With NASCAR on a temporary hiatus, news is going to be slow in the coming weeks. To help fill the NASCAR void, we plan on taking you on a daily trip down memory lane spanning the years since the Jayski’s site inception. Using our news archives pages, here’s a look back at what’s happened on this date through the last 23 years in NASCAR:
This day in NASCAR history: April 16
Years we have pulled today’s main items from: 2018, 2012, 2009, 2007, 2005, 2004, 2002, 1999
Top see everything from this date over previous years: Main Page | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997
Note: Many links on older stories don’t work. There’s not a lot of the same websites around anymore.
To see previous articles covering “Today in History”, click here.
2018:
- Hamlin latest driver to lash out at pit guns: Denny Hamlin says that if NASCAR continues to require teams to use standardized pit guns, “it’s going to cost somebody a race or the championship by the end of the year.” Hamlin is the latest driver to express his frustration with the pit guns all teams are required to use after he suffered a loose wheel and had to pit from the lead on Lap 266 of Monday’s Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway. He finished 14th, one lap down.[More](4-16-2018)
2012:
- Phoenix Racing may not run full season? UPDATE: In an interview Sunday night on [SPEED’s] “Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain,” Sprint Cup Series team owner James Finch said “there’s a question” whether he will be
able to run the full Cup season with driver #51-Kurt Busch. Asked by Despain if there was a question whether his team could do all the races, Finch answered: “Well, we’re trying. There’s a question. We’re off and running and trying. We’re talking to some people and going from there. We’re headed to Kansas this weekend and hopefully get in the top 10 there and then come back to Talladega and have a really good run. We’re optimistic about it. Kurt has put a lot of effort in it. It’s kind of like a small team getting a big-time quarterback,” Finch said.(in part from the Charlotte Observer)(4-16-2012)
UPDATE: Dave Despain: Dealing with the sponsorship issue, are you feeling good to go for the season or is there a question of whether you guys will be able to do all the races?
James Finch: “Well, we’re trying. There’s a question. We’re off and running and trying. We’re talking to some people and going from there. We’re headed to Kansas this weekend and hopefully get in the top 10 there and then come back to Talladega and have a really good run. We’re optimistic about it. Kurt has put a lot of effort in it. It’s kind of like a small team getting a big-time quarterback. Last night (at Texas), it was 480 miles before we got a lap down. The pit crew did a real good job with all the green-flag stops. We’re just trying to catch up with Kurt. Kurt’s got the speed. We’re trying to get the crew chief up. We’re trying to get the pit crew up to be able to handle what Kurt can do. Hopefully, we’re getting there.”(full interview at SPEED)(4-16-2012)
2009:
- NASCAR not policing start and park; full fields not required: When it comes to start-and-park, the bottom line appears to be that it’s not a major issue to NASCAR, which is usually keenly tuned to the public’s perception of the sport. “NASCAR doesn’t perceive this to be an issue,” a statement released this week by the sanctioning body said. “It doesn’t impact the quality of competition whatsoever. NASCAR has always been about teams having the opportunity to participate in our sport; some teams might not have the full complement of resources to compete at the same level as others, but it’s all about having an opportunity.” Virtually to a man, the owners who seem to be in the middle of the situation see it in the same way, as racers. And NASCAR said it has had no conversations with owners specific to what their intentions are once they qualify for races. Staying in line with its take that the situation is not one of concern, NASCAR said it would not monitor any closer the reasons teams give for the their cars’ dropping out of races, which range from a variety of mechanical reasons such as “engine,” “transmission” and “rear end” to more nebulous causes including “handling,” “vibration” or “electrical.”
AND One thing NASCAR did dispel is the misconception that there is language in the current TV contracts for the three national tours that demands 43-car fields in Cup and Nationwide, and a 36-truck field in the Truck Series, with penalties resulting if full fields aren’t provided. “It is NASCAR’s responsibility to have a reasonable field of cars for each of its events,” NASCAR said in a statement. “However, there is no language in the TV contracts that demands what the size of the fields must be.”(NASCAR.com)(4-16-2009)
2007:
Biffle could be looking? #16-Greg Biffle’s future is up in the air after the decision of sponsor Ameriquest, a retail-mortgage company, to drop out of the sport at the end of the season. Biffle’s contract with car owner Jack Roush runs through the end of 2008, so Geoff Smith, the head of Roush Racing, said he wants to negotiate a new, longer term contract with Biffle, in order to get leverage to sign a new sponsor. However a possible complicating factor is NASCAR’s looming limit on the number of Nextel Cup teams that any one car owner can have. In 2009, Roush will have to cut his five-team roster to four. So which of Roush’s five drivers – Biffle, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, Jamie McMurray, or David Ragan – will have to move? If Smith can get Biffle to sign, that could put him in the driver’s seat for sponsorship with the top open man in the series.(Winston Salem Journal)(4-16-2007)
2005:
- Penske buying out Rusty and Miller? Roger Penske is buying out the 48% share of Penske South that is owned by Rusty Wallace and his long-time business manager Don Miller.(Winston Salem Journal)(4-16-2005)
- Stremme to Cup….in 2005? Don’t be surprised to see David Stremme in a Nextel Cup car before season’s end. Stremme’s testing last season at Nashville led to significant chassis developments for Ganassi Racing’s Cup program, and he also filled in for Bill Elliott and tested the #39 at Daytona. In Busch, Stremme has bounced around three teams over the past three years, working under four crew chiefs. He could show what he’s capable of if given an opportunity in a Cup car later this year, especially with the assistance of current crew chief Randy Cox.(FoxSports/Sporting News)(4-16-2005)
2004:
- Jeff Burton to RCR #31? UPDATE 2 denied: Rumors swirled last week about Johnny Sauter being released from the #30 AOL Chevy team, which is 24th in the standings, and getting replaced by Johnny Benson or Dave Blaney. Another garage rumor: Jeff Burton’s #99 Ford, which is 30th in the standings, will shut down if sponsorship is not found by the end of May, and Burton will move to the #31 Cingular Chevy driven by Robby Gordon. However, anyone who knows Richard Childress, the owner of the #31, realizes Childress left after the Texas race for Canada’s Northwest Territories to go hunting.(FoxSports/Sporting News)(4-12-2004)
UPDATE – denied: Recent rumors of Robby Gordon’s possible release from Richard Childress Racing were repudiated Wednesday by the driver and a team official. Recent media reports have had two RCR drivers, Gordon and Johnny Sauter, out of their respective rides. The latest rumor had Gordon being replaced by Roush Racing driver Jeff Burton. Gordon said that while that’s not a pleasant statistic for anyone at RCR, his release has no part in the organization’s near future. “I think that all that is, is a rumor,” Gordon said. “I’ve got a good relationship with Richard. We’ve had conversations, and it’s all about how we’re going to perform at Martinsville and what we’re doing to try to make the 31 and the 30 cars more competitive, as a team.” RCR director of competition Bobby Hutchens, who Gordon said has been spending extra time working with his group and new crew chief Chris Andrews so far this season, concurred Wednesday afternoon. “Robby Gordon is our driver of the #31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet,” Hutchens said. “Whatever rumors have been flying around out there are just rumors. To my knowledge, there have been no conversations that would prove any different.” Due to his schedule, Childress was unavailable for comment Wednesday afternoon, a team spokesperson said. But Gordon insisted that the circulating stories were unfounded.(NASCAR.com)(4-15-2004)
UPDATE 2: Jeff Burton was Dave Despain’s guest on Thursday’s Wind Tunnel [Speed Channel – M-Th 10:00pm/et] and denied reports he was leaving Roush Racing for the #31 RCR ride or any ride. Burton said he is not sure why his name keeps coming up with RCR rumors the past few years as he has not discussed a ride with team owner Richard Childress. Burton also said that his #99 Roush Racing team is close to a major sponsor signing that would run thru the rest of the 2004 season and future season.(4-16-2004)
2002:
- Harvick Statement on suspension: The following is a statement from Kevin Harvick, driver of Richard Childress Racing’s #29 GM Goodwrench Service Chevy, regarding NASCAR’s penalty from Martinsville Speedway. “It tore me up Sunday to watch the race from home while Kenny Wallace drove the 29. I haven’t been racing since I was five years old and made it this far in my career to throw it all away now. Having to miss the race in Martinsville definitely got my attention. I’m still learning how NASCAR works and what is involved in the decisions they make. They are trying to create a fair playing field with those decisions and they’re not out to get anyone. In all reality, you make and control your own destiny in this sport. I wish that my team and GM Goodwrench Service weren’t dragged into a situation that they had nothing to do with. For that, I want to thank everyone at RCR and GM Goodwrench Service for sticking with me. In addition to thanking Kenny for stepping in at the last minute and helping us out, I want to thank the Winston Cup drivers who have called over the past couple of days to offer their advice and support. I especially want to thank all of the fans for standing behind me. They have supported me through some very tough times. Our on-track performance so far this season isn’t what we expected it to be and having to sit out last week’s race only dug the hole deeper. But that just means that we’re going to do everything we can to turn things around.” From the RCR site.(4-16-2002)
1999:
- McDonald’s Out? UPDATE 2 Yates? I hear from a good source that WGOW-FM 102.3(Chattanooga, TN) reported during the “Racing Hour” radio show that McDonald’s was pretty much a done deal with Elliott after 1999,
and they’d be moving to the #25 car. No word on a replacement sponsor for Elliott — UPDATE 1: I also hear that McDonald’s is signed with Elliott thru 2000 and won’t leave until the contract is up(4-15-1999) — UPDATE 2: McDonald’s, which sponsors Bill Elliott’s #94 Fords, is looking at moving its sponsorship to another team in 2000 or leaving Winston Cup racing altogether, sources said Friday. Elliott has a contract with McDonald’s through the 2000 season, but McDonald’s does have an “out clause” that would allow it to leave Elliott’s team, sources said. McDonald’s is reportedly looking at two other Winston Cup teams to focus its sponsorship money – Hendrick Motorsports’ third team, currently with driver Wally Dallenbach, and Robert Yates’ second team, currently with driver Kenny Irwin. Dallenbach’s team will lose sponsor Budweiser at the end of the 1999 season, when it will move to the #8 Chevrolets of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Texaco is currently the sponsor of Irwin’s #28 Fords(That’s Racin’/Jim Utter). Wow, the Yates deal is a new twist, hard to imagine the #28 in anything but Texaco colors(4-16-1999)
Click a link below for a full listing of news from each year:
Main Page | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997