February 2000 News Archives

(2-29-2000)
Ford goes for 500: If a Ford wins the Las Vegas race, it would be their 500th Winston Cup victory – the most of any manufacturer(2-29-2000)
Did ya know? Dale Jarrett has been atop the Winston Cup standings for 26 straight races — since May of last year at Richmond(Daily Press)(2-29-2000)

(2-28-2000)
Sad News: Darrell Waltrip’s Mother-In-Law passed away today, condolences to the family(2-28-2000)
Paint Info: didn’t see the cars until raceday on TV, but a few changes in a few paint schemes from Daytona. The #75 of course had the new sponsor RotoZip on the car, the #13 Team Gordon car had more blue on it, Menards on the hood and had Duracell on the rear 1/4 panels. #94 Bill Elliott had a Silver Anniversary scheme going on his car(ironic that he finished 25th). No images for the #75 but found a few decent #13’s from the Team Gordon site and Tachzone has a little baby one of the #94, they are posted on the Paint Scheme Gallery(2-28-2000)
#75 Crew Member injured: Joe Karasinski, a pit crew member with the #75 Fords driven by Wally Dallenbach, was treated at the speedway’s infield car center Sunday for burns to the left side of his face and neck. Karasinski sustained the burns from a gas fire in the pit stall, following a pit stop by Dallenbach. Karasinski was treated with ointment, bandaged and released but told to follow up with his personal physician when he arrived home(That’s Racin’), get well Joe!(2-28-2000)
Rules Changes? not yet: Mike Helton, NASCAR’s chief operating officer, said Sunday he did not think there was enough time to analyze this week’s wind tunnel tests and implement any needed changes in time for next weekend’s race at Las Vegas. Three cars – the #88 Ford of Dale Jarrett, the #18 Pontiac of Bobby Labonte and the #3 Chevrolet of Dale Earnhardt – are scheduled to test in the wind tunnel in Marietta, Ga., on Monday(That’s Racin’)(2-28-2000)
Where was everyone? About 50,000 fans, 10,000 short of capacity, watched Bobby Labonte win. No doubt, others were watching the track’s attendance. Rumors have persisted that Rockingham and Darlington could be in danger of losing a race if NASCAR officials move race dates to other tracks. Unless something unusual happens, Sunday’s crowd will be the smallest to watch a Cup race this year(Roanoke Times), you could see the empty seats on TV, maybe it was the threat of rain(2-28-2000)
Gibbs Mom Ill: Bobby Labonte ‘s car owner, Joe Gibbs, did not attend Sunday’s race. He was with his ailing mother in Florida. No other information was available(Roanoke Times)(2-28-2000)
Common Template? UPDATE, Aero-matching: looks like teams are pushing for a common template again: NASCAR is poised to mandate an unprecedented common body style for all makes of cars in the Winston Cup Series. The common body style may be a longer-range proposition, but Helton wouldn`t rule out announcing it quickly. See full story at the Orlando Sentinel by Ed Hinton: NASCAR set to mandate common design(2-26-2000) — UPDATE: see a story about common templates or as NASCAR call’s it, ‘Aero Matching’: Common body style idea back on the table (That’s Racin’)(2-28-2000)
Bodine sponsor: WorldBestBuy.com, an Internet retail supersite, has signed on as an associate sponsor of the #11 Brett Bodine Racing team. They also are sponsoring the #26 Allcar Motorsports BGN team for the first three races of 2000(goRacing)(2-26-2000) — UPDATE: WorldBestBuy.com also sponsors the truck series #93 team and driver Wayne Edwards(2-28-2000)

(2-27-2000)

Wind Tunnel: TNN’s Glenn Jarrett reported that speculation has it that NASCAR will take the #3 Chevy, #18 Pontiac and #88 Ford to the wind tunnel this coming week. Last week NASCAR took the #’s 88, 31 and 22 to the wind tunnel(2-27-2000)
#75 Sponsor: the #75 Galaxy Motorsports team and driver Wally Dallenbach have added a third primary sponsor for seven races, which started today at Rockingham. RotoZip Tool Corp. joins cable-broadcasting giant Turner Broadcast System (TBS) and Red Cell Batteries in a three-way primary sponsorship program on the #75(goRacing)(2-27-2000)
Provisional Finisher: #60-Ted Musgrave was the highest provisonal starter with a 16th place finish subbing for injured Geoffrey Bodine. Where did the provisional starters finish? See my Provisional Finishes Page(2-27-2000)
Engine Changes: the #94-Bill Elliott and #55-Kenny Wallace teams changed engines early Sunday morning. Elliott’s team found metal pieces in theirs(TNN Preview Show) winner #18-Bobby Labonte also changed an engine Sunday morning(2-27-2000)
Spencer News: Jimmy Spencer has decided not to run in the BGN race at Las Vegas next week. Still recovering from two broken ribs he suffered in a crash last week in the Daytona 500, Spencer has put off his 2000 BGN debut until the Texas 300 at Fort Worth on April 1. He has opted not to have a relief driver for the CUP Rockingham race(Times-Dispatch)(2-27-2000)

(2-26-2000)
Wind Tunnel Again? UPDATE: Bill Weber reported on Thursday’s RPM2Nite that NASCAR may choose three cars to go to the wind tunnel after the Rockingham race(2-25-2000) — UPDATE: NASCAR is expected to take one Ford, one Chevrolet and one Pontiac from Sunday’s Dura-Lube/Kmart 400 to a wind tunnel in Marietta, Ga., to continue its evaluations of the models competing in the 2000 Winston Cup season. But Rick Hendrick, owner of three Chevrolet teams, isn’t waiting on the results of that test or of those from a test on cars from Daytona held earlier this week. See full story at That’s Racin’(2-26-2000)
Sad News: The teams of Dale Jarrett and Ricky Rudd were both reeling from the death this week of Dave Kriska, an engineer who had worked at Robert Yates Racing for eight years. Kriska took his own life Tuesday, just two days after Jarrett won the Daytona 500. Yates did not come to the track Friday. Kriska worked on Bill Elliott’s team when it won the championship in 1988 before joining Yates(News and Observer)(2-26-2000)
Sad News but Better UPDATE: PRN-Performace Racing Network announcer, Chuck Carland, is ill and in the hospital in Charlotte, NC. Best wishes to him and his family(2-25-2000) — UPDATE: hearing Carland is doing much better and will go home on Monday(2-26-2000)
Hot Wheels: The Hendrick Marrow Program collector’s sets from Hot Wheels Racing are available for purchase online. Great drivers, great cars and a great cause have come together in two sets of fine NASCAR® replicas. The cars of Kyle Petty, Terry Labonte and Ernie Irvan, plus a special #24 car, are featured in these outstanding collections. These 1:64 scale die-cast vehicles boast team-approved paint schemes, authentic graphics and full-color logos. There is an added incentive for the discriminating collector. For every set sold, Mattel will make a contribution to the Hendrick Marrow Program(Hot Wheels PR)(2-26-2000)
Update on Stewart’s crewman: Michael Lingerfelt was released from Halifax Medical Center in Daytona, FL and flew home in Joe Gibbs’ private jet. He was up and walking with a walker within fifteen hours after his surgery, the better to get things jump started. The Tire Changer for the #20 Home Depot Pontiac and Tony Stewart is also a mechanic on the car, and could find his way back to the shop as early as next week, because he can’t stay away. No doubt he would be on ‘light duty.’ Lingerfelt was hit by Stewart in the pit lane last Sunday during the NASCAR Winston Cup Daytona 500 race. With the new shock rules, all the Cup cars are sitting higher and Lingerfelt was in a blind spot, unseen by Stewart(Racing Angels Newsletter) — UPDATE: Gordy Arbitter, who has worked with Dale Earnhardt Inc. and most recently with the #12 Fords of Jeremy Mayfield, will take over right-front tire changing duties on Tony Stewart’s #20 Pontiacs beginning this Sunday(That’s Racin’)(2-26-2000)
Goodyear Employee Honored: Charlotte, N.C., resident Wayne Torrence was honored last week by Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. for his 55 years of service to the company, which has included his work in marketing at numerous Winston Cup and NASCAR Grand National races(That’s Racin’)(2-26-2000)
Book: A new book, The Driving Force, explores the aspect of faith and religious belief among some top NASCAR drivers. Written by veteran motorsports journalist Mike Hembree of Spartanburg, S.C., the book includes chapters on such high-profile drivers as Jeff Gordon, Darrell Waltrip, Dale Jarrett, Kyle Petty and Dale Earnhardt. The forward is written by Joe Gibbs, former NFL coaching great who now fields two of the top teams in NASCAR. Gibbs says his personal faith and convictions help guide his every decision(Tennessean). For more info on the book and many other NASCAR related books, see Jayski’s Racing Bookstore. Heard from a reader who commented that the book was more of a “young adult” level book that uses true-life NASCAR incidents as similes to Bible lessons. While there are a few fleeting visions of the spiritual lives of people like Jeff Gordon, DW, Kyle Petty, etc.(2-26-2000)

(2-25-2000)
Lepage to see the Light, again: The #16 Ford and driver Kevin Lepage will be sponsored again by Nothern Light.com, an Internet search engine. Northern Light also sponsored the team in the Daytona 500 and will sponsor Roush teammate Jeff Burtin in a limited schedule of events in the BGN(RPM2Nite/ESPN2) Got an image of the car sent in by a reader, see the Paint Schemes Gallery for the image(2-25-2000)
Trouble at the #50? UPDATE 4: hearing that crew chief John Monsam and some crew members have left the #50 Midwest Transit Team(2-21-2000) — UPDATE: #50 Midwest Transit Racing crew chief John Monsam tendered his resignation on the Friday before the Daytona 500. Crewman Bob Hayden, responsible for pre-race setups at the team’s shop, was reportedly offered the interim crew chief position. Also near the end of last season, co-owners Mike Witters sold his share of the team to the other co-owner Hal Hicks(NOL)(2-22-2000) — UPDATE 2: Also, in Lawrence County, Ill., a three-count complaint was filed last month against Midwest Transit Inc. and Hal D. Hicks, alleging the race team Hicks operates in addition to the business is “a possible recipient of misapplied funds.” A brief story on the matter ran on Jan. 27 in the Sumner, Ill., Press.(Gaston Gazette) — UPDATE 3: Hal Hicks, owner of Midwest Transit Racing Inc., today issued the following statement in response to a widely circulated e-mail involving a lawsuit by his former partner, Michael Witters: “The lawsuit involves only Midwest Transit, Inc. The race team, Midwest Transit Racing, Inc., is not a party to the lawsuit. “I am the founder, operator and controlling shareholder in Midwest Transit, Inc., the sponsor of the race team, and – just for the record – we intend to run a full 34-race schedule, just as we intended when Mr. Witters was involved.”(Racin’ Network)(2-24-2000) — UPDATE 4: also hearing that leaving the team were: Chassis builder Ray Kilgore(formerly with Gary Dehart’s Turnkey Performance), who had been hired to head up a new chassis program and Glenn Coe, suspension specialist and Dee Chapman, PR(2-25-2000)
AMS Testing: Four CUP driver and one BGN driver tested at Atlanta on Thursday. Fastest was #27-Jeff Fuller at 191.471mph. 2nd was #77-Robert Pressley at 190.487, 3rd was #11-Brett Bodine at 189.901 and th was #13-Robby Gordon at 187.847. #15-Derrick Gilchrist tested his Andy Petree owned Chevy with a fast lap of 178.727mph(goRacing)(2-25-2000)
#36 Assoc: parts.com, Inc. (formerly Miracom Corporation), announced it has become an associate sponsor of the #36 M&M’s Pontiac and the MB2 Motorsports team. As an Associate National Sponsor, the parts.com logo will appear prominently on the “M&M’s”® Racing Team’s #36 Pontiac and on the uniforms of the driver and pit crew. This will help position the parts.com exchange as the leading provider of online business-to-business and consumer auto parts products to an important segment of the automotive marketplace(IMG Motorsports PR)(2-25-2000)
Graves back to Cup..for a race UPDATE 2 delayed: NASCAR Winston West regular Brendan Gaughan will try his hand at NASCAR Winston Cup racing with former Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Andy Graves in the CarsDirect.com 400 NASCAR Winston Cup race on March 5 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Gaughan, a 24-year old Las Vegas native, is the full-time driver for Orleans Racing, which is located in LVMS’s Research and Development Center. The state-of-the art race shop is home to a full-time NASCAR Winston West team, part-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck team and the future home of a cutting-edge engine building complex. Graves, who joined Chip Ganassi’s CART team this year after a 10-year history with Hendrick Motorsports, will assist the team with building its 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, advise them on race and qualifying setups and act as crew chief on race day. The car will be the #62 NAPA Auto Parts/The Orleans Casino Chevrolet(LVMS PR)(2-8-2000) — UPDATE: hearing Gaughan’s Cup debut will not happen at Vegas and will be delayed — UPDATE 2: Orleans Racing has made a last-minute decision not to enter next weekend’s CUP race at Las Vegas, delaying the debut of Brendan Gaughan. The reason: rain. The team was not able to secure a testing date as rain left only a few open test dates which were booked by the IRL. Gaughan was able to sneak onto the track for a brief shakedown session Thursday morning with one of the team’s Winston West engines in the new car and chassis, but some minor bugs were discovered. The team will focus on qualifying for the April 30 Cup race at California(Las Vegas Review)(2-25-2000)
No #15: the #15 Fenley-Moore team and driver Derrike Cope decided to skip the Rockingham race, taking a week off as they look for a sponsor and plan to attempt the CUP race at Las Vegas next week(2-25-2000)
What are the Odds? Johnnie Bowser is one of the No Bull 5 Contestants for next weeks race at Las Vegas. Guess what? This is his second shot at the No Bull 5 contest prize. He was a No Bull 5 contestant at last years Southern 500 at Darlington. He was then paired with Mark Martin. Jeff Burton and another contestant won the million. This is the third year for the No Bull 5 contest, and the Las Vegas race will be the 12th event in which the $1 million prize was offered to a fan. Bowser is the first fan to have his name selected twice(That’s Racin’)(2-25-2000)
No Bull 5 Contestants at Vegas are: Johnnie Bowser, Charlotte; Richard Cartwright, Wetumpka, AL; Rosemarie Lechleidner, Moorestown, NJ; Harry Hamner, Rumford, ME; and Joyce Williams, Port Isabel, TX(That’s Racin’)(2-25-2000)

(2-24-2000)
DW Road: North Carolina Speedway will name a road on the property for Darrell Waltrip in ceremonies on Saturday(Gaston Gazette)(2-24-2000)
Elliott, Dodge? Ford? UPDATE 3: hearing that Bill Elliott may make his Dodge announcement at Atlanta(2-17-2000) —UPDATE: As for the ongoing speculation that he’ll be driving a Dodge for Ray Evernham, Elliott finally had a substantive comment. “I’m in a Ford, man,” he said firmly. See full story at the Dallas Morning News(2-18-2000) — UPDATE 2: TNN’s Raceday reports that Ray Evernham will probably name Bill Elliott as his veteran driver for one of his Dodge teams at Atlanta in March and may introduce the ‘young’ driver there as well. So far the rumored driver have been Casey Atwood(but published stories say no) another rumor has Jay Sauter as the driver(2-20-2000) — UPDATE 3: This weeks NASCAR Winston Cup Scene has a story that says “Elliott Will Drive For Evernham in 2001” and it likely will be announced at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March. Evernham will buy Elliott’s team and keep some of the crew and employees. In the story neither party confirm or deny it and sources close to Ford says Elliott is close to signing(WCS pg 86)(2-24-2000)
Rusty Scheme: from the goRacing Rusty Wallace chat transript: Q) Is there a small chance in heck that you will be back in a black car in the future? A) I loved the black car…but there’s not a chance. I’ve been trying to get a black car out of the Miller Brewing company…but I’m sticking with The Blue and White Miller Lite Car. We’re announcing a new paint scheme on March 6th(goRacing)(2-24-2000)
Testing: Martinsville Speedway will have various CUP drivers testing there in March: the 14th: #17-Matt Kenseth and #16-Kevin Lepage; 15th: #17-Matt Kenseth; 20th: #24-Jeff Gordon, #25-Jerry Nadeau and #21-Elliott Sadler; 21st: Gordon, Nadeau, Salder and #2-Rusty Wallace; 22nd: Wallace; 28th and 29th: #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr(Martinsville Speedway)(2-24-2000)
Ratings Down UPDATE story: was sent this by a reader: Overnight ratings for the Daytona 500 fell five percent, as CBS bowed out of broadcasting Nascar’s biggest race. Dale Jarrett’s victory on Sunday generated a 7.5 preliminary, or overnight, rating and 18 share, the television network said. Last year’s race, won by Jeff Gordon, drew a 7.9 overnight and 20 share(2-23-2000) — UPDATE: see a full story on the ratings and TV at SpeedVision: TV – Who Watched What Last Weekend(2-24-2000)

(2-23-2000)

(2-22-2000)
Chassis Dyno UPDATE:: the #’s 2,5,8,18,22,31,88 and 94 where tested by NASCAR on the Chassis Dyno after the Daytona 500(TNN Motorsports Site)(2-21-2000) — UPDATE: The readings ranged from the 380’s to 405 hp. According to one insider, Joe Gibbs Racing had the best numbers among the General Motors’ products amid the 390’s while the Penske Ford was the class of the field. The three Taurus of Roush Racing, which finished second, fifth and tenth, were curiously absent from the test. The same source revealed that NASCAR impounded the #22 Pontiac, the #31 Chevrolet and the #88 Ford and has reserved testing time on Wednesday at Lockheed’s wind tunnel in Marietta, GA(Lee Spencer)(2-22-2000)
Bill Elliott 25th: In effort to lighten up the amount of text posted on the main page, I will start posting the Press Releases I get on their own page. The first one even has an image, of Bill Elliott in front of his Ford Torino before his first Winston Cup start at Rockingham. This Sunday will mark Elliott’s 25 year Winston Cup Anniversary. See the full story and image at PR – Bill Elliott’s 25th. Still working on the logistics of the PR section, may be a few days(2-22-2000)
Spencer? UPDATE 2: have gotten no reports on Jimmy Spencer’s condition after his hit the wall late in the Daytona 500 — UPDATE: Jimmy Spencer was shaken up in a crash with two laps to go. Spencer was taken to the infield care center, checked and released(Tennessean)(2-21-2000) — UPDATE 2: Dr Jerry Punch reported on RPM2Nite that Spencer has two broken ribs and will wear a flak jacket at Rockingham(ESPN2)(2-22-2000)
Truck Accident/Geoffrey Bodine UPDATE 4: There was a multi truck accident at Daytona on Friday in which Geoffrey Bodine got hit and launched into the catchfence in the tri-oval(2-18-2000) — UPDATED: added additional info on Bodine and a bunch of story/column links for more info and images(2-19-2000) — UPDATE 2 Bodine is likely to miss up to eight weeks of the Winston Cup season, a team spokesman said. His wrist injury is the one that is most likely to delay his return to the series. Bodine drives the #60 Power Team Chevrolets for Bessey Motorsports. He did not qualify for Sunday’s Daytona 500 but no driver has yet been selected for next Sunday’s Dura Lube 400 at Rockingham. Details and info at my CTS Site(2-20-2000) — UPDATE 3: Geoffrey Bodine’s condition was upgraded from serious-but-stable to satisfactory today at Halifax Medical Center, and this afternoon Bodine was released from the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit. He will remain hospitalized for an unspecified amount of time, as he continues to recover from a concussion, a right broken wrist, and multiple bruises and lacerations(SpeedVision) — UPDATE 4: hearing that Bodine will leave Daytona early today and have surgery on his broken wrist in Charlotte Tuesday evening…..yes, Bodine has been released, see full stories at SpeedVision and That’s Racin’, Bodine will have surgery on Sunday, Feb 27th. He will have a plate put in the wrist as the wrist is broken at the joint. The reason for the wait? Bodine also has 2nd degree burns on the wrist, so Doctors need to wait for the burn to heal(RPM2Nite/Dr Jerry Punch)(2-22-2000)
Gordon’s Spoiler? UPDATE 2: Favorable treatment for Jeff Gordon at the NASCAR inspection station? That was the complaint among some rivals in the garage after NASCAR made a “no-call” on a rear spoiler violation in Friday’s pole runs. NASCAR requires cars to run a 45-degree rear spoiler here, but the left side of Gordon’s rear spoiler measured 42 1/2 degrees after his run. NASCAR said it didn’t see any performance gain(PitNow) AND Although his rear spoiler violated NASCAR rules when it was measured after he ran, officials took no action against Jeff Gordon after his qualifying run Saturday(The Ledger)(2-14-2000) — UPDATE:not sure what to make from this but hearing that Gordon’s car supposedly had “an illegal part related to the fuel system”, during qualifying, have not found any further info on it, not sure what the part is, and it didn’t seem to help at all(25th fastest)(2-17-2000) — UPDATE 2: from what I hear the NASCAR inspectors had a question about the fuel filter. They team made it themselves which raise suspicion but there was nothing wrong with it though, just a plain in line screen filter and NASCAR had no problems with it after examining it(2-22-2000)
Cowboys and NASCAR UPDATE 2: The NFL Dallas Cowboys are negotiating to have two cars bearing their colors and logo race in next April’s Direct TV 500 at the Texas Motor Speedway, owner Jerry Jones said Thursday. The two Winston Cup cars – one predominantly silver and the other predominantly blue – would compete in the April 2 race. The Cowboys also want a car with their colors to compete in the Texas 300, a Busch Series race, on April 1. Jones would not divulge the names of the drivers the Cowboys have targeted, but spokesmen for Bobby Labonte and Rusty Wallace’s primary sponsor say they have had preliminary discussions with the Cowboys. For example, the Cowboys wouldn’t use Earnhardt because he has an endorsement deal with Coke. Jones has ties with Pepsi(Dallas Morning News) NOTE: that should rule out Labonte also as he has an endorsement deal with Coke also(10-1-1999) — UPDATE: readers tell me that the latest issue of Beckett has this on pg 84: “And in the spring, at least one driver from the Winston Cup, Busch and NHRA circuits will drive in the blue-and-silver scheme of the Dallas Cowboys, one of the most popular NFL teams among collectors. The paint jobs will be used at races in Texas, with some big time names such as Bobby Labonte and nine-time NHRA champion John Force involved”(Beckett Magazine)(1-9-2000) — UPDATE 2: NFL Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ plan of having two Cup cars with the Cowboys’ colors and logos driven in April’s Direct TV 500 is on hold while NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue reviews the situation. Tagliabue wants the league to make sure the cross-sport association is well thought out. Jones said he thinks any reservations by Tagliabue will be eased before the race. If the idea is approved, the two Winston Cup cars – one predominantly silver and the other predominantly blue – would compete in the race April 2. The Cowboys also want a car with their colors to compete in the Texas 300, a BGN race, on April 1. The schmes would only be used once. The Cowboys are negotiating with Action Performance, Co., which has licensing agreements with more than 300 drivers, owners and sponsors. Action Performance specializes in selling, distributing and licensing goods such as caps, T-shirts and car replicas. Negotiations are serious enough that the Cowboys already have mock drawings of the cars and their paint schemes(Condensed from the Dallas Morning News)(2-22-2000)

(2-21-2000)
Bodine Sub UPDATE: TNN’s Raceday reports that garage talk has either Todd Bodine or Buckshot Jones subbing for Geoffrey Bodine in the #60 Power Team Chevy at Rockingham next week. Team over Joe Bessey will make his decision on Monday(TNN)(2-20-2000) — UPDATE: Ted Musgrave will drive the #60 Chevy at Rockingham this coming weekend(RPM2Nite) NOL reports it is on a “race-to-race basis”(NOL)(2-21-2000)
To the Wind Tunnel: NASCAR has heard the complaints and will head to the wind tunnel to test its cars. The decision comes with General Motors teams griping and the Daytona 500 producing only four on-track passes for the lead in 200 laps. Even before Dale Jarrett led a top-five sweep by Ford on Sunday, the Chevrolet and Pontiac teams contended that the aerodynamics leave them at a disadvantage. Kevin Triplett, NASCAR’s operations director, said Monday the sanctioning body is trying to reserve testing time at Lockheed’s wind tunnel in Marietta, Ga. NASCAR measured horsepower on six cars after the race, then impounded three of them. Jarrett’s #88 Ford, the #22 Pontiac of Ward Burton and the #31 Chevy of Mike Skinner will go to the wind tunnel. The #88 car was put into Daytona USA as the team must give up the winning car for a year in exchange for $100,000, but NASCAR said the #88 car still will be taken to the wind tunnel. The car will be returned to the display in the exact condition as it won the race(Infobeat Newsletter/AP)(2-21-2000)
Tyler Jet News UPDATE: Tyler Jet Motorsports and Lycos, a leading Web media company and the owner of the Lycos Network, unveiled Lycos will become the title sponsor of Johnny Benson’s #10 Pontiac for NASCAR’s 2000 Winston Cup Series starting at the Daytona 500. Tyler Jet Motorsports Owner Tim Beverley said several sponsors approached the team about a single event agreement. However, Beverley said he was only interested in an agreement that would allow the James Ince-led team to focus solely on racing in 2000 and not worry about sponsorship details(Tyler Jet Motorsports PR)(2-20-2000) — UPDATE: Lycos Inc. announced an estimated $6 million sponsorship of the Tim Beverley-owned #10 Tyler Jet Motorsports Pontiac(Times-Dispatch)(2-21-2000)
Some Daytona 500 Notes UPDATE: #88-Jarrett led the most laps, #6-Mark Martin led at the halfway point, #20-Tony Stewarts right tire changer, Mike Lingerfelt, got hit by Stewart and has a possible broken leg, was alert and ok after the incident and was going for x-rays(2-20-2000) — UPDATE: Lingerfelt suffered a fractured left femur (the thigh bone) and was scheduled to undergo surgery at Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach Sunday night(NOL)(2-21-2000)
Tidbits: from NOL – Only four drivers(7 times) has the driver who won the Daytona 500 also won the Winston Cup Champihinship. Lee Petty in 1959, Richard Petty in 1964-71-74-79, Cale Yarborough in 1977 and Jeff Gordon in 1997. Also every Daytona 500 winner in the last 10 years (1991-2000) has started seventh or better and only eight times in the 42-year history of the Daytona 500 has a driver won from a starting position outside the top-10(NOL Notes)(2-21-2000)
Jarrett and the garage UPDATE: been getting this question: Why was Jarrett’s team allowed in the garage late/early to work on the #88, isn’t that unfair? Speed Magazine answers: Although there were questions about Jarrett’s crew staying late in the NASCAR garage Saturday and getting in the NASCAR garage early Sunday, it is considered normal practice. NASCAR director of operations Kevin Triplett said Jarrett’s team was not given any extra benefits that other NASCAR teams wouldn’t have received if they had wrecked in practice the day before a race — UPDATE: Bill Elliott’s team also stayed late and came in early as they had to fix the #94 Ford due to damage from the same incident(2-21-2000)
Richard Petty Kudos: pretty neat, ‘The King’ Richard Petty came into victory lane and shook Dale Jarrett’s hand and said ‘Great Job'(many sources) also more on Petty: Richard Petty is a gentleman. In a crowded elevator at Daytona International Speedway Sunday morning, he stepped aside and let a woman behind him exit first(That’s Racin’)(2-21-2000)

(2-20-2000)

Interesting: When Derrike Cope won the 1990 Daytona 500, he started from the 12th position. In today’s Daytona 500, Cope also will start 12th in the #15 Fenely-Moore Motorsports Ford(Speed Magazine)(2-20-2000)
Team Gordon News: #13 Robby Gordon associate sponsors Turtle Wax and Johns Manville have decided to further support owner/driver Robby Gordon’s run at the Daytona 500 by taking over the hood of his #13 Ford Taurus for the Daytona 500(NOL)(2-20-2000)
No Bull Five for Las Vegas: #88-Dale Jarrett, #99-Jeff Burton, #94-Bill Elliott, #2-Rusty Wallace, and #6-Mark Martin(2-20-2000)
No Bull Five Finishers at Daytona were: #88-Dale Jarrett(started 1st, finished 1st), #28-Ricky Rudd(2nd, 15th), #22-Ward Burton(6th, 8th), #3-Dale Earnhardt(21st, 21st), and #55-Kenny Wallace(39th,29th)(2-18/20-2000)

(2-19-2000)
THE DODGE ANNOUNEMENT at DAYTONA: In an announcement made in Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday morning(2-19-2000), Bill Davis Racing and Petty Enterprises joined Ray Evernham’s previously-announced NASCAR Winston Cup operation in bringing back the Dodge nameplate to stock car racing’s premier division for the 2001 season. See full Press Release: Dodge/Petty/Davis Announcement(PR)(2-19-2000)
#90 News: Henk de Back, President and Chief Executive Officer, Sara Lee Coffee & Tea Company of North America, Retail, announced that HILLS BROS coffee will be the primary sponsor of the #90 Cup team owned by Junie Donlavey beginning with the 2000 Daytona 500 and continuing through the entire 2001 season. Junie Donlavey first fielded a team in a NASCAR sanctioned event in 1950. He is the recent recipient of the Myers Brothers Award from the National Motorsports Press Association, and the Spirit of Ford Award, the most prestigious motorsports honor Ford bestows. He is in his 51st consecutive season as a team owner, the longest such streak in NASCAR. Donlavey, who entered nine races in 1999 with Hills Bros as a sponsor, said starting his second half-century in NASCAR with support from Hills Bros is a tremendous opportunity. Second generation driver Ed Berrier was named to drive the Hills Bros Coffee Ford Taurus. The son of former NASCAR driver Max Berrier, Ed has raced in the NASCAR Busch Series and scored his first win in 1998. In 2000 he will be competing for rookie-of-the-year honors against some great young drivers. He has made nine NASCAR Winston Cup Series starts, including four last season in Donlavey’s cars. In the past he has served as a test driver for Donlavey in Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) events since in 1995(Keystome PR condensed)(2-19-2000)
NASCAR Telecomm sponsor UPDATE: hearing MCI will not be renewing their official status for the 2000 season with NASCAR and that AT&T is seriously considering taking MCI’s place as the Official Telecommunications Company of NASCAR(8-11-1999) — UPDATE: AT&T Broadband and Motorola, two leaders in the telecommunications industry, have joined forces for the first time In a unique sports marketing collaboration through which the companies have jointly been designated the “Official Telecommunications Companies of NASCAR.” The collaborative marketing program will allow AT&T Broadband and Motorola to capitalize on marketing opportunities both on and off the race track, offering a variety of information, entertainment and communications delivery sources for NASCAR fans. Being named the “Official Communications Companies of NASCAR” allows AT&T Broadband and Motorola to develop trade and consumer advertising, promotions and public relations highlighting their NASCAR involvement. Officials from both companies are jointly developing marketing programs with details expected to be announced en the coming months(Racin’ Network)(2-19-2000)

(2-18-2000)
#91 Sponsor: When Joe Falk’s #91 Chevrolet Monte Carlo sponsored by KMC Telecom came up three spots short of making the Daytona 500 starting grid, his first concern was finding another team to carry the KMC Telecom decals. “The people at KMC Telecom have been absolutely great to us, and they have a lot of people coming in for this race. We wanted to make sure they had a car to cheer for and a Team who would appreciate their involvement,” said Falk. “Since their slogan is ‘Creative Solutions With a Hometown Touch,’ my first thought was to talk to Junie Donlavey. Junie and I go back a long way in NASCAR racing, we are both single car team owners, and we both call Virginia home.” The KMC Telecom decals will share space on the #90 Ford Taurus with Hills Brothers Coffee, primary sponsor of Donlavey Racing(LJ Racing Site)(2-18-2000)
Marcis and the Bodines: Dave Marcis finished 17th in the second qualifier Thursday. Two spots higher, and he would have qualified for his 33rd consecutive Daytona 500. As it was, he was heading home. Marcis wasn’t the only significant name to miss the field. Former Daytona 500 winner(1986) Geoffrey Bodine, who had been in 19 consecutive Daytona 500s, finished just 19th in the first race and couldn’t qualify on time. His brother, Brett, missed for the first time in 13 years(News and Observer)(2-18-2000)
Fans at Daytona: In the past 72 hours 3 Daytona Beach Police officers, and several race fans have been hit by motorists on International Speedway Blvd. just in front of DIS. The officers, directing traffic per instructions from their superiors. The race fans, just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Yesterday, an officer was intentionally hit by a motorist because he wouldn’t let her proceed. The motorist has now been arrested and her children temporarily placed in foster care. No injuries were life threatening, but there were reported broken bones, bruises and contusions(Stock Car Fans Newsletter/Speed Racer)(2-18-2000)
New CTS Team: Bobby Norfleet, an African-American driver from Augusta, GA, has scheduled a news conference at Daytona International Speedway today to reveal his plans to join the Craftsman Truck Series. Norfleet, 41, hopes to make his debut in the Dodge California 250 on March 26. He plans to drive the #34 Chevy in five to seven truck races and is contemplating making a few appearances in the Busch Grand National Series, according to his agent, John Christmas of Decatur. Norfleet’s team will be unique in that it will be sponsored almost exclusively by African-American businesses. When Norfleet cranks his truck for the first time, it will give the series two minority teams. California Speedway in October, plans to run the full truck schedule this year. He starts his #12- Hot Wheels Dodge from the 30th position in today’s 250-mile race(AJC)(2-8-2000)
Sad News: Gary Swan, a sportswriter for the San Francisco Chronicle, died yesterday in Daytona Beach, Fla., where he was covering the Daytona 500, the Chronicle reported in today’s editions. Swan was 51. The medical examiner’s office in Daytona Beach was investigating the cause of death. Swan was found dead in his hotel room. (Tennessean/AP)(2-18-2000)

(2-17-2000)
No Changes: NASCAR officials will not make any changes to the shock absorber and spring rules put in place for the Daytona 500, nor will they introduce a restrictor plate for Friday’s inaugural NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Daytona(TNN)(2-17-2000)
UPS and NASCAR? hearing that United Parcel Service will be the official package delivery company of NASCAR, a reader even sent an image of the truck at Daytona, delivering a package, check out the flames:UPS Truck Image. Found a story on Yahoo: UPS delivers the green flag to start this Sunday’s Daytona 500 in recognition of its new, five-year agreement to become the official express delivery company of NASCAR. UPS’s NASCAR partnership includes customer promotions, trade hospitality and NASCAR souvenir program and publication ads featuring a specially designed UPS package delivery car. During the 2000 NASCAR season, UPS will have on-site presence during races at Daytona International Speedway — Feb. 20, Texas Motor Speedway — April 2, California Speedway — April 30, Michigan Speedway — June 11, Talladega Superspeedway — Oct. 15, and Atlanta Motor Speedway — Nov. 19. UPS intends to develop a fully integrated national marketing program featuring drivers, teams and tracks during the 2001 NASCAR season(Yahoo Biz) and a story at the UPS site, which is where the image I have posted came from(2-17-2000)
Irvan at Fox: Ernie Irvan made his FoxSports debut as their Racing Analyst, Wednesday night he discussed the Gordon/Stewart incident, the Yates powerful engines. See more at FoxSports: Twin 125 is last line of hope for some drivers by Irvan(2-17-2000)
Rules: No rules changes are expected at least until after the Feb 27th race at Rockingham. Winston Cup director Gary Nelson said NASCAR is willing to live with cars that are “equivalent” rather than “equal.”(Gaston Gazette)(2-17-2000)
Boesel to NASCAR: Former IRL and CART driver Raul Boesel was interviewed during BGN qualifying on ESPN2 and said he was looking to run in NASCAR this year, didn’t say what division(ESPN2)(2-17-2000)
Stewart/Gordon UPDATE 3 Fine: #13-Robby Gordon and #20-Tony Stewart got together with Gordon getting tapped in the rear and spinning, the roof flaps saved Gordon from getting airbourne, no major damage to either car. Gordon and Stewart had quite a shoving match with Stewart in Stewart garage, no punchs thrown. Also, see the full story at: That’s Racin’: Tempers flare in the garage. Bottom line is, they both cooled off later and will meet with NASCAR Officials Thursday in the AM before the Twins. See the slideshow of the incident at That’s Racin’. Also see the story at: SpeedVision(2-16-2000) — UPDATE: a good story to explain the incident: Practice Accident Spurs Garage Tussle by Glen Grissom from Ford and Pontiac Racing text —UPDATE 2: Jason Shapiro, a mechanic with the #20 Joe Gibbs Racing team, was nailed with a $2,000 fine and placed on probation for the next four months after he hit Gordon while trying to break up a confrontation between the two drivers. Shapiro’s probation ends June 30(goRacing) — UPDATE 3: Tony Stewart was on ESPN2’s RPM2Nite and said he and Robby Gordon has met and talked for 15 minutes and everything is fine between them and that he would help pay Shapiro’s fine(2-17-2000)
Gordon’s Spoiler? UPDATE: Favorable treatment for Jeff Gordon at the NASCAR inspection station? That was the complaint among some rivals in the garage after NASCAR made a “no-call” on a rear spoiler violation in Friday’s pole runs. NASCAR requires cars to run a 45-degree rear spoiler here, but the left side of Gordon’s rear spoiler measured 42 1/2 degrees after his run. NASCAR said it didn’t see any performance gain(PitNow) AND Although his rear spoiler violated NASCAR rules when it was measured after he ran, officials took no action against Jeff Gordon after his qualifying run Saturday(The Ledger)(2-14-2000) — UPDATE:not sure what to make from this but hearing that Gordon’s car supposedly had “an illegal part related to the fuel system”, during qualifying, have not found any further info on it, not sure what the part is, and it didn’t seem to help at all(25th fastest)(2-17-2000)

(2-16-2000)
Musgrave: Per the Ted Musgrave Official Site: “Ted is in Daytona working with Scott Pruett in both CUP and BGN. They have not finalized their CUP deal but have meetings with the sponsor this weekend at Daytona. When the deal is done it will be around for at LEAST three more years. Musgrave will be back but at exactly what race has not been determined.”(2-16-2000)
#16 Sponsor? UPDATE: Roush Racing has scheduled an 8:30am/et Wednesday press conference at its hospitality motorhome with driver Kevin Lepage to discuss the #16 Ford’s participation in the “Great American Race(NOL) — UPDATE: Internet search engine Northern Light announced it would sponsor the Ford Taurus for the Gatorade Twin 125s and Sunday’s Daytona 500(TNN Motorsports Site)(2-16-2000)
Yates Engines: According to a knowledgeable source in the paddock, the #88’s restrictor-plate engine registered a whopping 430 to 435 rear-wheel horsepower on a chassis dyno. That’s around 20-25 more horsepower than anyone else in the garage area. But when we talked to another Daytona veteran engine builder, he dispelled any major Robert Yates Racing engine horsepower advantage with this logic — Yates has too many engines in the field for only one of them to be so dominant(TNN)(2-16-2000)
Teachers: Michael Holigan, sponsor of #25-Jerry Nadeau, bought 250 tickets to the NAPA 300 Busch race at Daytona and donated 130 of them to send teachers of the year from area school districts to the race Saturday. The remainder will be used to send members of boys/girls clubs and big brothers/big sisters programs to the event(Cotter PR)(2-16-2000)
Bad Parts: Several Cup teams had unapproved parts confiscated by NASCAR in recent days. The most common parts taken were springs, which were taken from the cars of #55-Kenny Wallace, #31-Mike Skinner, #41-Rick Mast (two), #4-Bobby Hamilton (two), #27-Jeff Fuller, #42-Kenny Irwin and #32-Scott Pruett. Unapproved tethers were taken from the car of #7-Michael Waltrip and an unapproved jacking bolt from the car of #48-Stanton Barrett. Also, unapproved parts were taken from the airboxes of the #60-Geoffrey Bodine and #65-Dan Pardus(That’s Racin’), no fines mentioned(2-16-2000)
Team Gordon: Lee Morse, former chief of Ford’s North American racing operations, who had been Robby Gordon’s team manager, left recently to join an engine parts company(SpeedVision)(2-16-2000)
Lance Hooper at Daytona: Lance Hooper 1996 Winston West champion has been working with Richard Jackson Motorsports for over 2 1/2 years, driving Winston Cup, Busch, and ARCA races. They have been looking for a sponsor in any of these series for Lance to drive. While hanging out at Daytona, the driver of the #9 truck, Tracy Leslie was called home for an emergency and Hooper has asked to qualify and run the Daytona CTS race. Jackson is assisting the team to prepare for qualifying. Hooper was 19th in practice. Hooper is also acting as lead mechanic for the team, working with shocks and chassis set up. Hooper has won the NASCAR southwest tour, and two series championships(2-16-2000)
#17 Assoc: The #17 DeWalt Tools/Roush Racing team and driver Matt Kenseth have signed up Emazing.com as an associate sponsor for the #17 Ford(PR)(2-16-2000)

(2-15-2000)
Gentilozzi and Cup: Trans-Am series champ, Paul Gentilozzi to return to defend his Trans-Am championship, plans to enter the two NASCAR Winston Cup road races this year at Sears Point and Watkins Glen(SpeedVision/Steve Smith)(2-15-2000)
Sad News: Don Schroeder, 35, the senior technical editor for Car and Driver, was killed in a high-speed crash at Bridgestone’s 7.5-mile testing facility at Fort Stockton, TX., on Friday, Feb. 11.(SpeedVision) Thoughts go out to family and friends(2-15-2000)
ESPY’s: Dale Earnhardt won the ESPY decade award for Auto Racing and Dale Jarrett won the ESPY for best performance in the 1999 Auto Racing season(2-15-2000)
Gibbs driver to do double duty: Not Tony Stewart this year but Jason Leffler, Joe Gibbs rookie BGN driver, is making plans to drive in the Indianapolis 500. Leffler will drive car owner Joe Gibbs’ #18 Pontiac in the CarQuest Auto Parts 300 BGN race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on May 27, then hop a jet to race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway the next day. Leffler is talking to Indy team owner Fred Treadway about the one-off Indy 500 effort. Tony Stewart did the double on the same day last year, but has opted this year to focus exclusively on his Winston Cup program(goRacing)(2-15-2000)
Sad News: CART owner and former NASCAR/Indycar driver, Tony Bettenhausen his wife Shirley, business partner Russ Roberts and Indianapolis businessman Larry Rangel were killed in a private plane crash today in Kentucky, condolences to family and friends(SpeedVision)(2-14-2000) — See the SpeedVision column: Tony Bettenhausen An Appreciation by David Phillips(2-15-2000)

(2-14-2000)
#34 and David Green UPDATE: been getting this question: Why is #34-David Green not listed on NOL’s Twin 125 lineup’s? Do not know, I have heard nothing about him dropping out of the Daytona 500 — UPDATE: David Green’s showing in the Bud Shootout on Sunday wasn’t good enough to keep the team owned by Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Bob Kersee and Kurt Roehrig around for an attempt to make the Daytona 500. The team withdrew its entry(That’s Racin’)(2-14-2000)
Rudd: the car #28-Ricky Rudd flipped in the Bud Shootout was NOT the car Rudd qualified in and will not have go to the back of the field for the Twin 125 or the 500, but it was his backup car, so he doesn’t want to wreck in practice or the Twin 125(2-14-2000)
Martin-BBBS: Mark Martin and Valvoline will expand their association with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America this season. Starting with Sunday’s Daytona 500, Valvoline will again donate $5,000 for each race win, $2,500 per pole position, and $20 for every lap Martin leads in Winston Cup competition in the Valvoline Ford Taurus. New in Y2K is a $1,000 contribution for a top-five finish and a special fundraising activity will be announced soon. At least 11 trackside fundraisers are scheduled — opening at Daytona — where fans can participate in this “Caring Hands” program. A total of $247,315 was raised by Martin’s performance in 1999 plus off-season events(Valvoline Newsletter)(2-14-2000)
Martin’s Jackman: When Mark Martin pitted for the mandatory pitstop during the Bud Shootout, he realized his brakes weren’t working well. Trapped in front of the car was jackman Mike Ehret, who didn’t have enough time to get out of the way. Ehret, trying to get around to the front right wheel, was knocked down but not seriously hurt. He immediately regained his feet and hopped back to the wall. He was treated for a bruise to the right leg and released from the infield care center(CBS/AP), Ehert may skip Thursday’s 125-mile qualifiers, but says he’ll be back on pit road for the 500(PitNow)(2-14-2000)
#41 Sponsor? UPDATE 2: hearing from very good sources that a new sponsor of the #41 Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevy will be…….Big Daddy’s BBQ(2-9-2000) — UPDATE: on NOL’s Daytona 500 entry list, the #41 is listed as the Big Daddy’s Chevy(2-10-2000) — UPDATE 2: #41 Larry Hedrick Motorsports and Rick Mast has picked up a primary sponsor for the season, Big Daddy’s BBQ Sauce and Spices. This will be Big Daddy’s first venture in Winston Cup racing. The company was planning to sponsor the #90 Junie Donlavey Fords last season, but the deal came apart before last season’s Daytona 500. Also joining the #41 team as an associate sponsor is Universal Studios, which served as Mast’s primary sponsor last season when he was with Cale Yarborough Motorsports(That’s Racin’) and However, Big Daddy’s involvement in motorsports has been problematic, at best. They had signed a sponsorship agreement with Junie Donlavey’s Winston Cup team for the 1999 season, only to break the contract when scheduled payments were not made. Those problems also plagued Big Daddy’s planned sponsorship programs in other forms of motorsports last year, but company officials appear to have turned things around with Sunday’s announcement about their 2000 plans with Hedrick and Mast(goRacing) AND Team members said they believe the deal is good. Big Daddy’s will join associates Universal Studios and Mannheim Auctions. Team spokesman Jimmy White said the team also has another potential sponsor in line and will know more at Las Vegas. If the second deal goes through, that company would be co-primary with Big Daddy’s, White said(SpeedVision/Ben Blake)(2-14-2000)
Yates is HOT: no only did his drivers take 1-2 in Daytona 500 qualifying, win the Bud Shootout qualifier and race, but a Yates Racing engine won the ARCA race with the #95 Sadler Bros and driver David Keith(ESPN ARCA coverage)(2-14-2000)
Gordon’s Spoiler? Favorable treatment for Jeff Gordon at the NASCAR inspection station? That was the complaint among some rivals in the garage after NASCAR made a “no-call” on a rear spoiler violation in Friday’s pole runs. NASCAR requires cars to run a 45-degree rear spoiler here, but the left side of Gordon’s rear spoiler measured 42 1/2 degrees after his run. NASCAR said it didn’t see any performance gain(PitNow) AND Although his rear spoiler violated NASCAR rules when it was measured after he ran, officials took no action against Jeff Gordon after his qualifying run Saturday(The Ledger)(2-14-2000)
Evernham/ABC: It was mentioned on the ESPN broadcast of the Bud Shootout Qualifier that Ray Evernham, who was part of the broadcast team for the race would be in the booth for the ABC Cup races and the IROC races on ESPN(2-14-2000)
DW and BP sign? UPDATE: On the NASCAR television front, Darrell Waltrip has signed a contract with Fox for 2001 and Benny Parsons has signed a contract with NBC for that season too, according to NASCAR sources. ESPN’s Mike Wells, the network’s star Winston Cup director, is expected to move to NBC(PitNow/Mike Mulhern)(1-23-2000) — UPDATE: Darrell Waltrip became the first person hired by Fox as the network prepares to tackle NASCAR in 2001(Times-Union)(2-14-2000)
Shootout and Shotgun: Remington Arms announced it gave each of the starters in Sunday’s Bud Shootout a limited-edition shotgun. “Only 15 drivers will start today’s Bud Shootout,” Phil Murdock, Remington’s manager of sports marketing, said in a release. “And there are only 15 guns of this kind in the world.”(St Petersburg Times)(2-14-2000)

(2-13-2000)

The Rules: After two days of complaints from teams, NASCAR Senior Vice President Mike Helton addressed the issue. There are no changes planned yet to even the competition, but Helton didn’t rule out the possibility it could happen before the Daytona 500. A rules change during prerace activities would be a first in the 52-year history of the sanctioning body. NASCAR officials will have another look at the cars in race conditions during today’s Bud Shootout events(Times-Dispatch)(2-13-2000)
Stocks: Conseco, already a major backer of stock-car racing, said Friday it would take over management of a mutual fund marketed to NASCAR fans. Conseco Capital Management, the financial services company’s money-management arm, will become investment adviser to StockCar Stocks Mutual Fund. Pending shareholder approval, the fund will be rechristened the Conseco StockCar Stocks Mutual Fund. Terms were not disclosed(SpeedNet)(2-13-2000)
Bill France better UPDATE: Although word has not officially been released, NASCAR president Bill France Jr. apparently is well on his way to recovery after cancer surgery, sources said Thursday, see the full story: France Bounces Back from Treatment at SpeedVision by Ben Blake(2-10-2000) — UPDATE: see an update on Mr France’s condition at: SpeedVision(2-13-2000)
#13 Crew Chief UPDATE: Team Gordon announced three key elements to their 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup program. Fred Graves, previously technical director of Hendrick Motorsports, will lead as crew chief; Doug Louth, former Ford Racing & Vehicle Dynamics engineer, anchors the engineering department; and Peter Guild(was Pro Motors), in a newly-created partnership with Team Gordon, will build engines exclusively for the #13 Team Gordon Ford(Team Gordon PR)(1-3-2000) — UPDATE: Both Team Gordon and Pro-Motor shall retain their identities but both groups shall have a mutual interest in progressing each other(2-13-2000)

(2-12-2000)
Petty…Adam…to CUP? UPDATE: Adam Petty hedged when asked if he will move from the Busch Series to Winston Cup next year. “We’ve got a decision, but we just haven’t made an announcement yet,” Petty said(St Petersburg Times) it was announced on NOL back on 11-11-99 that Adam Petty would make his Cup debut at Texas run up to five Cup races in 2000 with an eye towards CUP in 2001 if his father Kyle thought he was ready. From my understanding, if Kyle does not feel Adam is ready for CUP this May, Adam’s debut will come at a later date. See the #45 Team News and Links page for the past stuff(2-11-2000) —UPDATE:Adam Petty said Saturday he is not planning on expanding his five-race Cup schedule in 2000 despite a new NASCAR rule that allows drivers to run as many as seven Winston Cup races in a season and maintain rookie status. He is considering running the Winston Open at Lowes as practice for the Coke 600(That’s Racin’)(2-12-2000)
#34 10 races? The Winston Cup team owned by Jackie Joyner-Kersee, her husband, Bob Kersee, and Kurt Roehrig plans to run 10 races this season(Times-Dispatch)(2-12-2000)
Crew Move: Tire changer Mark Armstrong has left #2-Rusty Wallace for #99-Jeff Burton‘s team(Times-Dispatch)(2-12-2000)
Daytona 500…important for the season? How important is it to run well at the Daytona 500? Consider this: Of the top-five finishers in last year’s race, none finished in the top five in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series Championship standings. Jeff Gordon won the race and finished sixth in the points, while Dale Earnhardt was second in the race and seventh in points. Kenny Irwin finished third in the race and 19th in points, while Mike Skinner was fourth in the race and 10th in the standings and Michael Waltrip was fifth in the race and 29th in the standings. On the other hand, Dale Jarrett won the championship after finishing 37th in the race; Bobby Labonte was second after finishing 25th in the race; Mark Martin was third after finishing 31st in the race; and Jeff Burton was fifth after running 35th in the race.(Times-Union/AP) pretty wild(2-12-2000)

(2-11-2000)
#13 Team Gordon UPDATE: during an interview on ESPN2’s practice coverage, saw the #13 Ford that Robby Gordon will drive and Ingersoll-Rand was on the 1/4 panels of a black car(ESPN2) — UPDATE: Gordon was interviewed on RPM2Nite and has a Team Woody decal on his uniform along with CD2. Another shot of the car was show and it has a bright red/orange hood and roof with a black rear.(2-11-2000)
Petty and Dodge: During an interview on ESPN2’s practice coverage, Kyle Petty said that Petty Enterprises has set Monday(2-14) as the deadline for deciding what manufacturer the team will use in 2001(ESPN2)(2-11-2000)
ARCA Crewmen Shot: Police are looking for a man who shot two Tennessee Speedweeks visitors Thursday night during an attempted robbery at an International Speedway Boulevard hotel. Glenn Prost and Robert Garvin both were listed in satisfactory condition Friday afternoon at Halifax Medical Center, according to a hospital spokeswoman. Prost was discharged later in the afternoon. The men are voluntary crew members for ARCA driver Chad Chaffin(Daytona Beach News Journal)(2-11-2000)
RCR/Earnhardt/Bass Reup: Richard Childress Racing picked up some additional financial support Friday, renewing their associate sponsorship with Bass Pro Shops and Tracker Boats. Company and team officials announced the renewal Friday, extending their backing of RCR and Dale Earnhardt for a third year.(goRacing)(2-11-2000)
Reverse Engineering At Daytona: The new rules mandating NASCAR approved shocks and springs are designed to prevent cars blasting around the 2.5 mile oval with their suspensions bottomed out. But will these rules work? Most believe they will to a large extent. But, about the same number of people within the Winston Cup community believe the more ingenious mechanics are going to qualify cars that will squat down at speed more than the rest. So how are they going to do that? We are told there are ways to use suspension geometry to overcome at least some of the spring resistance. An even more interesting ploy is manipulating the bodies to generate more downforce in specific areas. Until the new rules, teams worked hard at reducing any kind of drag, including excessive downforce. Now with NASCAR propping their cars up with stronger springs some teams are stepping backwards in their aerodynamic engineering and trying to create just enough downforce to push the car down out of the air stream. The problem is more downforce eats horsepower, much like more drag, so the balance is critical. The trick on the superspeedways now is to use all of the above to create a package that is a little lower and slicker than the next guys car. And so the development goes. In two years NASCAR may have to increase the spring strengths again just to get the cars back up in the air, and the teams will look harder for ways to get them back down again(Speedway Illustrated)(2-11-2000)
Irvan/Fox: Ernie Irvan will be the Fox Sports News’ Racing Analyst for the 2000 Daytona 500 and through out Speedweeks. Irvan will be giving his racing expertise and insight durning the sport show’s broadcasts. Irvan’s segments will air, starting Wednesday Feb 16, 2000 from Daytona(Irvan.com site)(2-11-2000)
Babies: two ROTY candidates have recent family additions: Mike Bliss’ wife Sue gave birth to a 6-pound, 2-ounce girl, Brittney Taylor on Feb. 9, the couple’s first child. And Cameron Scott Pruett was born on Monday to Scott and Judy Pruett. The couple’s third child(Gaston Gazette)(2-11-2000)
NOL and $$ UPDATE: The Tennessean(print version) is reporting that NASCAR could get $50 million for the rights to produce it’s Internet site, industry analyst said. It’ll gladly take less. Rather than auction off it’s popular site to the highest bidder as other sports leagues have done, NASCAR plans to sell these rights only to NBC, Fox, or Turner Sports, the companies that paid a combined $2.4 billion to show races on television. ESPN currently produces the NASCAR Online site and their contract to do so runs through 2001, but NASCAR has the right to buy it’self out of that agreement(Insider Racing News via Tennessean)(2-10-2000) — UPDATE: NASCAR reportedly is looking for more than cold cash when it sells the rights to produce its Internet site. According to a Bloomberg News report, the stock-car giant wants one of its new TV partners–NBC, Fox or Turner Sports–to get the job, even if it might get only about 75 percent of what the site is worth on the open market. NASCAR’s Web site currently is done by Walt Disney Co.’s ESPN.com.(Chicago Sun-Times)(2-11-2000)
Article 4 controversary lives: NASCAR officials spent its controversial competitor and media credentialing language, see full story and Article 4 language at SpeedVision(2-11-2000)

(2-10-2000)
Atwood, Dodge? No? UPDATE 2: TNN’s Raceday reported today that Casey Atwood, driver of the #27 Castrol Oil Chevy in the BGN, would probably NOT be a driver for the Ray Evernham Dodge team as rumored the last few months, but it was reported that it is looking like Bill Elliott will be the driver for one of Evernhams two Dodge cars(TNN Raceday)(1-30-2000) — UPDATE: now hearing the ‘rookie’ driver for Evernham may be Jay Sauter(2-3-2000) — UPDATE 2: The Tennessean is reporting that Evernham has a clause in his severance agreement from Hendrick Motorsports that he cannot contact Casey Atwood. “It is unclear why Hendrick singled out Atwood. A spokesman for Hendrick Motorsports yesterday said the team owner could not comment on the matter because of a confidentiality clause in the agreement he and Evernham signed.” See the story: Hendrick may hinder Atwood(2-10-1999)
NASCAR and…SpeedVision? “Word on the street is that it might be looking to add the television network Speedvision to a lineup that already includes a radio network, several magazines, several licensed weekly radio and TV shows, and an extensive website.” From Autoweek(2-10-2000)
RCR/Earnhardt Re-Up: GM Goodwrench Service Plus, Richard Childress and Dale Earnhardt have been one of the most successful combinations in NASCAR over the last decade and today they announced the extension of their relationship through the 2003 NASCAR season. Dale Earnhardt and Richard Childress started their relationship in 1981 with a brief stint of 11 races. They rejoined in 1984 and never looked back. Together the two have achieved legendary success as car owner and driver winning six NASCAR Winston Cup championships and 67 Winston Cup races. This newest contract extension puts the championship duo together for a 20-year period dating back to the 1984 season. GM Goodwrench Service Plus began its relationship as an associate sponsor in 1985 winning two championships in 1986 and ’87. In 1988 the colors changed to that of the now infamous black #3 GM Goodwrench Service Plus Chevrolet. As the relationship blossomed so did the success winning four out of five championships from 1990 to 1994, and putting GM Goodwrench in the record books as Earnhardt accomplished a record tying seven championships. Earnhardt does NOT plan on retiring in 2003 and would like to drive for maybe five or six years(Champion Sports Group)(2-10-2000)
Petty/TV: Kyle Petty again will serve as analyst for ESPN’s 14 Busch Grand National broadcasts this season(Times-Dispatch)(2-10-20000
Stewart Car: One of the cars Tony Stewart drove last season on the way to winning rookie of the year honors was sold recently on an Internet Web site for $35,887. Mark Reed of Bakersfield, Calif., bought it. He is a driver/owner in the NASCAR Featherlite Southwest and Winston West Series. He plans to run the car for the first time at Mesa Marin (Calif.) Raceway on March 25 and at a few other tracks this year(Times-Dispatch)(2-10-20000
#41 Sponsor? UPDATE: hearing from very good sources that a new sponsor of the #41 Larry Hedrick Motorsports Chevy will be…….Big Daddy’s BBQ(2-9-2000) — UPDATE: on NOL’s Daytona 500 entry list, the #41 is listed as the Big Daddy’s Chevy(2-10-2000)
Foyt to Race: Not AJ, but son Larry. Larry Foyt, 22, will run in each of the 20 ACDelco Series events in 2000, 17 of which will be televised live on TNN Sports. Butch Miller, who Foyt considers the best ASA driver of all time, will head the Harrah’s team. Foyt will also run for the Pat Schauer Memorial Rookie of the Year honors and will drive the Harrah’s Casinos-sponsored #14 car(ASA PR)(2-10-2000)

(2-9-2000)
Track Vacuum? Despite progress in many areas the past decade or two, motorsport still cleans up rain the old-fashioned way: Crews drive trucks around and around the track, hoping that the consequent scattering of water and the heat from the vehicle will dissipate the water. Jet dryers – basically, a kerosene-powered jet engine towed around the track by a pickup truck – are a step up, but they rely largely on the same principles. It can take a minimum of two hours to properly dry a race track. Texas inventor George Carter believes he has a better idea. Carter, president of Trak Vak Inc., (www.TrakVak.com) has looked into the physics of wet pavement in detail, and he thinks he’s come up with a whole new approach that will save the industry time, and ultimately money. Yes, Trak Vak is towed by a truck just as a jet is. But the principle is entirely different. Instead of blowing water sideways and trying to heat it to the evaporation point as you would with a hair dryer, Carter looks at it from the other side: You just suck it up. See full story on RaceComm(2-9-2000)
Lepage sponsor: Kevin Lepage has a sponsor for the Bud Shootout, Mac Tools will be on the #16 for the Shootout. After that no sponsor is signed up. The team and Lepage plans to run the whole 2000 season, sponsor or not(RPM2Nite)(2-9-2000)
Lee Petty Recovering: Three-time national champion Lee Petty is resting comfortably in Moses Cone Hospital following a successful operation for a stomach aneurism. The four-hour operation was performed earlier today. Doctors told the family they are optimistic about a complete recovery. Petty, who turns 86 on March 14, is the founder of Petty Enterprises. He captured three NASCAR Winston Cup championships and won the inaugural Daytona 500 in 1959. His NASCAR career covered three decades, in which he started 429 races and finished in the top five an incredible 228 times and in the top 10 an unbelievable 321 times(Williams Company)(2-9-2000)
Barrett and Tri-Star? UPDATE: I hear from readers that in this weeks Brandweek at the site Sportcut.com, there is the following story: Sports/entertainment web site Sportcut.com, which claims to have attracted more than 20 million hits in the two months since it signed Pete Rose as a spokesman and brought his Hall of Fame grievances to the Web, is delving into motor sports. The New York-based Web site will be the primary sponsor of Ford Taurus driven by Stanton Barrett of Tri-Star Motorsports in the Daytona 500 on Feb 20. If Barrett qualifies for Nascar’s biggest race, it will be the first Daytona 500 entry with a dot.com as a primary sponsor of a Winston Cup Car(the Brandweek section is a members only site, so I could not link it) wonder if this is the #39 car that was rumored a few weeks ago(also added a story link on a different topic in the Article Links section below from Sportcut)(2-8-2000) — UPDATE: on NASCAR Online, the entry list for the Bud Shootout is up and Stanton Barrett is listed in the #48 Ford AND see the story and image of the car at FoxSports. The story says Sportcut.com’s sponsorship is a one-race, six-figure deal(2-9-2000)
DW to be Honored at BMS: Seven-time Cup Champion Dale Earnhardt and reigning champion Dale Jarrett headline the list of stars who will pay tribute to Darrell Waltrip at the March 24 “Finishing 1st For Kids” Children of Bristol charity benefit. Waltrip, Bristol’s all-time leading winner, is honoree for the fifth-annual dinner that benefits Bristol’s Boys and Girls Club; Girls, Inc.; and Speedway Children’s Charities. The benefit has raised more than $700,000 for local children in its first four years(Bristol Motor Speedway Site)(2-9-2000)
Sad News: former Indy 500 pole sitter and NASCAR winning driver Dick Rathmann passed away February 1 in his Melbourne, FL. home, with the memorial services conducted in Melbourne Feb. 5th(SpeedVision)(2-9-2000)
NASCAR PR Hire: Danielle Humphrey was named Tuesday as NASCAR’s new manager of communications, as the public relations department underwent a slight re-tooling. Matt Friedmann also joined the outfit Tuesday as coordinator of communications, and will handle advance publicity for the CTS. The PR staff saw several promotions as well, as John Griffin became managing director of communications, Kelly Malone ascended to director of communications – a spot vacated by Tim Sullivan during the ‘Article Four’ credentials flap – and Jaye Galloway was named manager of broadcast communications(SpeedVision)(2-9-2000)
Loy Allen returns? UPDATE no: noticed a few weeks ago that Loy Allen tested at Talladega, never did find out whose Chevy’s he tested. But am hearing rumors that it may be a 2nd Morgan-McClure car, just for the Daytona 500(2-8-2000) — UPDATE: from the Morgan-McClure Pitboard by Chip: “Loy Allen and his father are long-time friends and supporters of Morgan-McClure Motorsports, and they helped us out a couple of weeks ago at Talladega. don’t let Jayski or anyone else read too much into that. We will be running one car at Daytona and for the 2000 season”. Pretty much answers that…(2-9-2000)
Gordon and Panosonic? heard from readers that on Eli Gold’s radio show last night, NASCAR Live, Robby Gordon mentioned that he was in NYC recently New York City negotiating with Panasonic to be a sponsor for his Cup team(2-9-2000)
Lepage and the BGN: Kevin Lepage will run a limited(8 races) BGN schedule with Red Man as his sponsor of the #71 Ford with engines from Roush. Part owner and crew chief will be Steve Plattenberger. The team is called Matrix Motorsports. Lepage will run at: Rockingham(2/26); Atlanta(3/11); Texas(4/1); Richmond(5/6 and 9/10); Charlotte/Lowes(5/27 and 10/7) and Homestead(11/11)(NOL)(2-9-2000)
Team Yellow News: Yellow Freight, Pameco and Emerald Performance Group welcome Kobalt Mechanics Tools as a new team sponsor of the #19 Chevy to be driven by Mike and Jamie Skinner. Each will compete in approximately half the events. Check out the schedule for each driver and sponsor at Team Yellow 2000 schedule(Team Yellow PR)(2-9-2000)

(2-8-2000)
Graves back to Cup..for a race: NASCAR Winston West regular Brendan Gaughan will try his hand at NASCAR Winston Cup racing with former Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Andy Graves in the CarsDirect.com 400 NASCAR Winston Cup race on March 5 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Gaughan, a 24-year old Las Vegas native, is the full-time driver for Orleans Racing, which is located in LVMS’s Research and Development Center. The state-of-the art race shop is home to a full-time NASCAR Winston West team, part-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck team and the future home of a cutting-edge engine building complex. Graves, who joined Chip Ganassi’s CART team this year after a 10-year history with Hendrick Motorsports, will assist the team with building its 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, advise them on race and qualifying setups and act as crew chief on race day. The car will be the #62 NAPA Auto Parts/The Orleans Casino Chevrolet(LVMS PR)(2-8-2000)
LJ Racing UPDATE: Joe Falk’s #91 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, with driver Andy Hillenburg, will not go to Daytona with a bare hood and quarter panels. Joe Falk, team owner of LJ Racing, announced that KMC Telecom will sponsor his team for 2000 Daytona Speedweeks. LJ Racing’s #91 Chevy Carlo will also sport a new look at Daytona. The car will be orange, white and purple to tie in the corporate colors of sponsor KMC Telecom whose website is www.kmctelecom.com(LJ Racing Site)(2-5-2000) — UPDATE: officially announced on Monday(2-8-2000)
Spencer/Said UPDATE: Boris Said says he’ll run five races in a Jimmy Spencer-owned ride – one in the Truck Series (Portland), two in Busch (Vegas and Fontana) and two in Winston Cup (Sears Point and Watkins Glen)(Speed Magazine)(2-5-2000) — UPDATE: Jimmy Spencer has put together a five-race deal with Federated Auto Parts to field a car(Chevy) for Boris Said in a pair of Winston Cup races, a Craftsman Truck road race and two Busch races. Said is set for the two Cup road races at Sears Point and Watkins Glen, plus the Busch races at California and Las Vegas and the Truck race at Portland International Raceway(SpeedVision)(2-8-2000)
Fenley-Moore News: Fenley Moore Motorsports(#15 Ford/Derrike Cope) is pleased to announce the appointment of Richard F. (Rick) Ellis as President. Rick comes with over 25 years of executive experience in management, advertising, marketing, and public relations. He has worked on both the client and agency side of the advertising business and he brings extensive knowledge in liquidating contracts for sponsors to receive an equitable return for their investment. In August of 1999 Robert and Sue Fenley along with brother Randy Fenley purchased Bud Moore Engineering and retained many of Bud’s original team members while working hard to complete their roster with the best people available. The team also did well during testing at Talladega, Daytona(11th of 33), and Las Vegas(top 5).(Fenley-Moore PR)(2-8-2000)
STP Out? UPDATE No: Clorox Sales Co., which now owns STP through its automotive division, has cancelled the STP lifetime contract with Richard Petty, according to the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association. After the July 4 Daytona race, Petty(#43) no longer will be sponsored by STP. STP also has pulled out as the long-time sponsor of the AARWBA writing-broadcasting contest and has cancelled its Daytona 500 media breakfast(Phil Pash/Rockford Register) I had understood that STP would scale down to an associate sponsorship deal — UPDATE: heard from folks with STP who tell me this is not true, that they will sponsor the #43 Pontiac driven by John Andretti as the primary and scale back to an associate at the Pepsi 400 in Daytona. Also: Season-Long Tour to Celebrate STP/Richard Petty Relationship, will be announced on February 11th — STP Performance Payoff Allows STP Race Fans to Win Big – the STP #43 Celebration Tour is designed to celebrate Richard Petty and his relationship with STP – the longest-running sponsorship in motorsports history. Press conference and fan session with Richard Petty and John Andretti. Details regarding the STP #43 Celebration Tour. Introduction of the STP Performance Payoff promotion where consumers. Will have the opportunity to win a 2000 Dodge Viper or one of a million and details on how to vote for the best STP/Richard Petty moment(STP PR)(2-8-2000)
Foyt has Surgery: Indy car lengend and #14 Conseco Ford owner, A.J. Foyt had surgery over the weekend to remove surgical steel hardware installed in his leg nearly 10 years ago after an Indy Car accident at Elkhart Lake, WI. Doctors removed a plate, two bars and over two dozen screws on Saturday in Houston. Foyt will be on crutches for a few months(NOL)(2-8-2000)
Burton’s Sponsor UPDATE: All indications are that Jeff Burton’s BGN team will be sponsored by Northern Light and possibly Hardee’s at Richmond. The #9 Ford was painted up in Northern Light colors at the BGN preview last week (image in the Paint Scheme Gallery) and I hear the official announcement will be made on ESPN2’s RPM2Nite sometime soon(1-22-2000) — UPDATE: Northern Light signed on over the weekend as the primary sponsor on the #9 Ford Taurus of Jeff Burton for his 14-race Busch Grand National schedule for Roush Racing. Northern Light already has created a special Jeff Burton web page www.NorthernLight.com/jeffburton that will keep fans up to date with the team’s progress throughout the year.(SpeedVision)(2-8-2000)
Exide Returns: Exide Corporation, primary sponsor on Jeff Burton’s #99 Roush Racing Ford Taurus, will once again sponsor a contingency award for the 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season. The Exide Select Batteries All Charged Up Award will go to the driver (his team must be part of the Exide Batteries Contingency Program) who advances the most positions from start to finish in the previous race. The first award of the 2000 season will be presented just prior to the Dura-Lube Big Kmart 400 at Rockingham based off performances in the Daytona 500. Entering its fourth season as sponsor of the award, Exide will up the weekly purse to $4,000 this year. Drivers who win an award also record points connected to their finishes (i.e., started 20th and finished 3rd – an improvement of 17 spots and an allocation of 17 points as a result). The driver who totals the most points by season’s end will receive a $50,000 check and a trophy from Exide during the NASCAR Awards Banquet week in New York City. Burton, the South Boston, VA native, has won the Exide contingency award each year since its inception. Last year, he won in impressive fashion, besting second-place finisher Johnny Benson by 117 points(Exide PR)(2-8-2000)
Virtual Race Day? NASCAR fans have long reveled in getting a taste of competition by racing each other on computer generated tracks on such games as NASCAR 2000. Now NASCAR drivers themselves are getting closer to using that technology to squeeze just a little more testing into an already extremely tight schedule. In sort of a super hyped up computer game, drivers will be able to eventually test tires, chassis setups, spoiler angle or design and even get in a few extra laps of practice on their toughest track without ever actually travelling to the facility. Instead of trips to the track or wind tunnel, teams will be able to get the same information by just changing the conditions in a very controlled atmosphere right on their computer. The new Ford Taurus was designed and on the race track in only nine months thanks in part to this type of virtual testing. The most valuable commodity for race teams today is time. With the very demanding 34 race schedule and limited test dates, any available info is key to making a winner out of an also ran. In a situation where the team knows what the track characteristics are, a program to duplicate that on the computer is fairly easy and remarkably accurate. It would certainly allow teams to forgo much of the trial and error setup time that is common on test days for a certain track. John Valentine, chief engineer for Ford Advanced Racing Technology stated “Millions of adjustments can be made to a race car. Computers just help you narrow the field of reference. If you have 15 carburetor setups and the computer can weed out the top three, it will save a lot of testing time.” It may still be in its infancy, but certainly this is one huge part to the puzzle when it comes to the ever growing demands on Winston Cup race teams(Inside Motorsports/Bill McDonald)(2-8-2000)

(2-7-2000)
Norm Benning News: Norm Benning Motorsports will attempt to make the Daytona 500 in the #84 Chevy. The team has secured sponsorship from SoBe Beverages (website: www.sobebev.com). This is SoBe’s first venture into Winston Cup. In the past they sponsored bike races and skateboarding. Ace Kolar will crew the car. The Cup car has a Leo Jackson Motor. Benning also plans to run the full ARCA season with SoBe sponsorship with Linda Nicholas as the crew chief. See an image of the car in the shop at my Paint Scheme Gallery(2-7-2000)
Wind Tunnel Testing: hearing Bill Elliott’s #94 team will be testing at the Langley Full Scale Wind Tunnel, Hampton, VA on Feb 7th(1-26/2-7-2000)
Barkdoll Promoted: Andy Petree Racing promoted Steve Barkdoll from the position of team manager to executive vice-president/general manager of Andy Petree Racing. Barkdoll has served as team manager since 1996. APR runs the #33 Oakwood Homes Chevy for Joe Nemechek and the #55 Square-D/Cooper Lighting Chevy of Kenny Wallace, as well as the #15 BGN chevy that will be driven by Jack Sprague and Derrick Gilchrist(SpeedVision)(2-7-2000)
Wheels: Weld Wheel Industries has decided to end its hiatus from Winston Cup and has begun producing wheels for the world’s premier stock-car racing series. Taylor Weld, product manager of his company’s racing division, said the burgeoning popularity of Winston Cup, and the fact that the series is scheduled to be racing next year at the track now under construction in Wyandotte County, KS, near Kansas City, made the decision logical and easy. Weld said word of his company’s return to Winston Cup has gotten out, and that “several top teams” have contacted him. The wheels will not be available by the season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 20, however. Weld Racing got out of Winston Cup in the 1980s when the company “made a change of focus” Weld said. At the time, the company was supplying 80 to 90 percent of the series’ wheels. Since then, it has concentrated on drag racing and dirt-track series(KC Star) Also: the National Speed Sport News reports that Weld Wheel is being sued by Performance Machine Inc of LaPalma, CA, charging patent infringement. Weld Wheel will fight the suit(2-7-2000)
Copper World Classic UPDATE 4 results: Ken Schrader, driver of the #36 M&M’s Pontiac, has entered the 23rd-annual Copper World Classic at Phoenix International Raceway Feb. 4-6 and is scheduled to compete in the NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series event(goRacing), also hearing that Tony Stewart and Kenny Irwin may run the race(1-20-2000) — UPDATE: Tony Stewart will not run the race but will serve as the grand marshal for the event(goRacing)(1-29-2000) — UPDATE 2: Tony Stewart will suit up and drive a race car Sunday in the Copper World Classic at Phoenix International Raceway. Stewart said a final decision to drive a U.S. Auto Club midget and a supermodified wasn’t made until late this week. Even Auto Club officials and PIR staff were unaware Stewart was going to race. He will driver injured IRL driver Davey Hamilton’s supermodified(SpeedNet)(2-5-2000) — UPDATE 3: Tony Stewart takes the pole in the Supermodified Racing League race while Ryan Newman got th pole for the U.S. Auto Club midgets and Ken Schrader is on the pole for NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series race(Arizona Republic)(2-6-2000) — UPDATE 4: Rick Carelli won the Featherlite Southwest Series race(Schrader 16th), Tony Stewart won the USAC MCI Worldcom Midget race, Jason Leffler won the USAC Coors Lite Silver Bullet race, Troy Regier won the SRL Supermodifieds race(Stewart 5th)(goRacing)(2-7-2000)

(2-6-2000)

Donlavey News UPDATE 3: #90 Ford Owner Junie Donlavey is made an appearance in Richmond VA before heading to Daytona. Donlavey is brought his show car to the Suburban Lodge(his assoc sponsor) grand opening on Saturday, Feb 5th. Donlavey still is working on sponsorship for 2000 but has signed Ed Berrier to drive the first two races of the season(Daytona and Rockingham)(Times-Dispatch) — UPDATE: NASCAR Winston Cup Series team owner Junie Donlavey has added one more name to the list of Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidates. Donlavey has chosen second-generation driver Ed Berrier to drive his #90 Ford Tauruses. Donlavey Racing, based in Richmond, Va., will enter each of the 34 races on the 2000 Winston Cup schedule. In addition, Suburban Lodges of America, Inc., the nation’s largest economy extended stay hotel company, announced today that they are an associate sponsor of the #90 Ford Taurus(Keystone Marketing) before I get any questions, Berrier only ran in four Cup races in 1999(2-4-2000) — UPDATE: But look for Hills Brothers as the primary sponsor on the #90 at Daytona and Rockingham, Donlavey told country.com Motorsports, and the team is working to secure them for the full season(TNN Motorsports)(2-5-2000) — UPDATE 4:Donlavey, with long-time ties to engine builder Larry Wallace, will receive engines this season from Penske Racing, which bought out Wallace’s operation a year ago(SpeedVision)(2-6-2000)

(2-5-2000)
Marcis Robbed: On January 26th, a break-in occurred in Dave Marcis Racing shop. Someone broke into his personal motor home, the race team trailer and the show car trailer. Taken was many clothing articles and some tools. Police have recovered some of the effects and made one arrest but are still looking for who actually did the break in. All the tools have Marcis Auto Racing #71 on them. The clothing includes: pit crew shirts, Marcis’ personal hunting overalls and boot with ‘Dave’ written on the inside, an insulated jacket, Exide Battery Charger and Battery, torque wrench, air rifle, Coleman lantern. Any info regarding the breakin can be directed to the Buncombe County sheriff’s detective John Elkins at (828) 250-4458(Winston Cup Scene)(2-5-2000)
Sad News: John Moose, a racing pioneer in the Carolinas, has died. The former driver, promoter and NASCAR official was 73. In 1949, Moose organized the Carolina Racing Team, a rival to NASCAR, and staged events at dirt tracks and fairgrounds throughout the Carolinas. Moose had worked for Humpy Wheeler,president of Lowe’s Motor Speedway, since 1975(SpeedNet/AP)(2-5-2000)

(2-4-2000)
#98 Closed, for now BUT: Cale Yarborough Motorsports has closed its doors, but still has a valid potential buyer, a team source said Monday. For weeks now, we have heard that the #98 team was out of commission, but team spokespeople would never confirm. Now, it appears they have(in part from NOL)(2-2-2000) — UPDATE: no driver or sponsor named but a team spokesperson says the #98 could still show up in Daytona to attempt the 500(Times-Dispatch)(2-4-2000)
Engineer Moves: hearing that Scott Perman, senior design engineer at Roehrig Engineering(Joyner-Kersee Roehrig Motorsports), will be leaving to join Rex Stump and the engineering department at Hendrick Motorsports(2-4-2000)
More Article 4 stuff UPDATE: NASCAR whispered to us (media) Wednesday that new credential application forms were going out by FedEx and were due in our hands today (Thursday), seven days before many leave to tackle Speedweeks at Daytona. NASCAR’s top two communications managers, John Griffin and Kelly Malone, were said to be traveling and could not be reached for comment. The NASCAR people we talked to said only that new forms were on the way; they would not say what changes the new forms contained. At issue, of course, is notorious Article 4, in which NASCAR claims propriety over just about anything produced by any medium – print, photo, internet, video, audio. The language is indefinite enough to include what NASCAR wants it to include, but it is very specific on one point: NASCAR owns it all(SpeedVision)(2-3-2000) — UPDATE: from SpeedVision: The latest version of NASCAR’s form for credential and license applications issued Wednesday appears to offer room for negotiation and dialogue, which NASCAR has promised all along. The revised Article 4: “4. USAGE: The use, distribution or exhibition of photographs, film, tape, recordings, or other likenesses of the drivers and/or other NASCAR members and/or other Event activities taken or made by me shall be limited to news coverage of the Event by the news organization or organizations which I represent unless otherwise authorized in writing by NASCAR. These materials shall not be used for any non-editorial use or any commercial use such as advertising, promotion or merchandise sale without written permission from NASCAR.” See the full SpeedVision/Ben Blake story at: The End, or the Beginning?(2-4-2000)
NASCAR Hire: NASCAR announced that it had hired Arny Schreer as director of corporate marketing, and had promoted Andrew Feit to senior manager of the same program. Schreer joins NASCAR after serving with the New Jersey Nets of the NBA(SpeedVision)(2-4-2000)
more Talladega Testing: testing Winston Cup cars at Talladega on Thursday were #26-Jimmy Spencer, #2-Rusty Wallace, #11-Brett Bodine, #41-Rick Mast and #96-Greg Sacks. Busch Series drivers #10-Jeff Green, #4-Jeff Purvis, #1-Randy LaJoie, #5-Dick Trickle, #57-Jason Keller, #17-Jason Schuler, #92-Jimmy Johnson and ??-Kevin Schwantz along with ARCA driver Matt Hutter also were testing for the upcoming 2000 season. Spencer and his team plan to test again at Talladega Friday(TSS PR)(2-4-2000)

(2-3-2000)
Earnhardt’s Up Close Interview UPDATE 2: ESPN’S UpClose interview with the Dale Earnhardt and Dale Jr was aired on Wednesday, Feb 2nd, if you missed it, you can see it via Real Audio online at The ESPN NASCAR section(2-3-2000)
CAT car UPDATE 2: I hear Ward Burton will have a special #22 Caterpillar Paint Scheme for the Bud Shootout, and it will be all white with one yellow stripe running the length of the car right under the doors. The paint scheme is being run to thank the Caterpillar dealer network(1-11-2000) — UPDATE: the #22 Bill Davis Racing Caterpillar Pontiac, driven by Ward Burton, will unveil a special paint scheme for the 2000 Bud Shootout at Daytona on Feb. 13 at Daytona International Speedway. — UPDATE 2: got two images of the car in the Paint Schemes Gallery(2-3-2000)
Atwood, Dodge? No? UPDATE: TNN’s Raceday reported today that Casey Atwood, driver of the #27 Castol Oil Chevy in the BGN, would probably NOT be a driver for the Ray Evernham Dodge team as rumored the last few months, but it was reported that it is looking like Bill Elliott will be the driver for one of Evernhams two Dodge cars(TNN Raceday)(1-30-2000) — UPDATE: now hearing the ‘rookie’ driver for Evernham may be Jay Sauter(2-3-2000)
Fans Picked: for the No Bull Five at Daytona: Betty Blackman of Dillon, SC, Melissa Brown of Pittsburgh, John Williams of Las Vegas, Lorraine Scheurle of Cliffside Park, N.J., and Marcus Pohlmann of West Jefferson, Ohio., see my No Bull 5 page for more info(2-3-2000)
#21 NC Shop Update: In addition to serving as the team’s shock engineer during the 2000 season, Winston Cup veteran Newt Moore will also oversee the Wood Brothers aerodynamic and sheet metal program. Moore will command the bodies of the CITGO Ford driven by Elliott Sadler and the bodies of third generation Hooters Pro Cup driver Jon Wood. The Wood Brothers will move into their new shop located just off Interstate 85 on Saturday, February 5, 2000 in Kannapolis, NC(Cox Marketing)(2-3-2000)
Petree Sponsor, UPDATE on Petty: Albertson’s Inc., one of the largest food-drug chains in the United States, announced today they will join Andy Petree Racing as the primary sponsor of driver Jack Sprague and the #15 Chevy for a limited BGN. In addition, Albertson’s will serve as an associate sponsor on Andy Petree Racing’s CUP teams, #55 Square-D/Cooper Lighting Chevy with driver Kenny Wallace and the #33 Oakwood Homes Chevy with driver Joe Nemechek for the 2000 season. #The #15 Albertson’s Chevy is scheduled to compete at 10 events on the 2000 BGN schedule, with the debut taking place at Daytona. Sprague will also compete in nine other events in the Albertson’s Chevrolet including, Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 4, Texas Motor Speedway on April 1, Talladega Superspeedway on April 15, California Speedway on April 29, The Milwaukee Mile on July 2, Nazareth Speedway on July 16, Dover Downs International Speedway on July 16, Lowe’s Motor Speedway on October 7 and Phoenix International Raceway on November 4. Sprague will still run the full NASCAR Craftsman truck schedule. While Albertson’s sponsorship in the NASCAR Busch Series is limited to 10 races in 2000, their associate sponsorship of the #33 and #55 Winston Cup teams is scheduled for the entire 2000 season. Albertson’s will also be an associate sponsor of the #43 Petty Enterprises Pontiac for select Winston Cup events in 2000(IMG Motorsports PR) — also see the other part of the Petree sponsor deal on my BGN Site(2-2-2000) — UPDATE/Petty: Albertson’s will also be an associate sponsor of the #43 Petty Enterprises Pontiac and driver John Andretti for select Winston Cup events in 2000 with the first event being at Las Vegas. Then Texas, California, Dover in the fall, Phoenix and Homestead-Miami(Albertson’s Website)(2-3-2000)
Burton Wing: Jeff Burton, a member of the board of directors at Duke Children’s Hospital(NC), came to the Durham area on February 1 to have a wing of the hospital dedicated in his name. The new wing at the Children’s Health Center will provide an interactive learning display that helps ease a child’s health concerns through a fun and educational NASCAR experience to be known as “The Jeff Burton Speedzone Wing.”(Racing Milestones)(2-3-2000)
Exide Trouble? UPDATE 3: saw this on TNN’s Motorsports site and getting many questions on how it’ll effect Jeff Burton and the #99: Exide Pulling Top Fuel Program?: According to sources, Exide Batteries has apparently pulled out as sponsor of the Top Fuel team owned by Tony Schumacher’s father Don for 2000. The elder Schumacher reportedly will not field his championship-winning team without a major sponsor, leaving his title-winning son without a ride to defend it(TNN) I have not heard any problems with Exide and Roush for either the CUP or CTS deal. The CUP team even has a new Paint Scheme for 2000, but then again, so did Schumacher — UPDATE: a source tells me that the Schumachers are looking into the legalities of Exide leaving but that the move by Exide should not effect the CUP or CTS sponsorships(1-8-2000) — UPDATE 2:Exide restructured its motorsports sponsorship after suffering third-quarter financial losses, which reportedly caused them to get out of drag racing. Exide is staying with Jack Roush’s NASCAR Winston Cup and Craftsman Truck teams – both of which get more television exposure than the National Hot Rod Association – despite the fact that Schumacher is the NHRA defending champion, while Roush’s truck is driven by a series rookie(Kurt Busch)(SpeedVision)(1-10-2000) — UPDATE 3: Exide has decided not to leave NHRA and had re-joined Schumacher as his sponsor for 2000(SpeedVision)(2-3-2000)
Tires Returned: heard about this on Tuesday but could not track the story down anyplace: Authorities on Wednesday recovered a stolen tractor trailer truck loaded with 400 (Goodyear) racing tires worth about $500,000 that had been snatched at a central (Gainsville) Florida truck stop. The tires, destined for the Rolex 24-Hour Race at Daytona International Speedway, were found outside a food center on Interstate 75 in Columbia County, about an hour’s drive north of where the semi rig was stolen from a Marion County truck stop. Strange enough, it appears none of the tires are missing(AP/SpeedNet)(2-3-2000)
Simulation Game: A new deal between the Indy Racing League and Huntsville’s(AL) AniVision Inc. will let anyone on the Internet drive in the Indianapolis 500. AniVision has created computer-game technology that places people in simulations of actual Indy-car races. AniVision is talking with NASCAR officials about potentially using Net Race Live to let Internet users re-enact actual NASCAR races. AniVision now needs five to 10 Huntsville racing fans willing to work in racing pits during races throughout the year. Those people will help collect data used in the game. See the full story at: AniVision sets pace with Indy videogame on the Alabama Online site. I saw the ad during the Disney IRL race many times, the site is at www.NetRaceLive.com. Sounds pretty wild(2-3-2000)

(2-2-2000)
#18 News? UPDATE 2: hearing that former NASCAR Tim Sullivan has been hired to serve as PR rep for Bobby Labonte’s #18 Interstate Batteries Pontiac team(1-28-2000) — UPDATE: sources tell me that Camp & Associates, Inc. have hired Tim Sullivan to handle the public relations for Bobby Labonte and the #18 Interstate Batteries Racing Team. The former public relations representative for the #18 car, Jimmy White, is still with Camp & Associates, Inc. and has been promoted(1-29-2000) — UPDATE 2: Tim Sullivan, former manager of communications for the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, will be joining Camp & Associates, Inc., it was announced. Sullivan will serve as manager of communications/media relations for Camp and will maintain direct supervision of the Interstate Batteries Racing/Bobby Labonte/ Joe Gibbs Racing accounts. In addition, Camp also announced the hiring of Meredith Busby, formerly a member of the public relations staff of Talladega Superspeedway. A graduate of Jacksonville State University, Busby will be directly involved in account work for the International Motorsports Hall of Fame and the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind(RaceWire)(2-2-2000)
from SpeedFX UPDATE: “First they sought to control the media. Then they tried to usurp team and driver’s trademark rights. Now, gentle readers, NASCAR is after you, the fans. The rules apply to anyone “purchasing, bearing or using a ticket”. Basically you agree that any photo or video you take, anything you see at the track, or anything you hear while there related to the race is NASCAR’s property under copyright law.” — see the full story at SpeedFX: NASCAR Wants Fans to Surrender Rights by Matt McLaughlin(2-1-2000) — UPDATE: I am getting many question how this will effect the Jayski site….my answer? I don’t know and I am not gonna worry about it, thanks(2-2-2000)

(2-1-2000)
Tyler Jet? UDPATE: starting to hear the USPS rumor as the #10 Tyler Jet Motorsports sponsor again — UPDATE: or UPS(2-1-2000)
Irvan/Gordon: Ernie Irvan has nothing to do with Team Gordon as a spokesman, Mentor, or as a owner, Irvan is just leasing his building to Team Gordon for 2000. Irvan is looking to put his own WC team together this year for 2001 season(Ernie Irvan Site)(2-1-2000)
Evernham Grand Marshal: former #24 NASCAR crew chief Ray Evernham will be responsible for starting everyone’s engines for the February 25-26 Florida Dodge Dealers 400, in his role as Grand Marshal for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Evernham is beginning a new career as a NASCAR Winston Cup Series team owner after earning the distinction as one of the most successful crew chiefs in the history of the sport. He will be making his first public appearance for Dodge at the 400-kilometer event on the 1.5-mile Speedway. Before leaving Hendrick Motorsports in September, Evernham helped lead driver Jeff Gordon to 47 victories and three of the past four NASCAR Winston Cup championships. During the first 27 events in 1999, the Gordon-Evernham duo captured five victories, led 22 races, and won seven Bud Poles(Homestead-Miami Speedway Newsletter)(2-1-2000)
Waltrip’s BGN Schedule: Michael Waltrip will return to NASCAR’s Busch Series for 2000 with BAND-AID® Brand Adhesive Bandages in the #7 Chevy. Waltrip will compete at eleven BGN events including: Daytona, Las Vegas, Bristol, Texas, California, Lowe’s Motor Speedway(both), Dover, Michigan, Richmond, and Phoenix(Cox Marketing)(2-1-2000)
Craven/Snowmobile: The Third Annual Ricky Craven Snowmobile Ride for Charity was the most successful ride to date, raising more than $73,000 for the charities the ride benefits. Thanks to all the efforts of everyone involved, including a total of 368 riders, the event topped the 1999 edition by more than $10,000. For full coverage, including ride sponsors, ride giveaways, and photos from the ride, see the Ricky Craven Site(2-1-2000)
Cravens BGN/BGNN Schedule: Ricky Crave will drive in three BGN and two BGNN events in 2000, driving the #23 Agree Chevy in the BGN. The BGN races are Bristol on March 25th; NHIS on May 13th and Lowes on Oct 7th. Craven will run both New Hampshire(NHIS) BGNN events, July 8th and Sept 16th(Ricky Craven Site)(2-1-2000)