race, but Spencer left the track without doing so. He was asked to come to the hauler Friday morning before practice and his team was not allowed to bring their car out until the meeting was over. “They wanted to talk to him about some stuff, about what he saw in the wreck and was there any way they could have prevented such a big pile-up,” said Tony Glover, team manager for Chip Ganassi Racing. “I guess they’re getting different answers from different drivers. I don’t think they were trying to punish him for being in the wreck. I think they just wanted his idea on what happened in the wreck.”(ThatsRacin.com)
AND While neither Spencer nor NASCAR officials would speak directly to the issues, sources close to the situation said that NASCAR was concerned about Spencer going to Stewart’s car after the wreck and trying to help Stewart, while track safety crews were already there. However, Stewart, who had been knocked out, said that when he came to, the only man he recognized was Spencer and that he asked Spencer to help him. Stewart confirmed that to NASCAR. John Darby, NASCAR’s Winston Cup director, insisted that Spencer isn’t really in any trouble, that he just wanted to talk to Spencer about the Stewart crash.(Winston Salem Journal)(3-23-2002) - Jeff Green wins wild one at Bristol: Saturday’s BGN race at Bristol brought out the best – and worst – short track racing has to offer. #21-Jeff Green won the Channellock 250 in a race slowed a record-tying 14 times by caution for 88 laps, but Green’s brother, Mark, was involved in a serious accident on the last lap. Mark Green spun exiting Turn 2 and was then T-boned on the driver’s side of his #38 Ford by Larry Foyt. Mark Green remained trapped in his car for nearly half an hour as rescue workers attempted to extricate him from the severely damaged vehicle and take him to the infield care center. Mark Green was airlifted to Wellmont Bristol Medical Center with a likely fractured left foot. If that wasn’t enough, as Jeff Green was celebrating his victory doing burnouts on the frontstretch, Kevin Harvick charged down pit road, climbed over the top of Mike McLaughlin’s car and got into a physical confrontation with Greg Biffle, who had hit and spun Harvick on Lap 240. The two spent nearly a minute locked together as Harvick had his arms wrapped around Biffle’s neck before series officials got them separated. Harvick, his crew chief Kevin Hamlin, and car owner Richard Childress were summoned after the race to the series hauler to meet with NASCAR officials. #24-Jack Sprague joined in the melee as well, trying to confront #1-Jimmy Spencer, who had hit Sprague on the last lap while Spencer dived to the apron of the track while trying to catch the race winner. See ThatsRacin.com for a column: Jeff Green wins a rough BGN race and for Channellock 250 race results.(3-23-2002)
- Davis team to skip Nashville? #23 car owner Bill Davis said he is disappointed that the purse for the upcoming Busch race at Nashville won’t be at the $1 million level that he says NASCAR promised team owners. “They’d told us every new track coming in would pay a $1 million purse, and it’s only $500,000,” Davis said. “So we’re probably not going to go.”(Winston Salem Journal)(3-23-2002)
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