August 2001 CTS Archive

  • Sadler to run Richmond CTS Race: Elliott Sadler and Motorcraft will team up in Richmond, Va., for two races next week. Sadler will drive the #84 Long Brothers Racing F-150, carrying the familiar Motorcraft paint scheme in the Kroger 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Richmond International Speedway on Thursday, September 6th. It will mark the second consecutive year that Sadler has competed in the truck race at Richmond. Ford Racing fan club Team Ford Racing (TFR) will support Sadler’s effort as an associate sponsor.(Sadler Brothers Site)(8-30-2001)
  • Harvick in Richmond CTS Race: Kevin Harvick will return to the CTS at Richmond, driving a truck owned by defending Kroger 200 champion Rick Carelli. Harvick plans on forming his own truck team for 2002, with Carelli serving as his driver. Carelli will be in a Dodge owned by Maurice Petty and Associates for the race.(Winston Cup Scene – need sub to read online)(8-30-2001)
  • Riggs Replacement? UPDATE 3: hearing Brendan Gaughan will be the new driver for the #2 Ultra Motorsports Dodge, and bring along NAPA sponsorship(7-24-2001)
    UPDATE: NASCAR.com Buzz is reporting – Early speculation has brought two names into play: Jack Sprague — the two-time champion who has competed in every NCTS event — and Brendan Gaughan have been mentioned as possible drivers(7-25-2001)
    UPDATE 2: Brendan Gaughan is expected to be named to replace Scott Riggs as driver of the #2 Ultra Motorsports Dodge for the 2002 CTS. According to a well-placed source in the truck series, an announcement is expected soon. The #2 Team ASE-sponsored truck is considered one of the top rides in the NCTS. Riggs is leaving the truck series at the end of this season to compete in the BGN(#10 car Jeff Green is leaving for Cup).(Las Vegas Sun)(8-25-2001)
    UPDATE 3: Brendan Gaughan, who reportedly has an offer to drive the Ultra Motorsports Dodge next season in the CTS, is trying to put together the funding to run full-time in the series with Las Vegas-based Orleans Racing. Gaughan apparently is putting off signing with Ultra Motorsports while he attempts to get NAPA — his sponsor the past two seasons on his NASCAR Winston West car — to sponsor him full-time in the truck series next season. Although Gaughan has declined to comment on the speculation, he told the Sun in an interview last month that his preference would to be to move up to the NCTS with Orleans Racing, which is owned by his father, Michael Gaughan.(Las Vegas Sun)(8-29-2001)
  • Carlos OK: Carlos Contreras, driver of the No. 43 Hot Wheels Dodge, slipped and fell on a jack while climbing out of the truck during last Friday’s open test session at Nazareth Speedway, landing on his back. He was transported to St. Luke’s Hospital where x-rays proved negative. He had, however, aggravated an old injury, causing some pain and tension in his back. He completed Saturday’s race in 16th place. Contreras is currently resting at his home outside Charlotte, NC and plans to test on Wednesday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Contreras also plans to visit with his doctors again at the end this week(GMR Marketing PR)(8-29-2001)
  • Kyle Busch in the #99: FSN’s Totally NASCAR reports that Nathan Haseleu has been released from Roush Racing and 16 year old Kyle Busch will run the rest of the 2001 CTS races in the #99 (8-28-2001)
  • Atlanta Testing: CTS drivers #43-Carlos Contreras and #99-Nathan Haseleu (or will it be Kyle Busch) are expected to test Wednesday and Thursday (8-29/30) during a Dodge truck test at Atlanta Motor Speedway.(AMS PR)(8-28-2001)
  • Biffle Wins at Nazareth: #99-Greg Biffle gave Ford its first victory of the year in the CTS with a virtually perfect performance Sunday in Chevy Silverado 200 race. Biffle, who won the 200-mile race two years ago, erased his own record in leading the final 192 of 200 laps over the triangular 1-mile layout at Nazareth Speedway. The victory was the second of 2001 at Nazareth Speedway by Biffle who, in May, took the BGN race. Pole sitter, #29-Terry Cook was 2nd, #24-Jack Sprague 3rd. #18-Joe Ruttman took over the series championship lead by a 13-point margin over Scott Riggs. Riggs, who led Ruttman by one entering the season’s 18th event, finished 13th. Sprague, meanwhile, drew to within 20 points of Ruttman in third-place with six races remaining on the 2000 season. See That’s Racin’ for Biffle gives Ford truck series win and Nazareth Results(8-27-2001)
  • Spencer’s Nephew to run the #0 for McGlynn Motorsports: The Hanover Township(PA) based McGlynn Motorsports will enter two trucks in Sunday’s Chevy Silverado 200 at the Nazareth Speedway. Ryan McGlynn will drive the #00 Buyer’s Choice/Fendler & Associates Chevy and Eddie Spencer, the nephew of Winston Cup regular Jimmy Spencer, will drive the 0 Buyer’s Choice/ESP Concrete & Pumping Chevy. McGlynn and Spencer have been friends for several years and both graduated from Northwest High School in 1992. The two helped each other out during their short-track days, then Spencer moved to North Carolina to work with his uncle’s race teams. “Eddie’s been going to the races with us and doing some spotting for me,” McGlynn said. “He’s not really doing much racing right now, so this is a good opportunity for him.” On Sunday, McGlynn will be running a new CRD engine, while the #0 truck will be running the same set up and CRD engine McGlynn used last season at Nazareth. McGlynn qualified 22nd a year ago and finished 17th after pit strategy put McGlynn in second near the halfway mark of the race. This is the second time McGlynn Motorsports has helped out a fellow driver. The team let David Starr drive the #0 truck for the Nazareth race in 1999. In that race, McGlynn’s #00 truck had problems with overheating, so during a pit stop McGlynn got behind the wheel of the No. 0 and finished 21st.(Citizens Voice)(8-23-2001)
  • Biffle Again: BGN championship contender Greg Biffle will return to Nazareth Speedway August 25-26 to compete in the CTS “Chevy Silverado 200” driving Jack Roush’s #99 Eldon Ford. Biffle, who sits in second place (actually third, Keller is 2nd) behind Kevin Harvick in the BGN point standings, recorded a win earlier this year at Nazareth Speedway in the BGN race. He joined Winston Cup driver Ron Hornaday as the only drivers that have won in both NASCAR divisions (BGN and CTS) at the one-mile Nazareth oval. No driver has accomplished that feat in the same year. The “Chevy Silverado 200” will mark Biffle’s last CTS appearance of the year.(Roush Racing PR)(8-23-2001)
  • Ruttman on the pole at Chicago: see That’s Racin’ for Craftsman 175 NASCAR Truck lineup and Ruttman wins truck series pole(8-18-2001)
  • No Tolsma or Team Rensi at Nashville UPDATE 2 team done? not yet: ESPN2’s RPM 2Night reports that the #61 Team Rensi CTS team and driver Randy Tolsma will skip the CTS Nashville race.(8-8-2001)
    UPDATE: Team Rensi Motorsports’ CTS program apparently is no more. The operation, which began the season with a pair of unsponsored trucks for series veteran Randy Tolsma and rookie David Donohue, dropped Donohue’s truck after three races but ran Tolsma in the first 15. Tolsma will reportedly move over to the Rensi brothers’ No. 25 U.S. Marines Chevrolet in the BGN.(NASCAR.com Buzz)(8-9-2001)
    UPDATE 2: Team Rensi Motorsports skipped Nashville’s CTS race, but contrary to speculation, it has not permanently shut down its truck team. Sam Rensi said Aug. 13 that Randy Tolsma and David Donohue might run a handful of truck races later this year. Tolsma has moved into the organization’s #25 BGN car, which he’ll continue to drive full time next year. Also, Rensi said that Team Marines Racing would return as the Busch Series team’s primary sponsor.(Winston Cup Scene – need sub to read)(8-16-2001)
  • Chicago Sports: As part of a promotion with Chicago Motor Speedway, numerous drivers will be representing several of Chicago’s professional sports teams this Saturday in the Chicago 175. The #43 of Carlos Contreras will carry a decal from the Chicago Fire Major League Soccer team. Carlos was a soccer player before he began his auto racing career. The Cubs, Bulls, Blackhawks and AFL’s Rush will also be represented(Daytona Beach News Journal)(8-15-2001)
  • Hooper Back: After a good finish, 12th, in Nashville with the Met Life sponsored #72 Team of Randy McDonald, Lance Hooper will return to the CTS Team of TAGSBY Racing for Chicago. “Randy, Doc, Stu and the guys were great to me, and we were happy to give them a good finish, they deserve it” said Hooper. Hooper will be racing an engine from Fisher Engineering at the Chicago track this weekend(Team PR)(8-15-2001)
  • Riggs wins at Nashville: #2-Scott Riggs raced to his fourth CTS win of the season Friday night, leading 131 of 150 laps in the Federated Auto Parts 200 at Nashville Superspeedway. #18-Joe Ruttman, who entered the race 17 points behind #24-Jack Sprague in the point standings, exited the season’s 16th race with a lead of 32 over Riggs. Sprague’s Chevy suffered an electrical problem on the warm-up laps and was a dozen laps behind the field after the Hendrick Motorsports crew replaced a coil wire. Sprague, who finished 21st, slipped to third place in the points, 11 behind Riggs. See That’s Racin’ for Federated Auto Parts 200 results(8-10-2001)
  • Another Busch? UPDATE: One of the (many) rumors circulating through the pits at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last weekend concerned Kyle Busch, the 16-year-old brother of Winston Cup rookie Kurt Busch. Word has it that Kyle Busch will drive one of Jack Roush’s trucks in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Oct. 14 and is being considered by Roush for a full-time truck ride in 2002.(Las Vegas Sun)(7-18-2001)
    UPDATE: Kyle Busch could be driving the #99 Eldon Ford in as many as six more CTS races this season, according to a source with Roush Racing’s truck program. Busch, 16, made his CTS debut at Indianapolis Raceway Park and piloted the truck to a ninth-place finish. Team manager Max Jones said Thursday that Busch would drive the truck in next Saturday’s Sears Craftsman 175 at Chicago Motor Speedway and another team official said the Las Vegas native would “be on board for a few more races” this season. Busch can compete in up to seven NCTS races this season and still preserve his rookie eligibility for next year. Roush Racing announced this week that Busch Series driver Greg Biffle, the 2000 NCTS champion, would be in the #99 truck for the race at Nashville Superspeedway and Aug. 26 at Nazareth Speedway. Busch likely would drive in five of the six remaining races, including the Oct. 14 Orleans 350 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.(Las Vegas Sun)(8-10-2001)
  • Hamilton Truck News: Bobby Hamilton Racing will field a truck for Bill Lester at Nashville and Preston Tutt at Chicago as part of Dodge’s diversity program. Hamilton already fields a truck for Willy T. Ribbs , though his future with the team beyond this season is uncertain. The drivers tested at Nashville Speedway USA and Atlanta Motor Speedway along with Eric Reed. Hamilton also is talking with DANA about returning as the sponsor of Joe Ruttman’s truck for 2002. Concerns about the economy had the company uneasy about signing an extension of a deal that expires after the season, but recent talks have been encouraging. As part of an effort to convince company executives of the sponsorship’s value, fans and DANA employees have been e-mailing letters via a link found on www.joeruttman.com.(Winston Cup Scene – need sub to read online)(8-9-2001)
  • #84 News: After a strong 11th place finish last week at Indianapolis Raceway Park by Nick Woodward, the Long Brothers Racing #84 Ford will be moving on to the Nashville Superspeedway with Chad Chaffin in the drivers seat. Chaffin brought the team its best finish ever last year with a third place finish at Nashville Speedway USA, and delivered a strong fourth place finish this year Memphis Motorsports Park. This will mark the first superspeedway race for Long Brothers Racing and this particular truck since a ninth place finish in the inaugural race last year at Daytona International Speedway. This also marks the fist time Long Brothers Racing will compete in two races in a row, quite a feat for a team with an all volunteer crew where everyone works a full time job, too. This week, the truck will be sponsored by Remarketing Solutions, a Nashville, TN based subsidiary of Manheim Auctions which provides vehicle remarketing services for dealers including comprehensive vehicle resale management, professional title transfers and conversions, recovery and transportation of vehicles and lease termination services. The truck will also carry associate sponsorship from their affiliates, Dent Wizard Paintless Dent Removal, AutoTrader.com, and the Nashville Auto Auction. Long Brothers Racing plans to compete in at least 2 more CTS races in 2001, South Boston and Richmond. Other than for the Nashville race, the truck is currently unsponsored. The team is seeking sponsorship for the remaining races and any others someone might be interested in.( Long Brothers Racing PR)(8-8-2001)
  • Biffle to run Nashville: ESPN2’s RPM 2Night reports that BGN driver Greg Biffle will drive the #99 Roush Racing Ford at Nashville(8-8-2001)
  • Tammy Jo to Return: the Tammy Jo Kirk site, www.tammyjokirk.com site is reporting that Kirk is looking for sponsorship to run a full 2002 CTS season(8-8-2001)
  • Rules Change: NASCAR has announced a rule change regarding the carburetors used in the Craftsman Truck Series. Effective Aug. 7, the 390-cfm carburetor will be the only one allowed for use in the series. The newly enforced carburetor reduces fuel and air flow which in turn limits engine rpms and therefore horsepower, as well. The 390-cfm findings were in relation to the previously used 830-cfm carburetor eligible for use in the NCTS. After examining data from the 390-cfm gathered from races at Texas Motor Speedway in June, and Kansas Speedway in July, NASCAR made the rule modification based on its findings. Busch Series cars currently use the 390-cfm, as well.(NASCAR.com)(8-3-2001)
  • Sprague wins at IRP: Sprague took the lead from Joe Ruttman on the first lap, lost it only after the first round of pit stops, went back in front midway through the race and held off Terry Cook to win the Power Stroke Diesel 200 at Indianapolis Raceway Park on Friday night. It was Sprague’s second straight victory and third of the season, giving him the points lead over Ruttman after 15 of the 24 NASCAR Truck series races this season. Scott Riggs, the series leader going into the race, broke his rear suspension early in the 200-lap race and was never a factor(AP/That’s Racin’), see NASCAR.com for Power Stroke 200 Results(8-3-2001)

Born On Date: Aug 23, 2001

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