April 24, 2004
- Dale Jr. wins 1st Qtr Driver of the Year honors: #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. got 11 of 19 first-place votes in the first-quarter balloting for the 2004 Driver of the Year award, which is presented by Speed Channel. Earnhardt Jr., who won the Daytona 500 and the Golden Corral 500 at Atlanta and is currently the Nextel Cup points leader, got 135 points in the balloting by a panel of media covering motorsports and an online fan vote. Sprint car driver Steve Kinser was second with four first-place votes and 97 points.(ThatsRacin.com)(4-24-2004)
- Johnson’s brother starts racing career: One of the younger brothers of #48-Jimmie Johnson has started his own racing career, competing in the Dodge Weekly Racing Series at Hickory Motor Speedway. Jarit Johnson, 25, competed in a Spec Truck division in El Canjun, Calif., before moving to Mooresville, NC. Jarit maintains his Limited Late Model entry in a two-car garage that has been converted to a part-time race shop. When he’s not racing, Jarit works in the NASCAR Busch Series shop of driver Michael Waltrip. “Right now, we’re just going out there to get some experience and learn,” said Jarit. “This is my first year in the Limited Late Model class. I’m just going to go out there, try to finish in the top five in points and hopefully win some races.” So far, Jarit is off to a fast start. He earned his first race victory April 17 and is ranked in the top 10 in the Hickory track standings.(ThatsRacin.com)(4-24-2004)
- Larry Foyt looking to run the Indy 500 UPDATE: #14-Larry Foyt, whose Nextel Cup plans have been cut back by sponsor woes, is set to drive an Indy Racing League machine next week with an eye on competing in the Indianapolis 500.(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
AND A.J. Foyt still doesn’t know who will be in the team’s second car for the Indy 500 but said his son, Larry, whose NASCAR career has fizzled, is a possibility.(Indianapolis Star)(4-23-2004)
UPDATE: Larry Foyt, the son of four-time Indianapolis 500 winner A.J. Foyt, said Friday that he will test a car Monday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with an eye toward competing in next month’s 500. The second-year NASCAR Nextel Cup driver will drive one of the Indy cars being prepared for his nephew, A.J. Foyt IV, who will be trying to earn a spot in his second consecutive 500. A.J. Foyt started a record 35 500s in his Hall of Fame career, winning in 1961, 1964, 1967 and 1977. “I’ve been to that race (the 500) every year of my life. That race is why I wanted to be a race car driver,” said the 27-year-old Larry Foyt during NASCAR’s event at Talladega Superspeedway. His only Indy Racing League experience is testing at Texas Motor Speedway and Pikes Peak (Colo.) International Raceway a few years ago. Foyt spent two seasons in NASCAR’s Busch Series before moving to Winston Cup, as it was called, last year. His career includes a season in the American Speed Association and 12 starts in the U.S. Auto Club’s Formula 2000 division. Foyt’s Indy test will be part of the IRL’s rookie orientation program that includes Ed Carpenter, Mark Taylor, Kosuke Matsuura and Marty Roth. The league will have its open test for all 500 hopefuls Tuesday and Wednesday at the Speedway. Because of his status as a Nextel Cup driver, Foyt will not be required to pass the IRL’s four-stage rookie program to compete in next month’s 500. He will be graded by his father, who at times has a more stringent standard. “I’m going to give him some laps, but (running in May) is not for sure yet,” A.J. Foyt said Friday by phone from Houston. “We’ve got to see how things go.” A.J. Foyt’s teams are struggling for sponsorship support in the IRL and NASCAR. The team owner is hoping that a financial deal can be put together for one of a handful of drivers that are available. The only other Nextel Cup driver expected to participate in the 500 is Robby Gordon, who will be driving a car from his own team.(Indianapolis Star News)(4-24-2004) - Elliott looking to help young drivers: Bill Elliott said Friday that he’s working on a plan to put his dirt racing buddy Ray Cook, and some other young drivers, in a driver development program that will allow them to drive Ray Evernham-prepared cars in ARCA, Busch or Craftsman Truck Series races. Elliott said Cook, from Brasstown, N.C., likely will be running some ARCA races before mid-summer. “We need to get him through the hurdles that ARCA requires as far as testing and all,” Elliott said. “I want to run him and some other guys, too.” Elliott said he won’t be the car owner. “I’ll be more like an adviser,” he said. “It’s more of a co-op deal [with Ray Evernham].” Elliott said he’s been impressed with Cook’s driving ability and knowledge of race cars.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(4-24-2004)
- No Selling of tires for testing rule? Michael Waltrip, who calls it “ridiculous” that NASCAR lets Cup teams test at Kentucky and Nashville, says the key to NASCAR ending expensive testing is simple: “Don’t let Goodyear sell us tires for testing.” Indeed NASCAR is considering just such a policy. Jimmy Makar, general manager for Tony Stewart and Bobby Labonte, says a no-tire testing rule would lead to more virtual testing through computers. “Virtual testing would become more important,” Makar said. “If they put enough things in place to keep you from physically getting to a race track, obviously we’ll look at all the loopholes to get around it. Would it save us money? Motels and engines and travel. But would you go more high tech? Obviously it would be easier on the guys who go on the road, and those guys would be all for it. But crew chiefs will be screaming they can’t go test their ideas. I would be in favor of coming in Thursdays, a day early, for data acquisition testing at the tracks. Do that 12 times a year and that would take care of your testing.” Makar said he and many crew chiefs are in favor of the no-happy-hour proposal that NASCAR officials have considered, where teams would qualify on race setups and then cover their cars after pole runs and not touch them until Sunday morning. Mark Cronquist, Gibbs’ engine builder, goes a step further: “You could do all that on Friday, and then use only one motor. Let the engineers have the car Friday for computer data, Saturday you qualify, and Sunday you race. That way the engineers get data with the actual race motor at the track under actual conditions, much better than testing a month ahead. Like look at all those guys testing at Sears Point this week – that’s two months before we race there.”(Winston Salem Journal)(4-24-2004)
- Bobby Hamilton Racing and Kodak team up for Diverstiy program: Eastman Kodak Company announced it will sponsor Bobby Hamilton Racing’s #77 Dodge for the 2004 NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series races at the Music City Motorplex in Nashville, TN. Eighteen- year-old Joe Henderson of Franklin, TN was chosen from the Drive for Diversity program to drive the Kodak Perfect Touch Dodge. The team is owned by veteran NASCAR driver Bobby Hamilton. The Radiate Group’s Access Marketing & Communications agency worked with NASCAR to develop the Drive for Diversity program, which serves as a driver and crew-development program for young racers from multicultural backgrounds. “NASCAR is fortunate to have great companies like Kodak supporting Drive for Diversity,” said NASCAR Chief Operating Officer George Pyne. “Kodak has a well-earned reputation of leadership in diversity and inclusion. NASCAR is aggressively promoting diversity at all levels of our sport, and Kodak’s participation in this important initiative will contribute to this long-term goal.” Kodak has consistently earned recognition for its commitment to diversity and inclusion. Most recently, DiversityInc. named Kodak to its Top 50 Companies for Diversity for the fourth consecutive year. In February, the company was also recognized among Diversity Best Practices/Business Womens’ Network as a “Best of the Best – Corporate Awards for Diversity and Women” for 2004. In addition to racing, Henderson will graduate from Franklin High School and expects to attend Nashville Auto Diesel College in fall 2005. Bobby Hamilton Racing’s #77 Kodak Dodge carries identifiers for the Kodak Perfect Touch photofinishing service. This premium service uses digital technology to enhance consumers’ film pictures and correct red-eye in snapshots. The service is available through retailers across the U.S.(PR)(4-24-2004)
- Truex Jr. wins at Talladega: When it appeared #81-Dale Earnhardt Jr. would not be able to pass #8-Martin Truex Jr., he pushed him instead – all the way to Victory Lane. Late in Saturday’s race, Earnhardt Jr. fell in behind the leader Truex – who drives for Chance 2 Motorsports, co-owned by Earnhardt Jr. and his stepmother, Teresa Earnhardt – each with a shot at the win. Truex Jr. and Earnhardt Jr. were running first and second with several challengers lining up behind them when #25-Bobby Hamilton Jr. and #21-Clint Bowyer wrecked on Lap 116 of 117, ending the race under caution and sealing Truex Jr.’s win in the Aaron’s 312 at Talladega Superspeedway. It’s Truex Jr.’s second NASCAR Busch Series victory and second in four races. He also ended Earnhardt Jr.’s string of five consecutive wins at restrictor-plate races in the series. #2-Ron Hornaday finished third, rookie #5-Kyle Busch fourth and #00-Jason Leffler completed the top-five. #99-Michael Waltrip, who finished 8th, continues to lead the series points, by 17 over David Green, who finihsed 9th. Truex Jr. is third, 27 back. The race was slowed six times by caution for 25 laps. There were 21 lead changes among 11 drivers, with Robby Gordon leading the most laps (46). Driver #12-Tim Fedewa was involved in a multicar wreck on Lap 100 and went by ambulance to University of Alabama-Birmington Medical Center for a precautionary evaluation. He was alert and awake.(ThatsRacin.com)
For race results see:
ThatsRacin.com
BGNRacing.com
MotorsportsOne
NASCAR.com.(4-24-2004)
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