July 2001 News Archives
(7-31-2001)
- Simpson Resigns: Bill Simpson, who dedicated his life to making motorsports safer for its participants, told NASCAR.com Tuesday night that he has resigned from the company that bears his name in the aftermath of Dale Earnhardt’s fatal accident in February. Simpson, who less than four years ago sold two-thirds of Simpson Performance Products — a diverse company that makes a wide variety of safety equipment ranging from drivers’ helmets and uniforms to child safety seats — said the decision came from an inability to separate his personal relationships from the business of safety in an inherently violent endeavor. “I can’t separate the two — it’s tough,” Simpson said. “I wrote my resignation letter two weeks ago and it was accepted, reluctantly, yesterday.”(NASCAR.com)(7-31-2001)
- Bickle in the #50 at Indy, after that? Rick Mast and Midwest Transit Racing have parted ways. Mast was a valuable asset to our team. Mast wanted to compete in all the races this season and at this time we could not commit to that. The team is proud to have Rich Bickle driving for them at Indy in the Brickyard 400. With his experience and knowledge adding to the team, they expect to have a successful run at Indy. This is a one race deal with Bickle at this time. After Indy all will evaluate the race and hopefully put a program together with Bickle. The team is taking the car that was tested at Indy on July 16th and 17th and were very happy with as it ended up 25th in combined test results. The Midwest Transit team also announced that they will have Speedway Records as a sponsor at Indy. Speedway Records was originally founded by Ned Jarrett in 1959. Today, it is a partnership of Wallace Barr Entertainment Group, Inc, Lowery Music Group, Speedway Motorsports, and three other individuals. They were basically given the label by Ned to revitalize it. They are distributing through Walmart and all NASCAR tracks, as well as wholesaling to racing oriented third parties vendors. There first CD is “Thunder Road”, featuring The Charlie Daniels Band, The Atlanta Rhythm Section, The Kentucky Headhunters, Tralena, Tim Wilson, and The Marshall Tucker Band. The label is donating $1.00 per CD to the Speedway Children’s Charities as well.(Midwest Transit PR)(7-31-2001)
- Blundell to NASCAR? Former CART and Formula 1 star Mark Blundell could be on his way to the NASCAR Winston Cup next year if current plans come to fruition. The 35-year-old is understood to be lining up a deal with a top stock car squad for later this year. His only racing this season has been the Le Mans 24 Hours, which he contested with the new MG squad. NASCAR is renowned for its complete bias towards American drivers, and the most recent ‘foreigners’ to race in the Winston Cup, besides Canadian road circuit regular Ron Fellows, were Australians Geoff Brabham and Dick Johnson. Current British Touring Car Championship leader Jason Plato has also signalled his interest at switching to the Stateside series, in which the leading drivers are household names across much of the US. If I was offered a drive for next year I would consider it. “There is a deal on offer to test,” Blundell told Autosport. “If I was offered a drive for next year I would consider it. I have been in the USA for five years and I know what a huge spectacle NASCAR is. It would be fantastic to get an English guy in there with the European ovals opening up new opportunities for the future. I have plenty of oval experience,” he added.(Autosport.com)(7-31-2001)
- Watkins Glen Testing UPDATE Monday/Tuesday Speeds: Cup drivers make their much-anticipated return to Watkins Glen for the only test session of 2001 on July 30 and 31. This scheduled test session, which is open to the public on Monday, is in preparation for the August 12th Global Crossing @ The Glen event. Among those testing is: #88-Dale Jarrett, #31-Robby Gordon, #77-Boris Said, #01-Scott Pruett, #43-John Andretti, #33-Joe Nemechek, #87-Ron Fellows, and #68-Anthony Lazarro. Fans that have purchased tickets for the Global Crossing @ The Glen weekend, August 9-12, will be admitted free of charge on Monday. Fans should present their Global Crossing @ The Glen tickets at the gate to gain free admission or pick up a voucher at the ticket office if they have not received their event tickets. All other spectators can take in the action for only $10.00 at the gate. Gate 4 will be open from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. on Monday only.(Watkins Glen PR)(7-24-2001)
UPDATE: Speeds from Monday’s testing
#31-Robby Gordon 122.602mph
#87-Ron Fellows 122.500
#77-Boris Said 122.177
#43-John Andretti 121.354
#33-Joe Nemechek 121.320
#01-Scott Pruett 120.822
#88-Dale Jarrett and #68-Anthony Lazarro – no speeds reported
UPDATE 2: Speeds from Tuesday’s testing
#77-Boris Said 123.529
#87-Ron Fellows 122.500
#01-Scott Pruett 122.500
#31-Robby Gordon 122.161
#43-John Andretti 121.924
#88-Dale Jarrett 121.790
#33-Joe Nemechek 121.320
#68-Anthony Lazarro 120.805
(Track record is 121.234mph by Rusty Wallace not Mark Martin)(ESPN2’s RPM 2Night and Watkins Glen PR)(7-30/31-2001)
(7-30-2001)
(7-30-2001)
UPDATE: Mike Bliss is the second driver to bite the dust with Eel River Racing in the last three weeks. Kenny Wallace was the first. The team has missed six races, including the last two (actually three) with Bliss attempting to qualify. Sources say Rick Mast will be in the car at Pocono.(Sporting News)(7-23-2001)
UPDATE 2: Rick Mast is in the #27 Eel River Racing Pontiac at Pocono. Sources tell me it is a one race deal and Mast will return to the #50 Midwest Transit Chevy at Indy after the team skipped Pocono. The team is looking for a sponsor(7-25-2001)
UPDATE 3: Winston Cup driver Rick Mast said he hopes to have his driving future cleared up early this week, but as of Saturday he still had just a one-race deal to run the # 27 Pontiacs of Eel River Racing(That’s Racin’)(7-29-2001)
UPDATE 4: Rick Mast will drive the #27 Eel River Racing Pontiac for the remainder of 2001. The #50 Midwest Transit team will announce it’s 2002 plans on Tuesday(FSN Totally NASCAR), hearing Rich Bickle will drive the #50 car at Indianapolis and ESPN2’s RPM 2 Night is reporting the same(7-30-2001)
UPDATE: hearing the Ultra Motorsports team is going to run a second car at Indy in the Brickyard 400. Supposedly will use the #07 and Ted Musgrave supposedly will drive it, no idea on a sponsor or if it’ll be a Ford or Dodge(5-3-2001)
UPDATE 2: While Ultra Motorsports owner Jim Smith pursues Gordon to drive his #7 Ford, he also becomes a Dodge team owner in Winston Cup this week when the organization finishes up the Intrepids it will carry to Indianapolis for the Brickyard 400. Ted Musgrave, whose three wins this season are tops in the Craftsman Truck Series(and drives for Smith in the CTS), will be the driver(Sporting News-Inside Dish)(6-25-2001)
UPDATE 3: Musgave who was to run the #07 Mopar Dodge at the Brickyard 400 for Smith, supposedly will no run at Indy as they are not happy with the car, so plans are supposedly to run in the near future(7-30-2001)
UPDATE: yes it is a KISS, rock-n-roll band scheme, supposedly it’ll run at Homestead(7-30-2001)
UPDATE: Jerry Jones, owner of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, has been in discussions with Richard Childress Racing to either invest in or sponsor a Winston Cup team next season(That’s Racin’)(7-28-2001)
UPDATE 2: Jones has talked with Richard Childress, president of Richard Childress Racing, on issues of NASCAR ownership and the business of securing sponsors to pay the bills. “We’re just in the preliminary discussion stage right now,” Jones said. “We recognize that NASCAR is an outstanding sport and has a great number of fans who have a lot of synergy with Dallas Cowboys fans.” Jones has been told by NASCAR officials that “upwards of $9 million to $12 million a year” can be brought in by sponsors vying for advertising space on the car. “As owners — again, if we’re involved — we will use the credibility and the visibility of the Dallas Cowboys to promote the racing team during its season and have a [marketing] tie-in during our season,” Jones said. “We are going to be sponsored by other companies. That’s the business of racing … to cover your expenses of owning a car. If you do it right, that could mean upwards of $9 million to $12 million a year covered by sponsors. Certainly, we would anticipate that.” Jones wouldn’t hint at possible sponsors. But he has had business associations with Pepsi-Cola, Miller beer and Dr. Pepper, to name a few. “It would be obvious to everybody that this was the Dallas Cowboys’ car out there,” Jones said. “It will done — if we do it — strictly on a business basis.” Jones’ sons, Stephen and Jerry Jones Jr., are involved in the day-to-day operation of the Cowboys, and they also have significant roles in projects such as Dallas’ new Arena Football League team, which begins play in 2002. “Right now, this is the Dallas Cowboys teaming up with people who are in the [NASCAR] business,” Jones said. “But no matter what we might do here, my focus will remain on football. I am the owner and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys. The car, the visibility, the success of [racing] would be done just like I run the Dallas Cowboys — just not by me.” Jones’ family members will handle all corporate decisions, even the hiring of the driver(Star Telegram)(7-29-2001)
UPDATE 3: Might we see the silver background and blue star of the Dallas Cowboys on a Richard Childress car in the future? It’s a distinct possibility. “We’d be crazy not to listen to the Cowboys,” says Childress, whose stable includes five cars — three in Winston Cup and two in the Busch Series(Sporting News) and a story at NASCAR.com Childress: On Purvis, Harvick, Cowboys(7-30-2001)
(7-29-2001)
- Labonte Donates: Bobby Labonte honorary chairman of the Cody Unser First Step Foundation, has sent some valuable racing memorabilia to be auctioned Aug. 6 at the 5-star Hyatt Tamaya Resort and Spa in the high desert north of Albuquerque. Labonte sent an original uniform and a helmet, each autographed, from his championship season in the Winston Cup series to the Fiesta auction. Proceeds from the auction will benefit the First Step Foundation’s programs to generate public awareness, medical cooperation and research for Transverse Myelitis, also know as TM. Cody Unser, 14 and going into her freshman year of high school in Albuquerque, became paralyzed from the chest down in February 1999 when the rare condition TM attacked and disabled part of her spinal cord leaving her in a wheel chair. Since forming her foundation in the fall of 1999 with money donated by Labonte, Cody has become a nationally recognized figure in TM and other issues relating to paralysis with her Cody Unser First Step Foundation. Labonte, who filled in for Cody’s father Al Unser Jr., in the 1999 International Race of Champions series, sent his $60,000 IROC winnings to help Cody. Labonte has been the foundation’s honorary chairman since it began. The Cody Unser Celebrity Golf Fiesta is Monday, Aug. 6, and Tuesday, Aug. 7, at the new championship caliber Twin Warriors Golf Course at the recently completed Hyatt Tamaya, located on the Santa Ana Pueblo reservation between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. For more Golf Fiesta information, see CodysFirstStep.org(Camp and Assoc PR)(7-29-2001)
- IROC at Indy: Indy Racing League driver Al Unser Jr. will replace Scott Goodyear again in Saturday’s final round of the IROC series. Goodyear is still recovering from a lower-back fracture suffered in the Indianapolis 500. Unser first subbed for Goodyear in the third IROC event of the season at Michigan, and finished second behind Tony Stewart. A victory this week would make Unser IROC’s all-time race winner; he currently shares the record of 11 wins with the late Dale Earnhardt(Charleston Post and Courier)(7-29-2001)
- One Engine Rule Again? NASCAR is moving closer and closer to a one-engine rule for Winston Cup, which means teams could use only one motor during a race weekend. Such a rule would do away with trick, and expensive, qualifying motors. Said driver Ken Schrader: “I think it’s something we need. I think it would be good for our sport. It’s not to make any difference in the show. It’s just going to save a tremendous amount of money in the garage area. I think that is something that really needs to be addressed — the cost of this sport. It’s getting out of hand.”(Daytona Beach News Journal)(7-29-2001)
(7-28-2001)
UPDATE: Derek White, 38, of Penske Racing remains in Concord (N.H.) Hospital this morning. He is listed in fair condition with a fractured left scapula, fractured left clavicle, fractured rib, skull fracture and sub-arachnoid hemmorhage. White was apparently injured when he fell from the team.s transporter during the loading of the Jeremy Mayfield car following Sunday.s race at Loudon, N.H.(Williams Company of America PR)(7-23-2001)
UPDATE 2: White has been upgraded to good condition and they are considering moving him to North Carolina in the next day or so(7-26-2001)
UPDATE 3: Derek White, the mechanic with Jeremy Mayfield’s team who fell from the lift gate on the back of Mayfield’s hauler following last Sunday’s race at New Hampshire International Speedway, has been moved to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte(That’s Racin’)(7-29-2001)
(7-27-2001)
UPDATE: hearing Leffler will sit out the Watkins Glen race and that Pruett will run the #01 Dodge(7-25-2001)
UPDATE 2: Road racing driver for hire Scott Pruett will be driving the Chip Ganassi Racing-owned #01 Dodge at Watkins Glen for the Winston Cup event on Aug. 9. Jason Leffler, the regular driver, will be stepping aside for the event. Leffler also sat out last month’s Winston Cup road course event at Sears Point Raceway when Dorcey Shroeder drove his car(NASCAR.com) and Leffler missed the race running the #04 Dodge(7-27-2001)
(7-26-2001)
UPDATE – Speeds the Top five speeds from Tuesday’s testing:
#28-Rudd 175.809 mph
#9-Elliott 175.552
#15-Waltrip 175.128
#10-Benson 174.706
#12-Mayfield 173.957
Other listed: #57-David Keith in a Ford, #84-Shawna Robinson, Morgan Shepherd is listed in the #84 too (probably a typo, should be #80), Ed Berrier is listed in the Sadler Bros #95, Derrike Cope was there in the #37 and Ted Musgrave in the #07(supposed to be a Dodge). #26-Jimmy Spencer had the fastest lap of last week’s test for half the expected entry list at 177.560, followed by #24-Jeff Gordon at 176.481 but tempertures were much higher today(Brickyard400.com)(7-24-2001)
UPDATE 2: #12-Jeremy Mayfield was the fastest during Wednesday’s testing at 177.312mph. Mayfield ran the lap before ambient temperatures reached 90 degrees and track temperatures hit 134. The session was ended approximately three hours early due to afternoon rain. Mayfield’s speed was just a tick of the watch off of #26-Jimmy Spencer’s 177.560 best in last week’s test. The top five speeds, all run in the morning, were:
1) #12A-Jeremy Mayfield, 177.312
2) #19B-Casey Atwood, 176.512
3) #02-Ryan Newman, 176.291
4) #93A-Dave Blaney, 175.864
5) #15A-Michael Waltrip, 175.709
(Brickyard400.com for full list of speeds)(7-26-2001)
(7-25-2001)
UPDATE: two rumored sponsors are McDonald’s and RealTree(Dale Sr’s Assoc and the #71 Sponsor)(7-25-2001)
UPDATE: have personally heard from three people who were let go at PPI Motorsports last week, so….(7-24-2001)
UPDATE 2: hearing the team trainer left this week and that McDonalds will be on the #96 Ford for five more races in 2001 (indy being one) and leave at the end of the year(7-25-2001)
UPDATE: looks like the AP picked up on the story, see CNN/SI for the story with an image: In the blood – Petty teenager considering continuing family tradition – His friends call him “Road Rash” because of the numerous scrapes on his body from a recent spill on his motorcycle. But to everyone else, he’s “another Petty,” viewed as the next in line to continue the family business.(7-19-2001)
UPDATE: History was made twice Tuesday night during round seven of the OdoBan Summer Shootout Series at Lowe’s Motor Speedway as Austin Petty became the fifth member of racing’s “first family” to visit victory lane at the legendary speed plant and the first races were run on Goodyear’s long-shelved stock car rain tires. Following in the tire tracks of his great grandfather Lee, grandfather Richard, father Kyle and brother Adam, Austin Petty took the checkered flag in the 15-lap Bandolero Outlaws feature. The 19-year-old son of Kyle and Patti Petty, started second in the nine-car feature, took the lead at the green flag and lapped all but three cars en route to the checkered flag in the 15-lap event on the rain-soaked quarter-mile oval. Driving NASCAR Winston Cup–style convertibles fitted with Goodyear rain tires on loan from Hendrick Motorsports, Busch Series drivers Andy Santerre and Mike McLaughlin battled in three three-lap races during the NASCAR Grudge Match. The confrontation came down to the final three-lap shootout with Santerre emerging victorious after both cars spun coming off turn two on the final lap. James Sanders of Concord, N.C., was the lucky fan selected to ride alongside Santerre, who credited his years of experience driving on snow in his native Maine with giving him the edge on the slick track, while Charlotte Observer columnist Tom Sorenson was a passenger in McLaughlin’s machine.(Lowes Motor Speedway PR), Actually it was four Petty’s Lee never won at Lowes/Charlotte Motor Speedway(7-25-2001)
UPDATE: also hearing billboards around the Pocono Raceway are touting June 9, 2002 and July 28, 2002 as the tracks two Cup dates in 2002(7-25-2001)
(7-24-2001)
UPDATE: FSN’s Totally NASCAR reports that Robby Gordon will drive the #31 Lowes Chevy in the next three Cup races, Pocono, Indy (where he is testing) and Watkins Glen(7-24-2001)
(7-23-2001)
(7-22-2001)
- Jarrett wins at NHIS: #88-Dale Jarrett got around teammate #28-Ricky Rudd with 5 laps to go to win the New England 300 at New Hampshire, Rudd ended up 3rd with #24-Jeff Gordon finishing 2nd. It is Jarretts 4th win of the year and he is still tied with Gordon in the Winston Cup but now holds the tiebreaker edge since he has 4 wins to Gordons 3 (Gordon led the most laps and got the same 180 points Jarrett did). #7-Mike Wallace ahd his best non-restrictor plate finish of the year with a 10th, #50-Rick Mast finsihed 14th and #45-Kyle Petty was 26th. See That’s Racin’ for New England 300 results and for Updated Winston Cup points. Also see the story: Sunday’s race rewind (7-22-2001)
- Magazine Stuff: Nancy and John Andretti are featured in the July 23 edition of Newsweek. The two-and-a-half page spread, which marks the first time a NASCAR-related feature story has been noted on the cover of the prestigious magazine, concerns families in NASCAR racing, and uses Nancy and John, as well as Jarett, Olivia and Amelia, as the example of how families cope with the extraordinary life of travel and competition. The writer was veteran reporter Daniel McGinn. It marks the first time a NASCAR-related feature story has appeared in Newsweek since November, 1999, when the magazine ran a two-page spread on the “Science Of Stock Car Racing,” and featured the Mobil 1 Taurus team of Jeremy Mayfield(Williams Company), see the story online: Married to NASCAR
AND The marketing firm of Body Dynamics Racing Bodies, Inc., is proud to announce, that through their efforts working with America’s Most Wanted and fulfilling the request of John Walsh to profile the case of missing intern Chandra Levy on a Winston Cup car has gained notoriety for Melling Racing and their driver Stacy Compton. “Organization of this project was through the efforts of multiple talents,” Stated Scott Davis, Media Relations Manager for Body Dynamics, “From Mr. Walsh’s Publicist Avery Mann, to the public relations manager of Melling Racing Andrea Pemberton, we all worked together to place Chandra’s picture on the car for the Pepsi 400. Which yielded eight calls into the 1-800-CRIME-TV phone bank.” The most recent publicity comes from PEOPLE magazine, in the July 23 issue in which the Chandra Levy case in addition to Molly Bish, Amy Bradley and Jill Behrman three other unsolved missing persons cases out of Washington, DC are profiled. In this article an inset photograph of the #92 Melling Race car carrying the picture of Chandra Levy is seen, with a mention that the NASCAR driver Stacy Compton publicized the case in a July 7 race in Daytona Beach, Fla.(Body Dynamics PR)(7-22-2001) - Fan Killed. Many Injured: One spectator died and at least 11 others at an auto race were injured late Saturday when two cars went into the stands. Three people were taken from Lorain County Speedway in medical helicopters to MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland, about 40 miles east of the track. A nursing supervisor at the hospital said Virginia Wyleth, 65, was pronounced dead early Sunday, about five minutes after she was brought into the emergency room. The supervisor said Wyleth had extensive injuries. She did not immediately know Wyleth’s hometown. The names of the two other people brought to the hospital were not available. A nursing supervisor identified them as a 19-year-old man and a 45-year-old woman and said both were listed in satisfactory condition with leg injuries. A third injured person, Ivan Zirkle, 69, of Avon, was flown to the hospital from Community Health Partners, a hospital system in Lorain. He was listed in satisfactory condition with spinal injuries. Others were taken to hospitals throughout the area. Lorain County Sheriff’s Department Capt. Jim Drozdowski said at the track that he was told 12 or 13 people were injured and were taken for treatment in helicopters or ambulances. The accident occurred about 11:30pm Saturday. “Two of the cars accelerated and bumped and the drivers lost control, went over a guard rail, took out a fence and hit a set of stands,” Drozdowski said. Rich Rankin, operations manager for the track, said it has a seating capacity of about 2,700 spectators. He said the crowd at the time of the accident was considerably smaller than that, but he would not estimate a number. He said the two cars involved did not flip and did not catch fire. He also said the two drivers were treated at the scene and did not appear to be badly hurt. A rainstorm at the track about two hours earlier was not a factor because the track was dry, he said. “I can’t really say how the accident occurred. We’ve got to put it together. It’s far too early in the investigation to say what happened, and I think this is going to take a while to sort out,” Rankin said. Bob Hennings said he was driving his car in the race on the speedway’s three-eighths mile banked, oval track when the crash occurred. “Two cars ahead of me shortly after the green flag (to start the race) got involved and hit a guardrail and went up and over into the stands. It was a bad accident. But it’s usually a safe track,” Hennings said. Lorain County Speedway runs Saturday night NASCAR Weekly Racing Series events in five race divisions: NASCAR Racing Series Late Models, Modifieds, Sportsman, Grand Nationals and Spectator Stocks. It features mostly local drivers and is in its 53rd season of racing. Hennings said 17 drivers were racing in a Late Models event when the accident occurred.(ESPN/AP)(7-22-2001)
- Eyler with Foyt: Skip Eyler, who left (#55-BGN, #81-Cup) Davis & Weight Motorsports’ crew chief position more than a month ago, has hooked up with #14 A.J. Foyt Racing, where he made an immediate impact last week at Chicagoland Speedway in his primary role as shock specialist. Driver Ron Hornaday qualified 16th and exited the race early with a blown engine. On Friday, Eyler’s presence was felt again at New Hampshire when Hornaday qualified a season-best 11th. The veteran mechanic also served as Hornaday’s spotter at Chicagoland and will serve in that role for Sunday’s New England 300.(NASCAR.com Buzz)(7-22-2001)
(7-21-2001)
UPDATE: Jeff Burton said he is close to being ready to discuss his data on a new driver compartment and composite seat. Burton has been working with PPI Motorsports on carbon-fiber seats and safety enhancements in the driver area. He’s waiting to go over the final data with a manufacturer, then plans to release his findings. The composite seat he has worked with Cal Wells’ operation to develop will be tested again in another week or two. Once finalized, Burton plans to release his findings(Richmond Times Dispatch) AND Manufacturer representatives and NASCAR officials met with drivers and crew chiefs this week to discuss safety updates at Indianapolis after one of the days of testing there. A second group of drivers is scheduled to test there next week, and a similar meeting will be held. Teams were shown the capsule seat PPI Motorsports and Jeff Burton have worked on along with Reynard and Dr. John Melvin, a Michigan-based biomedical engineer and one of the leading experts on racing injuries. A capsule seat was bolted into the skeleton frame of a car and many drivers sat in it and tested getting out of the vehicle. Drivers also were told of updated test results on the various head restraint systems and were shown crash-test video. “They had a lot more technical information than they had the first time,” said Todd Bodine, referring to January meetings at Daytona during testing. “They had a lot of experts there that really made everybody understand why certain things were the way they were and why they worked that way. Before, they just kind of told us what was the best. “Everybody was really happy with what they did and why they did it and looking forward to more of them and … making everybody safer.”(Racing Extra)(7-21-2001)
UPDATE – will skip Indy: from Mark Green – “I am actually still with Davis & Weight Motorsports and we are going to run four Winston Cup races in the near future,” said Green. “We were looking at going to Indianapolis (Aug. 4), but now we are concentrating on the short track stuff. We will probably enter our first Cup race at either Bristol (Aug. 25) or Richmond (Sept. 8).” Green said he will drive the #81 Ford at those four(?) Cup events, and he and the team are working on getting sponsorship deals(NASCAR.com Buzz)(7-20-2001)
UPDATE 2: Davis & Weight Motorsports will scale back operations effective immediately, team owner Jerry Davis announced on Friday. The owners will focus on attaining sponsorship for the team’s Winston Cup efforts. “We have decided to pare down our operations in view of the current economic climate until sponsorship is attained. This does not take away from our plans to move to Winston Cup,” said Davis. “During this period we plan to rebuild our team as talent becomes available that is capable of leading us where we want to be.” Davis will work directly on gaining sponsorship for the team’s Winston Cup program, and will entertain interested parties personally. See my Team Address Page for contact info(Davis & Weight Motorsports PR)(7-21-2001)
UPDATE 3: NASCAR.com Buzz is reporting – Davis & Weight Motorsports, which had high hopes of making its Winston Cup debut at the Brickyard 400 until a less than ideal test session this week, has released its entire crew, including driver Mark Green. The team will remain closed until it has a sponsor signed for either its Winston Cup or Busch programs. D&W, which had 10 crew members working Friday when the news came down, one day after the crewmembers were told they would probably attempt a short track race rather than the Brickyard, has one complete Winston Cup Ford Taurus and another car in the final stages of completion. Its full complement of Busch Series Ford equipment has been retained(7-21-2001)
(7-20-2001)
UPDATE: Winston Cup driver Kyle Petty, whose oldest son, Adam, was killed in a Grand National series practice session wreck last May at New Hampshire International Speedway, remains unsure whether he will compete in the Winston Cup race at the track next weekend. Tuesday would have been Adam’s 21st birthday. Petty skipped both Winston Cup races at the track last season. “Right now I’m considering Chicago, and when I’m done with Chicago I’ll see about next week. This week has been a hard week because of Adam’s birthday. … There have been so many things this week that have brought back so many memories,” Petty said. “I couldn’t bring myself to go back last year and it’s kind of crept up on me this year. I’ll wait until the first of the week to see where I’m at. Everybody at Petty Enterprises, they know what my position is. They stand behind the whole program.”(That’s Racin’)(7-13-2001)
UPDATE: Kyle Petty says he’ll announce a decision in a few days on if he’ll compete at New Hampshire International Speedway next weekend for the first time since his son, Adam, died in a crash there May 12, 2000. Petty said that the team’s crew members also have the option of not going. If Petty does not, Steve Grissom will drive for him. Grissom is the team’s test driver and also works as an adviser for Carlos Contreras, who drives for the Petty Enterprises truck series team. The trucks also will race at New Hampshire next weekend, so Grissom already was scheduled to be there(RacingExtra)(7-14-2001)
UPDATE 2: CNN/SI’s NASCAR Plus reported tonight that Kyle Petty will run at New Hampshire in a black car with some Sprint decals and the #45 on the car. None of Kyle’s family will be at the track(7-16-2001)
UPDATE 3: sources tell me that contrary to the CNN/SI report, Petty has not made up his mind regarding New Hampshire. As of this morning, he just was not sure. He said it could be as late as Friday morning before he makes a decision(7-17-2001)
UPDATE 4: FSN’s Totally NASCAR show on Thurs reports that Kyle Petty is expected ro run at NHIS with Steve Grissom standing by(7-19-2001)
UPDATE 5: A Statement From Kyle Petty: This is going to be a pretty tough week for our family, the 45 team and for everyone at Petty Enterprises. We.re anxious to race and we.re anxious to do well but we are in New Hampshire with mixed emotions. Bob and Gary Bahre are the greatest people in the world. We feel as badly for them as we do anyone. The fans in New England are fantastic and are some of our favorite people. It.s hard to find better and more dedicated fans anywhere. The Bahres and the fans up here are a large part of the reason we.re racing this weekend. But we have one more very big reason. Adam would want me and the 45 team to come here and race. As a tribute to Adam, we’ve repainted his race car. We wanted to do something special. We wanted an on-track memorial to him and to those who love him. This isn’t a Sprint car or a Petty Enterprises car or anything like that. For this weekend, this is an Adam car. I want this car to speak for itself. Adam’s car and this statement will be all we have to say this weekend. Pattie and I, my mother and father, our entire family and the members of the 45 team would just rather not do any interviews at all this weekend, and we appreciate the media.s understanding. The guys at the #43 and #44 have said they would be glad to talk about their race cars but they, too, want to join us in honoring Adam by letting the race car speak for itself. I love Adam, we all love Adam, and miss him terribly. Thank you for letting us come back to New Hampshire with such an understanding and loving manner.(Williams Company PR)(7-20-2001)
(7-19-2001)
UPDATE: looks like the AP picked up on the story, see CNN/SI for the story with an image: In the blood – Petty teenager considering continuing family tradition – His friends call him “Road Rash” because of the numerous scrapes on his body from a recent spill on his motorcycle. But to everyone else, he’s “another Petty,” viewed as the next in line to continue the family business.(7-19-2001)
UPDATE: According to NHIS owner Bob Bahre, track officials are planning a ceremony to honor Dale Earnhardt, Adam Petty and Kenny Irwin Jr. prior to Sunday’s New England 300. Earnhardt, also known as The Intimidator, was one of NASCAR’s best-known drivers. With his trademark black racing suit and aggressive style of driving, Earnhardt quickly gained the respect of his NASCAR peers. The 49-year-old Earnhardt was killed during the Daytona 500 in February, when his No. 3 Chevrolet Monte Carlo hit the wall on the final lap of the race. Earnhardt won a record seven Winston Cup points titles and hd 76 career victories. Petty was killed last May when his car barreled into the wall in Turn 3 at NHIS. Irwin was killed two months later when his car hit the same wall at NHIS, near the spot where Petty’s car hit. Race officials blamed stuck throttles for both incidents. “We’ve got a lot of respect for Dale and the other two kids,” Bahre said. “We couldn’t have a ceremony for Dale and not the other two. That just wouldn’t be right.” The ceremony, which will be performed prior to the race on Sunday, will include a prayer from Bishop Michael Cody of Portland, Maine. Along with the prayer service will be Winston Cup’s season-long ritual of having complete radio silence during Lap 3 in memory of Earnhardt. While race fans and drivers alike will remember Earnhardt for his intimidating character, Bahre said he always will remember a softer side of The Intimidator, one that included regular visits to him and his son, Gary, when the Winston Cup Series was in town. While the death of Earnhardt was a shock for Bahre, the NHIS owner was taken aback this week by the reaction of several Winston Cup drivers following Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s victory at Daytona in the Pepsi 400. Following the race, several drivers voiced concerns that Winston Cup officials and other drivers, specifically Michael Waltrip, fixed the race to let Earnhardt Jr. win. “Earnhardt Jr. has been running strong since February,” Bahre said. “What’s wrong with these people? If he had the best car, he deserved to win the race.”(Fosters Daily Democrat)(7-19-2001)
UPDATE: it was mentioned on FSN’s Totally NASCAR show on Thurs that the Cup drivers would run 2 laps of Qualifying for the New England 300 at New Hampshire(7-19-2001)
UPDATE: A man is recovering from critical injuries sustained in the fire that destroyed the White Rabbit Inn and killed its owner. Lonny Klug of Lake Isabella, Calif., is in fair condition, said a Massachusetts General Hospital spokeswoman. A member of a NASCAR promotional team, Klug was staying at the White Rabbit when the fire broke out early Tuesday morning. Emergency workers rushed Klug to Concord Hospital. He was subsequently airlifted to the Boston hospital, where doctors listed his condition as critical. State Fire Marshal Donald Bliss said yesterday the fire started accidentally in the kitchen, either in an electrical outlet or a coffee maker. Officials will continue to investigate(Concord Monitor)(7-19-2001)
UPDATE: Mike Skinner suffered a fractured left ankle and a mild concussion Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway after a cut right-front tire sent the #31 Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse Racing Chevrolet into the outside wall. Skinner was transported by ambulance to the Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet, Ill., for evaluation. He was treated and released Sunday afternoon. “Mike Skinner sustained a fracture in his left ankle that will require a specialist to determine what the next step will be,” said Dr. Marius Katilius of Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center. “The CT scan showed no signs of injury and no abnormalities. He has no head, neck or internal injuries.” The Lowe’s Chevrolet Monte Carlo was running in the fourth position when the right-front tire went down and caused Skinner to hit the wall between turns one and two on lap 23 of the inaugural Tropicana 400. “I passed a few cars as soon as the race started and had set my sights on the #66 car,” Skinner said. “I was catching him and then ‘pow,’ the right-front tire went down on the Lowe’s Chevy. There was no warning at all — just like when I cut a tire at Texas two years ago. I think we ran over some debris on the race track.” A decision will be made regarding Skinner’s status for this weekend’s event at New Hampshire following his appointment with a specialist on Monday afternoon(RCR PR)
UPDATE 2: am hearing Mike Skinner will NOT drive at NHIS this weekend. No word on who will drive the #31 Chevy. Maybe Jeff Green can hitch a ride with Kevin Harvick from St Louis? also hearing Ted Musgrave could be in the #31? hmm….how about Dave Marcis?(7-16-2001)
UPDATE 3: another scenerio I am hearing, Robby Gordon in the #31 at NHIS and Ted Musgrave in the #7 Ford for his CTS owner, Jim Smith
UPDATE 4: hearing from sources that Robby Gordon will drive the #31 Lowes Chevy at NHIS, no word on the #7 Driver AND the Sporting News is reporting: Robby Gordon, who drove last week for Jim Smith in the #7 Ultra Motorsports Ford, will be the relief driver for the #31 Lowe’s Chevrolet. Mike Wallace will be back in the #7 car for the weekend at Hew Hampshire. Because Ted Musgrave is a Dodge factory driver in the truck series, he will be unable to fill in for Smith(no idea why Musgrave was allowed to drive at Pocono in the #7 Ford)(7-17-2001)
UPDATE 5: Mike Skinner could miss several weeks as a result of injuries sustained from a wreck in Sunday’s Tropicana 400 at Chicagoland Speedway(That’s Racin’) AND Skinner has a torn ACL in his left knee and a fractured left ankle, and he will have surgery. Yesterday afternoon he was at the doctor’s office in Daytona Beach, his home, discussing medical options. Royce McGee, Skinner’s crew chief, said that Skinner will be out for at least three weeks. McGee said there was a slim possibility that Skinner could be back in the car for the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis but that it was doubtful. He said that Skinner is hesitant about making a return the next weekend at Watkins Glen, a demanding road course that requires a lot of footwork. Gordon is only be substituting in the Childress car for sure this weekend, but if things go well, he would likely be in the car for the races at Pocono and Indianapolis as well. Lowe’s, which sponsors the team, expressed interest in having Jeff Green in Skinner’s car, but Green will be running the Busch tour this weekend in St. Louis. Kevin Harvick, Skinner’s teammate, is making the cross-country run to make both the Cup and Busch events, but he will be giving up a lot at both tracks, in terms of practice and qualifying. Next weekend, the Busch stop is near Denver while the Winston Cup stop is at Pocono.(Winston Salem Journal)(7-18-2001)
UPDATE 6: Mike Skinner had his fractured left ankle operated on Wednesday morning. Doctors also said the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) that was originally thought torn, was just an aggravation of a 1998 injury. Dr. Craig M. Hankins, of Hankins Orthopedic Center in Daytona Beach, Fla., performed the surgery. He put two titanium screws Skinners left ankle. The doctor chose titanium screws to expedite the healing and rehabilitation process. One was 42 mm long and the other was 30 mm long with each screw being four millimeters in diameter(NASCAR.com)(7-19-2001)
UPDATE: ESPN2’s RPM 2Night is reporting that Houston and the #96 team will not run any races until the Brickyard 400 on August 5th (skipping NHIS and Pocono)(7-16-2001)
UPDATE 2: on Tuesday’s RPM 2Night it was reported that Andy Houston wanted to make sure folks know that he has not been released from the #96 McDonalds PPI Motorsports ride and has heard nothing official from the team about missing any races. PPI Motorsports says they have having ‘challenges’ regarding the McDonalds sponsorship. Also am hearing PPI released a bunch of employees who worked on the #96 and McDoanlds is very close to leaving the team and it is not sure what their future involvement in the sport is.(7-18-2001)
UPDATE 3: Team Rensi Motorsports announced today, Andy Houston will drive the #25 Team Marines Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo in this weekend’s CARQUEST Autoparts 250 at Gateway International Raceway. Team Rensi Public Relations Representative, Shelly DeCaro stated, “David Donohue will continue his development and relationship with Team Rensi Motorsports by testing and making appearances scheduled for the Marine Corps Recruiting Command.”(Team Resni PR)(7-18-2001)
UPDATE 4: PRN’s Garage Pass radio show reports the reason the #96 McDonalds PPI Motorsports Ford is not running the next two weeks is that McDonalds is not sending anymore payments and feels they have fullfilled their monetary obligations(7-19-2001)
UPDATE 5: PPI Motorsports and McDonald’s are currently engaged in proactive discussions regarding the McDonald’s #96 Winston Cup entry driven by Andy Houston. While this joint evaluation continues, the decision has been made not to enter the #96 Ford in the next two Cup events at New Hampshire and Pocono. PPI Motorsports is reviewing their staff requirements and is adjusting accordingly. At present, no further comment can be made(PPI Motorsports PR) AND from a McDonalds PR: Statement by Georgina Roy, McDonald’s manager of sports marketing: “Since McDonalds and PPI Motorsports are currently in discussions relating to the sponsorship program in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, the PPI-owned McDonald’s #96 Ford Taurus will not compete in this weekend’s New England 300 at New Hampshire International Raceway and in next week’s Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway.”(7-19-2001)
UPDATE: Morgan Shepherd was a one-man pit crew during the July 14 truck race at Kentucky, a feat made much more difficult because he was driving the entry. On Shepherd’s lone pit stop of the race, he got out of the truck, jacked up the right side and changed both tires. Before getting back inside, he sat down on pit wall to eat some chips and drink a soda(Winston Cup Scene – need sub to read online)
AND Shepard could be seen working on his truck in his old CITGO driver’s uniform. Shepherd asked the #89 CTS team (Stan Boyd) if they could loan him one impact gun, nitrogen cylinder, hose and jack for the race, which we did. It was Shepherd’s intent to attract attention to his needing sponsorship that he WANTED to pit himself. The #89 team had offered to pit his truck for him, but he had spoken to ESPN, and MRN about his intention and declined the offer. While MRN did mention it on the air, ESPN declined to show it(7-19-2001)
(7-18-2001)
UPDATE: NASCAR kept its top sponsor Tuesday when R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. picked the Winston Cup stock car series as the one program it can bankroll under the 1998 tobacco settlement. Under the Master Settlement Agreement — with which tobacco companies had to be in compliance by the end of the year — cigarette manufacturers had to reduce their sponsorship to a single program over a 12-month period. RJR had to choose between NASCAR, the National Hot Rod Association and the Vantage Championship, a Senior PGA Tour event. RJR said it would end its 27-year partnership with the NHRA at the end of the year. It is still deciding what to do with the Vantage Championship, a golf tournament held near its headquarters in Winston-Salem, N.C., since 1987. RJR can continue to sponsor the event, but it can’t be called the Vantage Championship because Vantage is another brand of cigarettes.(That’s Racin’/AP) and a story: RJR faced difficult decision on sponsorship(7-18-2001)
UPDATE: Robby Gordon, who drove last week for Jim Smith in the #7 Ultra Motorsports Ford, will be the relief driver for the #31 Lowe’s Chevrolet. Mike Wallace will be back in the #7 car for the weekend at Hew Hampshire. Because Ted Musgrave is a Dodge factory driver in the truck series, he will be unable to fill in for Smith(Sporting News)(7-17-2001)
UPDATE 2: The arrangement between Wallace and Ultra Motorsports owner Jim Smith is on a “race-to-race” basis, sources said. Smith has used Ted Musgrave (once),Robby Gordon (twice) and Wallace (once) in the car over the past four races. It appeared that Gordon would remain in the car for this weekend’s race, but that changed when he accepted an offer Monday night from Richard Childress Racing to drive the #31 Loves Chevy at NHIS(That’s Racin’) AND both Mike Wallace and Jim Smith were be on ESPN2’s RPM 2Night Tuesday and Smith said Wallace will be in the #7 car for the rest of the season (7-18-2001)
UPDATE: NBC’s coverage of Sunday’s inaugural Tropicana 400 from the new Chicagoland Speedway was watched by 21 million viewers. The Tropicana 400 earned a 5.6 national rating and 14 share, according to figures released today by Nielsen Media Research. There is no ratings comparison as this was an open date on the NASCAR Winston Cup schedule in 2000. The 5.6 national rating is the best NASCAR Winston Cup afternoon delivery for races from May through November since the inaugural running of the Brickyard 400 from the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway, August 6, 1994 on ABC. Through its first two races, NASCAR on NBC is averaging a 5.8 rating and 14 share. The national rating peaked with a 6.6 during the final 15 minutes from 6-6:15 p.m. ET as rookie Kevin Harvick took the checkered flag for the second time this season after taking over for Dale Earnhardt after his tragic death at the Daytona 500, February 18. For the second consecutive week NASCAR on NBC has attracted more than 20 million viewers. Last Saturday’s Pepsi 400 attracted a primetime record 25 million viewers. Saturday’s NASCAR Busch Series race from Chicagoland Speedway earned a 2.2 national rating and 7 share. There is also no ratings comparison as this was an open date on the NASCAR Busch Series schedule in 2000(NBC PR) and a story at MotorsportsTV: NBC Final Ratings Skyrocket in Chicago(7-18-2001)
(7-17-2001)
UPDATE: hearing Gant will not run the race but it is about restoring his old car and giving it to him at Martinsville on Ict 14th(7-14-2001)
UPDATE 2: There’s been a rumor about APR possibly having a car for a “Harry Gant Day” at Martinsville, Va., in October. The rumor is somewhat true. “The X1 car that Harry drove to four wins in a row has recently been rebuilt by our shop guys. It’s sitting out in our showroom in the front of the shop. We are thinking about having the car at Martinsville for Harry, but not for him to race. It would just be a nice tribute, but nothing’s final on that yet,” Barkdoll said.(Henderson Times)(7-17-2001)
(7-16-2001)
(7-15-2001)
- Good Guy – Kyle Petty: Since 1999, the Sporting News ‘rates’ the sports top ‘Good Guy’s’, athletes who are helping their communities, Kyle Petty was chosen as NASCAR’s top ‘Good Guy’, others include: Jeff Gordon. Jeff Burton, Ricky Craven, Jimmy Spencer, Terry Labonte and Rusty Wallace. See full stories at: #1 NASCAR Good Guy – Kyle Petty from the Sporting News(7-15-2001)
- Harvick wins at Chicago: #29-Kevin Harvick won the Tropicana 400 at Chicagoland Speedway, his 2nd win of the 2001 season and the 2nd in his 17th Winston Cup start. #77-Robert Pressley had a great run and finished a career best 2nd, his previous best finish of third came in 1998 at Texas and Pressley’s first top five since Michigan on June 2000 when he finished 5th. The Winston Cup points lead really tightened up with #24-Jeff Gordon and #88-Dale Jarrett tied with the lead at 2,515 points with #28-Ricky Rudd just 18 behind. Gordon is technically still the points leader – based on more second-place finishes that Jarrett so far this year. See That’s Racin’ for Tropicana 400 results, Winston Cup points (after Chicago), and Winston Cup race points for Chicago (7-15-2001)
- and Mike Skinner? UPDATE: It was what Richard Childress didn’t say about Mike Skinner on Saturday that will only fuel speculation about the driver’s future in the #31 Chevy. During the announcement that Jeff Green will drive the #30 car sponsored by America Online for Richard Childress Racing next year, the car owner was asked about Skinner. “We have another year with Mike Skinner and another year with (sponsor) Lowe’s,” Childress said. “What we’re doing now is just revisiting our whole RCR organization. …We might be able to make more announcements like that next month.” Asked specifically if Skinner’s contract meant he would definitely be in the car next year, Childress gave a similarly non-definitive answer.(That’s Racin’)
UPDATE: Richard Childress clarified one piece of his ongoing Winston Cup jigsaw puzzle Saturday when he announced Jeff Green would drive his #30 AOL Chevy in 2002. That still left the status of #31 Lowe’s Chevrolet driver Mike Skinner up in the air. Childress, who at Sears Point last month said he and Skinner would discuss their options and decide if they wanted to make a change in the next few weeks, seemingly extended that “deadline” Saturday. “We have another year with Mike Skinner and another year with Lowe’s,” Childress said. “What we’re doing now is just revisiting our whole RCR organization. We’re in the mix of trying some things that I don’t think other teams have done. We’re going to put all three teams together. We’re going to have all the crew chiefs together. Right now, we’ve got several other things that we’re trying at RCR and this was a huge step to go with AOL and all. AOL was so good to work with through what happened in Daytona and us taking Kevin out of that car and putting him into the No. 29 car and put Jeff into it. We have a lot of things like that to work out. We might be able to make more announcements like that (regarding the No. 31 team) next month.”(NASCAR.com Buzz)(7-15-2001) - Sprague Staying in CTS: Jack Sprague emphasized at Kentucky Speedway that not only was he not looking to get out of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series — it was quite likely that he would end his career there. “I’m going to stay in this truck as long as this truck is running unless a good Winston Cup deal comes along — and a good deal would be with Rick or very few others,” said Sprague. “That hasn’t happened. I love what I am doing. I have a great team. Dennis (Connor, crew chief) and I have been together for seven years and that’s very rare.”(NASCAR.com Buzz)(7-15-2001)
- Nelson Speaks on Penalty UPDATE Stewart Column: Winston Cup series director Gary Nelson, who was involved in the post-race altercations by driver Tony Stewart last week at Daytona, said he isn’t surprised by the varied reactions to the penalty assessed Stewart by NASCAR on Wednesday. NASCAR fined Stewart $10,000 and extended his probation through the end of the 2001 season for confrontations with Nelson and Winston-Salem Journal motorsports writer Mike Mulhern last weekend. Stewart was also told to apologize to Mulhern and NASCAR fans. “I think it’s like any decision NASCAR makes; I’ve heard it both ways. I’ve heard people say it was too much, I’ve heard it wasn’t enough, I’ve heard we should have handled it differently,” Nelson said. “It’s pretty much like we’re batting a thousand with decisions we make. We’re not pleasing everybody. That’s the way it works.”(That’s Racin’)
UPDATE: Winston-Salem Journal motorsports writer Mike Mulhern has a column up about Tomy Stewart at Tony the Tiger – Stewart brings an unbridled passion to his work(7-15-2001) - Jeff Green to RCR #30 Cup team? UPDATE 6 Green is it: RPM 2Nights Ray Dunlap reported on Monday’s show, that 2001 BGN Champ and current BGN #10 driver Jeff Green will soon be named as the full time driver of the #30 Richard Childress Racing team for the 2002 season. Green currently is running the #30 AOL car on a limited schedule in Cup for RCR(ESPN2 RPM 2Night)(7-3-2001)
UPDATE: FSN’s Totally NASCAR reports Green will sign with RCR, but it is unknown which RCR car he will drive (#’s 29, 30 or 31), sources tell me that Green will be in the #31 Lowes Chevy for the 2002 season(7-4-2001)
UPDATE 2: Childress gave no official word Thursday on his driver lineup for next year. According to some reports, Jeff Green will join RCR in one of three cars, but Childress was tight-lipped. “We hope to have things finalized by next week,” Childress said. “We’re hoping that if everything goes well, we’ll be able to have a little press conference and talk about RCR next week in Chicago.”(RacingOne)
UPDATE 3: Jeff Green will move to Richard Childress Racing next season and drive the #30 Chevrolets sponsored by America Online in the Winston Cup series. Green, who drives for ppc Racing in the Grand National series, is already driving the #30 for RCR this season for seven races. The #30 was originally scheduled to be Kevin Harvick’s Winston Cup ride, but he moved to RCR’s No. 29 following the death of Dale Earnhardt, who was killed in a last-lap wreck in the season-opening Daytona 500. Green is also likely to drive several races in the BGN next season in RCR’s #21 entry, sources said. An official announcement of Green’s plans is scheduled for next Saturday at Chicagoland Speedway. In addition, Harvick is scheduled to continue driving RCR’s #2 entry in the BGN next season, as well as remain in the #29 car. He will run up to 20 BGN races. The future of Mike Skinner, driver of RCR’s #31 Chevy, remains uncertain(That’s Racin’)(7-6-2001)
UPDATE 4: hearing Green has already signed a 3-Year deal with RCR and while it is unknow which car he will drive, it is looking like it’ll be the #30 Chevy(7-9-2001)
UPDATE 5: With his team adding a third Winston Cup car next season, Richard Childress will announce the addition of defending Busch series champ Jeff Green to his stable of Cup drivers at a news conference Saturday. Childress previously announced a three-year sponsorship deal with America Online. Green, who qualified the #30 Chevy in the 29th position for Sunday’s Tropicana 400, is assured of the ride when the car races full-time on the Winston Cup circuit next season. “It’ll be official” Childress said after qualifying ended Friday. The ride had been intended for Kevin Harvick, but Harvick stepped into the GM Goodwrench Chevrolet after the death of Dale Earnhardt.(CNN/SI)
UPDATE 6: Details on the Jeff Green…RCR…AOL deal…3 year contract. “This is an opportunity I got from driving for Dale Eanrhardt’s Busch team in 1995,” said Jeff Green. “I am excited about this chance to win races for Chevy.” Childress Racing News Conference…RCR racing announced that Jeff Green will drive the number 30 AOL Monte Carlo for the 2002 season.(Frontstretch)(7-14-2001)
AND Saturday, Jeff Green cemented his deal to join Richard Childress Racing as the full-time driver of the #30 Chevy sponsored by America Online for at least the next three seasons. Green has already been working with the team on a part-time basis this season. This weekend is his third of seven races planned for the #30 this season. Todd Berrier, crew chief for Kevin Harvick’s #2 BGN team, will become crew chief for Green’s team. Childress said he has told Berrier he could pick eight people from each of RCR’s two BGN teams to help build his Cup team(That’s Racin’)(7-15-2001) - Humpy Bumper News UPDATE: The “Humpy Bumper,” an energy-absorbing safety device that was conceived and developed in Las Vegas, could be on the front ends of Winston Cup cars by the end of next month, according to one of its designers. Jason Schiers, vice president of Las Vegas-based Lew Composites, said the company soon will conduct one final test of the Humpy Bumper for Winston Cup teams at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and then will begin producing the devices for interested teams. Schiers said the on-track crash test would be more of a marketing tool than an actual data-collecting exercise. Lew Composites already has turned over to NASCAR data from earlier computer simulations and sled crash tests conducted at the University of Daytona Research institute and General Motors. “NASCAR understands the quality of the product and have pretty much given us a green light to put the product on the cars.” Schiers said. Although NASCAR will not mandate the use of the Humpy Bumper, it has told the company that it won’t prevent teams from using the device in competition. The Humpy Bumper was designed by Lew Composites founder and president Paul Lew along with Schiers and Ted Love. The device, which is expected to sell for about $6,000, will be produced at the company’s plant at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Research and Development Park. Made of a space-age unidirectional graphite fiber, the bumper has proven to lessen the impact on drivers during head-on and near head-on crashes, and will reduce the types of head and neck injuries that killed NASCAR drivers Dale Earnhardt, Adam Petty, Kenny Irwin and Tony Roper, Schiers said.(Las Vegas Sun)(7-13-2001)
UPDATE: Winston Cup series director Gary Nelson said he hasn’t seen much testing data on the new “Humpy Bumper,” a front-bumper device made of a unidirectional graphite fiber that is designed to lessen the impact on drivers during head-on and near head-on crashes. The bumper, developed by Lew Composites of Las Vegas, has undergone computer simulations and sled-crash tests at the University of Dayton Research institute and General Motors. Officials at Lew said they recently turned over data on the testing to NASCAR. “Typically, what NASCAR does is not say much about projects in the development stages, and obviously that one is in the development stage,” Nelson said. “Like a doctor, you don’t want to prescribe medicine that could cause further problems, so we feel like we have a responsibility to the competitors. “Before we would mandate something, we want to make sure it doesn’t cause more problems. This is one of many projects in the development stages.” Nelson said it was too early to tell if the device, which costs about $6,000, would be mandated, available for teams to use at their discretion, or perhaps not be approved for us at all.(That’s Racin’)(7-15-2001) - McDonald’s on the Move? UPDATE 3: The future of McDonalds’ Winston Cup sponsorship is apparently on the line (currently on the #96 PPI Motorsports Ford with driver Andy Houston), according to NASCAR sources, with #9-Bill Elliott possibly in line to put the golden arches back on his uniform once again. And there are reports that Dodge’s dealers association may only be backing one of Ray Evernham’s two stock-car teams next season(Winston Salem Journal)(7-6-2001)
UPDATE: The Dodge Dealers might be picking up some primary sponsors on Ray Evernham’s team. According to a garage source, don’t be surprised if McDonald’s rejoins Bill Elliott as his sponsor, and Matt Kenseth comes aboard with assistance from his long-time backer, DeWalt(Sporting News), don’t know anymore on the DeWalt/Kenseth thing(7-9-2001)
UPDATE 2: Despite published reports to the contrary, Dodge Dealers will remain the primary sponsor of both Ray Evernham Motorsports Winston Cup teams next season with drivers Bill Elliott and Casey Atwood, said Dave Elshoff, senior manager of motorsports operations for Dodge. Elshoff said no changes are expected to the primary sponsors of either team. McDonald’s has been rumored to want to return to Elliott’s team and other reports have said the Dodge Dealers wanted to scale back their involvement. Both are untrue, Elshoff said. Elshoff said the Dodge Dealers have a five-year commitment to sponsor both Evernham-owned teams.(That’s Racin’)(7-14-2001)
UPDATE 3: Bill Elliott–who was sponsored by McDonald’s for the previous six years, when he owned his own car–denied rumors he and the fast-food franchise are getting back together. ”As far as them coming back to sponsor me, there’s been no dialogue, no conversation, no anything,” said Elliott, who began driving for owner Ray Evernham’s new Dodge program this year. ”[The rumors] really surprise me. They chose to leave me. I don’t know why they’d want to come back.”(Chicago Sun Times)(7-15-2001) - Evernham own Chassis: Ray Evernham says his team plans to build its own chassis in the future. That will happen after a new shop is built. Evernham says construction of a 42,000-square-foot building next to his race shop should begin in about two or three months(Racing Extra)(7-15-2001)
- Payton to be Honored: Bobby Hamilton’s #55 Chevy will carry a tribute to one of Chicago’s favorite sons. Employees from his primary sponsor, Square D, voted to put the word Sweetness” on the car to honor the memory of former Bears running back Walter Payton(Savannah Morning News)(7-15-2001)
(7-14-2001)
UPDATE: hearing Gant will not run the race but it is about restoring his old car and giving it to him at Martinsville on Ict 14th(7-14-2001)
UPDATE: Winston Cup driver Kyle Petty, whose oldest son, Adam, was killed in a Grand National series practice session wreck last May at New Hampshire International Speedway, remains unsure whether he will compete in the Winston Cup race at the track next weekend. Tuesday would have been Adam’s 21st birthday. Petty skipped both Winston Cup races at the track last season. “Right now I’m considering Chicago, and when I’m done with Chicago I’ll see about next week. This week has been a hard week because of Adam’s birthday. … There have been so many things this week that have brought back so many memories,” Petty said. “I couldn’t bring myself to go back last year and it’s kind of crept up on me this year. I’ll wait until the first of the week to see where I’m at. Everybody at Petty Enterprises, they know what my position is. They stand behind the whole program.”(That’s Racin’)(7-13-2001)
UPDATE: Kyle Petty says he’ll announce a decision in a few days on if he’ll compete at New Hampshire International Speedway next weekend for the first time since his son, Adam, died in a crash there May 12, 2000. Petty said that the team’s crew members also have the option of not going. If Petty does not, Steve Grissom will drive for him. Grissom is the team’s test driver and also works as an adviser for Carlos Contreras, who drives for the Petty Enterprises truck series team. The trucks also will race at New Hampshire next weekend, so Grissom already was scheduled to be there(RacingExtra)(7-14-2001)
UPDATE: see a full story at CNN/SI: Taking it back – Spencer apologizes for comments about Earnhardt win(7-14-2001)
(7-13-2001)
UPDATE: no official word yet, but sources tell me Wallace has been released and will concentrate on finding another Cup ride and running in the BGN. No word on the replacement driver, but looks like Robby Gordon
UPDATE 2: FSN’s Totally NASCAR reports that Robby Gordon will drive the #7 Ford at Chicagoland Speedway, crew chief Jim Long says it is presently a one race deal AND ESPN2’s RPM2Night reported that Wallace was informed of his release by the team secretary. Last Thursday the show mentioned Gordon would drive the car at Chicago. Gordon says it is not yet a done deal BUT NASCAR.com is reporting Wallace out, Gordon for Ultra at Chicago(7-11-2001)
UPDATE 3: One week after Mike Wallace guided the No. 7 Ford to a 10th-place finish at Daytona, he was replaced for this weekend’s race at Chicagoland with Robby Gordon, who finished second in the car for Ultra Motorsports owner Jim Smith at Sears Point last month. Gordon said he was notified by Smith of the driver change on Wednesday. “It’s kind of a pretty last-minute deal,” he said. “Owners do what owners want to do, so I feel for (Wallace). I’m not trying to take his job or anything like that, but Jimmy wants to make a change and it’s Jimmy’s choice.” Smith said he is working out contractual issues with Wallace, Gordon and the team sponsor, NationsRent, and hopes to have the driver situation settled soon. “I’m proud of both drivers the last couple of weeks,” he said. “This team is starting to come alive. The main goal here is to run well.”(That’s Racin’)(7-13-2001)
(7-12-2001)
UPDATE: indications are that it is the CTS/truck series NOT the BGN. Conway is presently working with the Richard Petty Driving Experience and has been running a Vehicare sponsored Legends car in the Pro division during the Summer Shootout series at Lowes Motor Speedway. Conway drove in ASA last year his sponsor was USA Meats.com his number was 61, Conway was going to run ASA in 2001 but a sponsor backed out. Supposedly Conway will run the ARCA race at Charlotte in October and plan on running the rest of the 2001 CTS schedule from Richmond on and the entire 2002 CTS Schedule. AND Hearing that Irvan has a Monday night spot on Winston-Salem’s NBC WXII at 6:00pm/et called Racing With Ernie and comments were made about Conway being Irvan’s protege and to look for Irvan (as owner, not driver) to go racing soon with Conway in BGN & CTS(7-12-2001)
UPDATE: In just three months, Countryman has had three cars built and a fourth on the way for testing as he sets his sights on competing in the remaining four races in the NASCAR Southwest Featherlite Series, the equivalent of Double-A baseball. Key members of the Countryman team are Aldo Andretti and his son Adam. Aldo, 61, the twin brother of racing legend Mario Andretti and father of NASCAR driver John Andretti, is the official adviser to Countryman. Adam, 22, will be Countryman’s driver. Adam and Aldo Andretti recently came to town to view one of the cars and the hauler Countryman had built. Countryman Motorsports is self-funded this year, though Countryman is actively seeking a major sponsor. He budgeted between $500,000 and $750,000 to start his team and is having more cars built for ARCA (American Racing Club of America) and ASA (American Speed Association) races next year that fall between the Southwest Featherlite race dates.(Sacramento Bee)(7-12-2001)
(7-11-2001)
UPDATE: Since being let go from his #60 Chevrolet Winston Cup ride last year, Geoffrey Bodine has been striving to get back into NASCAR’s top level. Well, it looks like he’s going to do just that for at least one race. The elder Bodine will attempt to qualify for the August 25 night time event at Bristol Motor Speedway in a deal with Brett Bodine. He was supposed to run one race in Charlotte this year, but that deal fell through. “This deal is a definite,” Geoffrey said. “Right now, it looks like it’s going to be a go for the Bristol event.”(NASCAR.com Buzz)(7-8-2001)
UPDATE 2: Brett Bodine Racing will field a second Ford Taurus for Geoffrey Bodine for the NASCAR Winston Cup Series event at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 25th. A premium malt beverage, launched in the U.S. in January of this year, Smirnoff Ice will make its NASCAR debut as the sponsor of the #09 entry from the Mooresville, NC based operation. Owner Brett Bodine looks forward to the opportunity. “I have been committed to assisting my brother in any way possible to stay in this sport. It just took some time to put a deal together that was right for all of us. It’s a great opportunity to introduce a new sponsor to NASCAR Winston Cup racing and at the same time see Geoffrey continue his long Winston Cup racing career. We hope this is a beginning of more things to come,” stated Brett. Geoffrey added his enthusiasm, “This is something my brother and I have dreamed about. Racing together is one thing, but racing together as a team is another. I hope and dream that everything will work out for the best. It’s exciting to have things come together for us and I look forward to showcasing a new sponsor and having Brett as a teammate.” Smirnoff Ice (www.smirnoffice.com) is a lightly carbonated, citrus flavor malt beverage from Guinness Bass Import Co/UDV North America Inc., a division of Diageo plc in the USA and Canada, one of the world’s leading consumer brand companies which operates in over 200 markets worldwide and has international sales of 17.3 billion dollars(Brett Bodine Racing PR), being asked so….Why is Smirnoff Ice ok but Crown was no ok’d by NASCAR for the #27 Eel River Racing team? As far as I know, NASCAR doesn’t allow hard liquior sponsors (Whiskey, Vodka, etc) but allows Beer. Malt Liquior etc, Smiroff Ice is similar to a Malt Liquor, like Zima. Have a problem with that line of thinking? Feel free to contact NASCAR, see my Racing FAQ page for contact info and a link to their feedback form(7-11-2001)
UPDATE: hearing Stewart is facing a suspension of as little as one race to as many as three races, yikes. Remember, Stewart was fined $10,000 and put on probation until 8/29 for bumping Jeff Gordon on pit road after the Bristol race in March (but I can’t believe they will do so). AND NASCAR officials weren’t the only ones upset with Stewart. So was #93- Dave Blaney. “I was right down on the bottom of the race track, and he must have run across the apron and smashed into the side of me,” Blaney said. “It turned my car clear sideways. It was the stupidest thing I’ve seen on his part. I don’t know what he was thinking.”(Winston Salem Journal)
UPDATE 2: FSN’s Totally NASCAR is reporting that Stewart is facing a probable fine and one race suspension
AND: Any penalties from NASCAR against Tony Stewart for his post-race blowups at the Pepsi 400 were expected to be handed down Tuesday. That is the same day Stewart was to attend his grandfather’s funeral. Carroll Stewart, 89, died Saturday night in Lafayette, IN. Stewart wasn’t told of the death until after his confrontations with a Winston Cup official and a reporter following Saturday night’s race at Daytona International Speedway, his spokesman, Mike Arning, said Monday. Arning said the funeral services were set for Tuesday(AP)(7-9-2001)
UPDATE 3: NASCAR officials, out of respect for Tony Stewart’s late grandfather, will wait until Wednesday morning to make a decision on his immediate driving future(NASCAR.com), ESPN2’s RPM 2Night says their sources say the only penalty will be in the wallet (money) with no suspension(7-10-2001)
UPDATE 3: Tony Stewart was fined $10,000 by NASCAR as a result of confrontations following Saturday night’s Pepsi 400 at Daytona. Stewart’s probation was also extended(That’s Racin’) AND additionally, Stewart, who was already under probation by the sanctioning body stemming from an incident at Bristol in March, had his probation extended from Aug. 29, to Nov. 21, 2001. If he further violates the probation, he could be fined and/or lose championship points, finishing positions and suspension from NASCAR. In addition to the fine and the probation extension, Stewart will be required to issue a formal apology to a media member(Mulhern) for his confrontational actions on Saturday night, as well as issue a formal apology to NASCAR fans(NASCAR.com)(7-11-2001)
UPDATE: With the announcement last Thursday from Daytona USA that Body Dynamics Racing Bodies, Inc. and Straight Shooter Productions, Producers of Americas Most Wanted have come together to work towards a NASCAR team sponsorship for 2002 and beyond for Americas Most Wanted program has generated some major interest in the press. While in Daytona, Scott Davis Media Relations Director for Body Dynamics Racing was approached by the Daytona News Journal and the Volusia County Sheriffs office to assist in the missing persons case of a Grandmother and her 10-year-old Grandson, Joshua Bryant and Lillian R. Martin who have been missing since 05/12/2000. “Since we had already made arrangements for Chandra Levy to be placed on the Melling Racing Cup car, I knew we would have to come up with a different venue to cover the same market”, Stated Davis, “So we made an offer to the Volusia County Sheriffs Department to place the photos of Joshua Bryant and Lillian R. Martin on our website www.BodyDynamicsRacing.com as well as work with a team to place the photo’s on their car for the race this weekend such as we did with Melling Racing in Daytona.”(Body Dynamics Racing Bodies PR)(7-11-2001)
UPDATE: The overnight rating for the Pepsi 400 on NBC was a 5.8 — a 41 percent increase from last year’s Pepsi 400. It was the first race for NBC as part of the $2.4 billion NASCAR television deal with NBC and Fox. The tune-in increased each half-hour during the race, going from 5.0 to 7.0. An overnight rating measures households in the country’s 50 largest markets, about 60 percent of the country. The market with the largest audience was Greensboro, N.C., at 14.2, followed by Orlando with a 13.5. New York was the country’s lowest market at 2.8.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(7-9-2001)
UPDATE 2: NBC’s coverage of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s dramatic victory at the Pepsi 400 from Daytona International Speedway on Saturday night was the highest-rated primetime NASCAR race in history. It delivered a 6.1 national rating/13 share for the 8-11:15 p.m. ET broadcast, according to figures released today by Nielsen Media Research. NBC Sports research estimates that 25 million viewers watched all or part of the telecast, which was network television’s highest-rated program Saturday night. The Pepsi 400 was the first race in NBC and TNT’s new six-year agreement with NASCAR to telecast “The Race for the Championship” over the second half of the NASCAR season. NBC’s 4.4 rating among the highly coveted 18-49 adult demographic from 8-11 p.m. also lapped the field as CBS registered a 1.6, ABC a 2.2 and Fox a 2.5 in that desired demographic Saturday. The strong performance by the Pepsi 400 propelled NBC to a primetime ratings victory Saturday night. From 8-11 p.m. ET, NBC’s 6.1 rating/13 share easily outdistanced the competition. ABC and Fox each averaged an identical 4.1 rating/8 share while CBS posted a 4.0/8. NBC’s 6.1/13 for the Pepsi 400 represents a 17% increase over last year’s 5.2/12 on CBS. The previous primetime record for a NASCAR race was a 5.4/13 for the July 3, 1999 running of the Pepsi 400 on CBS. The rating, which increased every half-hour until the race’s dramatic conclusion, peaked with a 7.4/15 from 10:30-11:00 p.m. ET while Dale Earnhardt Jr. was making his move from sixth-place to first on the race’s final six laps(NBC PR)(7-11-2001)
(7-10-2001)
(7-9-2001)
UPDATE: The Dodge Dealers might be picking up some primary sponsors on Ray Evernham’s team. According to a garage source, don’t be surprised if McDonald’s rejoins Bill Elliott as his sponsor, and Matt Kenseth comes aboard with assistance from his long-time backer, DeWalt(Sporting News), don’t know anymore on the DeWalt/Kenseth thing(7-9-2001)
(7-8-2001)
- Incredible – Little E Wins at Daytona in the Pepsi 400. #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr wins at Daytona where he lost his Dad in the Daytona 500, a very emotional and popular win. His teammate #15-Michael Waltrip finished 2nd, great celebration by Little E and Waltrip in the infield. #21-Elliott Sadler gets his 2nd career top five, finishing 3rd. #20-Tony Stewart was shown in 6th on NASCAR.com, but was black flagged for going below the yellow line and did not heed the flag, the replay seemed to indicate that Stewart was forced down, but NASCAR upheld the flag and dropped Stewart to 26th, the last car on the lead lap.
#24-Jeff Gordon still is the leader of the drivers points, but his lead over #88-Dale Jarrett is now 54 points. See That’s Racin’ for Pepsi 400 results by the AP or see NASCAR.com for the Unoffical Results. See That’s Racin’ for Winston Cup points (after Daytona) or NASCAR.com for Unofficial Drivers Standings. Also, see full stories at That’s Racin’: Earnhardt Jr. dominant in Pepsi 400 victory and at the DBNJ: No. 3 would be proud: Earnhardt Jr. wins Pepsi 400(7-7/8-2001) - Petty Ride a Success: The Kyle Petty Charity Across America had its most successful year in its seven-year existence, donating $500,000 to its selected charities including the Victory Junction Gang Camp, Starbright Foundation, the Winston Cup Racing Wives Auxiliary and various children’s hospitals. More than 18,000 people were present for the entrance of the 250 Charity Ride participants at Kyle and Pattie Petty’s farm on July 1.(That’s Racin’)(7-8-2001)
- Melling trying to help: The #92 Melling Racing Dodge, driven by Stacy Compton, will have a photo of missing U.S. Bureau of Prisons intern Chandra Ann Levy on its rear bumper in Saturday night’s race at Daytona. Levy has not been seen since April 30. Beneath her photo will be her name and a toll-free number: 1-800-C-R-I-M-E-T-V.(www.1800crimetv.com)(ESPN/AP) also see story at the AJC: Missing intern case: Everything but answers(7-5/7-2001)
- Safety Count: by NASCAR’s count, 23 drivers were wearing the HANS (Head and Neck Support) before the start of the race. In addition, 10 drivers were wearing a second device designed by Bobby Hutchens, general manager of Richard Childress Racing. So that means 10 drivers in the 43-car field declined to wear any kind of restraint system. NASCAR doesn’t require drivers to use anything, but more and more of them are open to trying new restraint systems since Dale Earnhardt’s death. Hutchen’s device differs from the U-shaped HANS in that it’s only a series of belts that hook into a drivers helmet and existing seat belt system. The HANS is an actual piece that goes on over the shoulders and hooks onto the helmet(That’s Racin’/AP). More info on my Safety Page(7-8-2001)
- Trickle News: Lontime Cup and BGN driver Dick Trickle finished 3rd today in the ReMax series race at Road America in WI, yep a road course(HotLaps)(7-8-2001)
- Racing Chassis Sites: Mike Laughlin, one of the sports premier chassis builders, has launched his first web site. See it at Laughlin Racing Products. Laughlin supply’s many of the chassis to Cup and BGN teams. Also Body Dynamics Racing Bodies is another that does the same and has a cool cam section that is even featured on NASCAR.com(7-8-2001)
(7-7-2001)
The five eligible fans are: Donald Arp, Orlando, FL; Elaine F. Beatt, Salemburg, NC; Aden B. Robinson, Hagerstown, MD; George Sisak, Dansville, NY; and Robert K. Smith, Ledyard, CT (DIS PR)(6-23-2001) see more info on my No Bull 5 page
UPDATE: Elaine Beatty of Salemburg, NC will be pulling for Bobby Labonte in Saturday night’s Pepsi 400. That’s because Beatty would win $1 million in Winston’s No Bull 5 contest if Labonte wins the race. Labonte and Jeff Gordon have each been eligible a record nine times for the bonus, but while Gordon has won it four times Labonte has yet to cash in. The driver also wins a $1 million bonus for winning the race. Donald Arp of Orlando is paired with Mark Martin. Arden Robinson of Hagerstown, Md., is paired with Jeff Burton – a three-time bonus winner. Kevin Harvick will be driving for Robert Smith of Ledyard, CT, and George Sisak from Dansville, NY, is paired with Tony Stewart.(That’s Racin’)(7-7-2001)
(7-6-2001)
UPDATE: UPS will unveil a special paint scheme on Friday, July 6, 2001 at 5:00pm/et. Doesn’t say where but probably at Daytona(UPS Site). The car is supposed to run in the Kansas race(6-29/7-5-2001)
UPDATE 2: Dale Jarrett will be on-hand this Friday outside Daytona International Speedway’s Daytona USA when UPS unveils a special paint scheme for the #88 UPS Ford Taurus. The car will run this paint scheme in the Kansas 400 September 30th but can be seen in person at Daytona USA this weekend (Friday and Saturday) or on-line after 5:00pm/et Friday at the UPS Site UPDATE 3: UPS tomorrow(Saturday) will unveil a special paint scheme for the #88 UPS Ford Taurus driven by Dale Jarrett in NASCAR’s Winston Cup Series – a “Race the Truck” design that reflects the flame-painted package delivery vehicle and continues the company’s popular ad campaign. The race car, painted brown with red, orange and yellow flames, the UPS shield and the words “We Want to Race the Truck, People Love the Truck,” will run in the inaugural Kansas 400 at the new Kansas Speedway on Sept. 30.(UPS Racing PR). See my Paint Scheme Gallery for images of the real car(7-6-2001)
UPDATE 4: Kirk Shelmerdine, a four-time champion crew chief with Dale Earnhardt and lately a part-time driver, moved one step closer to a Winston Cup ride last week when he tested one of Carter’s Fords at Greenville-Pickens. “If we get sponsorship, we might run him in a race,” Carter said.(Winston Salem Journal)(7-6-2001)
UPDATE: Dave Blaney has lost his sponsor for next season. Amoco announced this week that it will end its four-year relationship with Blaney and Bill Davis Racing at the end of the season. Siemens, which is an associate sponsor of the #93 Dodge, might have a more significant role with the team in 2002.(AJC)(7-6-2001)
UPDATE: Gordon said Tuesday that he has been offered the seat of Jim Smith’s #7 Ultra Motorsports Ford, and that he plans to have an answer for Smith by Wednesday. Gordon said the offer has been extended for the rest of the year, but nothing has been finalized. Gordon was unsure whether or not he’d be in the car at Daytona July 7. He’s slated to race Richard Childress’ #21 Chevy in the BGN event at Watkins Glen that same weekend, and wants to keep that option open, as well(NASCAR.com)(6-26-2001)
UPDATE 2: but ESPN2’s RPM 2Night reported on Tuesday’s show that Mike Wallace has been told he will be in the #7 Ford for the Pepsi 400 at Daytona(6-27-2001)
UPDATE 3: Mike Wallace said he has a contract to drive the Ultra Motorsports’ No. 7 Ford for the entire season and expects he will remain in the car the rest of year. Team owner Jim Smith put Ted Musgrave in the car at Pocono and Robby Gordon at the road course race at Sears Point.(That’s Racin’)(7-6-2001)
(7-5-2001)
UPDATE: just got this – Team Realtree Announcement, Press Conference on Thursday July 5, 2001at 2:00pm/et, Daytona International Speedway’s Benny Kahn Media Center(Champion Sports Group PR)(6-27/7-5-2001)
UPDATE 2: Dave Marcis, a 34-year veteran of the Winston Cup circuit, announced Thursday that he will retire after the 2002 Daytona 500. “I will do the Chicago race, Indy, Dover, Darlington, Atlanta [this season], and Daytona 500 next February will be my last race,” Marcis said hours before qualifying for the Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway. Marcis Auto Racing will continue with Richard Childress Racing helping ensure the survival of MAR(CNN/SI) AND Marcis Auto Racing will operate as an “affiliate” to Richard Childress Racing, and Marcis is looking for sponsorship and a young driver. And Marcis has one other venture he wanted to talk about: “I’ve bought a motel, a restaurant, and a bar in Rib Lake, Wis.,” Marcis said. “It’s a very nice place. It’s a 12-room motel on a lake. Anytime all of you want to get away, come up and have a beer and do a little fishing or hunting, come on up to Rib Lake, Wis.”(RacingOne) AND Realtree, his primary sponsor, will also continue its relationship with Marcis but not a primary sponsor of the team. Marcis also plans to keep doing testing for Childress and for the International Race of Champions series(That’s Racin’)(7-5-2001)
(7-4-2001)
Little E – No Interviews:Dale Earnhardt Jr. has decided not to grant interview requests in the days leading up the season’s second visit to the 2.5-mile track where his father, Dale Earnhardt, was killed on Feb. 18. “This may sound strange or hard to believe, but I’m looking forward to racing at Daytona,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “It’s the greatest track we race at for all of its history and the fact it was really the first superspeedway of its kind. You just know it’s special every time you get on the track. Restrictor plate racing is my favorite because you are always two- and three-wide, and the driver can really make a difference. As for anything else, I really don’t have any comments right now. I don’t know how I will feel when I go through that tunnel or how I will feel when I pull onto the track. I will just to wait and see.(Gaston Gazette)(7-4-2001)
(7-3-2001)
UPDATE: It has been learned that Eel River Racing may be parting ways with its driver, Kenny Wallace. The team has struggled financially and on the race track this year. Wallace has missed four races this year, most noteably the last three. The team began the season sponsorless until Duke’s Mayonnaise came forward in May to back them for the rest of 2001. A team spokesperson said they are “trying to regroup and looking at all aspects of the team.” If and when a driver change decision is made, it would be “sooner than later.”(NASCAR.com Buzz)(6-26-2001)
UPDATE 2: hearing the #27 ERR team will be getting engine help from DEI in the upcoming races, just watched RPM 2Night from Tuesday night, it is mentioned their that the #27 will use an DEI engine at Daytona and another twist, Robby Gordon is being considered as the driver
AND Kenny Wallace has secured his release from ERR and an announcement is expected Thursday(PRN’s Garage Pass)(6-27-2001)
UPDATE 3: Barely a month after his very public campaign helped his race team land a sponsor, Kenny Wallace said Wednesday he’s out as driver of the #27 Pontiacs owned by Eel River Racing. “This is a move that I thought needed to be made so that I can move on,” Wallace said. The team has failed to qualify for the past three Winston Cup races. After missing the race at Pocono two weeks ago, Wallace said he felt the team began to question his ability. “A lot of thought went into this,” said Wallace, who as of Wednesday was still working to get released from his contract with the team. Mike Bliss, who drove for the team owned by Jack Birmingham in 24 races last season, is the apparent replacement for Wallace in the #27 car. Bliss would be the sixth driver in 58 races for Eel River. Calls made to Eel River Racing were not returned on Wednesday. Wallace said he plans to drive the #48 cars owned by George deBidart in the Grand National series for the rest of this year. He plans to enter his own Winston Cup car in a race at Loudon, N.H., on Sept. 16 and seek a full-time Cup ride for the 2002 season. Wallace left Andy Petree Racing after the 2000 season to join Eel River Racing. The team had no sponsor, however, and Wallace confirmed Wednesday that he tried to get a release from Eel River so he could drive the #01 Dodges now being driven by rookie Jason Leffler. Wallace also talked with car owner Larry McClure about taking over the #4 Chevrolets when Robby Gordon was let go after five races this season. Wallace then auditioned for a position on the NBC-TNT announcer team in May when it appeared that Eel River Racing was about to close its doors. On the same day that Wallace had the TV audition, however, the team announced a deal with the C.F. Sauer Co. to have the company’s colors on the #27 for 15 races, giving the team a reprieve.(That’s Racin’)
AND Kenny was on ESPN2’s RPM 2Night and he and the ERR team have parted ways. Wallace will run a Cup car with his BGN team owner George deBidart in the September New Hampshire race(6-28-2001)
UPDATE 4 – Interview: See an interview with Kenny by NASCAR.com’s Marty Smith at: Wallace speaks out on departure from Eel River(6-29-2001)
UPDATE 5: On Monday, the Eel River Racingn team officially announced Mike Bliss will be returning as the driver of its #27 Pontiac. After testing in Kentucky on Monday and Tuesday, he will report for duty beginning with the Pepsi 400 at Daytona this weekend.(NASCAR.com)(7-3-2001)
(7-2-2001)
UPDATE: During the FX broadcast of Sunday’s GNC Live Well 250 NASCAR Grand National series race from The Milwaukee Mile, McReynolds said he will take a consulting job with Petty Enterprises beginning next week. He will work primarily with driver Buckshot Jones in the #44 Dodges(That’s Racin’)(7-2-2001)
(7-1-2001)
- Night Races in June? Ed Goren, president and executive producer of Fox Sports, said that 24 hours after the final NASCAR telecast on Fox June 24, “we gathered all of the production people in a meeting to review the season and talk about possible changes in 2002. You won’t see us resting on our laurels.” One possible alteration, he said, is an increase in the number of primetime NASCAR telecasts to drive the ratings ever higher, particularly in June, when the May sweeps have wrapped up and the Fox Network is filling its schedule mostly with reruns.(Yahoo Daily News/Reuters/Variety), this years June races were: Dover, Michigan, Pocono and Sears Point, only Dover has been rumored to be looking into installing lights(7-1-2001)
- Nice Story: When Tony Stewart found out Nicole Childs was waiting to see him at Michigan International Speedway, he immediately stopped taping a radio commercial and went to visit her. Childs was at the racetrack in Brooklyn to get her wish of meeting the NASCAR star. The 18-year-old from Midland County’s Sanford has a rare form of ovarian cancer. But Childs got more than she ever dreamed of that day, which was made possible by True Value and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. What was expected to be a 15-minute meeting between the two turned into a thrilling weekend. Childs met other NASCAR drivers, rode along with Stewart in the Winston Cup pace car, watched the IROC and Winston Cup races from the pits and hung out with Stewart, who also offered to fly her in his private plane to any other race. Childs was impressed because the weekend didn’t focus on her illness, but instead on racing and everyday talk, including fishing and an upcoming wedding in Stewart’s family. She said Stewart, 30, only asked about her illness once. “He asked me where I’m getting treatment and if I like my doctor. If not, he said, he’d get me a new one,” Childs told the Midland Daily News on Tuesday. Stewart also invited Childs to attend the Sunday Winston Cup drivers’ meeting with him, where she and her family were introduced. Many of the drivers, she said, talked with her and gave her autographs(Times Dispatch/AP). Note: this is just one of many stories about how NASCAR drivers go out of their way to help out(7-1-2001)
- Hammond to Roush? It looks like Jeff Hammond may be close to finalizing some of his plans away from Fox in the second half of the season. At the Milwaukee Mile, Jeff said, “One of the biggest things I’ve got going right now is that I’m trying to put the finishing touches on an agreement to do some product representation for Roush. Jack has come and asked me and said, ‘Hey, I’ve got a lot of technology that I think a lot of racers don’t realize that they can get.’ Maybe they’re not comfortable talking to Jack, or maybe they’re not comfortable talking to who is there at this point in time. He’s given me an opportunity to represent him in that capacity and let people know that, hey, I can be a lead guy and I’m willing to answer questions, and can interact with their team, and it doesn’t conflict with what he’s got going on with his race teams. He feels very comfortable about that, so I’m looking forward to trying to get all of that finalized and put in place where I can do that for him, so I can stay involved. With that opportunity I get a chance to see what’s going on with the latest technology, understanding where teams are still having problems and issues. It keeps me in touch without having to be committed day in and day out like being a crew chief or accepting a full-time role with a team.” Jeff also stated that he has talked to some Busch and Truck teams about serving as a consultant.(MotorsportsTV)(7-1-2001)