March 27, 2000
- Petty Debut: Adam Petty is scheduled to make his Winston Cup debut at Texas this coming weekend in the #45 Sprint Chevy. Petty tested there a few weeks ago. See story at the TMS site: Adam Petty Bids for First Winston Cup Race in Texas. See an image of the car on the Paint Scheme Gallery(3-27-2000)
- Six Different UPDATE: Rusty Wallace was the sixth different winner in the first six races in 2000. The last time that happened was 1991(News and Observer) and it’s only the fifth time it has happened in the history of NASCAR
UPDATE: The most different winners to start off a season in the modern era is 7 in 1991 (Ernie Irvan, Dale Earnhardt, Kyle Petty, Ken Schrader, Ricky Rudd, Rusty Wallace and Darrell Waltrip) That also happened in 1964(Ned Jarrett, Fireball Roberts, Wendell Scott, Richard Petty, Dan Gurney, Junior Johnson, Bobby Isaac.)(thanks Matt)(3-27-2000)
- Wallace Money: another question being asked, why did Rusty Wallace only win $50 more then 2nd place Johnny Benson? from the Florida Times-Union: Rusty Wallace’s take for winning yesterday’s race was $87,585. Johnny Benson, who finished second, made $87,535. Wallace doesn’t carry a sticker promoting NASCAR’s “official” spray paint, so that cost him $4,300 in bonus money. Not carrying the Gatorade sticker cost him another $10,000. Benson won several bonuses, including one from Gatorade and one for making the best move of the race. Those bonuses added up to $21,800(3-27-2000)
- Smithsonian and NASCAR: Richard Petty’s stock car has been in the Smithsonian for years, but now NASCAR is getting serious about its history. NASCAR has reached an agreement with the Atlanta History Center and the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History to create a 6,000-foot traveling exhibit called Speed and Spirit: NASCAR in America. It will visit the Smithsonian as well as sites in Atlanta and other cities. Plans are being sketched out, and the exhibit will debut in Atlanta sometime in 2002(Business Journal of Charlotte)(3-27-2000)
- Talladega Rules UPDATE: NASCAR Saturday amended its rules revision for Talladega next month, informing teams that it would allow them to use frame bumpers on the front ends of their cars. Even smart crew chiefs seemed puzzled as to what this means. See Ben Blakes story at SpeedVision for the explanation: Blake’s Bristol Notebook: Saturday(3-26-2000)
UPDATE: The bumpers are small rubber pieces attached to the frame, which cushion body-frame contact when the car body drops closer to the ground(That’s Racin’), to see an image of a ‘bumper’, see the story at Speedway Illustrated(3-27-2000)
- Foyt Driver: SpeedVision reports that Dick Trickle apparently will drive AJ Foyt’s #14 Conseco Pontiac at Texas. The team is looking at candidates for the ride. Looks like Mike Bliss, who started the year in the Foyt cars, will not return. Meanwhile, talk bubbled that Bliss could end up in the #27 Eel River Racing Viagra Pontiac if rookie Jeff Fuller’s fortunes do not improve. Bliss and team manager Barry Dodson worked well together in CTS and Bliss drove the car late in 1999 and was to be their 2000 driver when he opted for the Foyt ride before Ell River found a sponsor AND Trickle may get called upon again at Texas next weekend should the team not sign a full-time replacement for Bliss this week. But an announcement is expected by the middle of the week and veteran Rick Mast(#41) is considered the top candidate(That’s Racin’)(3-27-2000)
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of America/Martin Update: Mark Martin’s on-track performance in the #6 Valvoline Ford, combined with contributions from Valvoline and NASCAR fans, has brought the current total raised for Big Brothers Big Sisters since 1999 to $276,683. Valvoline is donating $5,000 for every Winston Cup race Martin wins, $2,500 for each pole, $1,000 for a top-five finish, and $20 per lap Martin leads in this “Caring Hands” program(Valvoline Newsletter)(3-27-2000)
- #50 for Rusty: #2-Rusty Wallace wins at Bristol for the 2nd spring race in a row and hos 50th career Winston Cup win, tying him with Ned Jarrett and Junior Johnson for 8th on the all time list and putting him one in front of Jeff Gordon. Lee Petty is next in line with 55. For results of the Food City 500 see NASCAR Online, That’s Racin’ or the Racin’ Network(3-26-2000)
UPDATE: the win also extends Wallace’s streak of having a win in each of the last 15 seasons(3-27-2000)
- Parker and Eel River Crew CORRECTION: In an agreement that is designed to help both racing teams, five pit-crew members from the #27 Eel River Racing Team help on Saturday pit stops in the Busch Series for the #53 Team Marines Busch Series car driven by Hank Parker, Jr. Eel River Racing crew chief Barry Dodson assisted the #53 team last year, and he was willing to offer them assistance this year with some pit crew members on race weekends when the Busch Series competes at the same track on the same weekend as the Winston Cup Series. In addition, Dodson continues to work as a consultant for the #53 team on Saturdays, aiding them with pit strategy and giving advice on chassis adjustments. Dodson lends the #53 team two tire changers, two tire carriers and the jack man for the Busch races(Keystone Marketing)(3-24-2000)
CORRECTION: The #27 Eel River Racing pit crew (Jeff Fuller/Viagra on the NASCAR Winston Cup Series) performs the over-the-wall race day duties on Hank Parker Jr.’s #53 Rick Rathbun’s Team Marines Racing NASCAR Busch Series Chevrolet. Eel River Racing crew chief Barry Dodson is a close friend of the Parker family. Veteran crew chief Dave McCarty and general manager/spotter Freddie Query “call the shots” on raceday chassis setups and strategy. More on the BGN Site(3-27-2000) - Parker and Eel River Crew CORRECTION: In an agreement that is designed to help both racing teams, five pit-crew members from the #27 Eel River Racing Team help on Saturday pit stops in the Busch Series for the #53 Team Marines Busch Series car driven by Hank Parker, Jr. Eel River Racing crew chief Barry Dodson assisted the #53 team last year, and he was willing to offer them assistance this year with some pit crew members on race weekends when the Busch Series competes at the same track on the same weekend as the Winston Cup Series. In addition, Dodson continues to work as a consultant for the #53 team on Saturdays, aiding them with pit strategy and giving advice on chassis adjustments. Dodson lends the #53 team two tire changers, two tire carriers and the jack man for the Busch races(Keystone Marketing)(3-24-2000)
CORRECTION: The #27 Eel River Racing pit crew (Jeff Fuller/Viagra on the NASCAR Winston Cup Series) performs the over-the-wall race day duties on Hank Parker Jr.’s #53 Rick Rathbun’s Team Marines Racing NASCAR Busch Series Chevrolet. Eel River Racing crew chief Barry Dodson is a close friend of the Parker family. Veteran crew chief Dave McCarty and general manager/spotter Freddie Query “call the shots” on raceday chassis setups and strategy. “Barry’s helping this team by lending us his pit crew, and they give us excellent pit stops,” stated Query. “But perhaps a misconception was born during last season’s Busch Series finale telecast on NBC, when Barry was incorrectly referred to as our crew chief. We value Barry’s help and friendship — there’s no doubt about that. We certainly due not want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but we felt a clarification was in order. The success of our team is due and only due to the hard work and dedication of our team members. It is also due to the excellent level of communication between Hank Jr. and crew chief Dave McCarty and also between Hank Jr. and me. We have a great crew chief in Dave McCarty. He does not get the credit he deserves, simply because he does not demand attention. And we certainly could not have achieved this level of success without the financial support of sponsor Rick Rathbun and his Team Marines Racing program. Of course, I am not content with our current level of success (one pole, one track record and three top-10 finishes in six starts). I want to win — we all want to win. And that will come soon, due to everyone’s hard work and input.”(3-27-2000)
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