March 27, 2002
- Stewart to Skip the Indy 500? UPDATE no double this year: Even before his nasty crash Sunday, Tony Stewart apparently was re-evaluating his plans for May. Stewart has had discussions with Chip Ganassi and Roger Penske about running in the Indianapolis 500, but his NASCAR team officials said he has been weighing one other option: None of the above. Team officials said owner Joe Gibbs is not standing in the way of Stewart again doing Memorial Day double duty with either Ganassi or Penske. It’s up to the driver, and he hasn’t decided. Last year, Stewart ran in the Indy 500 and then the Coca-Cola 600, a night race at Charlotte.(Indianapolis Star).(3-18-2002)
UPDATE: reported on Fox Sports Net, Matt Yocum is reporting that due to Tony Stewart’s stellar start in 2002 and taking into account everyone’s best interest, Stewart has decided to skip this years Indy 500 to concentrate on his other dream a Winston Cup championship. Chip Ganassi had offered him the same ride as last year.(3-27-2002)
- #26 Team to close this week? UPDATE: hearing the one remaining team for Haas Carter Motorsports, the #26 Joe Nemechek Ford, will close down at the end of this week and not run Texas unless a sponsor jumps aboard.(3-27-2002)
UPDATE: Haas Carter Motorsports announced today that it has ceased its NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing operation. The team fielded the #26 Ford Taurus for Joe Nemechek and #66 Ford Taurus for Todd Bodine. With the unfortunate filing of Chapter 11 by its primary sponsor Kmart Corporation just prior to the NASCAR season opener in Daytona, the timing could not have been worse for the team to find a replacement. Kmart Corporation has been a great team sponsor since Haas Carter Motorsports first entered the Winston Cup Series and we wish them well in their restructuring efforts. It is with great sadness that Haas Carter Motorsports releases its drivers and team members to pursue other Winston Cup opportunities as we realize this decision impacts families and friends.(Cox Marketing Group PR)(3-27-2002)
- It’s Official – DW in a Truck UPDATE: Three-time Winston Cup champion and current NASCAR on FOX analyst Darrell Waltrip will make a return to racing on April 13th at the Advance Auto Parts 250 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event in Martinsville, VA. This will mark Waltrip’s first return to NASCAR racing since his retirement at the end of the 2000 Winston Cup season. Waltrip will drive the #17 Duck Head Footwear Dodge, owned by Virginia businessman Jim Harris and Mark Melling. Stacy Compton, originally slated to be in the Duck Head Footwear truck, is unable due to a scheduling conflict with the Pepsi 300 NASCAR Busch Series race running at Nashville that same day. Waltrip will be reunited with his former crew chief and current FOX Sports analyst Jeff Hammond for this event. Additionally, the team will run the #17 which Waltrip made famous when he drove for Hendrick Motorsports and then for himself. “Jeff and I want to thank FOX Sports’ David Hill and Ed Goren for letting us take advantage of this opportunity,” said Waltrip. “We were supposed to be in Nashville broadcasting the NASCAR Busch Series event for FX, but they were kind enough to let us go racing. This is going to be fun!” Waltrip won 11 of his 84 Winston Cup races at Martinsville – five in the spring event and six more in the fall. Waltrip finished 5th in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event at Martinsville in 1996. In 1997, the #17 Waltrip-owned truck won the Martinsville event. “This is a great opportunity to have some fun,” said Hammond. “It definitely will rekindle some great memories we had together and give us another chance to make some new ones. The Duck Head Footwear people are great to work with. D.W. and I are hoping to put their truck in Victory Lane!” Truck team owner Jim Harris was equally excited. “D.W.’s record at Martinsville is beyond belief,” he said. “When Stacy told us D.W. received the OK from FOX Sports to participate, I called Vice President of Sales, David Dunevant at Duck Head Footwear. He was really excited about DW and Jeff being associated with the Duck Head brand!” D.W. will drive the NASCAR Craftsman truck that captured four top-10 finishes and the Bud Pole Award at Phoenix last season when piloted by Compton. Melling Racing is preparing the Dodge Ram truck at its shop in Concord, NC. Qualifying for the Advance Auto Parts 250 takes place Friday, April 12. The NASCAR Craftsman trucks take the green flag at 2PM ET on Saturday, April 13.(Darrell Waltrip Motorsports. PR and a story at FoxSports), see more on my CTS Site.(3-26-2002)
UPDATE: Jeff Hammond is not going to be the crew chief but will work as he said “an interpreter” between Waltrip and Melling crew chief Dean Johnson and Corrie Stott who are heading the effort.(3-27-2002)
- Wallace [Kenny] full time Cup in 2003? In an online chat on racers-chat.com Monday, Kenny Wallace said he will be in the Winston Cup Series next year. Running full-time in the BGN [#48 Stacker 2 Chevy] and the former replacement for #1-Steve Park, it appears Wallace is just waiting his time. “I will tell you the truth, I am 100 percent positive I will be full WC next year,” Wallace wrote. “As of right now, I will try to win BGN races and the championship, because as we speak DEI will not let me drive any WC cars. We are still on standby for Steve. I am very excited about the years ahead of me. Things look good.” (Daytona Beach News Journal)(3-27-2002)
- Labonte Testing a Chevy? hearing that after wrecking his #18 Interstate Batteries Pontiac during testing at Texas Motor Speedway, the #18 team broke out the backup car to test and it was a…….Chevy, not a Pontiac.(3-27-2002)
- Petty inducted into Automotive Hall of Fame: Seven individuals representing racing, design, engineering and bold innovation have been selected for induction into the Automotive Hall of Fame. The Inductee class of 2002 includes Giovanni Agnelli, Giorgetto Giugiaro, Frank McCarthy, Andre and Edouard Michelin, Richard Petty and Owen Skelton.(PRN Newswire)(3-27-2002)
- Park to be evaluated? UPDATE: DEI and NASCAR officials will likely take a look at #1-Steve Park before next week’s race at fast and dangerous Texas Motor Speedway. Park was sidelined six months after suffering a bruise at the base of his skull as a result of a crash during a Busch Series race at Darlington last September. The swelling in his head had given him double vision. Park returned on March 17 at that same South Carolina track. Some suggest his return is pre-mature. Park had two questionable incidents in his first race back, running into #90-Rick Mast and drifting high into the lapped car of #14-Stacy Compton. At Bristol, there were three more incidents: Park spun out running by himself between Turns 1 & 2 on lap 81 [actually got together with #44-Jones]; rear-ended #31-Robby Gordon on lap 342, and spun out again on lap 408. “The released him way too soon,” one spotter said.(Knoxville News)(3-25-2002)
UPDATE: Despite rumors to the contrary, NASCAR spokeswoman Danielle Humphrey said the sanctioning body will not re-evaluate Steve Park prior to next week’s race at Texas Motor Speedway. Park returned to the Winston Cup Series two weeks ago after being out since September because of a head injury. There have been published reports stating that NASCAR likely would take another look at Park after he ran into Rick Mast and Stacy Compton while leading at Darlington and was involved in several incidents in last weekend’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Humphrey said Park’s doctors have cleared him to race, and no changes to his status are being considered.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(3-27-2002)
- Biffle tests at California: Greg Biffle is testing the #16 Ford at California Speedway in preparation for the Cup race there in April.(FSN’s Totally NASCAR)(3-27-2002)
- Marlin tests at California: #40-Sterling Marlin is testing at the California Speedway this week, Wed/Thurs, as well as attending the Denver Nuggets game in a driver appearance.(3-27-2002)
- #32 Crew is the NAPCM Pit Crew of the Week: Ricky Craven’s #32 Tide Crew – consistent pit stops in the 15 second range and a competitive intensity makes the Tide Crew the NAPCM pick this week. Other stop times listed on NAPCM website.(NAPCM PR)(3-27-2002)
- Baldwin wins Irwin award: Battling power system problems last Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway, Tommy Baldwin, crew chief for the #22 Caterpillar Dodge, rallied his team back into contention midway through the Food City 500, only to fall victim once again to the voltage problems that plagued the racecar all day. As a result of his efforts, driver Ward Burton was able to climb to a 25th place finish from as far back as 40th position, earning Baldwin this week’s “Irwin Rough to the Finish Award.” Each week throughout the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup season, Irwin, makers of professional power tool accessories like Marathon Plus saw blades and Speedbor flat bits, is partnering with Performance Racing Network to honor the crew chief who had the toughest day in the pits, but still managed to help his team to a strong finish. The Irwin Rough to the Finish Award includes an assortment of tools for the crew chief and a $250 check donated to the Connie Parsons Memorial Fund in the racing team’s name. The year-end winner of the crew chief points standings will win a $5,000 check donated to the Fund. Race fans wanting to make a contribution to the Fund may do so by sending it to The Connie Parsons Memorial Fund, PO Box 443, Ellerbe, NC 28338. In addition to the crew chief award, Irwin is also sponsoring the weekly nationally syndicated radio show, “Fast Talk with Benny Parsons”, throughout the upcoming year.(Irwin PR)(3-27-2002)
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