Dec 1999 CTS Archive

  • FMS and RDS Split? RDS Motorsports, its employees, and its affiliates will in no way, shape, form, or fashion have any connection with Fain Motorsports, FMS Racing, or Rhea Fain from Lexington, Tennessee, effective immediately. A suggestion of a possible alliance between the two teams was posted on the internet. RDS Motorsports will field an entry in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and participate in a limited schedule on the NASCAR Busch Grand National Series for driver, R.D. Smith in 2000. Both entries will carry the #79. The RDS Motorsports team is currently looking for a qualified driver and sponsor for their entry in the truck series events to be held at the Daytona International Speedway and Homestead Motorsports Complex(RDS PR)(12-31-1999)
  • Nessa Motorsports CTS team: Nathan Hunter of Little Rock, AR. has been hired as crew chief for Nessa Motorsports CTS team and driver Eddie Provence on the #28 Ford CTS team(Racing Consultants)(12-29-1999)
  • 3rd CTS team for Impact? hearing Carlos Contreras of Mexico will drive for Impact Motorsports(#25 and 86) in the #12 Hot Wheels Dodge in 2000(12-25-1999)
  • New CTS team: The #77 Wayne Edwards owned Chevy will attempt the CTS race at Daytona with Wayne Edwards driving. During recent tests at Daytona the team had Butch Miller set the truck up for Edwards to test. They ran the 23rd fastest of 30 teams. Lonnie Troxell of Troxell Construction will supply some sponsorship but the team is looking for additional help(12-25-1999)
  • New truck Team: 1998 and 1999 PRO Tour Champion Steve Prescott, from Maine, will attempt up to five CTS races in 2000. Prescott’s tentative schedule calls for events at Gateway, NHIS, Watkins Glen, Indianapolis Raceway Park and Dover. Tom Pearl is the crew chief of the #03 Team EJP Racing Chevys owned by Peter Prescott. Associate sponsors for the effort include the Everett J. Prescott Companies (EJP), Healey Associates, and PEP Transportation(PR)(12-25-1999)
  • Country Cool: Connecting the Circuits: Merry Christmas, Mike Cope by Troy Fletcher(12-22-1999)
  • #26 Truck News: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Rookie Driver Jamie McMurray posted the 12th quickest time over the two day testing session at Daytona last week. The 23-year-old native of Joplin, MO in only his 6th appearance in a CTS Truck was among the fastest teams testing at Daytona for the inaugural truck event in February. McMurray may be a rookie in the trucks, but not to winning at Daytona. In 1990, as a teenager McMurray won on the superspeedway during Kart Week. The MB Motorsports team has been a regular in the CTS since it’s inception in 1995 and Mittler feels 2000 is their season(PR)(12-22-1999)
  • Black Diamond CTS bought: Billy Ballew announced that he has purchased the CTS team from Black Diamond Motorsports. Ballew, a former partner in Black Diamond Motorsports, purchased the two Ford F-150 trucks as well as all of the truck equipment and parts previously owned by BDM. Ballew, a prominent North Georgia automobile dealer , has been involved with several CTS and BGN teams prior to joining Black Diamond Motorsports last August. Billy Ballew Motorsports plan to debut with the CTS at Daytona. For additional information on Billy Ballew Motorsports, please call 770-592-2858 or 404-202-8800(PR)(12-21-1999)
  • #31 Truck: hearing that Brandon Ash will drive the #31 Ford truck at Daytona in a one race deal with his father Ed as crew chief(12-21-1999)
  • #66 Truck? UPDATE Carelli is back: TNN’s Raceday reported on Sunday that Jimmy Hensley was a candidate for the #66 Ford truck ride replace Mike Stefanik, but Doug George tested the truck at DIS on Tuesday(12-15-1999) — UPDATE: hearing Rick Carelli will return to the CTS in the #66 Ford(yep a Ford)(12-16-1999)
  • DIS Truck testing Day 2: The top-10 speeds in Wednesday’s test session follow: 1) #86–Mike Cope 186.803mph; 2) #1–Dennis Setzer 186.730; 3) #41-Randy Renfrow 186.170; 4) #14–Rick Crawford 185.854; 5) #24-Jack Sprague 185.736; 6) #18b-Bobby Hamilton 185.429; 7) #52–Lyndon Amick 185.372; 8) #3–Bryan Reffner 185.326; 9) #88–Terry Cook 185.170; 10) #75-Marty Houston 185.147(NOL and Racer Mag)(12-16-1999)
  • Country Cool Column: Connecting the Circuits: Filling the Void by Troy Fletcher(12-15-1999)
  • Truck Speeds: 1) #14-Rick Crawford 186.043mph; 2) #2-Mike Wallace 184.661; 3) #66-Doug George 184.147; 4). #1-Dennis Setzer 183.628; 5) #46-Rob Morgan 183.288; 6) #52-Lyndon Amick 182.297; 7) #18-Joe Ruttman 182.164; 8) #51-Rick Ware 182.065; 9) #60-Andy Houston 181.386; 10) #86-Mike Cope 181.138; 11) #24-Jack Sprague 180.948(NOL and SpeedNet)(12-15-1999)
  • Grissom/Petty? UPDATE 3: Steve Grissom, who is expected to announce a double Dodge deal in the near future. According to sources close to the situation, Grissom, who has competed fairly regularly on the Winston Cup circuit, will move to the Petty Enterprises truck next season and will become a test driver for the new Intrepids. Kyle Petty says he has made Grissom an offer to drive the #43 CTS entry, but he has yet to sign the deal(SpeedVision)(11-14-1999) — UPDATE: Many Dodge teams tested Thursday at Lowes Motorspeedway, including Steve Grissom in a Petty Dodge, see full story at the TNN Motorsports Site(12-3-1999) — UPDATE 2: Expect this to be announced this coming weekend or so(12-8-1999) — UPDATE 3: Steve Grissom has signed to drive the #43 Petty Truck and is at DIS testing(WC Today Radio/AP and SpeedNet)(12-15-1999)
  • CTS Story: It’s been an off-season of change for NCTS by Kenny Bruce of the Times-News(12-14-1999)
  • CTS Testing TODAY: NASCAR testing at Daytona International Speedway gets under way today(Dec 14th and the 15th) with a two-day run of the Craftsman Truck Series over the 2.5-mile tri-oval. Some 20 high-powered pickup truck racers are expected take to Daytona’s high banks today to help NASCAR determine a solid racing configuration for the NCTS 250, scheduled Feb. 18 at the Speedway. Grandstand access for the test session is free and open to the public via Daytona USA. Following today’s test session NCTS drivers Greg Biffle, Jack Sprague and Kenny Schrader will attend a fan forum at Daytona USA. The forum starts at 5:30 p.m. To access the forum you must pay the Daytona USA admission which is $12 or $10 for those who bring canned food items or an unwrapped toy for the needy(Speed Magazine)(12-14-1999)
  • Roush CTS Driver UPDATE 2: ASA Champ, Tim Sauter, is among three finalists for the #99 ride with Roush Racing in the CTS. Sauter expects to hear by Monday whether he’s gotten the job, and he could be behind the wheel at Daytona in less than a month. Roush has an opening on its championship-caliber team because of the departure of Mike Bliss, who left after a season to pursue opportunities in Winston Cup(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)(11-19-1999) — UPDATE: Las Vegan Kurt Busch is two phone calls away from getting The Call. Busch, 21, has been selected by Roush Racing to replace Mike Bliss as the driver of the #99 Exide Batteries Ford in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series(CTS). Before a formal announcement is made, however, Busch first must get the approval of Exide Batteries and its public relations firm, according to Paul Mecca, Exide Batteries’ director of racing(SpeedNet) and a story on the subject: Drivers Gaughan, Busch await rides of their lives by Jeff Wolf(11-23-1999) — UPDATE 2: Kurt Busch will be the driver for the #99 Exide Ford truck(TNN’s Raceday)(12-12-1999)
  • Country Cool Column: Connecting the Circuits: Trucks to Make Four New Stops by Troy Fletcher(12-8-1999)
  • new ARCA Team: Briggs Cunningham III, and Kerry Scherer will join forces with Doug Taylor Specialty Motorsports to form Cunningham Motorsports. Briggs Cunningham III is the son of former racecar builder Briggs Cunningham, Jr., who is in the Motorsports Hall of Fame. Kerry Scherer, financial consultant for Morgan Keegan, brings to the table not only his business acumen, but also his racing experience. He raced flat tracks on motorcycles in the early 1970’s. He worked as a general mechanic for Billy Ballew and the Blue Bandit Motorsports team. Scherer will manage the budget, and work with Doug Taylor to provide the team with the equipment required to race competitively. In 2000, Cunningham Motorsports and Doug Taylor Specialty Motorsports will feature driver Marc Brenner. Brenner raced for four years in the Allison Legacy series on the short tracks in the Southeast. In 1998 Brenner joined Kerry Scherer at CSG Racing and participated in a limited number of ARCA superspeedway races(PR)(12-6-1999)
  • RaceComm Column: Craftsman Truck Series Christmas Gift Wish List by Cameron Graham(12-3-1999)
  • Martinsville Testing: Jack Sprague, #24 GMAC Chevy and Andy Houston, #60 Cat Rental Stores Chevy, tested their CTS Trucks at Martinsville on Wednesday, Dec 1st and will also test on Thursday also in preparation for the NAPA 250 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Race on Saturday, April 8, 2000 at Martinsville Speedway(Martinsville Speedway Newaletter)(12-2-1999)
  • Tim Steele Back to ARCA? hearing that Tim Steele will go back to ARCA in 2000 and race full time. His website lists his 2000 plans to be announced later, but in the For Sale section, it looks like they are selling all their Ford CTS Trucks(12-1-1999)
  • Country Cool Column: Connecting the Circuits: Truckin’ Into the Off Season by Troy Fletcher(12-1-1999)

Born On Date is January 23, 2000

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