April 16, 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)
- Irvan-Simo: Boris Said and Marc Simo were on RPM2Nite Wednesday and Said confirmed that he would drive the #14 Federated Auto Parts Ford at Fontana and probably two more oval races in 1999(of the six total, LaJoie ran Texas) along with the two road course events. Marc Simo mentioned he was busy getting ready for 2000 with the plan doing a full Cup deal(RPM2Nite)(4-16-1999)
- Gordon Story: a buddy of mine relayed this to me: When Jeff Gordon tested at Greenville-Pickens(SC) on April 7th. he took time out to visit with a 7 yr old boy who has been fighting leukemia. Gordon doesn’t usually meet with fans or press at any test but took time out to do so. The boy is still smiling as Gordon and Evernham allowed him sit in the car and take pictures along with signing a Dupont hat and gave it to the young boy. The family said that the boy had thrived to survive this disease because of Jeff Gordon and his wonderful testimony. Special thanks to Jeff Gordon, Ray Evernham and Pete, Tom and Craig Blackwell for fulfilling this young boys lifetime dream(MRM /Community Informer)(4-16-1999)
- More Morgan-McClure UPDATE 3: Morgan-McClure Motorsports’ plans for a second Cup team continue to advance, team co-owner and general manager Larry McClure says, and there’s a chance that a car could be on the track during the 1999 season. Morgan-McClure currently fields only the #4 Chevrolets driven by Bobby Hamilton. The team has reserved the #14(what about the Irvan-Simo team?) with NASCAR to use on the second team. The team has a 90,000 square-foot shop in Abingdon, Va., so there is room for a second team to operate. There has been speculation that the team is close to making a sponsorship deal for the second team with Microsoft, but McClure declined comment on that Thursday at an open house held at the team’s shop. McClure says the testing advantages enjoyed by multicar teams are too obvious to be ignored(That’s Racin’/David Poole)(4-13-1999) — UPDATE 1 on the #14: “Irvan-Simo Racing is currently using the #14 in the Winston Cup Series. They were granted this number by NASCAR at the begining of the season and have already run one race (Texas) and have earned car owner’s points under that same number” — UPDATE 2: Sources tell me that the #14 is Morgan-McClures and Irvan-Simo is using it until/if the 2nd Morgan McClure team happens. The owners points listed on NOL has Irvan-Simo as #114, which is used for part-time teams(Winston West etc). Not sure what Irvan Simo would use in the event both teams attempt the same race, as could happen later this season, but Morgan-McClure would be the #14(4-14-1999) — UPDATE 3: Per the NSSN-National Speed Sport News: “The long-reported 2nd team from Morgan-McClure Racing will feature Microsoft as the sponsor and Jeff Green as the driver”(NSSN), hmm I thought Green was going to drive for Bud Moore?(4-16-1999)
- Larry is Back UPDATE 2 Win Pit Passes: Dick Trickle will pilot the #91 Larry’s Homes Chevy owned by LJ Racing at Martinsville Speedway in the Goody’s Body Pain 500(LJ Racing) Larry’s-Homes did some sponsor dels with the #91 in 1998.(4-15-1999) — UPDATE 1: Associates for the weekend are Coachmen RV and Sonny’s Camp-n-Travel — UPDATE 2: LJ Racing is giving away Pit Passes at locations where they have show cars being displayed this weekend, check the LJ Racing Site for info and locations(4-16-1999)
- Trucks: Three Cup drivers made attempts for the Truck race. Ernie Irvan was 11th fastest in qualifying, Rich Bickle was 12th and Bobby Hamilton was 22nd. Randy MacDonald, who has dabbled in Cup was a big surprise with the third fastest time(4-16-1999)
- Rusty Chat: during Rusty Wallace’s NOL chat, it was asked about special paint schemes, Wallace said “that they aren’t going to have any special paint schemes but he knows that the Miller Brewing Company is planning something special for his 50th win, but are not even telling him and it’ll be a surprise(4-16-1999)
- Talladega: Cummulative Talladega Winston Cup test speeds (That’s Racin’)(4-16-1999)
- Nike/Reebok: per this weeks NASCAR Winston Cup Scene, large article that says ‘Nike, Reebok Target NASCAR’. The companies are looking to supply apparel(shoes, etc) and money in exchange for promotional oppurtunities with drivers and teams, and not to be a primary sponsor of a Cup team. Right now it looks like an interest in NASCAR and some teams have been contacted. Nike already supplies shoes to the Hendrick Motorsports crews, and others(4-16-1999)
- Another Funny UPDATE 1: ESPN2’s RPM2Nite on Wednesday, showed a Coca-Cola commercial of some sort with Dale Earnhardt, Kenny Irwin, Kyle Petty, Dale Jarrett, Jeff Burton and Bobby Labonte doing all kinds of short sketches and voices. Some were Wayne and Garth(Waynes World), Irwin did a pretty good GodFather/Brando voice, Burton as Garth and Labonte as Wayne was pretty funny. — UPDATE 1: The Coke “commercial” was made for use in movie theaters to be run before the movie with previews of other movies, etc.4-16-1999)
- Richmond Testing: Five BGN teams tested at RIR Thursday and Wayne Grubb returned to action, the speeds: #59-Mike Dillon 121.841mph; #37-Kevin Grubb 121.731; #83-Wayne Grubb 121.622; #56-Jeff Krough 120.914; and #81-Jason Rudd 117.238(yes Ricky’s nephew)(SpeedNet)(4-16-1999)
- #27 CTS Change? UPDATE 2: Hearing that driver Ernie Cope may leave the #27 Hastings Premium Filters Ford Truck team to seek crew chief opportunities with another CTS team. Not sure if the other driver for the truck, Rob Rizzo, will take over or what the team’s plans are(4-12-1999) — UPDATE 1: I hear Mike Swain Jr may drive the truck at Martinsville(4-14-1999) — UPDATE 2: Mike Swaim Jr. has taken over the seat of the #27 Hastings Premium Filters Ford for the NAPA 250. Former driver Ernie Cope, cousin of NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver Derrike Cope, said Thursday he was “not gonna drive any more.” He looking for a crew chief job and will continue to help the team out until he finds one. Team owner Mike Albernaz is taking it a race at a time in finding a new driver(NOL)(4-16-1999)
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