May 1, 2002
- Elledge back at Andy Petree Racing: As the Schneider Electric Racing Team heads to Richmond International Raceway this weekend, they will welcome back Crew Chief Jimmy Elledge to lead the #55 team. Elledge returns after logging one top-10 finish in his brief stint at Robert Yates Racing and the #88 team. “Working at Andy Petree Racing was a great situation from day one, but sometimes the grass is greener on the other side,” Elledge said in the shop on his first day back. “I think there were a lot of things here that were really good. But there were a lot of things I questioned here, that by being away I was able to answer. The bottom line is you have to be happy at the end of the day,” Elledge continued. “I feel wanted here. These guys are big supporters of me. When you feel wanted by the people around you, it makes you feel good.” While driver Bobby Hamilton looks forward to working with Elledge again, he also appreciates all of the hard work and effort put in by former Crew Chief Charley Pressley. “Being a car owner myself I understand where Andy (Petree) is coming from,” Hamilton said. “But then again I had complete confidence in Charley and think he is a really smart crew chief. Charley and I are tight and I wish the best for him. But because of the relationship I have already established with Jimmy, I know I’m in good hands.”(Motosports Decisions PR and Crew Chief Club), no word on Pressley’s plans.(5-1-2002)
- #90 and crew chief part ways UPDATE new crew chief: Effectively immediately Mark Tutor and the #90 Donlavey Racing team have parted ways. “It is in both our best interest that this happens as we have drastically different views on racing in the year 2002. I have the utmost respect for Rick Mast and the Sauers’ companys. I wish them both the best. I am looking for a team committed to and willing to do what it takes to be competitive, and not at what they do not have to spend,” said Tutor.(5-1-2002)
UPDATE: Donlavey Racing has hired Ernie Cope to serve as crew chief on the #90 Donlavey Racing Ford and driver Rick Mast. Cope had been head mechanic since last October on the #9 Evernham Motorsports Dodge driven by Bill Elliott. Prior to joining Evernham Motorsports, Cope was the car chief for the #27 Pontiac fielded by Eel River Racing. Before his stint at Eel River, Cope called the shots for Geoff Bodine Racing in the CTS. “I’m real excited about the opportunity with Donlavey Racing and Rick Mast,” Cope said. “I spoke with Junie and Rick before I decided to make the move. I felt this is an opportunity I could not pass up.” Cope’s first race will be this weekend at Richmond International Raceway. Cope is replacing Mark Tutor.(Keystone Marketing PR)(5-1-2002) - Wallace, APR and Preen at the Winston: Andy Petree Racing, Preen Lawn and Garden Products and Mike Wallace will teqam up again at The Winston. Wallace will drive the #33 Preen Chevrolet for Petree in The Winston, NASCAR’s version of the All-Star Game, Saturday night, May 18, at the 1.5-mile Lowe’s Motor Speedway. “As good as that trioval grass looks at Lowe’s, Preen has probably been to The Winston before,” said Wallace. “For me, it’s my first time in the sport’s All-Star Game. I’m pretty excited.” Wallace has started three events for Andy Petree Racing this season, including the season-opening Daytona 500, the Rockingham 400 and the Talladega 500 (where Preen sponsored the car). Preen, America’s leading weed preventer for lawns and gardens, has sponsored Andy Petree Racing in two previous NASCAR events. A product of Greenview, the consumer products division of Lebanon Seaboard Corporation, Preen was on Petree’s #33 Truck at Martinsville on Saturday, Apr. 13, in a race which saw Petree run second for a long time and in the top 10 throughout the race until late in the event. Preen sponsored Wallace behind the wheel of the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega on Apr. 21.(Williams Company PR)(5-1-2002)
- Oordt-Denny Green team delayed UPDATE 2 Oordt out? Mock regains control and will Auction off equipment: Darwin Oordt Galaxy Motorsports – was the #75 team is not sure when he and new team partner Dennis Green will put a car on the track. ”We’re working on a couple of things, but there’s nothing new,” Oordt said this week. Oordt suspended his Winston Cup operation early last year due to a lack of sponsor. Green, the former Vikings coach, last month became partners with Oordt. Oordt said they hope to begin competing at some point this season in either Cup or BGN, or both.(Tennessean)(3-7-2002)
UPDATE: [former owner] Butch Mock reportedly has retaken possession of the team he sold to Darwin Oordt and intends to auction off everything in early May.(Winston Cup Scene – need sub to read)(4-11-2002)
UPDATE 2 – #75 Team up for Auction: Charlie Sentman Auctions in Indiania will hold the Butch Mock Special Sale from Tuesday May 7th thru Saturday May 11th (viewing day May 6th), selling off the entire #75 Cup team. The auction will be held in the Mooresville, NC area.(Charlie Sentman Auctions site)(4-30-2002)
UPDATE 3: Over the past year, Darwin Oordt’s grandiose NASCAR dream gradually dissolved into a nightmare. Apparently not even a partnership with former Minnesota Vikings Coach Dennis Green was able to keep Oordt’s Winston Cup team afloat. An auction company has announced that the entire Mooresville, N.C., racing complex and all equipment will be sold next week. According to newspaper reports out of North Carolina, Butch Mock — from whom Oordt acquired the team two years ago — has reclaimed it and intends to auction it off. It will be sold by Charlie Sentman Auctions from May 7-11.(Tennessean)(5-1-2002) - Note on the #54 Toys R Us team: Rick Goodwin owns the team, the team will run the #54 and will lease Chevy’s and engines from Andy Petree Racing with some Petree team member assistance. The Toys R Us sponsorship is 100% Rick Goodwins and will remain that way. The team is simply leasing cars and engines from the APR organization. Goodwins BGN crew chief Tony Lambert will crew chief Cup car for driver Kevin Grubb, starting at Richmond and a few more Cup races in 2002. Petree is NOT a part owner as some publications have reported. More info on the team, see my #54 Team News page.(5-1-2002)
- Knaus wins award: Chad Knaus, the crew chief of the #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy that Jimmie Johnson drove to his first Winston Cup win in Sunday’s NAPA Auto Parts 500, has won this week’s Irwin Rough to the Finish Award for crew chiefs. Knaus, who had also won the award for the March 3 UAW/DaimlerChrysler 400 at Las Vegas, won for his pit work and strategy throughout the race at California Speedway, including a late-race call to take only fuel on Johnson’s final pit stop.(Winston Cup Scene Daily Newsletter)(5-1-2002)
- Update on the Winston UPDATE to Bristol?: Rich Habegger, Winston Cup director for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco’s Sports Marketing Enterprises, said there has been no discussion of moving The Winston, the sport’s all-star race currently conducted at Lowe’s Motor Speedway outside Charlotte, N.C. “Our focus has been the concept and format of this year’s race,” Habegger said about the May 18 special event. “Hopefully, we’ll start talking to NASCAR in June about where it may be located next year. Our contract with Lowe’s was up last year, thus the talk about a possible move, but there have been no discussions along that line.” California Speedway was mentioned by NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter as a possible new site for the event. But, according to Habegger, such talk is premature at this point.(Inland Valley Daily Bulletin)(4-29-2002)
UPDATE: Talk about moving racing’s all-star event is stirring again. And early speculation is that it could come to Bristol. If some members of the NASCAR family have their wish, NASCAR’s all-star event would soon move to Bristol Motor Speedway. According to a story in the April 25 edition of NASCAR Winston Cup Scene, BMS would be the most likely candidate if The Winston is moved from its current location at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte. BMS General Manager Jeff Byrd has mixed feelings about that scenario. “I personally think The Winston needs to stay in Charlotte,” Byrd said. “But if the event is going to be moved, we would love to have it.”(Bristol Herald Courier)(5-1-2002) - Renfrow ready to takle Richmond: For the Price Motorsports Cup Series #59 team, the third time may actually prove to be a charm. Led by veteran NASCAR driver Randy Renfrow, the team recently came up just short of qualifying for both the Subway 400 at Rockingham and at Martinsville. Hopefully, given the experience factor at Richmond International Raceway, Friday May 3 may be a different story. Renfrow, a former full time CTS series driver, has run extremely well at RIR in the past. He scored a top ten finish at RIR in 1999 after leading a good portion of the event. “Richmond is one of my best tracks,” Renfrow said recently. “I have led races there and feel like I can run with anybody there. I think the hard work this team has done will put us over the top.(Foster Price PR)(5-1-2002)
- Driver Debut at RIR: Zephyrhills (FL) resident David Reutimann (www.reutimannracing.com) will take a step up to compete in his first BGN race on Friday in the Hardee’s 250 at Richmond Speedway. His father, legendary modified and late-model driver Buzzie Reutimann, will serve as his crew chief. Reutimann will be racing in a #87 Chevy that he and his dad bought from Lakeland (FL) Winston Cup and Busch Series driver Joe Nemechek. Currently, Reutimann leads the Hills Bros. All-Pro Series in points, with a win and a second-place finish after two races.(Tampa Tribune), per NASCAR.com RIR BGN Entry list, the owner is listed as Andrea Nemechek, so Reutimann will has access to a provisional.(5-1-2002)
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