April 21, 1998
- McDonald’s announced today its sponsorship of Bill Elliott Racing’s second entry into the DieHard 500 at Talladega on April 26. The #89 McRib Sandwich THUNDERBIRD, driven by Dennis Setzer of NASCAR’s Busch Series, will be a one-race sponsorship agreement. Setzer, a two-time winner in the Busch Series, will be making his Winston Cup debut when he qualifies for the DieHard 500. Although he has 99 career starts in the Busch Series, Setzer’s only start at Talladega’s 2.66 mile-oval was in last year’s Busch race. He started 37th and finished 37th, after being collected in an early accident. Mike Brandt of Bill Elliott Racing will be the crew chief, while the crew will consist of ARCA’s Phoenix Air Racing Team. Brandt is the superspeedway specialist for Bill Elliott Racing. See the story at McDonald’s Website.(McDonald’s thanks Hutch), I love this sandwich but we don’t have it here in NJ. Also Setzer may run for the team at the Pepsi 400 in Daytona, the Brickyard 400 and possibly Martinsville later in the season(RPM2Nite)(4-21-98)
- This is what I hear about Robby Gordon’s possible return to NASCAR: I hear he would not confirm driving for Budweiser but did confirm he was under a one year contract with Coors Beer and was released from that contract this past Friday(4-17) which opens the way for him to compete for another NASCAR team. He has had talks with Hendrick Motorsports. If he does go NASCAR Cup racing he will be able to drive eight races between the middle of May and The Brickyard 400 and can only compete in races that do not conflict with his new CART Champ Car ride with Arciero-Wells.(4-21-98)
- Derrike Cope will be back in the #30 Gumout Pontiac at Talladega this weekend.(RPM2Nite)(4-21-98)
- Elliott Sadler tested the #92 Diamond Ridge WC Chevy at Charlotte today in preparation for the Coca-Cola 600.(RPM2Nite)(4-21-98)
- Jack Sprague tested a Hendrick Motorsports Pontiac at Charlotte today that he may drive in the Winston Open on May 16th. His truck team has built two Pontiacs and a Monte Carlo.(RPM2Nite)(4-21-98)
- Looks like Randy LaJoie will run the #50 Bud Chevy thru the May 31st Dover race(I’ll be there)(RPM2Nite), rumors continue to circle that Robby Gordon will be the sub after Dover.(4-21-98)
- And I hear that Coke is behind the deal with Elliott/Setzer — and that McDonald’s spends no money on the Elliott sponsorship deal. It is totally funded by Coke as part of a deal to get their products in McDonalds worldwide.(4-21-98)
- In what will be their first Winston Cup Series action since not qualifying for the 1998 Daytona 500, Dan Pardus and the MidWest Transit race team will be attempting to make the field for the April 26 running of the DieHard 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Pardus, crew chief Red Farmer, and the team tested there for several days last week, and feel like they have hit upon the right combination. Since Daytona, there have been several new developments for the first year team. They have relocated to a more spacious shop in Ormond Beach, Florida, and owners Hal Hicks and Mike Witters have purchased the cars and equipment needed to run in 10 to 12 Winston Cup events this year. Pardus and the team also recently participated in the April 19 running of the ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 in Salem, Indiana, where they qualified sixteenth and brought home a fourth place finish. One of the new cars has been built by Gary DeHart’s shop in Mooresville, North Carolina. The team will be entering the car in The Winston and the Coca – Cola 600 later in May, and DeHart has agreed to act as a consultant in their upcoming test at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The MidWest Transit race team feels like they have everything in place and are ready to get back to Winston Cup racing. “We feel like we have turned the corner, and are looking forward to a good showing at Talladega and Charlotte,” said Pardus. For further information, please contact Rick Koger at TK Racing, (904) 258-2805 or [email protected].(4-21-98)
- UPDATE: “A widespread rumor in Martinsville garages this weekend centers around Jack Roush. Already owner of five full-time Winston Cup teams, he may soon gain dominion of a sixth — the Wood Brothers team of Stuart, Va. It isn’t known whether Roush would buy the team outright, subsume it into his organization, or work out a cooperative agreement.”(SpeedNet – Notes)(4-20-98) – From what I hear the story about the Wood Brothers selling isn’t even close. The Woods are using Roush power exclusively but they aren’t selling and talk about Roush as a partner from a technology standpoint only.(4-21-98)
- Former NFL coach Jerry Glanville was released from a hospital Sunday one day after he broke four ribs and his left ankle when he wrecked his Thunderbird during a qualifying run for the NASCAR Winston West Phoenix 150 stock car race. No idea if this effects his plan to attempt the June, Richmond Cup race.(4-21-98)
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