April 21, 2003
- Hillman’s Dad in ths hospital: Rudolph (Rudy) Hillman, father of #11 Crew Chief Mike Hillman Sr. is in Millard Filmore Suburban Hospital, Buffalo NY, battling lung cancer. He is also the grandfather of Mike Hillman Jr., front tire changer and crew member of the #16 car.(4-21-2003)
- Indy 500 rumors UPDATE 3 Stewart to do the Double? – Denied: Dario Franchitti will miss the Indianapolis 500 and perhaps all three of the Indy Racing League’s races in June, his team confirmed Friday. Franchitti suffered a lumbar fracture of his back when he crashed on his motorcycle April 4. Dr. Terry Trammell said the fracture does not require surgery but does require bracing for approximately three months. AGR officials do not expect to name a replacement until next week, but team co-owner Kim Green admitted Friday he wants to know the availability of Tony Stewart and Robby Gordon. Stewart, the Winston Cup champion, previously said he was not interested in competing in the 500 this year.(Indianapolis Star), since this is Michael Andretti’s team and his cousin John is looking for an Indy 500 ride……..(4-19-2003)
UPDATE – Stewart to replace Franchitti: ESPN.com has learned that defending NASCAR Winston Cup champion Tony Stewart will replace Dario Franchitti on Andretti’s team for the 87th running of the Indianapolis 500. Stewart, who will run alongside rookie Dan Wheldon, Andretti and Tony Kanaan (if he’s healthy enough), will start testing one of the Andretti-Green Dallara/Hondas this Wednesday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The versatile 32-year-old native of Columbus, Ind., had previously said despite his passion for Indy, he wouldn’t jeopardize his Winston Cup effort by running Indy and Charlotte on the same day — like he did in 1999 and 2001. Racing USAC midgets in Modesto, Calif. on Saturday night, he could not be reached for comment. But, evidently, the opportunity to drive one of the factory Hondas for one of the best teams was too good to pass up. The NASCAR schedule is very accomodating to Stewart. There is no Cup race the first weekend of qualifying at Indy (May 10-11) so he’ll be able to come right from his stock car show at Richmond, Va., on May 4 and practice that entire first week leading up to time trials. NASCAR runs The Winston on May 17 at Charlotte, N.C., as a prelude to the annual Coca Cola 600 on the evening of May 25.(EPSN)(4-20-2003)
UPDATE 2: Tony Stewart might change his mind and participate in next month’s Indianapolis 500. But he has not decided yet, he told The Star on Sunday. “When I’m ready to say something, we’ll send out a press release,” he said. However, Stewart denied weekend reports that he will join Andretti Green Racing for this week’s test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the upcoming race. He said he has not spoken with anyone from Michael Andretti’s team, which needs a replacement for injured Dario Franchitti (fractured back). “(The Internet) was the first I’d heard about (the possibility),” Stewart said. A team source said late Sunday that no driver decision has been made and won’t be before Tuesday.(Indianapolis Star)
AND Mentioned as possible replacements for Franchitti are Winston Cup drivers Tony Stewart and Robby Gordon, both of whom have experience doing double duty — racing in the Indy 500 on the Sunday afternoon of Memorial Day weekend, then flying to suburban Charlotte to drive in the Cup race that night. A report on espn.com said that Stewart has agreed to fill in for Franchitti, but a spokesman for Stewart dismissed the report as a rumor and said that Stewart is expected to honor a preseason pledge not to race at Indianapolis this year. Stewart grew up in Indiana dreaming about winning the Indy 500, but he said in January that he wouldn’t try it this year because it might distract him from defending his 2002 Winston Cup championship. Stewart already has scheduled personal appearances during times he would have had to be in Indianapolis if he were to race in the Indy 500. Gordon wants to do both races but hasn’t been able to secure sponsorship money. Andretti’s cousin John, another Cup driver who has done double duty, also has expressed interest in doing both races.(USA Today)(4-21-2003)
UPDATE 3: Reigning Winston Cup champion Tony Stewart said Monday he will not enter the 2003 Indianapolis 500, disputing a report on ESPN.com claiming he would take the place of injured driver Dario Franchitti. “It’s flattering to know that my name still comes up this time of year as someone teams want to have in their car at Indy,” Stewart said in a statement. “But as I’ve said from the beginning of the season, I am not going to compete in the Indianapolis 500, and my reasons are still the same.” At preseason Winston Cup testing in Daytona Beach, Fla., Stewart said he was going to focus on his Joe Gibbs Racing team this season. He reiterated that stance Monday. “There are 200 employees at Joe Gibbs Racing, making all sorts of sacrifices to provide me with everything I need to go out and win races. And when you go back and forth between Indy and Charlotte, it puts a strain on the entire team,” he said. “As much as my heart wants to do it, I can’t justify putting my personal ambitions ahead of the sacrifices made by my race team.”(ThatsRacin.com)(4-21-2003) - #1 Rumors abound: hearing that Steve Park could be replaced as the driver of the #1 Pennzoil Chevy before the races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, sources have Jason Keller as the possible replacement driver. Keller is slated to driver the #81 DEI car at Checiagoland in July.
AND The LTN HOUR radio show reports that Kurt Busch, driver of the #97 Rubbermaid/Sharpie Roush Racing Ford will drive the #1 DEI Chevy in 2004. However, last reports I have are that he is signed with Roush thru 2006.(4-21-2003) - Makar to the #88? still hearing rumors that Jimmy Makar, former crew chief of the #18 Joe Gibbs Racing Chevy and current team manager for Gibbs is trying to work out a deal so he can crew chief the #88 Robert Yates Racing team and driver Dale Jarrett.(4-21-2003)
- T3 Announcement: #42-Jamie McMurray and representatives from Havoline and Action Performance will hold a press conference on Saturday, April 26 at 9:30am/pt in the California Speedway media center to unveil McMurray’s “T3: Rise of the Machines” car that will run July 5th in Daytona.(Jamie McMurray Site), see my 2003 Winston Cup Paint Schemes page for an image.(4-21-2003)
- Lepage hopes to run at Charlotte/Lowe’s: Kevin Lepage hopes to run the races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in May (The Winston Open and Coca-Cola 600) with his own team, Matrix Motorsports, and hopes to find a sponsor to support the team.(XM Satellite- NASCAR Radio – Subscription Required) for info on the team, see kevinlepageinc.com.(4-21-2003)
- Schrader wins: NASCAR Winston Cup regular Ken Schrader raced Saturday night at I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Mo., and won the late-model feature. He finished half of the straightaway ahead of Mark Oller of Highland, Ill.(Kansas City Star)(4-21-2003)
- Update on NASCAR’s Carbon Monoxide Study: NASCAR has been studying the effects of carbon monoxide on drivers through the course of a race weekend, and the results from Martinsville Speedway, where Tony Stewart had a severe reaction last fall, were integral to the findings. Gary Nelson, who oversees NASCAR’s technical center, says the data received through breathalyzer testing at Martinsville weren’t “alarming” but added the reports weren’t conclusive. Nelson cites two ways to decrease a driver’s chances of suffering harmful effects: strengthening the crush panels that protect the driver from exhaust fumes and improving a driver’s conditioning, which decreases susceptibility to the gas. Because contact between cars damages the crush panels, their strength is particularly important at a short track such as Martinsville. Nelson says several teams have installed scrubber systems that the teams and NASCAR have worked on to remove or lessen the amount of carbon monoxide ingested by competitors under race conditions.(Sporting News)(4-21-2003)
- Dr Pepper and Carroll Racing are Sending Grubb to California: Kevin Grubb is eading out west for the Auto Club 300 on April 26 to drive the #90 Diet Dr Pepper Dodge. Dr Pepper and Carroll Racing have decided to enter a second car at the California Speedway in addition to the #26 Dr Pepper Dodge that will be piloted by Lance Norick. Grubb currently resides in 12th place of the Busch Drivers’ Points Standings with only a 25-point gap from the Top-10. This is one of the best positions that either Dr Pepper Racing or Carroll Racing has been in for the Points Race at this point of the season. This is the second time that Carroll Racing and Dr Pepper have teamed up to field the Duo of Dr Pepper, a Dr Pepper car and a Diet Dr Pepper car. At Daytona in 2001, Carroll Racing and Dr Pepper teamed up with the father-son combo of Bobby Hamilton and Bobby Hamilton Jr. to drive the entries. There are ten races this season where Kevin is not scheduled to pilot the #26 Dr Pepper Dodge, however efforts are still underway by Carroll Racing to secure him a ride for those races.(Carroll Racing PR)(4-21-2003)
- Pro Cup driver may run Busch/Truck race: 19-year-old Shane Wallace [no relation to Rusty/Mike/Kenny] may run some Busch and Truck races later this year. Wallace has been discussing those opportunities outside of his run at the 2003 USAR Pro Cup championship. The Mooresville, NC resident is in his second year of Pro Cup and ninth year of racing overall.(Shane Wallace site via BGN Racing)(4-21-2003)
- HRT Motorsports announces sponsor: HRT Motorsports has signed an associate sponsorship and driver endorsement deal with the Citizen Watch Company. It includes an associate sponsorship on the team’s Busch Series entry driven by Mexican Carlos Contreras and rights to use the team and driver in a promotional campaign titled, “Unstoppable”. The deal was put together by HRT’s agent, Seth Goldberg of Don Buchwald and Associates, and handled by Publicis New York, Citizen’s general market advertising agency. Carlos, NASCAR’s first Hispanic driver, will be featured in the Citizen Watch Company’s Fall 2003 print and TV campaign along with four other celebrities, marking the first time the Citizen Watch Company has used an athlete as endorser in its advertising. Carlos’ portion of the campaign will kick off in June, with Carlos appearing in magazines including Sports Illustrated, Latina Magazine, Maxim, People En Español and Maxim Español. The TV portion will commence in August and run during prime time, major network sporting events and during Mexican futbol on Univision, the latter to connect Carlos and the Citizen Eco-Drive watch with the lion’s share of Hispanic sport fans. The print portion was shot in New York City in early 2003 and the television spot was filmed recently in Lakeland Florida and really takes off with Carlos’ fun loving personality.(HRT PR)(4-21-2003)
- Chris Bingham Shifts Rides For California, in the #39; Contreras in ther #49: Chris Bingham will hop over to the #39 Jay Robinson Racing entry for Fontana. Former Truck Series driver Carlos Contreras will take the reigns of the #49 Ford Taurus in California, with Bingham scheduled to return to the seat in two weeks at Richmond International Raceway. In his six NASCAR Busch Series starts, Bingham has had a car capable of finishing in the top twenty, but mechanical failures and a crash have left the team with disappointing finishes.(PR)(4-21-2003)
- Testing at Texas: hearing Chevy trucks are at Texas for a two day test from 2:00 – 10:00pm on Monday/Tuesday, April 21st/22nd.(4-21-2003)
UPDATE: Six NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Chevrolet teams are testing at Texas Motor Speedway Monday and Tuesday from 1:00 – 9:00pm in preparation for the June 6 O’Reilly 400k: #75-David Starr, #46-Dennis Setzer, #16-Travis Kvapil, #3-Shawna Robinson, #03-Eric Jones and #?-Ken Weaver, Weaver Motorsports.(TMS PR)(4-22-2003)
UPDATE 2: Six Chevrolet NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series teams focused on aerodynamics during two days and evenings of testing Monday and Tuesday at Texas Motor Speedway in preparation for the O’Reilly 400k on Friday night, June 6. Two-time 2003 race winner Dennis Setzer was among the participants along with David Starr, Travis Kvapil, Shawna Robinson, Eric Jones and Ken Weaver.. Intermittent showers interrupted Tuesday’s activities. The main focus of the test sessions was gathering data using the new 2003 nose configuration on the Chevrolet Silverados. Unofficial speeds were in the 180 mph range. The information collected during the sessions will be put to use in the O’Reilly 400k and also at the next series race, the Hardee’s 200 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway May 16. Former NASCAR Winston Cup driver Robinson was testing the Team Texas Silverado for owner Mike Starr. “I’m just happy to be here.. Obviously Mike knows the race track well.. We are just here testing and doing the best that we can do.” Jones and Weaver rounded out the testers. Jones is the new driver for #03-EJP Racing and was using the Texas test to get comfortable with the team. Local driver Weaver, from Duncanville, Texas, was getting seat time in the 1-800-4-A-Phone Chevy. Weaver was driving Trucks used last year by the Joe Gibbs team and driver Coy Gibbs. Tickets for the O’Reilly 400 are available daily at the speedway ticket office, by calling (817) 215-8500, online at www.texasmotorspeedway.com and at Ticketmaster locations.(TMS PR)(4-23-2003) - Testing at Kentucky: hearing Dodge teams have a two day test at Kentucky Speedway on Thursday/Friday, April 24th/25th.(4-21-2003)
- #62 Crew Chief Gets Married: Shane Wilson, crew chief for the #62 Orleans Dodge of Brendan Gaughan, tied the knot Friday night with marketing-extraordinaire Dana Hall. In a beautiful sunflower-themed wedding intended for poolside, but moved inside due to a thunderous downpour, Shane and Dana exchanged personal vows in front of numerous family and friends at the Gaughan’s SuncoastHotel and Casino, in Las Vegas.(PR)(4-21-2003)
- Testing at nashville: hearing Ford is holding a test session for the Truck Series at Nashville Superspeedway on Monday/Tuesday, April 27th/28th.(4-21-2003)
- Truck Testing at Lowe’s: the Truck Series will hold testing at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on Monday/Tuesday, April 27th/28th from 9:00am – 5:00pm/et.(4-21-2003)
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