DAYTONA BEACH, FL: A Chevrolet Corvette carrying a NASA ÒAstronautÓ is part of the pre-race festivities at Daytona International Speedway, giving a plug to the Kennedy Space Center attraction. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)
DAYTONA BEACH, FL: A Chevrolet Corvette carrying a NASA ÒAstronautÓ is part of the pre-race festivities at Daytona International Speedway, giving a plug to the Kennedy Space Center attraction. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)
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March 30 – Today in Jayski’s NASCAR history

March 30, 2020 at 6:14 AM

March 30, 1999

      • Benson Associate: Richfood, Inc., will announce Thursday that it is co-sponsoring Johnny Benson’s #26 Cheerios Ford in the Exide 400 at Richmond International Raceway in September(Times-Dispatch)(3-30-1999)
      • Bud Moore News UPDATE 3: Jeff Green is entered in the #15-Bud Moore Ford, but I am hearing that team may have closed up shop(3-23-1999) — UPDATE: The Bud Moore Engineering race team is still hard at work. Moore, the team’s general manager, is encouraged by upcoming talks with potential sponsors and partners, but it’s happened before. He knows not to get too optimistic before the final deal is signed. They are rebuilding their car from Daytona. As recently as a month ago, the team had planned to qualify for the events at Atlanta two weeks ago and this weekend’s Texas race. But plans for both fell through at the last minute. On Wednesday, Moore withdrew his entry for Sunday’s race at Texas Motor Speedway. The team is still fairly discouraged by the events at Daytona in February, when the #15 Ford was wrecked on the first lap of the 125-mile qualifying event. Driver Jeff Green had tested and practiced the car at good times, and the team was confident that he would make the field. Moore has been trying to convince potential sponsors and partners based upon limited past performances — and questionable potential(GoUpstate.com)(3-26-1999) — UPDATE 2: Hearing a potential sponsor for the team may be AMVETS, American Veterans of World War II, Korea and Vietnam and they may attempt the Coca Cola 600 — UPDATE 3: This was also reported on RPM2Nite, that sources tell RPM2Nite that the team is close to signing a sponsor to return to Cup and mentioned AMVETS(3-30-1999)
      • Craven Testing UPDATE: I hear Ricky Craven will test the #58 Hollywood Video Ford at Talladega on April 6/7 (rain date the 8th) — UPDATE: Actually this is a Ford test date for Talladega and most of the Ford teams are expected to participate(3-30-1999)
      • Long/Childress? UPDATE: Jim Long, the crew chief for the Geoff Bodine-Joe Bessey #60 Power Team Chevy team, is under consideration for a job with Richard Childress Racing, according to sources close to the situation(PitNow)(3-29-1999) — UPDATE: Jim Long is not leaving the #60 Team. He stated today that he is “very happy at Bessey Motorsports.”(Geoffrey Bodine Fanclub Site/Forum)(3-30-1999)
      • Bristol Testing: Tony Stewart and Bobby Hamilton in Cup cars and Kenny Schrader and Sterling Marlin in their BGN cars tested at Bristol today, no speeds(3-30-1999)
      • Skinner Update: Mike Skinner stopped by the RCR #31 shop Monday and told the crew he would be ready to run 500 laps at Bristol in two weeks(almost). Team Mgr, David Smith told RPM2Nite that he would have a relief driver standing by in case Skinner needs one(RPM2Nite). Candidates would probably be Morgan Shepherd and Mike Dillon.(3-30-1999)
      • Marketing News: The Premiere Group — a full-service motorsports marketing and licensing agency, based in Harrisburg, N.C. — has hired veteran motorsports public relations specialist and writer John Bisci as its Communications Director. Bisci, a 42-year-old native of Buffalo, N.Y., is the former Public Relations Director for Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and has represented teams and drivers sponsored by Exide, Caterpillar and Raybestos. John is also a writer for Trackside Magazine and Speedway Scene. Among his functions with The Premiere Group will be to act as team coordinator and oversee publicity and media relations efforts for Premiere Motorsports’ NASCAR Busch Grand National Series team and its driver, Freddie Query(3-30-1999)
      • New Team for 2000? UPDATE 4 Pro football Hall of Famers Jim Brown and Willie Lanier are part of a joint venture dubbed Celebrity Motorsports that is pursuing ownership of a Winston Cup team for the 2000 season(USA Today/Skip Wood)(2-6-1999) — UPDATE 1: By this time next year, Willie Lanier and fellow Hall of Famer Jim Brown hope to be part of an ownership group of a competing team. Brown and Lanier have joined with Bill Futterer of Berea, Ohio, to form Celebrity Motorsports. The group hopes to become involved with an existing team and help with sponsorship and marketing. They have some teams in mind, but are not saying which ones. Lanier said he and his partners hope to have something lined up soon so they can be ready by Daytona 2000(Times-Dispatch)(2-11-1999) — UPDATE 2: Jim Brown, a football legend, and Willie Lanier, another NFL star from the past, have been looking at a Winston Cup effort next season, and Felix Sabates appears to be their NASCAR link. Lanier is an executive with First Union, a company that has sponsored a Sabates team. And Sabates says he’s looking at Mario Hernandez, 23, a young Cuban college graduate, as a possible NASCAR driver, probably starting with a Dash series car(PitNow/JournalNow)2-14-1999) — UPDATE 3: Ex-NFL greats Jim Brown and Willie Lanier toured the press box during the race. The hall of famers are interested in owning a Winston Cup team(SpeedNet)(3-29-1999) — UPDATE 4: I hear this may become the second Mattei Motorsports team in 2000(3-30-1999)
      • Primestar vs Texas 500 next Nashville UPDATE 2: no idea why the Mike, Ken, Buddy or Ned did not refer to the race as the Primestar 500 but the Texas 500. I don’t think they refer to any of the sponsors on the cars either, maybe policy. Not looking to speculate, it’s their decision(3-28-1999) — UPDATE 1: The broadcast networks require that the title sponsor of the event purchase a few spots on the telecast for the network to use the entitlement. When Primestar pulled out of the CBS telecast, it became the Texas 500. Note that Saturday’s race was called the Coca-Cola 300 on CBS.(3-29-1999) — UPDATE 2: Saturday’s BellSouth Mobility 320 will be called the “Nashville 320” when it is broadcast nationally by CBS. CBS explains it reason and policies at The Tennessean (3-30-1999)
      • Bodine/Shoemaker/BGN UPDATE 2: Been a bunch of rumors sent in within the past few hours dealing with Geoffrey Bodine, Shoemaker Racing, Dick Trickle, etc.Background: The rumor was that Dick Trickle was coming back to the #64 Shoemaker Racing Chevy in the BGN series as someone saw Trickle and team owner Dennis Shoemaker talking in the garage at Texas. Here is what I hear from the Shoemaker Racing Site: 1) Dennis and Dick did have a conversation on Saturday morning, but it was nothing more than a friendly conversation and chit chat that lasted about a minute and a half as Shoemaker was busy preparing for the race. 2) Dennis has had no direct or indirect contact with Schneider National regarding anything other than friendly “hello’s” and “how are ya’s”. 3) Dennis is confident that Jimmy Spencer and Dick will work things out. In fact Dennis said, “Spencer and Trickle have had an unprecedented run of bad luck the past few events and he knows that Spencer can turn it around.” Dennis is certain that the #5 team will be a force to reckoned with very soon. 4) Dennis is regretful that Geoffrey Bodine has decided to no longer run the Busch Series. The reason given being the potential for injuries. 5) Barry Bodine’s dad, Geoffrey, has secured a fulltime opportunity with the #40 ChannelLock Chevy since Kerry Earnhardt was released. According to Geoffrey, he and the #40 car owner are friends. 6) The #64 Chevy WILL have a driver for Nashville(3-29-1999) — UPDATE 1: from the Geoffrey Bodine Fanclub Site – Either Geoffrey or Barry is scheduled to pilot the #64 Dennis Shoemaker Racing Monte Carlo in Nashville, TN, this Saturday and Geoffrey is not now, or ever has been “afraid” of being injured in a racecar. Injuries are an accepted risk taken by professional racecar drivers(3-30-1999) — UPDATE 2: The Shoemaker Racing Site site reports that Geoffrey Bodine will be back in the #64 Luxury Travel Motor Coaches Chevy at Nashville and Bristol(3-31-1999)
      • Buckshot to the BGN: Buckshot Jones will drive the #00 Cheez-It® Pontiac in the BellSouth Mobility 320 on April 3, 1999 at Nashville Speedway U.S.A. in the BGN. This will be a one-race substitution for Jones with Pearson scheduled to be behind the wheel at Bristol on April 10th. Pearson, regular driver or the #00 Buckshot Racing entry, suffered injuries to his lower back muscles in a crash during a practice session last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. In an effort to ensure a competitive run by the Buckshot Racing team, Pearson elected not to compete at Nashville Speedway U.S.A.(Buckshot Racing 1999)(3-30-1999)
      • #75 news: The Abingdon based team #75 Food Country USA (formerly of Big Daddy’s infamy) will run the Moores 250 next weekend(Bristol) with Kelly Denton as the driver. They are looking for a sponsor but will run the Food Country USA decals if none can be found(3-30-1999)
      • Earnhardt Gone? UPDATE 2: for Texas at least – Kerry Earnhardt has been replaced as the driver of the #40 ChannelLock Chevrolet at Texas. Stanton Barrett has taken over the controls of the Monte Carlo. “(The driver change) is a decision by the owner, and it is not the result of an injury,” a team spokesman said. Earnhardt, who crashed the car during practice Thursday preceeding qualifying, was 39th in the points standings. His best finish of the season was 20th in the season opening NAPA 300 at Daytona(Speedway Scene), no idea if this is for Texas or good. The story makes it sound like it is permanent, which is a shame.(3-26-1999) — UPDATE 1: Earnhardt will find out later this week if he’ll be back as the driver of the #40 BGN Channellock Chevy. Earnhardt said he’ll meet later this week with the team to discuss upcoming races. Earnhardt said he expects to drive in next Saturday’s event at Nashville(Dallas Morning News)(3-28-1999) —UPDATE 2: Kerry Earnhardt reportedly is having sponsorship problems but yesterday said he planned to be at Nashville Speedway this weekend in some capacity. Earnhardt, sponsored by Channellock, has made four of the six Busch Series races this season. Kerry, 29, is the older brother of Dale Earnhardt Jr., 24, the defending BGN champion(The Tennessean)(3-30-1999)
      • Wallace Wins: CTS driver, Mike Wallace set a new track record and established the mark for a 100-lap event en route to winning the NAPA Auto Parts 100 NASCAR Winston West Series race Saturday at Phoenix(NOL)(3-30-1999)
      • Sad News: Al Schill Jr., a stock-car racer(NASCAR Re/Max series) whose career was beginning to pick up speed, died Monday after celebrating a successful start to the 1999 season. Don’t know much about it but the story is at Schill Jr.’s death is under investigation (Journal Sentinel)(3-30-1999)

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