March 23, 1999
- Martin Car Owner? UPDATE 2: Mark Martin could become a Winston Cup car owner as soon as next year. With Dale Earnhardt setting the precedent (driving for one team, owning a rival team with another driver), Martin could emerge in 2000 as owner of a Cup team for Matt Kenseth, possibly with DeWalt sponsorship. Martin’s personal interest in rising star Kenseth, a 26-year-old from Wisconsin, gave the youngster’s career a boost during an exciting rookie campaign in the Busch Series last year. Kenseth’s Busch team is owned by Robbie Reiser. It receives no cars or engines from Roush Racing, but it receives guidance and sponsorship support from the Roush group. Under the Roush plan, Kenseth faces several career options, all apparently favorable. He could be graduated to one of Roush’s Cup cars, or the Reiser team could become a companion team to the Roush-supported Wood Brothers outfit. At Atlanta, however, Roush suggested a third option with Mark Martin as an owner(This info from the Racer Magazine Site/Ben Blake, thanks to Team Roush Fans Site for the heads up)(3-15-1999) — UPDATE 2: Mark Martin’s owner, Jack Roush says that Matt Kenseth may be the driver for the possible Mark Martin owned Winston Cup team for the 2000 season, DeWalt Tools may follow Kenseth as the sponsor.(NOL)(3-23-1999)
- Next Driver UPDATE 2: Junie Donlavey said Stanton Barrett will drive the team’s #90 Ford at Texas Motor Speedway next weekend(Times-Dispatch)(3-20-1999) — UPDATE: Stanton Barrett, fourth in the NASCAR Rookie of the Year points standings, will drive the Heritage Consumer Products Taurus for Donlavey in Sunday’s Texas 500 at the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway. The 26-year-old Barrett drove for Donlavey in the Las Vegas 400 two weeks ago, and was the second highest-finishing rookie driver in that event. His only other attempt came in the Daytona 500 when he finished 16th in his 125-mile qualifying race, missing the most difficult field to make in motorsports by less than one-tenth of a second. The Taurus will be sponsored by Heritage Consumer Products Company, which delivers high quality healthcare products to consumers which fulfill specific needs. Heritage Consumer Products markets and distributes such well-known products as Acutrim, Allerest, Sinarest, Fiberall, Eucalyptamint, Privine, Ting, Konodremul, Caldesene and Americaino. There won’t be much of a cushion as far as provisional starting spots are concerned as the team is out until Martinsville. (Williams Company of America) — UPDATE 2: Please note that the Junie Donlavey Taurus driven by Stanton Barrett of Bishop, Calif., at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend will be unsponsored. Donlavey hired Barrett for the Texas NASCAR Winston Cup event directly. A previous release mentioning Heritage Consumer Products Company as sponsor for the Texas event was in error. We regret any problems or inconveniences this might have caused(Williams Company of America)(3-23-1999)
- Grissom News: Steve Grissom woll sub in the #18 MBNA BGN Pontiac for Bobby Labonte at the Texas BGN race(NOL)(3-23-1999)
- Three Stooges Return: The #84 Chevy returns to TMS this weekend with Three Stooges Beer, made by Panther Brewing Company, driven by Ken Bouchard. Stanton Barrett was slated to drive the car in a limited schedule but parted with Petty Huggins Motorsports shortly after the Daytona 500. Island Oasis, which produces ‘Smoothees’ will be an associate sponsor on the car. The car will have motors from veteran engine builder and long-time NASCAR car owner Richard Jackson(NOL)(3-23-1999)
- Donlavey (Darlington)Sponsor UPDATE 3: Bryan Foods will sponsor the Junie Donlavey-owned #90 Ford driven by Ed Berrier in at Darlington. Bryan(Sara Lee) is the primary sponsor of the #30 Pontiac and driver Derrike Cope, but it failed to get in the race(NOL)(3-20-1999) — plus the team gets an in-car camera too(Times-Dispatch) UPDATE 2: NASCAR Online had the #90 car listed as the #90 Mean Green Ford, the sponsor Berrier brought with him, its a cleaner. Accu-Turn was also on the var along with Bryan(3-21-1999) — UPDATE 3: Here is the story on this Team Green deal – Mean Green Super Strength Cleaners is a product manufactured by Chempro out of Spartenburg, SC. They have been with Ed Berrier for many years, primarily on his ARCA car. They are also the current primary sponsor of Elaine Hughes. Elaine is the Office Manager for Jaspar Motorsports and campaigns a Legends car at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and also competes in the Late Model Stock Division at Concord Motor Speedway. She was voted Most Popular driver in 1998 and finished 7th in points. She is currently leading the points in the legends car at Concord Motor Speedway. Her Husband/Car Owner/Crew Chief Kevin Hughes is the Operations Supervisor for Diamond Ridge Motorsports. Just thought it was interesting(3-23-1999)
- #88 Crew: I hear Steve Allen, #88 assistant engine builder, raceday gasman and engine tuner has left Robert Yates Racing as of last week, no idea where he may be headed(Diehard RYR Page)(3-23-1999)
- Trickle back? Hear Dick Trickle will return to the #91 LJ Racing Chevy for Texas, after that ??(3-23-1999)
- Felix, changes? I hear from some readers that #’s 40 and 42(not 43 doh!) owner, Felix Sabates appeared on Speedvision’s Inside Winston Cup Racing Show on the Hot-Seat segment and indicated that if his teams don’t start performing better soon, it will be time for some drastic changes, though he did say in general he is happy about being down to two teams keeping the best personnel from last years three team effort, and that the team is much better than their bad-luck finishes show(3-23-1999)
- What Happened? to #36 Ernie Irvan on that near the end of the race spin: Jeff Gordon was one driver who thought the last caution flag should have come out one lap earlier because the rain had already started while the cars were still running on the track. A wet surface could have been the cause of the final crash involving six cars, including Gordon’s(Dallas Morning News)(3-23-1999)
- Guess, who? Big Daddy’s BBQ info: Big Daddy’s Racing has hired a management consultant to get the company back on track. The consultant immediately began going through racing sponsorship agreements in an effort to stem the gush of red ink. See the complete story and Press Release at Big Daddy’s BBQ Site (3-23-1999) note: no more Big Daddy’s stuff unless they show up on a Cup car, thanks
- Finley Released UPDATE: I hear that Jeff Finley has been released from the #25 DuraLube Chevy, owned by Ed Rensi. Some possible replacements include: Robert Pressley, Ward Burton, and Kenny Wallace(Race 2 Win) — UPDATE: my sources have confirmed this as being true and the Race 2 Win site is reporting Kenny Wallace will drive the car at Texas and for other BGN events that do not conflict with a Cup weekend(3-23-1999)
- Grissom News: Steve Grissom will sub in the #18 MBNA BGN Pontiac for Bobby Labonte at the Texas BGN race(NOL)(3-23-1999)
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