May 2, 1999
- Sad News: Three spectators were killed Saturday night after a three-car crash sent debris into the stands during the VisionAire 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C. Others were injured. The crash occurred when John Paul Jr. and Stan Wattles slammed into the fourth-turn retaining wall on lap 61 of the 208-lap race. They spun down the front stretch and into the car of Scott Harrington. The race was red-flagged while emergency workers attended to the injured(SpeedNet) and see the article at: Three Spectators Killed by Debris in IRL Race at Lowes Motor Speedway, the race was then canceled(WRAL/AP)(5-2-1999)
- Fact UPDATE and CORRECTION 1: Five drivers have qualified for all nine races this season without posting a top-10 finish: Chad Little, Sterling Marlin, Elliott Sadler, Jimmy Spencer and Darrell Waltrip(icFlorida/Cox News)(5-1-1999) — UPDATE 1: This is incorrect – Little(9th-Daytona/Atlanta), Marlin(9th at Texas) and Sadler(a 10th) have all had top 10 finishes. Drivers without top 10 finishes not included in the list – Wally Dallenbach(best 12th), Johnny Benson(11), Kevin LePage(12), Brett Bodine(14), Steve Park(12), Ricky Rudd(19), Joe Nemechek(14) and Ricky Craven(22). May have meant top ten starts in which Marlin, Sadler, Spencer and Waltrip have not started in the top 10. Little has with a 9th place start at Talladega(5-2-1999)
- Marlin and The Duke: Sterling Marlin is carrying the John Wayne paint scheme at California(5-2-1999)
- Red #33: Kenny Schrader has the red #33 Skoal Chevy at California(5-2-1999)
- Monte Carlo News: As General Motors officially announced earlier this month, the new Monte Carlo will not debut until next year’s Daytona 500, but that hasn’t stopped the development process. See complete story at: ’99 debut shelved, but Monte R&D goes on(SpeedVision)(5-2-1999)
- Greg Moore to NASCAR: see story at Another open-wheel crossover? (That’s Racin’)(5-2-1999)
- McDonald’s News UPDATE 2: There could be an announcement as soon as Saturday on McDonald’s racing sponsorship plans for 2000 and beyond. Elliott’s deal runs through the end of next season, and McDonald’s plans to honor that contract. It appears likely that McDonald’s will sponsor a second team next season, beginning a relationship that would continue beyond the end of the Elliott deal. One name mentioned as driver for that second car is Matt Kenseth’s, who plans to run for Cup rookie of the year in 2000(That’s Racin’) in a Mark Martin/Roush owned car — UPDATE 1: McDonald’s Corporation announced today it has entered into a sponsorship agreement with Precision Preparation, Inc. (PPI) as a primary NASCAR team sponsor. The sponsorship starts immediately and goes through the year 2003. The agreement calls for PPI to field a McDonald’s NASCAR Busch Series team next season, which will eventually lead into a Winston Cup program. PPI, owned by Cal Wells III, is a multi-dimensional racing company based in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. The company has competitive interests in the SCORE off-road series, the Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) FedEx Championship Series and the KOOL/Toyota Atlantic Championship. Wells said he is excited and ready for the challenge of expanding his racing operation to the NASCAR circuit and their first priority is to find a driver who meets the criteria of both PPI and McDonald’s. Wells and his PPI associates have begun preparations to field a Busch car at the 2000 season opener in Daytona Beach, Fla. The company has acquired Tim Wardlaw as program manager and just recently hired Joe Garone as crew chief. Wells has had discussions with car manufacturers, and collectively with McDonald’s, has arrived at the decision to continue the relationship with Ford. PPI is currently in the process of securing a location to base the team in the Charlotte area. Wells currently fields two CART teams under the Arciero-Wells banner — #24 Pioneer Electronics/MCI WorldCom Toyota/Reynard, driven by Scott Pruett and the #25 MCI WorldCom Toyota/Reynard, driven by Cristiano da Matta. Along with Bill Elliott Racing and its new PPI association, the McDonald’s Racing Team includes primary sponsorship in the CART series with the #44 McDonald’s Honda Reynard Champ Car, owned by Gerald Forsythe and driven by Tony Kanaan. McDonald’s is also the Official Drive-Thru of NASCAR(condensed McDonald’s PR) The future of McDonald’s and Elliott after the current contract runs out has not been decided, and that anything reported to the contrary is pure speculation(NOL)(5-1-1999) — UPDATE 2: Although McDonald’s will continue to be car owner/driver Bill Elliott’s major sponsor through 2000, the relationship will end following next season(SpeedNet/ Times-Dispatch)(5-2-1999)
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