April 5, 2001
- #8 Special Paint? UPDATE 3: hearing Dale Earnhardt Jr will have a special Ducks Unlimited paint scheme at the Winston with an announcement at Talladega in April. Also hear Earnhardt Jr will also run a All-Star Baseball scheme sometime in the summer, possibly at the Pepsi 400 in July(3-8-2001)
UPDATE: sorry folks, been ‘asked’ by Action Performance to remove the image and will honor that request, do not email asking for me to send the image, I won’t, sorry. The car is white, with red lettering, the All-Star or baseball was blacked out. Will be announced at Texas on March 31st (3-16-2001)
UPDATE 2: the Ducks Unlimited car will be run at Charlotte in October, the Baseball scheme at The Winston and the Pepsi 400 at Daytona(3-25-2001)
UPDATE 3: been told by Action that the Duck Unlimited scheme has been canceled for 2001(4-5-2001)
- DW Statue: Kentucky Motor Speedway and Tide will dedicate a life-size bronze statue of Darrell Waltrip and walkway at the track’s Fan Center June 16, prior to its inaugural Busch Series event. The statue depicts Waltrip after he won the 1989 Daytona 500. Set on a 4-foot solid granite base, the statue weighs more than 8,000 pounds. Surrounding the statue will be the Darrell Waltrip Memorial Walkway, a park-like setting linking the Fan Center to the monument. Country music entertainer Brad Paisley will also stage a pre-race concert(Winston Cup Scene – need subscription to view online)(4-5-2001)
- No Split Advertising: Because of advertisers’ concerns that it distracted viewers, NBC may not carry continuous coverage during commercial breaks of NASCAR races as it did during two events last season, network spokesman Mike McCarley told Bloomberg News. The network, which begins its coverage of NASCAR in July, had planned to set aside 25 percent of the screen to advertisers who agreed(St Petersburg Times)(4-5-2001)
- Good for him: Amazon.com and another Web company have pulled advertisements from the DeLand-based(Florida) Web site that posted autopsy photographs of two dead NASCAR drivers. The companies said they wanted nothing to do with the Web site, which has been virtually inaccessible all week. Operator Michael Uribe said Wednesday that visitors overloaded the site trying to see pictures of Rodney Orr and Neil Bonnett, who died at the Daytona International Speedway in 1994. Uribe continues to seek access to recent autopsy photos of NASCAR great Dale Earnhardt, although he refuses to say whether he would post those pictures online. A judge in Volusia County has scheduled a hearing today on whether Uribe and the University of Florida’s student newspaper can argue for an opportunity to see the images(Orlando Sentinel)(4-5-2001)
- No HANS for Burton: Jeff Burton is wearing the Hutcherson Device (note: thought it was the Hutchens device), an alternative to the HANS (head and neck safety) Device that is supposed to prevent the neck-whipping action that may have caused Dale Earnhardt’s death. “The reason I like it is because in a rearward impact, there is absolutely zero problem with the device causing some sort of issue that we don’t know about,” Burton said. “When I look at the HANS Device, with the parameters that we have to work in, the HANS is crammed into the car, crammed up against the driver’s head and crammed against the seat.” The HANS Device was designed for open-wheel racing and has been adapted for stock cars, although not to a universally acceptable degree. Some drivers, including Dale Earnhardt Jr., are not wearing any head-and-neck restraint system. Burton concedes that the Hutcherson Device is not as effective in a head-on impact as the HANS, but he says that at a 30-degree impact, it works just as well.(Dallas Morning News)(4-5-2001)
- Testing UPDATE: hearing quite a few Winston Cup teams are testing at Greenville-Pickens Speedway in SC this week. It is similar to Martinsville. Hear #8-Dale Earnahrdt Jr, #11-Brett Bodine and #14-Ron Hornaday are among the drivers testing. #40-Sterling Marlin will test there on Wednesday. Also hear a few CTS teams are testing there this week as well(4-3-2001)
UPDATE: hearing the following teams tested at Greenville Pickens on Wednesday – #01-Jason Leffler; #7-Mike Wallace; #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr.; #15-Michael Waltrip; #26-Jimmy Spencer; #33-Joe Nemechek; #40-Sterling Marlin; #55-Bobby Hamilton; and #92-Stacy Compton(4-5-2001)
- Wind Tunnel: hearing that the #11 Ralphs Supermarkets/RedCell Batteries Ford of Brett Bodine is testing at the wind tunnel at N.A.S.A.’s Langley Research Center located in Hampton, VA today(4-5-2001)
- Robinson and Burton test California: #99-Jeff Burton tested at California Speedway Monday and Tuesday of this week in preparation for the NAPA 500 on April 29 in Fontana, Calif. They not only became familiarized with the track, but they learned a number of things that will be helpful at other NASCAR tracks. “This was probably the most effective test we’ve ever had,” Burton said. “We went there with some goals, and we achieved all of them while we were there. We used this test for many things, one being to learn more about the tire. I am happy with the results we got, and I feel more comfortable with the tire.” Burton spent the first day of the test working on his qualifying setup, while the second day of the test was spent specifically on his race setup. The team tested its Atlanta car that competed in the Cracker Barrel 500 last month along with the Atlanta car that raced last season. #84-Shawna Robinson was the only other driver to participate in the two-day test with Burton at California Speedway.(Roush Racing)
AND Some quotes from Shawna Robinson regarding her test at California Speedway and her desire to be the first woman in 12 years to compete in a NASCAR Winston Cup Series race. Robinson tested at the speedway in preparation for the upcoming NAPA AUTO PARTS 500. (On how her test is going): “The car is getting better and better, but not where it needs to be. We are making progress; small gains, but gains nonetheless. Every time I think I have the track figured out, we change something in the car and the comfort level goes down. One run could be fine and the next could be completely different. Basically, we’ve been concentrating on short runs and not focusing on time right now. This is my first experience with a Cup car, and my first time at this track. I have a pretty good comfort level at Michigan and this place is similar, but this place is really fast. Getting into the corners is very important here. We are going to stay tomorrow and do some more work. We need it. We need every minute of track time we can get.” and (On her desire to compete in the Winston Cup Series): “My goal is to drive full-time next season. That is what it takes to be successful. I would not be at this level if I didn’t think I deserved to be. My time is now. I have a lot of experience, but things have to be done right. That is why we are testing – to get a good feel for the car and get the team working together and on the same page. I feel I’m in my place when I’m in a race car. It is what I’m supposed to be doing.”(California Speedway PR)(4-5-2001)
- Alabama NASCAR License Plates: On Wednesday, the Alabama Legislature’s License Plate Oversight Committee approved a plan to decorate vehicle tags with the names, numbers and racing colors of some of the top stock car drivers. Committee Chairman Gerald Dial, D-Lineville, said the order forms should be available in county tag offices in about a month. Dial said motorists who want the tags will have to pay a $50 fee with the order form. Once the state pre-sells 1,000 tags for all racing drivers combined, the state Department of Corrections will begin production, and the tags will be mailed to the motorists who placed orders. West Virginia and New York already have license plates with racing drivers, and South Carolina and Indiana are considering them. The Alabama tags will feature drivers who have signed licensing agreements with Race Plates Marketing, which got the program started in West Virginia. Bob Brant, president of Race Plates Marketing, said agreements have been reached with Rusty Wallace, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mike Skinner, Steve Park, Jeff Gordon, Dale Jarrett, Ricky Rudd, Mark Martin, Jeff Burton, Matt Kenseth, Elliott Sadler, Jerry Nadeua, Terry Labonte, and Michael Waltrip. Discussions are going on with other drivers. Out of the $50 cost of the tax, $3.50 will go to the state and county governments to cover various expenses, and $5 will go to the Penny Trust Fund, which supports children’s programs. Of the remaining $41.50, the licensing organization will get 23 percent, the Motorsports Hall of Fame in Talladega 45 percent, and the state Department of Corrections 32 percent.(Alabama Live/AP)(4-5-2001)
- RCR Doctor: Dr. Jay Golding has worked with Richard Childress Racing since the fall of 1999 and his role continues to evolve. In addition to seeing team members and their families at his practice in Lexington, N.C., he tries to provide some continuity at the track as well. When RCR BGN driver Mike Dillon was involved in a wreck at Bristol, Dr. Golding was there to help when he reached the infield medical center. Golding was able to order the tests he felt Dillon should undergo, allowing him to get in and out of the hospital correctly. And while accidents would seem to be the biggest reason to have a team physician, owner Richard Childress says Golding is invaluable for a number of reasons. “It’s good to have someone in an organization like ours who can help you with everything from the flu shots to whatever,” Childress said. “He’s been a tremendous help. He’s been in Daytona with us (when Dale Earnhardt was killed) and I think he helped us all (deal with that). And he can head off a lot of stuff that would cause (crew members) to be out of work.” NASCAR does not have a physician that travels the circuit, preferring that local physicians work with the hospitals in that area. Golding says everyone he’s encountered has been receptive to his presence and he sees pros and cons to NASCAR having its own doctor.(Winston Cup Scene – need subscription to view online)(4-5-2001)
- Gordon’s Glasses: FosterGrant, the nations top manufacturer of popularly priced sunglasses, announced today that it has signed a multi-year endorsement and licensing agreement with 3-time NASCAR Winston Cup Champion Jeff Gordon. As part of the deal, Jeff Gordon will be featured in the latest series of the company’s famous “Who’s That Behind Those FosterGrants?” ad campaign, scheduled to break in spring of 2002. FosterGrant will also create a special line of FosterGrant sunglasses to be endorsed by Gordon, as well as a collection of sunglasses featuring Gordon’s #24 and the famous Dupont #24 car colors(Foster Grant Site)(4-5-2001)
- goracing news: Action announced it has re-established its online interactive merchandising presence by entering into an agreement with QVC in which QVC will assume the day-to-day operations and related promotion of the GoRacing.com Web site as an online motorsports retail store that will market Action Performance die cast and apparel racing merchandise. QVC will also integrate GoRacing.com with its weekly prime-time racing collectibles show. Under terms of a 10-year agreement, QVC will rebrand its “For Race Fans Only” show to “For Race Fans Only-as Sponsored by GoRacing.com,” which will promote the GoRacing.com Web site as a 24/7 merchandiser of Action Performance products, as well as other products featured on the show. The rebranding is expected to occur by July 30, 2001. The Web site is expected to be operational no later than Oct. 1, 2001.(Business Wire)(4-5-2001)
- Dillon Out: Mike Dillon has stepped down as the driver of the #21 Rockwell Chevy co-owned by father-in-law Richard Childress in an attempt to improve the team’s performance, and not because of injuries he sustained in a multicar wreck March 24 at Bristol. Mike Skinner, who drives Childress’ #31 Winston Cup Chevy, was behind the wheel of the #21 car at Texas, where he qualified fifth and finished ninth. Despite initial word out of the Childress camp that Skinner was simply filling in, the move is all but permanent. There’s a possibility that Dillon may drive “a race or two” later this season, but that’s it. Dillon’s focus seems to have almost completely shifted from driving to a new, as-yet unspecified role within the Childress organization. A search would begin for a driver to run the races Skinner couldn’t. Skinner will most likely drive most, if not all, of the remaining races run in conjunction with the Winston Cup tour. With an eye toward 2002, the team might opt for a young, unproven talent in stand-alone events, much the same as it did with Kevin Harvick last year(Winston Cup Scene – need subscription to view online)(4-5-2001)
- Nazareth Test Cut Short: Monday’s scheduled practice run at Nazareth Speedway for BGN drivers #98-Elton Sawyer and #38-Christian Elder was cut short due to an accident by the rookie Elder. Elder took nine runs on cold tires before his car spun out while coming around turn four. Elder sustained no injuries, but the scheduled two- day practice run for the team was cut short since the team did not bring a back-up car. Sawyer and Elder held a media session shortly after the accident to discuss testing as well as their other preparations for the May 20th Nazareth 200 Busch Series race. “I hadn’t even gotten up to race speed yet and I just lost her,” Elder said. ” With the cold tires, and I didn’t even want to try to save it, so once I started to spin, I was just along for the ride. I’m disappointed for the team because now we have to go home and we didn’t get a lot of work in.” Sawyer was on hand to help Elder get familiar with the track, which can prove to be a tough test even for the most seasoned veterans. “It was a tough day for him,” Sawyer said of his rookie teammate. “I was just here to get him acclimated to the track. It’s too bad he didn’t get more laps in before that happened.” Sawyer holds the Nazareth Speedway BGN record for starts, with ten. He will need a good run here at Nazareth in May to pass Tommy Houston for the most competitive miles at Nazareth. Houston has 1,936 miles in nine starts to Sawyer’s 1,748. Sawyer is also the second leading Busch Series money winner at Nazareth behind Tim Fedewa(Nazareth Speedway PR)(4-6-2001)Busch Staying? NASCAR and officials of Anheuser-Busch Inc. are adamant that there’s no truth to speculation that the St. Louis-based brewery is considering ending its title sponsorship of the Busch Series. The company has backed the division since its inception as a touring series in 1982, first with Budweiser and through its Busch brand since 1984. A four-year extension was signed at the end of the 1998 season, ensuring Anheuser-Busch’s involvement through 2002(Winston Cup Scene – need subscription to view online)(4-5-2001)
- The Big White Truck: Some shipping companies may talk about racing their truck, but they don’t. Randy Tolsma and Team Rensi Motorsports do race “The Big White Truck,” debuting this weekend at Martinsville. Tolsma and his #61 Chevrolet Silverado will be a conversation piece to say the least. “Fans need something to associate a driver and what they race. Leaving the truck blank meant no conversations by the media or fans. “The Big White Truck” is a spoof of sorts and has really helped maintain good moral back at the shop. With the unfortunate situations Team Rensi Motorsports has faced over the last few weeks, I think this is a positive that everyone will enjoy,” Tolsma said. “The Big White Truck” is the result of Randy and crew members joking around and making quirky suggestions about what the team could put on the plain white truck to attract fans and give them something to cheer for in the stands. Like many teams this season, Team Rensi Motorsports has been unsuccessful obtaining a sponsor, and rather than leave the truck blank, they decided to have fun with it until sponsorship opportunities arise.(Team Rensi PR)(4-5-2001)
- Jon Wood to run Martinsville UPDATE 2 sponsor: Wood Brothers Racing is teaming up with Billy Ballew Motorsports to enter Jon Wood in the April 7 CTS race at the Martinsville Speedway. Jon Wood and Billy Ballew Motorsports will also have some marketing help through the Wood Brothers relationship with Roush Racing. Billy Ballew Motorsports has been active in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series since 1996. Many notable drivers have piloted the No. 15 Ford F-150 truck, including Geoff Bodine, Rich Bickle, and Joe Ruttman to name a few. Wood will also be participating in his second Winston West race at the California Speedway on April 28. He qualified fourth and finished 11th in his first outing in Phoenix earlier this month.(Roush Racing/Wood Brothers Racing PR)(3-1-2001)
UPDATE: There will be a press conference on Thursday at 1:00pm/et in Roanoke, Virginia regarding the sponsorship of the #15 Billy Ballew Motorsports Ford driven by Jon Wood. A very unique sponsor will be announced for the #15 truck for the April 7th CTS race being held at the Martinsville Speedway. The announcement will take place at Buck Mountain Outfitters, adjacent to the Blue Ridge Parkway and Highway 220 interchange. A sponsor representative as well as driver, Jon Wood will speak before unveiling the #15 Truck with the new sponsor colors “I’m looking forward to my first truck race at the home track,” commented Wood. “And we’ve got a really neat sponsor for the race on Saturday. They have made it possible for us to run this race and we’d like to see them come on board for a couple more. I’m praying for good weather so that we have a chance at qualifying well and running a decent race.” Wood will also be participating in his second Winston West race at the California Speedway on April 28. He qualified fourth and finished 11th in his first outing in Phoenix earlier this month.(Wood Brothers Racing PR)(4-3-2001)
UPDATE 2: The campaign for gubernatorial candidate Mark Warner and the Wood Brothers Racing Team announced Wednesday that they’ve struck a deal that will allow Wood to compete in Saturday’s CTS race at Martinsville as scheduled. Details of the sponsorship will be outlined at a news conference this afternoon(Thursday). “The way it’s worded right now, it’s just for this race,” said Wood, 19, a third-generation member of the Stuart-based racing family. “Depending on how things go, they could jump on board for the South Boston race and the Richmond race.” After a tentative agreement with a different sponsor fell through last week, the Wood Brothers began an intense search for funding. Wood has been preparing for the truck race for weeks, but said sponsorship negotiations were not fruitful until last Friday(Roanoke Times)(4-5-2001)
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