NASCAR Cup Series | Jayski

Japan race TV coverage

"The NASCAR Thunder Special - Suzuka is the second of the NASCAR exhibition races in the Pacific Rim, scheduled to be held at Suzuka Circuitland on Sunday, Nov. 23, at. 12:30pm (Japan Time). Because Japan is 14 hours ahead of the United States, the race will air live...

No IRCO at Charlotte

"Charlotte Motor Speedway will not be part of the 1998 International Race of Champions(IROC) series. The series, matching drivers from various racing circuits in identical cars, has raced at CMS on the Friday night before The Winston the past two years. Next year's...

Thorne Apple Valley to sponsor Rich Bickle

I hear Cale Yarborough has made Rich Bickle an offer and the sponsor will be Thorne Apple Valley a meat processing company and that the team is going to have to come up with 1 or 2 associates to be able to maintain the budget they got from RCA.(11-17-97)...

Andretti signs with Petty

John Andretti signed last Wednesday with Richard Petty for the #43 ride. I hear the King will make an announcement Tuesday, 11-18.(11-17-97)...

NASCAR will use the Chute at Sonoma

"At the NASCAR Winston West Banquet Monday night in Las Vegas, GEOFF LEE of Sears Point Raceway confirmed what many already knew...that next time NASCAR runs an event there it will be on the new course which is under construction now. There will be a configuration ...

Ricky Rudd to sell team?

Here is a wild one: From the LTN hour, a syndicated radio show from Milwaukee, WI, Ricky Rudd is ready to sell his race team to Heilig-Meyers. That would give Heilig Meyers 2 teams, because they are buying Junie Donlavey out also. The teams would be run as 2 independent...

Daytona 500 pole award money

UNOCAL 76 money for winning from the pole will stand at $53,200 and be available to the pole winner of the Daytona 500 in February 1998. The NASCAR WC Leader Bonus ended at $70,000 and will be added to the point fund and distributed to the top 10 in points at the Banquet...

Penske/Kranefuss announcement pushed back

RPM2Nite on 11-15 mentioned that the Penske/Kranefuss 'merger' announcement that was planned for Atlanta has been pushed back a few weeks. It won't be a true 2 car team, the first year the teams will just share information and possible merge in 1999(RPM2Nite)(11-16...

Rookie of the Year Mike Skinner

Mike Skinner won the WC Rookie of the year with 257 points, David Green was 2nd with 227, Jeff Green moved up to 3rd with 214 and Robby Gordon finished last and 4th with 208(AP)(11-16-97)...

WorldCom to sponsor Bodine?

Geoff Bodine's new sponsor is expected to be WorldCom(MCI?), the communications conglomerate run by one of his car owners, John Porter(JournalNow)(11-15-97)...

Hendrick engine test?

"Hendrick's operation plans a two-day 'engine research and development' test at Metro-Dade Homestead Motorsports Complex next weekend with a Winston Cup car, probably one of 1996 champion Terry Labonte's No. 5 Chevrolets. It will be the first to put a Cup car on the...

New scheme for Mast next year

Rick Mast and the #75 Remington Ford owned by Butch Mock will have a new paint scheme in 1998. I hear it will be more yellow with green and orange(11-15-97)...

Practice notes

Jeff Gordon crashed his primary car during Saturday morning practice, he was on pit road trying to get the tires up to temp and skidded into the parked #43. Both Gordon and Hamilton must go to backup cars as both cars were too damaged to get fixed in time. Jimmy Spencer...

Players Inc. joins Petty

As rumored here but I had no idea what team: "Players Inc., the licensing and marketing subsidiary of the NFL Players Association, will be an associate sponsor of the Petty Enterprises No. 43 Pontiac, the No. 44 PE2 Pontiac of Kyle Petty and the Petty team's Craftsman...

Latest on John Andretti

John Andretti, meanwhile, would not confirm or deny reports that he has signed on with the Richard Petty team for next year. "There's nothing down in writing," Andretti said. Asked whether he has a handshake agreement with Petty, Andretti smiled and said, "I'm an agreeable...

Preston Miller staying at Ford

"Preston Miller, who "resigned" as Ford's NASCAR program director three weeks ago, has agreed to keep the job, under the regime of new Ford Special Vehicle Operations chief Dan Davis. Miller will continue as an independent contractor under contract to Ford, Miller ...

Competition caution

This just in from Speedworld: "After a meeting with Goodyear, the plan is to throw a competition yellow around Lap 25 to check tire wear. Although NASCAR was fairly satisfied with tire wear after the rain-shortened happy hour, the rain and the rubber laid down by the...

Fox sponsoring DW?

I hear that on the LTN hour on 11-2 (LTN hour is a nationally syndicated show based out of Milwaukee, WI), it was revealed that Darrell Waltrip will be sponsored by the FOX TV network(11-2-97) and Darrell Waltrip confirmed yesterday he plans to spend 2 more seasons...

Dan Marino joining Bill Elliott for Cup team

"Bill Elliott announced Friday he will join with NFL quarterback Dan Marino to run a second car for the 1998 season. FirstPlus Financial is sponsoring the No. 13 Ford, which will be driven by rookie Jerry Nadeau. Thirteen is the uniform number of the Miami Dolphins...

Chevron says no

Just got an email from Chevron, they say they will not be sponsoring a NASCAR team in 1998(Chevron)(11-14-97)...