June 2000 News Archives

(6-30-2000)
New #32 Crew Chief: Brad Parrott, brother of the #88 crew chief Todd and son of Roush Team Mgr and crew chief legend Buddy Parrott, will take over the crew chief position of the #32 PPI Motorsports Tide Ford ride of Scott Pruett, effective as of Monday, July 3rd. Brad was working with his brother on the #88(RPM 2Night)(6-30-2000)
Benson to run white car UPDATE 3 Lycos GONE: #10 Johnny Benson will run the same Tyler Jet Motorsports Pontiac and scheme at Daytona in the Pepsi 400 that he ran at the Daytona 500. The regular scheme is currently black and blue with red and white number 10’s. Plus running the white car will make it easier on Benson’s spotters to see the car at night(TJM PR)(6-28-2000)
UPDATE: actually hearing the reason the car will be white is that the Lycos decals may be off the car as of Friday and have heard the the Tyler Jet Motorsports team has not been paid by Lycos at all in 2000 for the sponsorship(6-29-2000)
UPDATE 2: Tyler Jet Motorsports, which has had Johnny Benson ‘s car sponsored by Lycos.com all season, will be unsponsored this weekend. The team is planning to remove the company’s decals from the car today because the company has not met payment requirements(Roanoke Times) and other sources
UPDATE 3: Tyler Jet Motorsports team of Johnny Benson ceremonially removed the Lycos decals from its No. 10 car at precisely 5:30pm. Friday, ending a half-season partnership which did not work out as the team had hoped. Team members had indicated they were under legal restraint in saying what went wrong, but implied that the trouble had something to do with money(SpeedVision)(6-30-2000)
#6 Sponsor Announcement? UPDATE – IT’s OFFICIAL: hearing that Pfizer may in the running for sponsorship of the #6 Ford(5-28-2000)
UPDATE: While there are talks about extending the Valvoline deal, another possibility is that Pfizer’s sponsorship could wind up on that (#6)car(That’s Racin’)(5-29-2000)
UPDATE: The Valvoline Company has announced that at the conclusion of the 2000 season it will no longer be the major sponsor of the Roush Racing Ford driven by Mark Martin(6-1-2000)
UPDATE: billed as “The Biggest Winston Cup Announcement for 2001”, Mark Martin/Roush Racing, Friday, June 30 at Daytona International Speedway. Viagra?
UPDATE: A big-dollar sponsorship deal between pharmaceutical company Pfizer and Mark Martin’s race team will be announced at a news conference in Daytona on Friday. Martin’s No. 6 Fords will be sponsored by Pfizer and its Viagra product beginning next season in a deal that’s rumored to be in the range of $15 million a season(That’s Racin’)(a combo of past news and current news)(6-28-2000)
UPDATE: Roush Racing announced today that Pfizer Inc will be the new primary sponsor for Mark Martin and the #6 Roush Racing Ford Taurus beginning in 2001. Through the new sponsorship by Pfizer’s product Viagra(R) (sildenafil citrate), Martin will have a platform to promote men’s health issues and raise awareness of men’s health concerns. Check out the full story and an image of the car at the Roush Racing Site or see a larger image Keystone Marketing sent out on my Paint Schemes Page(6-30-2000)
an old rumor: hearing that Wally Dallenbach and Cup Owner/hunting partner Richard Childress are talking about a possible third RCR team (in addition to the #3 and #31 team) for Dallenbach to run in 2001….but this rumor has came up before the last few seasons….(6-30-2000)
Irvan’s Trophies were replaced UPDATE 2: meant that Sears Point replaced the trophies for Ernie Irvan’s wins there(6-28-2000)
UPDATE: NASCAR and the race tracks cooperated in reproducing the 15 race victory trophies Ernie Irvan lost in a house fire in March. The new, full-size copies were presented to Irvan in a small ceremony Thursday at Daytona(SpeedVision)(6-29-2000)
UPDATE 2: in part from NOL – Ernie Irvan was brought to tears Thursday when a group including representatives from NASCAR, the two race teams that he scored his 15 NASCAR Winston Cup race victories for and UPS, the “Official Delivery Service of NASCAR,” presented him with exact replicas of his winning trophies and 24-inch x 30-inch matted color photographs depicting each race. See full story at: Irvan receives trophy replicas at Daytona by Dave Rodman. Other stories at That’s Racin’/AP: NASCAR, tracks restore Irvan’s burned trophies by Eddie Pells. See two images of the presentation at my Ernie Irvan page(6-30-2000)
Gordon skips round 1 UPDATE: #13-Robby Gordon didn’t make a first round attempt at Daytona for the Pepsi 400, as he was very slow and the team is regrouping for a 2nd round run at 6:30pm/et on Friday. Gordon also said he was waiting on a gearbox(transmission?) to arrive. Heard that Gordon was unhappy with the Yates engines he got for qualifying, voiced his opinion, so Yates pulled ther motor, if so, that could be the reason no attempt was made, no motor
UPDATE: Gordon has made a deal with Penske Racing’s Larry Wallace and installed a Penske engine in preparation for the second (and final) round on Friday(SpeedVision)(6-30-2000)
Nadeau to stay at Hendrick UPDATE: Michael Holigan, whose Web site MichaelHoligan.com sponsors Nadeau’s #25 Chevrolets, is considering moving from Winston Cup sponsor to team owner and the move has prompted questions about Nadeau’s future. If Holigan buys into a team or starts his own, he would like to keep Nadeau as driver, sources told ThatsRacin.com Thursday. Nadeau’s contract, however, is with Hendrick Motorsports, where he said he is very comfortable(That’s Racin’)
UPDATE: but Holigan has never talked to Nadeau about becoming his driver IF he decides to buy, own or start a Cup team(6-30-2000)
Bickle to run at Indy UPDATE: The #61 BGN team owned by Steve Coulter plans to make their Winston Cup debut at the Brickyard 400 with Rich Bickle as the driver(Winston Cup Scene Mag)(6-3-2000)
UPDATE: hearing that Rich Bickle tested at Indy on Monday and Tuesday of this week driving a brand new #61 Chevy Monte Carlo for the Xpress Motorsports team. Bickle’s best lap around the Brickyard was 177mph(6-30-2000)
Gordon off until Brickyard and an IRL rumor squashed: After competing in Saturday night’s Pepsi 400 at Daytona, Robby Gordon’s #13 Ford team will race until the Brickyard 400 at Indy. Gordon’s team will use the time to work on their cars and prepare for the second half of the season(That’s Racin’)(6-29-2000)
UPDATE – IRL? There are rumors going around the Indy Racing League that Robby Gordon will replace Greg Ray in Team Menard’s cars later this season. Gordon, a part-time Winston Cup driver, denies it. “I’ve heard this too, and I’ll say right here that I will not be driving in the IRL this season,” Gordon said. “I can’t really speak to what John(Menard) is doing with Team Menard and Greg Ray, but I can tell you that my focus is on the Winston Cup team here(Total Sports)(6-30-2000)
#14 and Childress: A.J. Foyt Racing and driver Rick Mast will be using engines provided by Richard Childress Racing this weekend at Daytona and next weekend at New Hampshire, but will return to using Pro Motors at the July Pocono race(That’s Racin’)(6-30-2000)
#75 and AOL UPDATE 2: Turner Broadcasting System, Inc./Galaxy Motorsports #75 Ford’s paint scheme and design will heavily feature AOL during the Jiffy Lube 300 in New Hampshire and during the Pennsylvania 500. TBS Superstation’s Dinner & A Movie and AOL will co-sponsor the Sept. 24 MBNA Gold 500 in Delaware. Though a first-time sponsor of a Winston Cup entry, America Online is no stranger to the NASCAR circuit. AOL has sponsored Damon Lusk on NASCAR’s Southwest Series and currently sponsors ARCA series driver Andy Belmont of the America Online Racing Team(Yahoo Biz)(6-22-2000)
UPDATE: Actually the #79 TRIX Racing Chevy was entered last year at New Hampshire and Dover(fall races) with AOL as the sponsor with Andy Belmont racing but failed to make the races(6-23-2000)
UPDATE 2: A new marketing partner will join Galaxy Motorsports when America Online graces the hood of Wally Dallenbach’s #75 Ford in three upcoming races, beginning at New Hampshire. America Online will also be the primary sponsor on Dallenbach’s car — and the presenting sponsor of the race — for the July 23 Pennsylvania 500 Presented by America Online at Pocono. In addition, America Online will share primary sponsorship on owner Darwin Oordt’s Ford with the Cartoon Network for the Sept. 24 MBNA Gold 400 at Dover. The America Online Ford will sport a navy blue-and-yellow paint scheme. Galaxy Motorsports employs a rotating sponsorship on its fleet of Fords. TBS Superstation Dinner & A Movie, with associate sponsorship from Pepcid AC and Imodium AD, is the primary sponsor for 11 races this season. Turner Broadcasting System’s Cartoon Network and World Championship Wrestling are the primary sponsors for seven races. Rotozip Power Tools is the major sponsor for seven races and RedCell Batteries is the primary for six events this year(Hoagland Communications)(6-30-2000)
Exide and Burton Honors: To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Korean War, The #99 Exide Bateries Ford, driven by Jeff Burton, will display the United States of America Korean War Commemorative Insignia during the upcoming New England 300 at New Hampshire. For the entire July 7-9 weekend in Loudon, NH, the 50th anniversary insignia will be positioned on the hood of the #99 Ford. The 50th anniversary commemorative period began Sunday, June 25 – the day the war broke out in 1950. It will last until Veterans Day, 2003. Over 1.7 million Americans served in the war, which lasted more than three years. Nearly 37,000 gave their lives for America and the cause of freedom in Korea. Over 8,100 Americans remain unaccounted for (unrecovered or unidentified). General information about the 50th Anniversary of the Korean War Commemoration may be found at the official Commemoration web site – korea50.army.mil.(Exide PR)(6-30-2000)

(6-29-2000)
MB2, TylerJet and Valvoline? UPDATE 2: hearing that Valvoline is buying into the MB2 #36 M&M’s team, who is then buying into or buying Tyler Jet Motorsports #10 team. Supposedly Valvoline will be an equity partner in both teams, with Johnny Benson driving the Valvoline sponsored car. Hearing the deal will be done by July 1st and annouced later in the summer. Also hearing #36 driver, Ken Schrader will remain as the driver of the M&M’s #36 Pontiac and Benson will stay on with the #10 with Valvoline as the sponsor(6-26-2000)
UPDATE: As early as today, MB2 Motorsports will purchase Tyler Jet Motorsports, which owns the race team of Winston Cup driver Johnny Benson. MB2 Motorports, owned by Georgia residents Read Morton, Nelson Bowers and Tom Beard, already owns the #36 M&M’s Pontiac driven by Ken Schrader. The team owners have expressed interest repeatedly in recent months about expanding to a multi-car operation. The trio, traveling from Sears Point Raceway to Atlanta on Monday, was unavailable for comment. The proposed deal includes a contract extension of two to three years with Benson. MB2 Motorsports also reportedly was involved in discussions with Valvoline about becoming the future primary sponsor for Benson’s car. Valvoline is ending its longtime sponsorship with Mark Martin, who has signed a deal with Pfizer/Viagra worth a reported $60 million for five years. It was not known late Monday whether Benson would run under the ownership of MB2 or Tyler Jet in Saturday night’s Pepsi 400 at Daytona(Atlanta Journal Constitution)(6-28-2000)
UPDATE 2: hearing that this deal will not be completed this weekend and is still at least a few weeks off IF it happens(6-29-2000)
Sad News: R. Ted Brant, the president of Brant Motorsports Inc., a West Virginia company building a $300 million indoor racetrack near Pittsburgh, died Wednesday of a heart attack. He was 53. Brant Motorsports expects to begin construction on the racetrack in Findlay Township, Pa., this year. Racing is expected to begin in 2002. Brother Bob Brant will now assume the post of president and the project will move forward. Brant Motorsports also co-owns the Busch Series #21 team (with Richard Childress, owner of the #3 and #31 Cup teams and the #2 BGN team)(AP/WRAL)(6-29-2000)
Bud Announcement UPDATE: Budweiser will make an announcement regarding the 2000 season with Budweiser Racing drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kenny Bernstein on Thursday, June 29th at Daytona International Speedway. This will probably be the Olympic Paint Schemes to be run later in the summer (Bristol?). See the #8 Bud/Olympic Chevy on the Paint Schemes page(6-27-2000)
UPDATE: Budweiser drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kenny Bernstein are giving race fans five million new reasons to pull for them this summer during the “Budweiser Race for the Gold” promotion. Officials from Budweiser unveiled the program at a press conference Thursday featuring both drivers. If Earnhardt Jr. wins the NASCAR Winston Cup goracing.com 500 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway on August 26, and Bernstein wins the NHRA U.S. Nationals Top Fuel event in Indianapolis on September 4, Budweiser will award $5 million to be shared among a consumer ($2.25 million), the United States Olympic Committee ($2.25 million) and the drivers ($250,000 each). In the two “Budweiser Race for the Gold” events, Earnhardt Jr. and Bernstein will race cars with special U.S. Olympic Team paint schemes. For more info on the contest, see my Racing Contest page, to see images of the #8 Budweiser/Olympics Chevy see my Paint Schemes Gallery(fingerprint.inc/Budweiser PR)(6-29-2000)
Lawsuit?? UPDATE: hearing that litigation will be in the headlines soon with tracks like Kentucky Speedway and Gateway International Raceway may be prepared to file a lawsuit against NASCAR & International Speedway Corporation(ISC) for anti-trust violations. Their reason is the tracks feel they are being shut out of getting any Winston Cup dates in the near future(Pit Reporters from PRN)
UPDATE: from the Kentucky Speedway – In reference to the comments on the Jayski internet site under News/Rumors on 6/29/00, Kentucky Speedway is comfortable with our position with NASCAR. We trust we are doing the right things to build on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race, The Kroger 225, and to acquire a Busch race in 2001. We have had absolutely no discussions about any lawsuits(Kentucky Speedway PR)(6-29-2000)
Liquid Cooled Brakes? Wire Harness? UPDATE 3: hearing the #32 Tide Ford driven by Scott Pruett had some sort of brake system cooled by the radiator(and the engine cooling system) at Sears Point. Also hearing the car had a different type of wiring harness that NASCAR didn’t say was illegal but told the team not to show up at Daytona with it
UPDATE: NASCAR officials announced Tuesday they have penalized #32 Cup crew chief Joe Garone for an illegal liquid brake cooling device discovered in post-race inspection at Sears Point. Garone, crew chief of the #32 PPI Motorsports/Tide Ford, was fined $50,000. In addition to the fine, driver Scott Pruett will suffer a loss of 50 driver points and a reduction of 50 owner points also has been levied against car owner Cal Wells. Garone was penalized under Section 12-4-Q in the 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series rule book: “Any determination by NASCAR Officials that parts and/or equipment used in the Event do not conform… or have not been approved by NASCAR…”(NASCAR PR) The loss of owners points drops the team one spot behind the #27 Eel River Racing team in the provisionals, could be costly if the team doesn’t qualify well in the next few weeks. The Provisional/Owners Points page and the Drivers Point Page have been updated to reflect the point deduction(6-27-2000)
UPDATE 2: When contacted for comment, Garone indicated that the pieces found were a pump and vacuum line which had been disconnected but not removed from the car following tests at Carolina Motorsports Park near Kershaw, S.C.(SpeedVision)(6-28-2000)
UPDATE 3: The following comments were issued Wednesday by PPI Motorsports team owner Cal Wells III regarding the NASCAR-assessed penalty against crew chief Joe Garone and the team: “What NASCAR has termed as ‘an illegal liquid brake cooling device’ was an inoperable pump and tubing, which were remnants of a removed brake mist cooling system that was used in the car during a Monday, June 19 test at Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw, S.C. We used a brake mist cooling system during that test to preserve the brakes while we conducted a final round of aero mapping and gear testing on our sole road course Cup car. The key components of the system, including its activation elements, were removed from the car before it was transported to Sears Point. The pump and tubing, which were not connected to each other or to the brakes and thus completely disabled, were left in the car due to the tight turnaround after the Pocono rain delay. Leaving those two elements in the car, however inoperable, was our oversight. We regret the error.”(PPI Motorsports PR)(6-29-2000)
#13 News – Rocky and Bullwinkle? UPDATE 3 Image: hearing Robby Gordon will run a Rocky and Bullwinkle scheme sometime this summer, probably to promote the new movie coming out soon(6-17-2000)
UPDATE: I hear the #13 Ford is at the Wind Tunnel in Langley, VA today. Looks like the Rocky and Bullwinkle scheme will be run this week at Daytona, since the movie premieres this week
UPDATE 2: Universal Studios Consumer Products Group (USCPG) and Rocky and Bullwinkle join NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver/owner Robby Gordon at the 2000 Pepsi 400 race at Daytona. Gordon¹s Ford turtle Wax/Duracell Taurus #13 car will feature Rocky and Bullwinkle along with the villainous Boris and Natasha in a special themed paint scheme to coincide with the Universal Pictures June 30 theatrical release of The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle(Team Gordo PR)(6-27-2000)
UPDATE 3: added an image from the Team Gordon site to the Paint Scheme Gallery(6-29-2000)

(6-28-2000)
Earnhardt Fan Retires from Navy: Arnold Bush, Electronics Technician First Class, United States Navy is retiring after 20 years of service in the United States Navy. Mr. Bush will be presented with a US Flag signifying the end of his Naval career. Typically, retirement flags are flown at a location of the retiree’s choice such as the Capitol Building or the White House, but Mr. Bush has requested his retirement flag be flown from the top of the GM Goodwrench Service Plus transporter at Daytona International Speedway. This weekend Mr. Bush’s request will be honored during the Independence Day celebration as his retirement flag will wave proudly atop the RCR teams transporter in the garage area of Daytona International Speedway(PR)(6-28-2000)
UPS and Yates: but…..RPM 2Night reports that UPS will begin serving as an associate sponsor on the #28 Texaco Ford driven by Ricky Rudd. The sponsorship begins as of Thursday night qualifying at Daytona for the Pepsi 400. Speculation is that UPS will become the #88 team primary sponsor in 2001 on the Yates Fords driven by Dale Jarrett(yes I know old news on the #88)(6-28-2000)
Roush/Little split after 2000 season: John Deere announced today that it supports the decision by Roush Racing and Chad Little to not extend Little’s contract beyond the conclusion of the 2000 Winston Cup season. The company said it would begin immediately working with Roush Racing to identify a new driver for the John Deere team. John Deere said it remains committed to NASCAR sponsorship and appreciates the tremendous support John Deere Motorsports has received from NASCAR fans. The company said Chad Little has been a strong ambassador for John Deere and for NASCAR racing. John Deere wishes Chad Little well as he finishes the season in the No. 97 John Deere Ford as well as in his racing future(John Deere Site) AND Roush Racing and Chad Little announced they have mutually decided against extending their contract beyond the end of the 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season. However, Little will continue to drive the #97 John Deere Ford for the remainder of the season. Roush Racing intends to continue to operate the #97 Ford team in 2001 and beyond, and expects that John Deere will continue to sponsor the team(NOL)(6-28-2000)
Engine Changes? NASCAR is considering changing the engine specs in the BGN and Truck(CTS) series to match the compression ratio of Cup, which would be an increase from 9.5:1 to 12:1. Also BGN may get a carburetor change to something cloer to the Cup series. The increase in horsepower would be approx 100. Reason given is that it would help drivers make the transition from the BGN/CTS series easier. The Chevy’s, under the new proposed rule, would also sue the SB2 cylinder head that the Cup teams have used since 1998. This is still in the consider stage and has not been announced but an official announcement is expected soon(SpeedVision Inside Winston Cup and Winston Cup Scene)(6-28-2000)
Wallace/Waltrip/Smith: from a teleconference transcript (in part) via the Williams Co: Ultra Mattei Motorsports(UMM) owner Jim Smith – “We’ve always talked about bringing Mike Wallace up to the Cup tour, and we’ll probably run Mike Wallace in three or four Winston Cup races this year. However, our main goal is Mike Waltrip, obviously. The engine thing, we’ve been working on several different issues with it and we were very happy last weekend. I’d like him (Michael Waltrip) to stay. Right now he’s evaluating me and I’m evaluating him. I’m certainly in favor of staying together through 2001. Hopefully, I’d like to make that formal announcement here by the end of July. If the proper sponsorship came along, there’s no question I’d love to put Mike Wallace in a Winston Cup car and run a two-car team(Williams Company)(6-28-2000)
Petty Crew Chief/BGN Team News UPDATE 2: a story in this weeks Winston Cup Scene reports that one of the people Kyle Petty has talked with to replace former crew chief Bobby Leslie was his former crew chief Bobby Kennedy. Kennedy is presently with the #7 Ultra Mattei Motorsports team and driver Michael Waltrip. Kennedy says no decision has been made concerning his talk with Petty. Also as for the Petty #45 BGN team, they will skip Watkins Glen and probably Pikes Peak, but would compete in the remaining races with Kyle as the driver. Plans are unknown past the 2000 season, but Petty thinks they need four teams, the two Cup teams for Petty and Andretti, the CTS team with Steve Grissom and the BGN team, but if the BGN team stays in that series or moves to the Cup or CTS series remains to be seen at this point(6-23-2000)
UPDATE: Next week, Petty will drive his Cup car at Daytona on Saturday. The BGN races at Milwaukee on Sunday. Petty will have someone qualify for him, then race at Milwaukee. The only other problem in the schedule comes July 23 when the Cup series races in Pocono and the BGN series is at Pikes Peak, CO, the day before. After that, the two series race in the same cities(Roanoke Times). NOTE: Petty says in the WC Scene that the team would possibly skip Pikes Peak(6-24-2000)
UPDATE 2: ASA driver Scott Hansen will attempt to qualify #45 Sprint Pontiac for Kyle Petty at Milwaukee this weekend. Petty plans to fly to Milwaukee after Saturday night’s Cup race at Daytona to drive for his son’s team on Sunday. Petty will also run the rest of the season in the #45 BGN car, except Pikes Peak(RPM 2Night/Roanoke Times) Also Doug Hewitt will crew chief Petty’s Cup car at Daytona, Hewitt is the interim crew chief since Bobby Leslie left the team a few weeks ago(RPM 2Night)(6-28-2000)
Leader Bonus: The Winston Cup leader bonus began in 1996 and has never been higher than it will be this weekend. The bonus goes to a driver who wins a race and is the points leader at the end of that race. It begins at $10,000 and rolls over each week it isn’t won. Dale Jarrett won it by winning the Daytona 500 to start the season, of course, but it hasn’t been won since and stands at $160,000. That ties the record set back in 1996. Jeff Gordon won an additional $160,000 when he won at Talladega in July of that year(That’s Racin’)(6-28-2000)
Wood Bros/Roush Alliance starts: The Wood Brothers recently announced an expanded program with Roush Racing. The program includes the supply of motors, chassis and bodies to the team during the 2000 season. The official debut of this newly formed alliance takes place this weekend at Daytona International Speedway. The Wood Brothers have retained sole ownership of the No. 21 CITGO Ford(Cox Marketing)(6-28-2000)
Green Beats Compton: NASCAR Busch Series points leader Jeff Green took Winston Cup rookie Stacy Compton to school during the best two-out-of-three grudge match in Winston Cup-style convertibles on the frontstretch quarter-mile oval during round three of the 10-week Wendy’s Summer Shootout Tuesday night at Lowe’s Motor Speedway(LMS PR)(6-28-2000)
#77 at Daytona: Fit America, the all-natural weight loss program and sponsor of the #77 Jasper Engines and Transmissions Ford driven by Robert Pressley, will have a greater logo presence at this week’s Pepsi 400 at Daytona. The Fit America logo will be prominently displayed on the hood of the racecar(Business Wire)(6-28-2000)

(6-27-2000)
Chevy Fender Rumor? Speedway Illustrated has been shown a small, reputedly legal (fits the templates) change to the contour of a fender on the Winston Cup Monte Carlo that will move the airstream away from the rear spoiler at racing speeds. This substantially reduces drag and increases the available horsepower to make the car faster. Speedway Illustrated is are told at least two teams will have the new contour at Daytona for this weekend’s night race and that if this contour works as expected you will see two Monte Carlos at the head of the pack(Speedway Illustrated)(6-27-2000)
Montoya in Indy? UPDATE No: Sources in the Michigan garage have told Speedway Scene that the winner of this year’s Indy 500 may try his hand in the Brickyard 400 this August. The reports, from unconfirmed sources, tell Speedway Scene that Juan Montoya will likely be in a SABCO / Ganassi stock car when NASCAR invades the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway(Speedway Scene)(6-12-2000)
UPDATE: The Ganassi Team put this rumor to bed. Montoya will not run the Brickyard 400, nor will the team run any other series besides CART(Autoracing1)(6-27-2000)
Pepsi ‘Girl’ to wave green flag: Hallie Eisenberg, the 7-year-old known for her starring role in the unusual Pepsi-Cola commercials, will wave the green flag to start the Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 1. In addition to serving as the honorary starter, Hallie will assist Pepsi-Cola in giving away a car to a lucky fan prior to the race. The Pepsi-Cola campaign, featuring Hallie, has included the voices of celebrities Joe Pesci, Aretha Franklin, Issac Hayes and Marlon Brando and appearances by Kiss, Faith Hill and baseball star Ken Griffey Jr. In recognition of her outstanding commercial work, Hallie recently received the Young Artist Special Achievement Award for most outstanding young performer in television advertising. Giving the command to start engines will be presidential candidate and Texas Governor George W. Bush. A ticket to the Pepsi 400 also provides admission to the pre-race Trisha Yearwood concert on the Daytona Superstretch beginning at 6 p.m. Tickets for the NASCAR race are still available(www.daytonaintlspeedway.com)(6-27-2000)
Burton wins 2nd Quarter: Jeff Burton, whose dedication and commitment to Duke Children’s Hospital and Health Center, is the second-quarter nominee for the NASCAR True Value Man of the Year Award. True Value, the Official Hardware Store of NASCAR, is once again sponsoring the NASCAR True Value Man of the Year. The award is designed to honor a driver not only for their accomplishments on the track but for their community service contributions and charitable efforts. Ward Burton, driver of the No. 22 Caterpillar Pontiac and Jeff’s older brother, was the first-quarter nominee. Burton pledged to help raise a minimum of $1 million to assist in the completion of the McGovern-Davison Children’s Health Care Center, a $30.5 million outpatient facility, designed exclusively for children. This center will feature a racing-themed interactive learning display on the second floor. On May 13, 2000, in honor of Burton’s involvement in the project, Duke named the display the “Jeff Burton Racing Zone.”(NASCAR PR and NOL)(6-27-2000)
Rans Fans Get $$ UPDATE: Race fans who bought souvenirs at New Hampshire International Speedway, and other tracks may get some of their money back from the settlement of a federal lawsuit. The class-action lawsuit filed and settled earlier this month in Georgia accused nearly two dozen companies of conspiring to fix prices on merchandise sold at tracks between Jan. 1, 1991 and Dec. 31, 1999. Under the $11.4 million settlement, vendors agreed to pay $5.7 million in cash and $5.7 million in coupons to compensate customers. They admitted no wrongdoing and said they didn’t conspire to overcharge customers at Winston Cup events(PitNow)(6-24-2000)
UPDATE: see additional story at Speed Magazine: International Speedway Corp. to settle for price-fixing souvenirs which shows some companies/vendorsa and what they are doing. AND a site that Explains the situation: In re Motorsports Merchandise Antitrust Litigation, with a claim form, Q&A. Note: NASCAR is not a party to this litigation and is not paying for any part of the settlement(6-27-2000)
Dodge Back Testing: hearing that the Dodge Evernham team is back at Greenville Pickens Speedway today testing(6-27-2000)

(6-26-2000)
STP Colors one more time: John Andretti will run the STP colors one last time on the #43 Petty Pontiac at the season finale at Atlanta(RPM 2Night/ESPN2)(6-26-2000)
John Andretti’s Brother UPDATE: been getting a few questions about John Andretti’s brother Adam, who John mentioned during an interview at Sears Point on Sunday. Not sure yet what series Adam races in but he was an instructor with the Richard Petty Racing Experience and ran some Karting races in 1999 and is a graduate of the Skip Barber school.
UPDATE: RPM 2Night reported it was a Formula 3 race outside of Tulsa, OK. More info, Andretti won the inaugural United States Formula 3 race at the Hallett Motor Racing Circuit on Saturday in Hallett, OK, near Tulsa(Tulsaworld) and a story at SpeedVision(6-26-2000)
Wind Tunnel: hearing the #1 and #8 DEI Daytona Chevy’s are at the Wind Tunnel in Langley, VA for testing and tweaking(6-26-2000)
Winners Circle: #24-Jeff Gordon and the DuPont team was in jeopardy of not being on the Winners Circle award program in 2001, but with two victories this year with so many different winners should be enough for the team to be assured of being in the Winners Circle next season as he went from being 11th in the program to 2nd with the additional win. Wins are the #1 criteria in the program, then owners points. With Gordon’s move up in the 10 on the program, the #2 Rusty Wallace team falls out into 11th. For more info see my Winner Circle explantion and standings page(6-26-2000)
Irvan looking to own: Ernie Irvan served as the grand marshal for the race. Irvan retired last fall after being injured in a crash at Michigan. He says he has no plans to return to racing as a driver but is looking at doing everything he can to put a team together, but not me as a driver. Irvan leased his team, equipment, shop and personnel to Robby Gordon this year. Gordon has an option to continue the lease through next season(Roanoke Times)(6-26-2000)
Rusty’s Engine: On Saturday afternoon, officials invited every engine builder in the garage area to a public teardown of Wallace’s qualifying engine. Among the extremely interested parties were Jack Roush, Doug Yates, Larry McClure and anyone else who might be interested in the secrets to Wallace’s power(Gaston Gazette) AND NASCAR Officials have been getting complaints from car owners that Rusty Wallace might have some trick parts in his engines, as strong as he’s been running lately. So after he won the pole, NASCAR inspectors took his engine completely apart, right down the crankshaft, and laid the parts out for everyone to see. NASCAR is considering some new engine rules concerning some of those parts, according to two Winston Cup team owners. Yates called NASCAR’s inspection embarrassing(PitNow)(6-26-2000)
Kranefuss OK: #12 Mobil One Cup owner Michael Kranefuss’ son Philip is fine after surviving a spectacular crash in an ASA race Saturday night in Odessa, MO. Philip Kranefuss, 25, was running fifth at I-70 Speedway when he was hit from behind and began a series of barrel rolls down the backstretch. His car was in hit in mid-air by another car. Kranefuss, who finished 29th in the 32-car field, suffered only bruises. Michael Kranefuss is the car owner for Jeremy Mayfield(Roanoke Times)(6-26-2000)
Interesting Stock News: Philip Morris Cos., owner of Kraft Foods, Miller Breweries etc, said on Sunday it reached an agreement to buy Nabisco Holdings, maker of brands such as Oreo cookies and Grey Poupon mustard, for $14.9 billion. The complicated deal, which values Nabisco Holdings at $55 a share, also involves the sale of Nabisco’s parent company, Nabisco Group Holdings Corp. to former unit R.J. Reynolds Tobacco(Yahoo Biz) and As part of the acquisition, Nabisco will be combined with Kraft Foods, Inc. (Kraft), the operating food company of Philip Morris Companies Inc.(Philip Morris Site)(6-26-2000)

(6-25-2000)

Todd Bodine to race Cup at Watkins Glen? UPDATE 2 Yep: hearing that there will be an announcement made this week at NASCAR Night in the Heights, Elmira NY that Todd Bodine would drive the Cup race at Watkins Glen with an assoc sponsor who is coming aboard his #66 BGN team(6-22-2000)
UPDATE: hearing the sponsor is I LOVE NY(6-24-2000)
UPDATE 2: On Thursday, 6/22, at “NASCAR Night in the Heights” in Elmira Heights, NY… Todd Bodine and team co-owner Frank Cicci announced that the NY State Tourism Board will sponsor a #34 car for the Winston Cup race at Watkins Glen(Aug. 10-12). It will have a red,white and black paint scheme with an “I Love New York” sponsor-logo. Also, the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles honored the Bodine brothers. New York State has issued three different license plates featuring each of the Bodines. New Yorkers have the option of using a “Bodine/NASCAR” plate for a small additional fee(WETM-TV Report)(6-25-2000)
Jarrett goes for three in a row at Daytona. #88-Dale Jarrett won last years Pepsi 400 and this years Daytona 500. If he can win Saturday he would win three Daytona races in a row. Should he win Saturday, the 43-year-old driver would tie Cale Yarborough for number of consecutive Winston Cup wins at Daytona. In 1967, Yarborough won the Firecracker 400, then returned the following year to sweep the Daytona 500 and 400(Speed Magazine)(6-25-2000)
Wallace and 500: When Rusty Wallace starts in the Pepsi 400 at Daytona, it will be his 500th consecutive start. Terry Labonte is the leader at present with 652 with Dale Earnhardt at 629 and Ricky Rudd at 590(6-25-2000)
Rusty Tied UPDATE add Gordon: Rusty Wallace is tied with Richard Petty and Bobby Allison with the most career wins on a road course. Also Jeff Gordon has five and can tie the trio with a win at Sears Point and Rusty can take the career leadership(6-24-2000)
UPDATE: Gordon now ties Wallace, Petty and Allison for having the most career road course wins(6-25-2000)
Wallace Leads: #55-Kenny Wallace led his first lap of the 2000 season at Sears Point. Wallace was the final driver who had made all 16 races to lead a lap(6-25-2000)
Dodge Engine: Speedway Scene has learned that the new Dodge motor is having a few teething pains as it is being brought to life. Those involved with the situation have described the problems as minor. How minor? Well one failure was traced back to a bolt that had bottomed out and didn’t tighten a portion of the head to the block properly. See full story at the Speedway Scene site(6-25-2000)
Dodge and Sabco/Ganassi UPDATE: Felix Sabates says he and Chip Ganassi have “agreed to agree” on a transaction that could bring Ganassi aboard as majority partner in Sabates’ NASCAR racing organization(SABCO). Such a deal, Sabates said, would likely happen in the next 30 days. SABCO, fields the #40 Coors cars(Chevys) for Sterling Marlin and the #42 BellSouth car for Kenny Irwin. Sabastes says they have not discussed drivers and that any deal must be done in the next two or three weeks. Reports last fall had said Ganassi would link with Pontiac, which may be in need of teams with the defections to Dodge of Petty Enterprises and Bill Davis Racing. More recent rumors, however, pointed Ganassi in Dodge’s direction(in part from SpeedVision)(5-17-2000)
UPDATE: Speedway Scene has learned that it is likely that the Chip Ganassi/Felix Sabates SABCO collaboration are expected to make the change to Dodge sheet metal in 2001. Where SABCO will fit into the program as far as team alignment goes is unknown, but Bill Davis, owner of the #22 and #93 Pontiacs says that they’ll not be part of the three team consortium that includes himself, Ray Evernham and Petty Enterprises(Speedway Scene)(6-25-2000)
Relief Drivers: the heat took it’s toll at Sears Point. John Andretti took over for #20-Tony Stewart after Stewart spun. Stewart was feeling nauseous. #77-Robert Pressley was relieved earlier by Boris Said who fell out of the race on lap 23 with a broken control arm on the #23 Federated Auto Parts Ford. Andretti drove Stewarts Home Depot Pontiac to a 10th place finish(6-25-2000)
Rookies: #27-Mike Bliss was the highest finishing rookie for the first time this season, finishing 22nd. #8-Dale Earhnardt Jr was next at 24th, with #93-Blaney 29th, #9-Compton 31st, #17-Kenseth 32nd and #32-Pruett who led many laps before crashing out finsihed 39th(6-25-2000)

(6-24-2000)
Sad News: Jim Roper, winner of NASCAR’s first “strictly stock” car race in 1949, died Friday. He was 83. Roper, a native of Halstead, drove his Lincoln off the showroom floor in Great Bend to North Carolina and on to victory in the June 19, 1949, race at Charlotte Speedway. Friends said Roper had been ill with cancer in recent years and suffered from heart and liver failure. He died at a retirement home in Newton. Roper will forever be linked to that first NASCAR race and a quirky finish that gave him the victory in front of 23,000 people(Total Sports/AP)(6-24-2000)
More Sad News: ARCA driver Scott Baker of Holland, Michigan was killed at the Toledo Speedway in the Jasper Engines & Transmissions ARCA 150 Friday night. Baker, running eighth at the time, made contact with an inner tire barrier just past the start-finish line just after he completed his 146th lap of the 150-lap event, and was transported to St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo where he was pronounced dead(ARCA Racing Site) and a story at SpeedVision(6-24-2000)
Bodine on the Hot Seat? thought this was answered a few weeks ago but looks like things may have changed. Anyhow SpeedVision is reporting: Bodine again is rumored to be in a very hot seat as chauffeur of Joe Bessey’s #60. Also of note: there are rumors that the Bessey team, with the loss of Power Team as the sponsor at the end of the 2000 season may close shop with Bessey returning to driving in the BGN(6-24-2000)
Kyles Front Row Start: This will be #44 Kyle Petty’s first front-row start since he was on the outside pole at Martinsville in April of 1996(Ramblings/Catchfence). His last pole? Was at 1993 in the Daytona 500(6-24-2000)
Petty Crew Chief/BGN Team News UPDATE: a story in this weeks Winston Cup Scene reports that one of the people Kyle Petty has talked with to replace former crew chief Bobby Leslie was his former crew chief Bobby Kennedy. Kennedy is presently with the #7 Ultra Mattei Motorsports team and driver Michael Waltrip. Kennedy says no decision has been made concerning his talk with Petty. Also as for the Petty #45 BGN team, they will skip Watkins Glen and probably Pikes Peak, but would compete in the remaining races with Kyle as the driver. Plans are unknown past the 2000 season, but Petty thinks they need four teams, the two Cup teams for Petty and Andretti, the CTS team with Steve Grissom and the BGN team, but if the BGN team stays in that series or moves to the Cup or CTS series remains to be seen at this point(6-23-2000)
Next week, Petty will drive his Cup car at Daytona on Saturday. The BGN races at Milwaukee on Sunday. Petty will have someone qualify for him, then race at Milwaukee. The only other problem in the schedule comes July 23 when the Cup series races in Pocono and the BGN series is at Pikes Peak, CO, the day before. After that, the two series race in the same cities(Roanoke Times). NOTE: Petty says in the WC Scene that the team would possibly skip Pikes Peak(6-24-2000)
Punch to stay at ESPN: DR. Jerry Punch will stay with ESPN instead of moving to Fox or NBC, NASCAR’s TV business partners for the next six years. Punch’s decision would appear to make ESPN’s Bill Weber and Ray Dunlap the top NASCAR series veterans still available. According to one source, Weber has had offers from both Fox and NBC for next season, for pit-road work and as host of the pre-race show, though it’s unclear if Weber might actually leave ABC and ESPN. Dunlap says he has had no official offers. Weber would neither confirm nor deny the report, saying yesterday that he would have something to say “soon.”(PitNow)(6-24-2000)
Little E first time: for the first time in the 2000 season, #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr qualified outside of the top 25 at Sears Point. He was the final driver who had made all 16 races in 2000 not to make it during first round in ever race(6-24-2000)
NASCAR Channel: The NASCAR TV Channel may be progressing much more slowly than expected, but the NASCAR Radio Channel appears to be all set to go, at least from the access side. Detroit’s auto makers appear to be some of the powers behind the Radio Channel, wanting to make use of their satellite-to-car technology by offering such special ”cable” radio channels, for something such as an extra $40 a year. Filling the NASCAR Radio Channel might not be that difficult. But how many people might be interested in buying cable radio is less certain. Insiders report that the debut date of The NASCAR TV Channel may be pushed back until some time late next season(PitNow)(6-24-2000)
Allison and Jarrett: #88-Dale Jarrett is driving the same car this weekend at Sears Point that the late Davey Allison drove to victory here in 1991(Roanoke Times)(that means chassis, not the old Thunderbird)(6-24-2000)
Rusty Tied: Rusty Wallace is tied with Richard Petty and Bobby Allison with the most career wins on a road course. Also Jeff Gordon has five and can tie the trio with a win at Sears Point and Rusty can take the career leadership(6-24-2000)
Pressley will race: Mark Simo, Brian’s brother(in the #90 this weekend), ran the #77 Jasper Engines Ford in AM practice and 2nd round qualifying at Sears Point. Simo didn’t qualify the car and the team will use a provisional. The idea was to try to get a better pit position and out of ‘Gilligan’s Island’. Robert Pressley will start and run the car in the race. See full story on this at TachZone AND another story about 2nd round at NOL: Dallenbach leads ‘escape from Gilligan’s Island’(6-24-2000)
#18 and the Golden Gate Bridge: Bobby Labonte’s #18 Pontiac has a drawing of the Golden Gate Bridge on the back panel below the rear window(the decklid?) this weekend. It’ll change into bricks for the Brickyard 400(Atlanta Journal Constitution)(6-24-2000)

(6-23-2000)
Nemechek and Charlie Daniels: it was reported on the John Boy and Billy radio show yesterday that the #33 Oakwood Homes Chevy and driver Joe Nemechek run a Charlies Daniels paint scheme at Talladega in October. Just got some images of the car, while it’s a partial, it shows the hood with Daniels on it. See the Paint Scheme Gallery for the images. Also of note, the car shown is a 1999 Monte Carlo, no idea if Nemechek is running a 1999 at Talladega or if this is just the show car(6-23-2000)
Gordon and Snoopy? UPDATE 4: hearing #24-Jeff Gordon will run a Snoopy (from the Peanut’s comic strip) in the Pepsi 400 at Daytona and/or the Brickyard 400, no official word on what the occasion is. Supposedly the car will be light metallic blue with yellow highlights, Snoopy on the hood and quarterpanels(5-29-2000)
UPDATE: I hear these will not be the colors but the car will run at the Brickyard 400(5-30-2000)
UPDATE 2: here is more on this scheme – the car will have a dark blue roof, fading into light blue sides with grass decal around the bottom of the #24 Chevy. Snoopy as Joe Cool character painting(DuPont paint?) his doghouse on hood and as the Red Baron fighting character on the quarters. Even have a Woodstock jack marker(instead of the arrow). The car will supposedly be introduced at Sears Point in June and hearing it will be run at the Brickyard 400. The reason? To commemorate the 50th year for Peanuts and as a tribute to them and the Peanuts creator, the late Charles Schulz(5-31-2000)
UPDATE 3: Hearing the Peanuts Brickyard scheme will be announced at Sears Point on Friday(6-22-2000)
UPDATE 4 announcement and image: Jeff Gordon, DuPont and Hendrick Motorsports have teamed up with United Media to pay tribute to one of America’s most beloved cartoonists, Charles Schulz. This paint scheme not only honors the amazing work of Schulz, but also celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Peanuts comic strip. The Peanuts-themed car was unveiled at Sears Point Raceway today and will have a pre-race unveiling to be held trackside on Sunday. The DuPont/Peanuts Monte Carlo will race the Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on August 5th. See the full story and image on the Jeff Gordon website(6-23-2000)
Track Qualifying Records fall in 2000: In 16 events (counting Sears Point) there have been nine(9) track records set, including Bristol, California, Lowes, Michigan, Pocono, Rockingham, Texas, Las Vegas and Sears Point. These are TRACK records, not EVENT records(6-23-2000)
#75 and AOL UPDATE: Turner Broadcasting System, Inc./Galaxy Motorsports #75 Ford’s paint scheme and design will heavily feature AOL during the Jiffy Lube 300 in New Hampshire and during the Pennsylvania 500. TBS Superstation’s Dinner & A Movie and AOL will co-sponsor the Sept. 24 MBNA Gold 500 in Delaware. Though a first-time sponsor of a Winston Cup entry, America Online is no stranger to the NASCAR circuit. AOL has sponsored Damon Lusk on NASCAR’s Southwest Series and currently sponsors ARCA series driver Andy Belmont of the America Online Racing Team(Yahoo Biz)(6-22-2000)
UPDATE: Actually the #79 TRIX Racing Chevy was entered last year at New Hampshire and Dover(fall races) with AOL as the sponsor with Andy Belmont racing but failed to make the races(6-23-2000)
Mention Money? UPDATE: the new TV partners(NBC/TBS) of NASCAR are out putting the touch on them for “mention money”. “Mention money”, of course, is the money that a sponsor will pay to the networks to get their product or service mentioned during a broadcast(Speedway Scene) As many fans/readers have noticed, CBS/TBS rarely mention the sponsor on the car, it’s the #28 Yates Ford or #28 Rudd Ford, not #28 Texaco-Havoline Ford(6-22-2000)
UPDATE a note: The topic under discussion was the networks demands that a race’s title sponsor must purchase commercials on the telecast for the network to call the race, say, the “K-Mart 400” instead of the “Michigan 400”. No network charges for car sponsor mentions. Whether this changes in the future is unknown(6-23-2000)

(6-22-2000)
#91 Team Still Alive: the LJ Racing team is still in business and ready to run. The team presently has 9 cars and 13 motors, ready to race. The only thing holding them back is sponsorship(Catchfence)(6-22-2000)
Common Templates…No? Aero-matching? NASCAR last week went out and collected up the “NASCAR optional” templates that they had issued just about a month before. This was done as silently as when the templates were dropped off, but at least this iteration of making a Monte Carlo RT (really a Taurus) and Grand Prix RT are on the backburner at this point in time(Speedway Scene). The ‘common templates’ were supposedly based on the Taurus(6-22-2000)
#58 Auction: remember the #58 Auction at Moecker Auctions, Inc. back in May? What happened? The sale went forward on May 30th. Everything was sold. They had approximately 35 bidders. Most of the purchasers were ARCA teams, with a few new Winston Cup teams collecting equipment for their start up. They also had some race car parts wholesalers, and one person who purchased a car for his own use for show and parades(6-22-2000)
NASCAR Sponsors: NASCAR announced that four official status sponsors – Circuit City, Glaval, Goody’s and Kodak – have renewed their NASCAR partnerships, taking effect this season. Circuit City, the Official Electronics and Appliance Retailer of NASCAR, has been a NASCAR sponsor since 1996. In addition to its official status designation, Circuit City is also an associate sponsor on the #18 Joe Gibbs Racing Interstate Batteries Pontiac driven by Bobby Labonte and sponsors the team’s in-car cameras during race telecasts. Glaval, the leading manufacturer of luxury conversion vans, has been a NASCAR sponsor since 1997. As the Official Van Conversion Company of NASCAR, Glaval uses the NASCAR platform in advertising and promotions. As part of the agreement, Dusterfield Designs, Glaval’s sister company, has signed licensing agreements with several NASCAR Winston Cup Series drivers including Mark Martin, Jeff Burton and Dale Jarrett to produce photo plaques bearing the drivers’ likenesses. Goody’s, the Official Pain Reliever of NASCAR, has been involved in the sport since 1977. The company was the title sponsor of this year’s Goody’s Body Pain 500, which took place April 9 at Martinsville Speedway. Goody’s also has run several NASCAR-themed promotions and used the NASCAR logo on-pack and for point-of-sale materials. As part of the agreement, the company will continue to be the title sponsor of the Goody’s Dash Series, NASCAR Touring, in which competitors race scaled-down versions of the NASCAR Winston Cup Series stock cars on short tracks and superspeedways in the Southeast. Eastman-Kodak, which has been a NASCAR partner since 1987, produces the Official Film and Single Use Camera of NASCAR. In addition to its official status designation, Kodak is also the primary sponsor on the No. 4 Morgan-McClure Motorsports Chevrolet driven by Bobby Hamilton. The company’s relationship with Morgan-McClure stretches back 14 years, making it the second longest team/primary sponsor relationship in NASCAR next to Richard Petty and STP. Earlier this year, NASCAR announced that McDonald’s, the Official Drive-Thru of NASCAR, renewed as an official status sponsor, and that General Motors has expanded its sponsorship to include both the Pontiac Grand Prix and Chevrolet Monte Carlo as the Official Pace Car of NASCAR. McDonald’s, a long-time NASCAR partner, will support its sponsorship with television, print and radio advertising, premiums, on-bag promotion and local activation. The General Motors agreement allows the company to use both the Monte Carlo and Grand Prix in NASCAR-themed advertising and promotions(NASCAR PR)(6-22-2000)
Green beats Pressley: #63 BGN driver Mark Green edged #77 Cup veteran Robert Pressley in a best two-out-of-three match race in Winston Cup-style convertibles Tuesday night at Lowe’s Motor Speedway during round two of the 10-week Wendy’s Summer Shootout. See full story at the LMS Site(6-22-2000)

(6-21-2000)
Wind Tunnel Tests: NASCAR officials have postponed a planned wind-tunnel test until after the Brickyard 400 in August. It is now expected to be right after the Indy race, with NASCAR loading some of the top cars directly off the track that afternoon for the haul to Marietta(GA) for testing(PitNow)(6-21-2000)

(6-20-2000)
Marcis hires driver to run the #71 Realtree Chevy at Sears Point. R.K. Smith, 62, winner of the SCCA World Challenge Championship in 1990 and ’92, will be behind the wheel of Marcis’ #71 Chevy at Sears Point. Marcis was injured last year and put Smith in his car for the Sears Point event, but Smith failed to qualify for the starting field(NASCAR Online)(6-20-2000)
Said to run for Spencer at Sears Point: Jimmy Spencer goes to Sears Point Raceway this weekend not only as the driver of the #26 Big K-Mart Ford Taurus, but he also makes his debut as a NASCAR Winston Cup car owner. Spencer has entered his #23 Federated Auto Parts Ford Taurus in the Save Mart/Kragen 350K Cup race. The car was built at Spencer’s BGN operation located in Mooresville, NC. This is the same facility that builds BGB cars for Dick Trickle, Boris Said, and Spencer. Spencer Motor Ventures also built a NASCAR Craftsman Truck that was driven by Boris Said at Portland earlier this year. Piloting the Robert Yates’ powered #23 Ford this weekend will be road-racing ace, Boris Said. Said began his NASCAR career in 1995 in the CTS. Said has had sixty-four starts in the Truck Series, and scored his only win at the road-course in Sears Point. Said went to Watkins Glen in 1998 and put Spencer’s #12 BGN car on the pole, and he came back later that year to The Glen and qualified Spencer’s #23 Winston Cup car fifth on the starting grid. In 1999, Said continued his Bud Pole attack by qualifying his #14 Winston Cup car second at Watkins Glen. Said has won five Bud Poles in his NASCAR career, all on road-courses. In other road-racing series, Said has won one IMSA and three SCCA championships. Veteran crew chief Richard Broome will call the shots(Spencer Motor Ventures PR)(6-20-2000)
Kmart Gone? Kmart won’t return to the Travis Carter-Carl Haas (#66) team next year(Daily Press) Doesn’t say if it will return to the Travis Carter #26 Team that Jimmy Spencer drives for. Many rumors have Spencer leaving the Carter team after the season(6-20-2000)
Nadeau out at end of 2000? Rumors are circulating through the garage area that Jerry Nadeau may be out of the #25 Michael Holigan.com Chevy at the end of the season(Atlanta Journal Constitution) Note: in interviews with Rick Hendrick lately he has done nothing but praising Nadeau, calling him a ‘a diamond in the rough’, unless Michael Holigan starts his own Cup team as rumored and takes Nadeau with him(6-20-2000)
DW Honored at Talladega: As a tribute to his 29 years in NASCAR Winston Cup racing, Talladega Superspeedway is honoring Darrell Waltrip with a commemorative pole day ticket for Ricochet Qualifying Day. The ticket is a collage of Waltrip’s career dating back to his first Winston Cup start in 1972 at Talladega Superspeedway. In addition to his #95 Terminal Trucking Mercury, some of Waltrip’s most noted race cars are on the ticket, including the #88 Gatorade car as well as the #17 Tide-sponsored Chevrolet, and the #11 Budweiser Chevrolet owned by Junior Johnson. Waltrip, the owner of 84 Winston Cup victories, has four wins at the Alabama track, as well as a pair of pole positions. See full story and an image of the ticket at the Talladega Superspeedway site(6-20-2000)
Dodge Testing UPDATE 2 images: hearing Casey Atwood and the Evernham Dodge team were at Greenville Pickens Speedway today testing and will also be there Tuesday(6-19-2000)
UPDATE: Atwood, Evernham, a group of Chrysler engineers and other Evernham Motorsports team members spent most of last Monday at GPS working under speedway conditions for the first time with the new Dodge racing engine. The engine will power the Intrepid models Dodge teams are scheduled to race in the Winston Cup series next season(Greenville News/Mike Hembree)
UPDATE 2: cleaned up the Dodge News Page and added a new Dodge Image page with images from the Greenville Pickens Speedway/Dodge test on Monday(6-20-2000)
Nemecheks Helmet: Joe Nemechek displayed a racing helmet artfully decorated by his three-year-old son John Hunter Nemechek(NOL Notes) it was shown on the TNN telecast, very colorful(6-20-2000)
Yates drives the hauler: #28 and #88 Cup Team owner Robert Yates, went the extra mile this weekend in order to make it to Pocono Raceway for the Pocono 500. When #88 hauler driver, Tommy Mullis had problems with a leg injury and had to go to a doctor, Rick Garcia, backup driver of the hauler, was called in to relieve him. However, Garcia had just returned from a Dayton testing trip and was in need of relief help himself. So Yates drove the hauler to Pocono Raceway along with Garcia(NOL Notes)(6-20-2000)
Fees for Decals? UPDATE: hearing NASCAR may have approached Ford, GM and Dodge, suggesting a fee for putting headlight, tailight, and other decals on Winston Cup and Busch cars next year(6-11-2000)
UPDATE: Those headlight and taillight decals that Ford and GM officials have put on stock cars the past two years might become a bone of contention with NASCAR executives, according to some car owners(PitNow) NOTE: this is all I know about this situation(6-20-2000)
Petty/STP Parade: Richard Petty and John Andretti will be in San Francisco on June 21 as the STP #43 Celebration Tour makes a stop there. Starting at the north end of the Golden Gate Bridge at Vista Point, Petty, Andretti and the STP #43 car will drive across the bridge, travel along the Embarcadero and pull into Willie Mays Plaza. The parade is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. with the caravan pulling into the plaza at 10:30am. At Willie Mays Plaza, Petty and Andretti will meet and greet guests, answer questions and sign some autographs. The Winston Cup race at Sears Point will be the last race run with STP as the primary sponsor of the #43. Cheerios takes over at Daytona in the Pepsi 400(Sears Point PR) For more info on the STP contest, see my Racing Contest page(6-20-2000)

(6-19-2000)
Baker and Newman to test: TNN/TBS announcer Buddy Baker will test a Penske ARCA car at Pocono on Tuesday with sprint car driver Ryan Newman. Newman will run for Penske in the 2nd ARCA race at Pocono. Newman ran his first ARCA race at Michigan and finished 7th(TNN race broadcast)(6-19-2000)
Holigan Team Owner? UPDATE: Michael Holigan, whose on-line business sponsors #25 Jerry Nadeau on the Winston Cup Series, wants to be a NASCAR owner. “With NASCAR’s new TV deal, I can already see that we’ll be getting a return on our investment,” said Holigan. “I predict that, before the end of my three-year sponsorship, I will start a two-car team.”(Gaston Gazette)(6-14-2000)
UPDATE: Michael Holigan, who sponsors the Jerry Nadeau-Rick Hendrick team, says he’s considering expanding to a two-car team, and he has been talking lately with Tim Beverly, who owns the Pontiac team of driver Johnny Benson. Holigan is reported to be planning an expanded sponsorship program based on money from a number of home products companies, such as Whirlpool. A two-car Holigan team would likely field Pontiacs, according to GM men(PitNow)(6-19-2000)
Pocono Rain Info: This is the first time that a NASCAR event at Pocono has been postponed by rain and moved to Monday since the Coca-Cola 500 in July 1979(and only the second time ever). Cale Yarborough wound up winning the race ahead of Richard Petty and Buddy Baker. Three drivers who will compete in today’s Pocono 500 also competed in that race. Ricky Rudd finished fifth, while a pair of rookies — Terry Labonte and Dale Earnhardt — finished 23rd and 29th respectively. There have been three instances at Pocono where races were shortened by rain. The first NASCAR race there in August 1974 was shortened to 480 miles (192 of 200 laps). Only 375 miles (150 of 200 laps) were completed in the July 1986 event. In July 1991, the race was shortened to 447 miles(179 of 200 laps)(Times-Tribune)(6-19-2000)

(6-18-2000)

Talladega Testing: Talladega Superspeedway is hosting an open test session on Tuesday, June 20, 2000. Scheduled to test are the #16 and #17 Cup cars owned by Jack Roush(Talladega PR) This may change now with the Pocono 500 race being delayed until Monday, June 19th(6-18-2000)
Benning at the Brickyard: #84-Norm Benning driver/owner of the #84 Benning Motorsports/SoBe Healthy Beverages Chevy is planning to run the Brickyard 400. Benning he has bought a car from Mattei Motorsports to race at Indy and plans a test session at Indy in early July. Benning attempted to make the Daytona 500 but failed to make the race(Motorsports Fan Report)(6-18-2000)
Lasoski at all Kansas events? Danny Lasoski, normally a sprint-car racer, wants to drive in every race that will be run at the new Kansas Speedway next year. He thinks he’s been able to wrangle a deal for a NASCAR Craftsman Trucks ride if the speedway gets one of those races and the same for a BGN and ARCA ride. Lasoski even thinks he has a shot at an IRL ride. But the Winston Cup race may be the holdup. It appears right now that he’s targeting good friend Kenny Schrader for the Cup ride. Lasowski and Schrader are both Missori natives(KC Star)(6-18-2000)
Watson/Green: Minnesota Vikings coach Dennis Green and Doc Watson are ready to race in 2001. The pair has not decided exactly what level of racing to run but is considering ARCA and the Craftsman Truck Series. Although Watson’s current ARCA shop is in Philadelphia, Green says the combined effort could be housed in Richmond(Times-Dispatch) AND also a story at That’s Racin’. Anyone watching the ARCA race yesterday, that was Dennis Green presenting Kerry Earnhardt with the winners trophy. For past news on this team, see my New Teams Past News page(6-18-2000)
Walking Wounded: #88-Dale Jarrett aggravated a muscle in his lower back climbing out of the Ford #88 on Friday but is fine for the race. #14-Rick Mast broke a small bone in his left foot after mixing it up with Steve Park two weeks ago at the Dover race(Atlanta Journal Constitution)(6-18-2000)

(6-17-2000)
Rocky and Bullwinkle? hearing Robby Gordon will run a Rocky and Bullwinkle scheme sometime this summer, probably to promote the new movie coming out soon(6-17-2000)
New Dodge Engine Help? Charlie Seegers, the engine specialist who helped Jeff Gordon to three Winston Cup championships under Ray Evernham, has begun working on Evernham’s Dodge team, according to Dodge sources(PitNow)(6-17-2000)
Another Earnhardt Wins: Kerry Earnhardt, Dale’s oldest son, and Dale Jr’s half brother(see Augusta Chronicle Story), won the ARCA race at Pocono. The #2 DEI Chevy was pitted by the #1 Pennzoil Winston Cup crew. See the results on the ARCA Racing site(6-17-2000)
2001 TV Contract: Sources involved with the 2001 TV deal have told Speedway Scene that there will be an hour-long pre-race show and a half-hour post-race show. These new shows are being dictated by the new TV contract(Speedway Scene). No word on qualifying but have heard that each will have to carry 1st round qualifying in some form. More past news on the new TV contract on the TV/Radio/Media page(6-17-2000)
Tyler Jet Motorsports looking for a partner? One of only three single-car teams in the top 25, the #10 Tyler Jet Motorsports/Tim Beverley-owned team has worked to reach its goals with a smaller budget and data pool. Beverley now is looking for some help, possibly a partner. The Lycos sponsorship deal is a one-year deal. Whether Beverley will sell a minor interest in his team or simply find a partner to help in the sponsor chase hasn’t been determined(Times Dispatch)(6-17-2000)
#11 Crew Chief Change: Brett Bodine, owner/driver of the #11 Ralphs Supermarkets Ford team, has hired Mike Hillman to replace Greg Ely as his crew chief this week. Hillman had worked at Joe Falk Racing(#91) and with Robby Gordon’s team(#13) earlier this season(That’s Racin’)(6-17-2000)
Marlin/Ganassi Handshake: Sterling Marlin said he and new car owner Chip Ganassi “have shaken hands” on a deal to team next season. Ganassi is buying controlling interest in Felix Sabates’ Chevy team(PitNow)(6-17-2000)
Park in a backup: Steve Park, driver of the #1 Pennzoil Chevy, crashed his primary car in the final moments of Friday’s practice session and had to use a backup to qualify(27th)(That’s Racin’)(6-17-2000)
#14 Info: the car that Rick Mast qualified 13th with at Pocono on Friday was not the car the AJ Foyt team took to the wind tunnel Tursday but the car that was wrecked at Dover two weeks ago. The team realized at the wind tunnel the car was not what they needed/wanted at Pocono(That’s Racin’)(6-17-2000)
What happened to Baird in 1st Round? #52-Bill Baird, the former ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series champion crashed in Turn 2 in his #52 Dynatek Chevy while trying to qualify for his first NASCAR Winston Cup race. The crew is working to repair the team’s only car. Baird is not sure if something broke or if he cut a tire(NOL Notes)(6-17-2000)

(6-16-2000)
#44 Crew Chief? UPDATE: hearing Doug Hewitt, who was #44-Kyle Petty’s crew chief in 1999 will be crew chiefing the team this weekend at Pocono. No word on the status of Bobby Leslie who was the crew chief for the team
UPDATE: have confirmed that Bobby Leslie resigned Monday. Doug Hewitt is serving as crew chief this week. The team is going on a week-to-week basis for right now(6-16-2000)
Wood Brothers and Roush: The Wood Brothers Winston Cup #21 CITGO team and its driver, Elliott Sadler, will begin running cars built by Roush Racing in the July 1 Pepsi 400 at Daytona. Team co-owner Eddie Wood said he has reached an agreement with Roush Racing owner Jack Roush to race cars supplied by Roush’s operation throughout the 2001 season. The Roush-built Taurus that Sadler is scheduled to drive in Daytona is an “early” delivery on that order, and Wood said the team may use Roush cars in a few other races this season. The Wood brothers have used Roush engines for two years(in part from the Greenville News)(6-16-2000)
Martin and BBBSA: Mark Martin and Superbowl MVP, Lynn Swann were on hand last night at the Pittsburgh Pirates game where they presented a check of $4,000, in-behalf of Valvoline, to the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh. Also Martin threw out the first pitch as part of Valvoline and Valvoline Instant Oil Change’s (VIOC) two-year sponsorship of the Pirates(Catchfence)(6-16-2000)

(6-15-2000)
Simo to drive the #90 at Sears Point Raceway in the Cup race. Brian Simo, current points leader in the BF Goodrich Trans Am Series, will drive Junie Donlavey’s Hills Bros Coffee #90 Ford Taurus at Sears Point Raceway in the Winston Cup race on June 25. Simo replaces regular driver Ed Berrier in the car for the race. “This is a move to help the team,” said Berrier. “I lack experience on the road courses and the car we have is a pretty good road racing car. It just makes a lot of sense to put a road racing specialist in the car.” Simo’s experience in road course races comes from his experience in the Trans Am Series, where he has finished second in points on three different occasions. Simo has eight wins in his career in the Trans Am Series. Simo has plenty of track time at Sears Point Raceway in the Trans Am Cars and Stock Cars, but this will be his first experience in a NASCAR Winston Cup car. Berrier will return as the driver of the Hills Bros Coffee Ford at the Pepsi 400 in Daytona Beach on July 1(Keystone Marketing/Hills Bros Racing)(6-15-2000)
#43 Assoc: the #43 STP/Cheerios/Betty Crocker Pontiac will feature the Weis Market logo this weekend at Pocono(Scranton Times Leader)(6-15-2000)
Herzog Motorsports to run at the CUP race at Watkins Glen? Stan Herzog of Herzog Motorsports(#92 ALLTEL BGN Chevy) confirmed that his team might race in Winston Cup as early as the Aug. 13 race at Watkins Glen. That will probably be contingent on how well BGN driver Jimmie Johnson performs June 25, when the BGN is at Watkins Glen. Herzog plans to field a Winston Cup team in at least five races next season and will have a full Winston Cup team in place by 2002. However, Herzog said there is a slight possibility a full Winston Cup effort could be in place for 2001, but everything would have to fall into place soon. Herzog won’t be able to announce its 2001 Winston Cup intentions until September(St. Joseph News-Press)(6-15-2000)
Blaney’s brother wins: Dale Blaney, brother of Winston Cup driver #93-Dave Blaney, won his first World of Outlaws race Tuesday night at Farmer City Raceway. Dale drove the DB Motorsports #93 Amoco Maxim, Dave owns the team(TNN)(6-15-2000)
More Testing at Daytona UPDATE 2: Both Robert Yates’ Winston Cup teams, #88-Dale Jarrett and #28-Ricky Rudd, will join Hendrick Motorsports #25-Jerry Nadeau for a two-day test session at Daytona on Tuesday and Wednesday(June 13-14th). The practice sessions will run from 3:00 to 11:00pm/et each day(Speed Magazine)(6-13-2000)
UPDATE: Dale Jarrett, Ricky Rudd and Jerry Nadeau were testing out new cars Tuesday night at Daytona and were finding their speeds slower than their last run at Daytona in February thanks to a few rule changes by NASCAR. All three drivers had their fastest laps in their new cars with Nadeau turning the fastest time at 184.805mph. Jarrett had a fast lap of 184.049mph and Rudd turned a lap of 183.673mph. After having to give up their Daytona 500 winning car to DAYTONA USA, the #88 Ford Quality Care/Ford Credit team was left a car short, so they brought a brand new Taurus to this week’s test session. Ricky Rudd, driver of the No. 28 Texaco Ford and Jarrett’s Robert Yates teammate, was testing a brand new car as well as the car he won the Gatorade 125 mile qualifier in during Speedweeks 2000. The lone Chevrolet Monte Carlo sharing the track with the Yates teams was piloted by Jerry Nadeau, driver of the #25 Michael Holigan Chevy. Although Nadeau was without a teammate for tonight’s test, his efforts would not be entirely self serving as the test will help to enhance the whole Hendrick Motorsports team. Jarrett and Rudd plan to return for another test session under the lights at Daytona Wednesday(Daytona Intl Speedway PR)(6-14-2000)
UPDATE 2: the 2nd and final day of practice at Daytona ended Wednesday night with the following speeds reported: #25-Jerry Nadeau posted a fast lap of 185.567mph, followed by #88-Dale Jarrett at 184.805mph and #28-Ricky Rudd at 184.049mph(Daytona Intl Speedway PR)(6-15-2000)
Dodge Tests UPDATE 2: Evernham Motorsports and driver Casey Atwood tested at Greenville Pickens Speedway on Monday for the first of a two day test. Testing a Dodge Intrepid with their new Winston Cup Dodge engine through its paces. As mentioned in the past, Ray Evernham hopes to enter Atwood in a few Winston Cup races in cars owned by Elliott later this season, but no specific race dates have been picked(Greenville News)(6-13-2000)
UPDATE: Evernham Motorsports left after testing on Monday and didn’t return on Tuesday but may test again at the speedway next week(6-14-2000)
UPDATE 2: hearing the reason Atwood didn’t stay around to test more on Tursday was that the engine broke, but they plan on being back at the track next Monday and Tuesday(6-15-2000)
Sad News UPDATE 2: Larry Nuber was found deceased in his home in Indianapolis by the local police department, who had been called in by relatives concerned because they had not heard from him in several days. His body will be taken to his parents’ home in Toledo, Ohio, where services will be arranged. Who is Nuber? If you watch any of the early 1980’s ESPN race broadcast’s, Nuber was one of the announcers during the early days of NASCAR racing and TV. Recently, Nuber managed the Wynn’s Racing Program throughout the past several years(Irwindale Speedway)(6-10-2000)
UPDATE: Nuber passed away of a cerebral hemorrhage/stroke while working at his computer(6-11-2000)
UPDATE 2 – Services: Veteran broadcaster and publicist Larry Nuber, 51, who passed away last week in his Indianapolis home, apparently suffered an aneurysm. His body was transported to his parents’ hometown of Toledo, Ohio, where he will be interred. The funeral is Saturday, June 17 at 2:00 p.m. at Faith Community United Church of Christ in Toledo (1201 S. Byrne Street, 419-385-3747). Visitation is set for Friday, June 16 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Bersticker-Scott Funeral Home in Toledo (3453 Heathersdown Boulevard, 419-382-3456)(SpeedVision)(6-15-2000)

(6-14-2000)
#200: Kenny Wallace will attempt to make his 200th career Winston Cup start this weekend at Pocono in the #55 Square-D/Cooper Lighting Chevy(6-14-2000), Wallace made the race and made his 200th Cup start
Rusty Gets Lucky: Rain at Michigan Speedway on Sunday saved Rusty Wallace. His engine blew just before the second red flag for rain waved. Had the race restarted and the final six laps been run, Wallace would not have been able to continue. He might have finished as low as 37th, but since the race didn’t resume, he finished seventh. (Roanoke Times/RPM 2Night)(6-14-2000)
Holigan Team Owner? Michael Holigan, whose on-line business sponsors #25 Jerry Nadeau on the Winston Cup Series, wants to be a NASCAR owner. “With NASCAR’s new TV deal, I can already see that we’ll be getting a return on our investment,” said Holigan. “I predict that, before the end of my three-year sponsorship, I will start a two-car team.”(Gaston Gazette)(6-14-2000)

(6-13-2000)
Robonson to Cup: Shawna Robinson, who is running the full ARCA season this year and won the pole at Michigan this past weekend before getting injured in a wreck during the race is planning to run five Winston Cup races in 2001 along with a 2nd full ARCA season. Robinson hopes to do extensive Winston Cup testing, before making the jump to stock car racing’s top series(Detroit News) more news on Robinson on my BGN Site(6-13-2000)

(6-12-2000)
Montoya in Indy? Sources in the Michigan garage have told Speedway Scene that the winner of this year’s Indy 500 may try his hand in the Brickyard 400 this August. The reports, from unconfirmed sources, tell Speedway Scene that Juan Montoya will likely be in a SABCO / Ganassi stock car when NASCAR invades the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway(Speedway Scene)(6-12-2000)
#98 Sold? UPDATE 2: hearing the #98 Cale Yarborough team has been sold but have heard nothing more concrete on the sale or new owners or if Yarborough will be involved. Heard the team would not run until 2001(5-11-2000)
UPDATE: hearing the #98 Cale Yarborough team has been sold to a company called Premier Racing Teams, LLC. Hearing they won’t race until the 2001 Cup season(6-3-2000)
UPDATE 2: Hearing the new owner is Chip McPhearson and that supposedly the driver would be Jeff Fuller, who started out the season in the #27 Eel River Racing/Viagra Pontiac. Cale Yarborough supposedly will have no ownership or role with the team(6-12-2000)
#21 Tests: Greg Biffle has been selected to substitute for Elliott Sadler at the Wood Brothers’ test session in Talladega, AL. Biffle was selected after Sadler’s Physician advised him to stay home and rest for a couple of days following his crash in Saturday’s final Winston Cup practice session. Sadler was cleared to race in Sunday’s Kmart 400 at Michigan. The team wants to make sure Sadler is 100% at Pocono. Biffle also tested for Winston Cup veteran Mark Martin earlier in the season. The test is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday(Cox Marketing)(6-12-2000)
Rain at Michigan: Only three previous times has rain affected a Winston Cup race at Michigan. The inaugural Yankee 600 in August 1969 was stopped after 165 miles with David Pearson declared the winner. In August 1977, the Champion 400 was forced to Monday by rain. And the June 1982 stop was interrupted more than three hours before Cale Yarborough edged Darrell Waltrip for the win(Detroit Free Press)(6-12-2000)

(6-11-2000)

New Michigan Record: #20-Tony Stewart who won the rain-shortened Kmart 400 at Michigan, started 28th breaking the event record for the lowest start by a winner which was Ernie Irvan in 1997 when he started 20th, and the track record which was held by Harry Gant, who started 24th in August 1992(6-11-2000)
Pressley Top five: #77-Robert Pressley, who ran upfront all day at Michigan, got his first top five since Texas in April 1998, 64 races ago, when he finished 3rd(6-11-2000)
Earnhardt Tops at 10’s: #3-Dale Earnhardt scored his 11th top-10 finish in 14 Cup races this season, the only driver to do so(6-11-2000)
Martin Top 10 streak: #6-Mark Martin was out of the top 10 for the fifth race in a row, his longest streak since 1989(6-11-2000)
Mobil One and Mayfield going staying: Jeremy Mayfield said he, as well as his sponsor Mobil 1, will remain with Penske-Kranefuss Racing at least through the 2002 season. Mayfield had signed contract extension last season, but the turmoil Mayfield’s team has faced this season – including a severe penalty for the use of an illegal fuel additive at Talladega – prompted calls from other Winston Cup car owners as to Mayfield’s availability next season(That’s Racin’)(6-11-2000)
Spencer misses meeting: #26-Jimmy Spencer missed the drivers meeting for the Kmart 400 and will have to go to the back of the field, but since he was going to start 40th, he won’t go back too far(CBS Pre-Race)(6-11-2000)
Marcis 2nd Round: #71-Dave Marcis was going to make a 2nd round attempt to qualify for the Kmart 400 at Michigan but #9-Stacy Compton’s engine blew as he cross the finish line on his attempt, oiling the track with one car yet to run. That one car belonged to Marcis. Initial word was that NASCAR would make Marcis wait until after the live-television IROC race soon to follow for his qualifying run. Marcis said that was not so. He said NASCAR offered to clean the track for him, but he declined as he said: “Mentally, I just can’t qualify with oil on the track,” he said. “It’s my decision. I can’t go 200mph on [a slick surface]. I don’t need a wrecked race car(SpeedVision)(6-11-2000)
More Sadler: Elliott Sadler was involved in a horrific accident Saturday afternoon after his right-rear tire blew entering turn 1. The accident happened in NASCAR’s final practice session, which is known as Happy Hour. Sadler was examined and released from the infield care center. Sadler and the CITGO Team have unloaded the backup car which forces the team to forfeit their 21st place starting position. See quotes by Sadler via Ford Racing at Racin’ Network: Sadler Happy Hour Accident Quotes(6-11-2000)
Fees for Decals? hearing NASCAR may have approached Ford, GM and Dodge, suggesting a fee for putting headlight, tailight, and other decals on Winston Cup and Busch cars next year(6-11-2000)
IROC: the IROC race at Michigan, shown live Saturday on ESPN was won by IRL driver Eddie Cheever(6-10-2000)
UPDATE: see results at Racin’ Network(6-11-2000)

(6-10-2000)
Dodge Engine: Ray Evernham said he plans to have a final race version of the Dodge Intrepid ready to present to NASCAR for approval by Aug. 8. Also no real test dates are set for Dodge on July or August(That’s Racin’)(6-10-2000)
Ray to NASCAR? UPDATE: mentioned on Thursday’s RPM 2Night: rumors that Greg Ray may switch to NASCAR….Ray drives in the IRL for John Menard(6-9-2000)
UPDATE: hearing Ray is looking into the #66 Carter-Hass ride that will be vacated by Darrell Waltrip after he retires at the end of the 2000 season(6-10-2000)
Cummins out? UPDATE: hearing that Cummins Engine Company, who is an associate sponsor on the #6 Mark Martin/Roush Racing Ford will not return as a sponsor on the car in 2001(6-7-2000)
UPDATE – Valvoline and Cummins again? hearing you could see Cummins go with whoever gets the Valvoline sponsorship, likely Casey Atwood in the #19 Dodge. Note: I had told a few readers that Dodge was sponsoring both the #9 and #19 Evernham Dodges, not true, the #9 Dodge will be the only one(6-10-2000)
Park and DEI to sign UPDATE 5 contract length: On ESPN2’s RPM 2Night, Matt Yocum reported that the #1 Pennzoil Chevy driver, Steve Park would be signing a multi-year deal with DEI (Dale Earnhardt Inc) and the announcement should come within a week(5-26-2000)
UPDATE: Ty Norris, the head of DEI, said he expected Park to be back again next season with Pennzoil, with new contracts, and Norris says an announcement could be coming soon. But yesterday, Park seemed to leave the door open to another scenario. Park says he has not signed a new contract with Earnhardt and it is up in the air but are in heavy negotiations and that Earnhardt has made it a priority to get something in place for Park(PitNow)(5-31-2000)
UPDATE 2: Steve Park says the first option for his Winston Cup future is to stay with Dale Earnhardt Inc., but that no new deal has been finalized. While Park said that while he still hopes to work something outthat doesn’t mean he’s not listening for what else is available(That’s Racin’)(6-2-2000)
UPDATE 3: RPM 2Night’s Matt Yocum reports that Park and DEI have agreed to a deal to keep Park with DEI and while there is some issues to be worked out, an announcement is expected at Michigan later this week(6-6-2000)
UPDATE 4 done: Pennzoil announced Friday they have signed a multi-year contract continuing their relationship with the #1-Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI) chevy team and driver Steve Park, who also re-upped with DEI, committing to a multi-year agreement to stay(NOL)(6-9-2000)
UPDATE 5: Park signed a two-year contract, with an option year, to continue driving for DEI. Pennzoil will remain as principal sponsor, presumably under the same terms(Gaston Gazette)(6-10-2000)
#21 News: The Wood Brothers recently closed their satellite race shop in Mooresville, NC, the based team had rented a shop so some crew members based in the Mooresville area could work close to home. The team hung bodies on the cars at that shop, but when Newt Moore, who was leading the work in Mooresville, left the team to become (#75)Wally Dallenbach ‘s crew chief, the Wood Brothers decided to close the shop. Also, the team is negotiating with sponsor CITGO to extend its contract with the team(Roanoke Times)(6-10-2000)
#14 to the Wind Tunnel: The #14 AJ Foyt Conseco Pontiac team plans to take its Michigan car and another car from the team’s shop to a wind tunnel in Ottawa, Canada, after the race. The team will spend two days at the wind tunnel and then take the cars to Pocono(Roanoke Times)(6-10-2000)
McDonald’s to Stay: McDonald’s officials yesterday denied reports they will drop all NASCAR sponsorships at the end of the season. Curretnly they are on the #94 Cup car and the #97 BGN car(PitNow)(6-10-2000)
Small Teams dealt a blow: General Motors confirmed cutting back on support to lesser Winston Cup teams in order to focus more on the top teams(PitNow)(6-10-2000)
Cope at the Brickyard? Warren Johnson, a drag-racing star, is building a new Winston Cup team in Kenny Bernstein’s old Huntersville shop. Derrike Cope is Johnson’s business partner and driver, and they hope to have a car(#37) ready for the Brickyard 400 in August(PitNow)(6-10-2000)

(6-9-2000)
Why #92? as heard during the MRN Qualifying broadcast: Mark Melling said it stands for 9 the second time around as the team reinvents itself(6-9-2000)
4th Dodge team, #92 UPDATE 3: Dodge will announce the 4th Dodge team at Michigan International Speedway Friday, June 9th. Hmm…the same day Melling Racing will announce it’s new car number. The other three teams are: Evernham Motorsports(#’s 9 and 19), Petty Enterprises (#’s 43 and 44) and Bill Davis Racing (#’s 22 and 93). Melling Racing gave up it’s #9 to Evernham Motorsports for Bill Elliott to drive(6-2-2000)
UPDATE: Melling Racing has scheduled a news conference for next Friday at Michigan Speedway and is expected to announce that it will field Dodge Intrepids in 2001(That’s Racin’)(6-3-2000)
UPDATE 2: made the announcement on Thursday instead? – from SpeedVision: The #92 Kodiak Intrepid R/T was unveiled Thursday by team owner Mark Melling and Lou Patane VP of Motorsports Operations and Mopar Performance Parts. Melling Racing’s entry will join two-car efforts from Evernham Motorsports, Bill Davis Racing and Petty Enterprises(SpeedVision)(6-8-2000)
UPDATE 2: See the official Press Release and an image of the car at Melling Racing.com(6-9-2000)

(6-8-2000)
Power Team Gone? UPDATE yes: it was reported on the The LTN Hour on Sunday(6-4) that Power Team will probably leave the Joe Bessey owned #60 Cup car and Bessey may go back to the BGN series(6-6-2000)
UPDATE: the Winston Cup Scene Magazine is reporting that #60 owner Joe Bessey has been informed that Power Team will not pick up its option for 2001. The deal was originally a three year deal starting in 1999 but was changed to a two year deal with a option when PECO merged with another company. The story also notes that Bessey makes no guarantees that driver Geoffrey Bodine will finish the season as his driver but that he hopes so. Bessey is looking for a sponosr for the 2001 season(6-8-2000)
Pfizer gone from the #27: this weeks Winston Cup Scene Magazine reports that crew chief Barry Dodson is pretty positive that his #27 Eel River Racing team will lose Pfizer/Viagra as their primary sponsor at the end of the 2000 season and it will go to the #6 Roush Racing Ford and driver Mark Martin. Rookie Mike Bliss drives the #27 Pontiac(6-8-2000)
Wells and Marlin? UPDATE: The plan was for Wells to field a Busch and Winston Cup car this year, with McDonald’s and Lazzaro jumping to Winston Cup next season. But those plans are obviously changing, though Wells isn’t yet disclosing what he expects to happen. Rumors have Wells talking with a couple of veteran NASCAR drivers, with one being Sterling Marlin, about taking over the McDonald’s ride in 2001. Wells also is looking for more help in preparing the cars, so he might be interested in someone like veteran crew chief Tony Glover, a longtime buddy of Marlin’s(in part from CBS Sportsline)(5-31-2000)
UPDATE: Sterling Marlin intends to remain with the #40 team working with new owner Chip Ganassi in 2001. Marlin has talked to Ganassi and hopes to have things finalized in a few weeks. As for Coors, the sponsor on the #40 car that Marlin drives, they are leaning towards taking their sponsorship to anther Cup team(Winston Cup Scene Magazine)(6-8-2000)
Some Dodge Rumors UPDATE 2: hearing Ray Evernham will meet with Valvoline this week AND heard that Dodge tested at Greenville Pickens Speedway earlier this week(6-7-2000)
UPDATE: hearing that the meetings with Valvoline are about a primary sponsorship of the #19 Dodge that Casey Atwood will drive in 2001 and an assoc deal with the #9 Dodge Bill Elliott will drive
UPDATE 2: the Dodges testing at Greenville Pickens Speedway were not cars but trucks, supposedly testing the new Dodge engine that will be used in Cup next year(6-8-2000)
Glover back to the #4? UPDATE: There is speculation that Tony Glover may return to the Morgan McClure #4 Kodak team, which has won only once since Glover left more than three years ago(PitNow). Glover is presently with SABCO(#’s 40 and 42) and with Chip Ganassi buying a large stake in SABCO and bringing Andy Graves in, the time would be right for Glover to make a move(6-2-2000)
UPDATE: Team Mgr/Crew Chief Tony Glover will stay with Team Sabco for the rest of the 2000 season and says he’d like to stay there in the future also, Glover also has a contract with Sabco thru 2002(Winston Cup Scene Magazine)(6-8-2000)
No #15: hearing the #15 Fenley-Moore Ford driven by Ted Musgrave will not race at Michigan this week but will make an attempt at Pocono next week(6-8-2000)
Dallenbach tests Daytona UPDATE 2: Wally Dallenbach and his Newt Moore-led crew will test Tuesday and Wednesday at Daytona International Speedway in preparation for the July 1 Pepsi 400. Meanwhile, the two #75-RedCell Batteries Fords Dallenbach will have at his disposal this weekend at Michigan Speedway will undergo wind tunnel testing Wednesday. This week begins a six-race stretch Dallenbach feels can provide a turnaround for owner Darwin Oordt’s fledgling team(Wally Dallenbach site/Galaxy Motorsports PR)
UPDATE: Wally Dallenbach bounced between his #75 RotoZip Tools Ford stock car and a Corvette sports car like the smattering of raindrops at Daytona International Speedway on Tuesday. After a much needed rain shower, Dallenbach tested his team’s qualifying setup for the July 1 Pepsi 400 and then gave the 3.56 mile road course a run through with officials for the Paul Revere 250. Dallenbach put the #75 stock car through its paces first under daylight and finished under the bright lights of the world famous superspeedway posting a best lap of 183.299mph. 1999’s pole speed was 194.860mph at the Pepsi 400 BUT that was before the new, smaller restricter plate was put in use(at Talladega in April). Dallenbach will continue to test on Wednesday. #88-Dale Jarrett, the defending Pepsi 400 champion and the 2000 Daytona 500 winner, will be joined by #28-Ricky Rudd and #25-Jerry Nadeau for two nights of testing at Daytona June 13-14. During testing, grandstands are open to the public, with access through DAYTONA USA(Daytona Intl Speedway Site)(6-7-2000)
UPDATE 2: Galaxy Motorsports’ two-day Winston Cup Series test session concluded Wednesday at Daytona International Speedway with driver Wally Dallenbach still looking for more speed. Dallenbach’s best lap of the two-day session, which was interupted briefly Tuesday by rain showers, in the Galaxy Ford was 183.299mph over Daytona’s 2.5-mile tri-oval(Speed Magazine)(6-8-2000)

(6-7-2000)
Long at Pocono? #85-Carl Long hopes to run at Pocono next week if they can get the #85 Ford fixed in time. Long will run the #23 Red Line Oil truck this week at Texas(6-7-2000)
Indy Tests UPDATE: The Winston Cup teams of Bobby Labonte, Jeremy Mayfield and Dale Jarrett will participate in a Goodyear tire test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday and Wednesday(That’s Racin’)(6-4-2000)
UPDATE – Brickyard Testing: #88-Dale Jarrett and #18-Bobby Labonte tested at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Tuesday for Goodyear. Heard the best speeds were: #88-Jarrett 172.498mph and #18-Labonte 172.374mph. Labonte is running the new Pontiac rear bumper cover. #12-Jeremy Mayfield was supposed to be there, not sure if he will be there today during the second day or not. Also the IROC cars are tested there earlier this week before heading up to Michigan where some of the IRL drivers will practice for IROC(6-7-2000)
UPS to the #5? UPDATE: on the The LTN Hour (can be heard on the Internet in Real Audio), Jack Flowers of the Speedway Scene, reported that UPS could replace Kelloggs on the #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy that Terry Labonte drives(6-6-2000)
UPDATE: sources tell me that Kelloggs has already signed up with Hendrick Motorsports for another five years and have not talked to any other companies about replacing Kelloggs. Have not seen anything official announced about Kelloggs(6-7-2000)
#10 News: Johnny Benson will drive the #10 Lycos Pontiac at Michigan in which he won the Winston West Race at California earlier this year(TJM Site)(6-7-2000)
2nd Marcis car? hearing that Dwayne Leik, Jackman/Business mgr/PR for Marcis Racing, will attempt to make the Pocono 500 on June 18th in the #72 Chevy. Leik also attempted to make the California race in April but failed to make the race. Leik may also attempt a few other races in 2000(6-7-2000)
TRIX Racing return to Cup? The #79 TRIX Racing ARCA team is hoping to secure a primary sponsor for five race Cup deal later in the 2000 season. The team feels driver Kevin Ray is ready for some Cup action. Ray recently finished 12th on the lead lap at Lowes Motor Speedway in the ARCA race and plans to race next at the Pocono ARCA race. TRIX Racing has moved into a new more spacious location in Toms River, NJ. Crew chief Ted Walters is currently prepping their Chevy’s for Pocono(TRIX Racing PR)(6-7-2000)
Pace Car: NASCAR and General Motors announced that General Motors has extended its NASCAR partnership to designate the Chevrolet Monte Carlo and Pontiac Grand Prix as the “Official Pace Car of NASCAR.” This multi-year agreement, which expands on Pontiac’s long-standing relationship with NASCAR, allows GM to use the Monte Carlo and Grand Prix in NASCAR-themed advertising and promotions(NASCAR PR)(6-7-2000)
Sad News UPDATE 2: Two boats out for a late-night cruise collided on the waters of Lake Norman on Saturday, killing Dave Rush, a pit crew member with the Winston Cup racing #97 team of Chad Little, said Jack Roush, the team’s owner. Investigators believe Rush died from trauma to the head or chest(That’s Racin’)(6-5-2000)
UPDATE: A memorial service will be held at 6pm/et. EST Tuesday for Dave Rush, the race-day pit crew member for Winston Cup driver Chad Little who died Saturday night in a boating accident on Lake Norman (N.C.). Rush, a 48 year-old native of Elkhart, Ind., was involved in a two-boat accident late on Saturday that left two others injured. The accident remains under investigation. The memorial service will take place at the team’s shop in Concord, N.C., and is open to all NASCAR race team personnel. The facility is located next to the Concord Regional Airport at 7050 Aviation Blvd(That’s Racin’)(6-6-2000)
UPDATE 2 stickers at Michigan: All five Roush Racing cars will carry special decals honoring Dave Rush, a crew member for Chad Little ‘s team who died in a boating accident last Saturday. Rush had been with Little’s team for four years. He was a shop fabricator and was the catch-can man on Little’s pit crew. The team has named the car it will use at Daytona as “Rush’s Rig” in his memory(Roanoke Times)(6-7-2000)

(6-6-2000)
Did ya know? The last time there were more than 11 different race winners in a season was 12 in 1994. The top five in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series point standings are separated by 191 points. Ward Burton has raced more laps than any other driver in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series this season. He has completed 4,326 of 4,331 laps raced in 2000. Tony Stewart became the 11th different driver to lead the most laps in a race in the 13 races in 2000(NASCAR PR)(6-6-2000)
Park and DEI to sign UPDATE 3: On ESPN2’s RPM 2Night, Matt Yocum reported that the #1 Pennzoil Chevy driver, Steve Park would be signing a multi-year deal with DEI (Dale Earnhardt Inc) and the announcement should come within a week(5-26-2000)
UPDATE: Ty Norris, the head of DEI, said he expected Park to be back again next season with Pennzoil, with new contracts, and Norris says an announcement could be coming soon. But yesterday, Park seemed to leave the door open to another scenario. Park says he has not signed a new contract with Earnhardt and it is up in the air but are in heavy negotiations and that Earnhardt has made it a priority to get something in place for Park(PitNow)(5-31-2000)
UPDATE 2: Steve Park says the first option for his Winston Cup future is to stay with Dale Earnhardt Inc., but that no new deal has been finalized. While Park said that while he still hopes to work something outthat doesn’t mean he’s not listening for what else is available(That’s Racin’)(6-2-2000)
UPDATE 3: RPM 2Night’s Matt Yocum reports that Park and DEI have agreed to a deal to keep Park with DEI and while there is some issues to be worked out, an announcement is expected at Michigan later this week(6-6-2000)
Cope/Johnson Car#: The new Quest Motor sports team will use the #37(Derrike Cope Site)(6-6-2000)
Pocono Testing: hearing that the #2-Rusty Wallace team will test at Pocono on Wednesday(6-6-2000)
Harry Carson a Cup team owner? former NFL great, Harry Carson, is looking to get into NASCAR as an owner along with Robert Wilson of Long Island. See the story at New Jersey Online/Star Ledger by Sid Dorfman(6-6-2000)
Power Team Gone? it was reported on the The LTN Hour on Sunday(6-4) that Power Team will probably leave the Joe Bessey owned #60 Cup car and Bessey may go back to the BGN series(6-6-2000)
#12 Crew Chief back: Jeremy Mayfield and the #12 Mobil 1 team will have crew chief Peter Sospenzo back at Michigan after missing the last three races while serving a suspension from the Talladega fuel incident(6-6-2000)
#41 Closed..for now UPDATE 2: hearing that #41-Larry Hedrick Motorsports has laid off their employee’s until a sponsor could be found. All the race cars are completed and just need to be painted(with a new sponsor). Plan are to go back to racing when the sponsor is found. Gary Bradberry was driving the car earlier this season(6-3-2000)
UPDATE: PitNow is reporting that engine builder, Peter Guild, is negotiating to buy Larry Hedrick’s #41 Cup team(PitNow)(6-5-2000)
UPDATE 2: hearing that Guild is not trying to buy the team but someone else has stepped up and is talking to Hedrick about buying the team(6-6-2000)
Sad News: heard that Jake Elder’s wife Debbie, passed away Sunday after a long illness, Elder is a retired crew chief from Winston Cup and a lengend in the sport(6-6-2000)

(6-5-2000)
Valvoline and Roush UPDATE 5 more news: Roush and Valvoline, meanwhile are continuing to negotiate, with proposals out and under evaluation. Rumored replacements include GE(General Electric) and Wal-Mart. Also Valvoline could end up a major assoc across all the Roush teams like Quaker State is with Hendrick Motorsports(SpeedVision)
UPDATE: hearing that Pfizer may in the running for sponsorship of the #6 Ford(5-28-2000)
UPDATE 2: While there are talks about extending the Valvoline deal, another possibility is that Pfizer’s sponsorship could wind up on that (#6)car(That’s Racin’)(5-29-2000)
UPDATE 3: Top sponsor will change for Martin. Pfizer/Viagra will be the primary sponsor for NASCAR driver Mark Martin’s #6 Ford next year. The new deal for Martin and Roush Racing is reportedly worth $60 million over five years, according to several sources within the NASCAR industry. This year’s primary sponsor, Valvoline, and Martin have enjoyed one of the longest-running relationships in the sport. “(Valvoline) is more likely to be an associate sponsor than as a primary sponsor next year — that would be a true statement,” said Geoff Smith, president of Roush Racing, on Tuesday evening. “But as far as other things going on, we’re not going to talk (about names and specifics) until everything is completed.” Pfizer/Viagra is the primary sponsor of Pontiac #27 driver Mike Bliss this season(Atlanta Journal Constitution)(5-31-2000)
UPDATE 4: The Valvoline Company has announced that at the conclusion of the 2000 season it will no longer be the major sponsor of the Roush Racing Ford driven by Mark Martin on the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit. Valvoline is pursuing other opportunities within NASCAR and is confident that they will continue to be a major sponsor in Winston Cup racing as they have been for the last 25 years(Yahoo Biz)(6-1-2000)
UPDATE 5: Although Valvoline will no longer be a primary sponsor, they still expect to be associated with them(Roush) in some capacity in the future and that Valvoline is confident the company will continue as a “major sponsor” in Winston Cup. Sources told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette last week that Martin and Roush were to sign a five-year, $72 million contract with Bentonville-based Wal-Mart, a deal that would include a $5 million bonus to win the Winston Cup championship, beginning next year. But the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported this week that a five-year, $60 million deal had been signed with Pfizer/Viagra as company that Martin signed on to work with an advertising campaign for the company this season along with fellow drivers Bobby Labonte and Rusty Wallace. Other potential sponsors believed to be interested include United Parcel Services, Ford Quality Care and General Electric. No word has come from Roush Racing at all(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)(6-5-2000)
Rusty Penalty: why was #2-Rusty Wallace penalized towards the end of the MBNA Platinum 400 at Dover? Rusty Wallace was in the NASCAR trailer after the race questioning a black flag that cost him in the final miles. Instead of battling Dale Earnhardt for seventh, a lap down, Wallace wound up 14th after the penalty. Wallace had been racing Earnhardt for position when the last caution came out. So just before the single-file restart Wallace passed several cars that were behind him on the scorecard, to get to Earnhardt’s rear bumper. NASCAR then blackflagged him, pointing to the 10-lap rule that sets a single-file restart inside 10 to go and that doesn’t allow anyone except drivers still on the lead lap to close up. If Wallace and Earnhardt had been on the lead lap, Wallace could have closed up; since they weren’t, he couldn’t(PitNow). Also, see the explanation at That’s Racin’ and NOL(6-5-2000)
Kyle to sub for Andretti UPDATE: Kyle Petty, who Saturday failed to qualify for at Dover for the Cup race in the #44 Hot Wheels Pontiac, will stand by in relief for injured teammate John Andretti at Dover Downs. The car has been fitted with Petty’s seat. Andretti will run the car until the first caution then Petty will finish out the race(SpeedVision)(6-3-2000)
UPDATE: Kyle Petty relieved John Andretti during the first caution and was able to drive the #43 STP/Cheerios Pontiac to a 13th place finish(6-5-2000)
Parcells to own a team? The latest rumor making the rounds has Steve Park driving next year for a start-up team owned by Bill Parcells(Gaston Gazette) note: Parcells was rumored in the past to be involved with Ray Evernham but have heard nothing of that in a while(6-5-2000)
Winner: average starting spot for the 12 Winston Cup winners in 2000 is 14th (EPSN2’s Ray Dunlap on NASCAR2Day) Tony Stewart started 16th in the 13th race at Dover(6-5-2000)
Martin news: With #6-Mark Martins blown engine, Martin finished outside the top ten for the fourth time in a row. Martin hasn’t finished outside the top ten four times in a row previous to this since 1989(TNN Race Coverage)(6-5-2000)

(6-4-2000)

Mike Joy/Fox Show: The New England Dodge Motorsports Weekly, on FOX Sports Net in New England has been on for a few weeks, Mike Joys hosts the show (for info see the full Press Release at New England Dodge Motorsports Weekly Debuts on Fox Sports Net PR). The latest show had Worcester(MA) Telegram sports columnist John Gearan whose Mothers’ Day column attacking auto racing provoked thousands of angry emails, letters and phone calls to the newspaper and its advertisers(see the article link at the bottom of my Past Columns/Article Links page. Anyhow, a few readers wrote in after seeing the show, here are a few comments: Mike didn’t hold back any questions, asking the tough questions like ‘would Gearan change anything looking back on it’, answer was ‘no’. How did he came to the conclusions he did in the article: statistics gathered about the number of deaths compared to the number of participants”. Why he dislikes auto racing so much? he said it is too dangerous. Gearan said he was surprised with the responses he received, “unaware” that his article would be distributed on the Internet. He allegedly places most of the blame on the South(USA), citing that there isn’t much interest in auto racing in Mid-Mass. He also stated he didn’t intend to offend anyone and regrets that he did. Mike Joy then invited him to a New England short track race and be a member of the pit crew, no word if Gearan accepted(6-4-2000)

(6-3-2000)
#98 Team Sold? hearing the #98 Cale Yarborough team has been sold to a company called Premier Racing Teams, LLC. Hearing they won’t race until the 2001 Cup season(6-3-2000)
Joyner-Kersee-Roehrig Motorsports? haven’t heard much on this Cup team since they withdrew the #34 Sunoco Pontiac from the Daytona 500. I am being told that the team is working hard to find a sponsor for the 2001 team and may run a race or two late in the season(6-3-2000)
TV Guide Returns: TV Guide magazine has returned as an associate sponsor on the #16 FamilyClick.com Fords driven by Kevin Lepage for Roush Racing(That’s Racin’)(6-3-2000)
Burnout Wear: has just announced NASCAR Drivers Burnoutwear products which include drivers such as Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt JR. and SR. to name a few. Also adding NHRA drivers. For more info see the link on the Collectible Links page. Also Burnout Wear will be interviewed on ESPN2’s RPM2 Night or NASCAR 2Day shows on Sunday(6-3-2000)
#500: Jeff Hammond, the crew chief for the #97 John Deere Ford and Chad Little will crewchief his 500th career Winston Cup race at Dover(many sources)(6-3-2000)
Bickle to run at Indy: The #61 BGN team owned by Steve Coulter plans to make their Winston Cup debut at the Brickyard 400 with Rich Bickle as the driver(Winston Cup Scene Mag)(6-3-2000)
Wallace Penalty? UPDATE 4: Kenny Wallace and the #55 Andy Petree team is rumored to be getting penalized at Dover from some sort of testing infraction at Michigan in recent testing done at the Michigan Speedway. Word is that the #55 team will no be able to practice at Dover on Friday or run 1st round qualifying. Must had been something pretty serious. Supposedly a fine will be levied(5-31-2000)
UPDATE: am hearing the penalties may not occur until the Michigan event on the weekend of June 9-11th(6-1-2000)
UPDATE 2: NASCAR officials are reviewing a recent test by Kenny Wallace at Michigan Speedway for possible violations of NASCAR’s testing policy, but crew chief Jimmy Elledge says NASCAR hasn’t decided what to do yet. Elledge denied reports that Wallace might be barred from running at Dover as a penalty. Elledge’s quotes from PitNow: “There is a question about Michigan, and NASCAR is looking at the whole situation, but no decision has been made yet, we’ve had problems there in the past, so we wanted to test, and we had Tim Sauter there as a consultant. When it looked like it was going to rain the second day, we stuck Tim in the car. But NASCAR says that’s a violation of the testing policy, that you can’t have two drivers testing for you.”(PitNow)
UPDATE 3: The #55 Andy Petree Racing team received a penalty Friday from NASCAR for violating policy regarding testing sessions. Wallace’s team used two drivers to test one car at a recent test at Michigan Speedway – a violation of the new testing policy implemented prior to the 1999 season. Each team is allowed seven tests per season on tracks used in the Winston Cup series and two of those are manufacturer tests at Daytona and Indianapolis. And each team is allowed one driver per team. Wallace’s team apparently used both Wallace and driver Jim Sauter to test one of Wallace’s #55 Square-D/Cooper Lighting Chevys. Wallace’s team will be charged for an additional test – in effect, losing a test session – as a penalty for the violation(That’s Racin’)(6-2-2000)
UPDATE 4: a little clarification – the team was not penalized for using two drivers but for using two CARS with two drivers at the same time(RPM 2Night)(6-3-2000)

(6-2-2000)
Petty PR UPDATE Kyle Speaks: Kyle Petty will address the media Friday, June 2, from 8:15 to 8:30am/et in the media center at the Dover Downs International Speedway. This will be the only time during the weekend that Petty will be available to the media. Petty is scheduled to drive the #45 Sprint Chevy in the June 3 NASCAR Busch Series race at Dover Downs International Speedway. He is also scheduled to return to the seat of the #44 Hot Wheels Racing Pontiac for the Winston Cup race on June 4. The Busch Series team has not competed since the tragic death of Adam Petty in New Hampshire on May 12. No determination has been made regarding plans for the #45 Sprint Chevy beyond Dover(Williams Co PR)(5-31-2000)
UPDATE – Kyle Speaks: See the full story and Kyle Petty’s Quotes at SpeedVision: Petty Returns to Racing by Ben Blake. Petty talks about Adam, the team and the future. Some notes from the story: Petty’s voice broke occasionally during his 15-minute conversation with the press and media, but for the most part his answers were steady and his mind clear. He began by describing how he and his family received the news. Petty said it never occurred to him to quit racing or close down the team. You can also listen to the Audio version at NASCAR Online and see a story there as well: Petty makes emotional return at Dover. Other columns on Petty: TachZone and That’s Racin’ in a Q&A format. Some Kyle racing notes: For the Cup race Kyle is scheduled to qualify 24th of 45 drivers. In AM practice Kyle was 33rd with a speed of 154.566mph. For the BGN in Adam’s #45 car Kyle is scheduled to qualify 29th of 48 drivers. In the AM BGN practice Kyle was 26th fastest with a speed of 153.022mph. In the 2nd Cup practice, Kyle moved up to 13th fastest with a speed of 156.277mph.(6-2-2000)
M&M’s Scheme UPDATE: the latest RCCA Bulletin has news on the #36 Kenny Schrader/M&M’s scheme that will be run at the Pepsi 400 in Daytona. The car is Red, White and Bluw with red, white and blue M&M’s(many readers). Haven’t seen an image yet(6-1-2000)
UPDATE image: a reader scanned in the RCCA image for me, check it out in the Paint Schemes Gallery, it is a sharp looking car(6-2-2000)
Pontiac Rules Change UPDATE 2: RPM 2Night reported that the Pontiac team will be able to use a new rear bumper cover starting at Michigan. It will be optional until the Pepei 400 at Daytona. AND….from SpeedVision: NASCAR announced that the Winston Cup Pontiacs will be able to use a new rear bumper cover on the 2000 model, starting with next weekend’s event at Michigan Speedway. The Winston Cup series is currently preparing for this weekend’s race at Dover Downs International Speedway. The bumper cover will be optional equipment for the 10 Pontiac teams in the series, but becomes mandatory after June 28(SpeedVision). What is a rear bumper cover you ask? from NOL: Dimensionally there is no significant difference. The improvement comes from a marginally higher ground clearance to the bottom of the bumper cover on the Grand Prix(6-1-2000)
UPDATE: That’s Racin’ (as is the Gaston Gazette) is reporting the new cover can be used at Dover this weekend and that Winston Cup director Gary Nelson is expected to address the rule change during a visit to the speedway’s infield media center on Saturday, NASCAR spokesman Rick Oleshak said(That’s Racin’)
UPDATE 2: #10 Lycos Team Reaction to New Pontiac Rules – NASCAR announced Thursday that a new rear bumper cover for the NASCAR Winston Cup Series 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix will go into effect after this weekend’s race in Dover. The modification is optional to Pontiac teams until June 28, 2000 when all teams must use the newly approved rear bumper cover. #10 Crew Chief, James Ince On Pontiac’s New Rear Bumper: “That is good news to us. We figure it is about half of what our Lycos Pontiac needs but it is a step in the right direction and we applaud NASCAR for listening to us. We are halfway there. The rear bumper is optional at Michigan, but you better bet we are going to run it in there. We have tested what they approved in a windtunnel and liked what we saw. The new rear bumper helps in that it allows air to escape underneath the car which makes it a little bit better aerodynamically on the track. I said last week that we were about 200 pounds of downforce behind the Chevrolet and Ford, but I think we are getting closer to them. Will the race fans notice it on the track? I hope so.” #10 Driver Johnny Benson: “Sounds good to us. We will run whatever they give us. The new back bumper should help but we will just have to wait and see how it is on the track.”(Tyler Jet Motorsports) and from That’s Racin’: Pontiac teams hope for more help(6-2-2000)
Pocono Testing: #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr., #9-Stacy Compton, #17-Matt Kenseth, #27-Mike Bliss and #60-Geoffrey Bodine tested at Pocono Raceway on Thursday preparation for the June 18 Pocono 500. Earnhardt ran in the 164.500mph range(Times Leader)(6-2-2000)
Park and DEI to sign UPDATE 2: On ESPN2’s RPM 2Night, Matt Yocum reported that the #1 Pennzoil Chevy driver, Steve Park would be signing a multi-year deal with DEI (Dale Earnhardt Inc) and the announcement should come within a week(5-26-2000)
UPDATE: Ty Norris, the head of DEI, said he expected Park to be back again next season with Pennzoil, with new contracts, and Norris says an announcement could be coming soon. But yesterday, Park seemed to leave the door open to another scenario. Park says he has not signed a new contract with Earnhardt and it is up in the air but are in heavy negotiations and that Earnhardt has made it a priority to get something in place for Park(PitNow)(5-31-2000)
UPDATE: Steve Park says the first option for his Winston Cup future is to stay with Dale Earnhardt Inc., but that no new deal has been finalized. While Park said that while he still hopes to work something outthat doesn’t mean he’s not listening for what else is available(That’s Racin’)(6-2-2000)
Glover back to the #4? There is speculation that Tony Glover may return to the Morgan McClure #4 Kodak team, which has won only once since Glover left more than three years ago(PitNow). Glover is presently with SABCO(#’s 40 and 42) and with Chip Ganassi buying a large stake in SABCO and bringing Andy Graves in, the time would be right for Glover to make a move(6-2-2000)
Pruett Double Duty: PPI Motorsports (PPIM) announced that its Winston Cup driver, Scott Pruett, will assume driving duties for Busch driver Anthony Lazzaro in future Busch series races that coincide with Winston Cup events this season. Pruett, who continues to drive the #32 Tide Ford in all NASCAR Winston Cup Series races, will drive the #97 McDonald’s Ford beginning at Dover. Lazzaro, who remains under contract with PPI Motorsports, will drive the #97 McDonald’s Ford at the Milwaukee Busch event on July 2. Additional race dates for Lazzaro are still being considered. The decision to run Pruett in future Busch events was reached after an in-depth evaluation of the McDonald’s Busch program’s current configuration and its potential to step up to Winston Cup competition next season. The team is evaluating other drivers to field the McDonald’s Ford in Winston Cup competition beginning next season. At the same time, they are working diligently toward finding other driving opportunities for Lazarro(PPIM PR)(6-2-2000)
Common Templates: Back during the March 19th Darlington weekend a story surfaced that NASCAR may explore the possibility of instituting common templates into the Winston Cup Series. The common template would allow NASCAR better control over the manufactures and help keep the complaining to a minimum. See the Speedway Scene article concerning them at: Common Templates Coming? by Mike Snow(new link) and a sister story: templates and aero – Tying it All Together(6-2-2000)
#50 to skip Dover? UPDATE yes and.. The #50 Midwest Transit team may skip Dover next week to focus on Michigan(NOL Notbook)(5-29-2000)
UPDATE: Craven will run Michigan, then skip Pococo and Sears Point and return to action at the Pepsi 400 in Daytona(6-2-2000)

(6-1-2000)
#43 Relief UPDATE: hearing Tim Fedawa will help out the the #43 STP/Cheerios Pontiac team and injured driver John Andretti, not sure yet in what capacity(5-31-2000)
UPDATE: John Andretti hopes to drive Sunday until the first caution, when he will turn the car over to Tim Fedewa(That’s Racin’)(6-1-2000)
Gordon Skips Dover UPDATE: The #13 Robby Gordon team is skipping Dover and will concentrate on testing and re-organizing their efforts(RPM 2Night)(5-31-2000)
UPDATE: Team Gordon has decided to skip this weekend’s race in Dover to focus and restructure its effort for the remainder of the season. The team has outlined a plan for the balance of the 2000 schedule that will maximize the ability of the team to perform at a level consistent with Team Gordon’s expectations. The schedule will consist of 7 of the next 11 races through August with a re-evaluation for the remainder of the 2000 Winston Cup schedule. In between races, Team Gordon plans to use its time implementing a heavy testing schedule that will also include boosted efforts in research and development. In the short term, Team Gordon has decided to focus on its road course and intermediate track programs. Wind tunnel testing and more in-depth engineering work is also planned(Team Gordon)(6-1-2000)
Pre-Race Accident UPDATE: Four persons were slightly injured in the pit area by debris from an explosion during the pre-race show. The show involved several military planes flying over the track, with explosions of plywood structures timed to appear as though the track was being bombed by the planes. One of the staged explosion’s scattered some plywood debris from props along the front straightaway. Each was standing behind pit wall. Two people walked away from the scene and refused treatment. Two were treated and released from the infield care center with minor abrasions. Wayne Deloria, pit crew coordinator for the #32-Scott Pruett Ford, later returned to the care center complaining of dizziness and appeared disoriented. He was taken by ambulance to Carolinas Medical Center for precautionary tests(SpeedVision and That’s Racin’)(5-29-2000)
UPDATE: Wayne Deloria, a pit crew coordinator for Scott Pruett’s Winston Cup team who was injured during a prerace show Sunday at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, is recovering well, team spokeswoman Pam Colbert said Wednesday(St Petersburg Times)(6-1-2000)
Walkway Lawsuit: Five people injured when a pedestrian walkway collapsed at Lowe’s Motor Speedway and two of their spouses filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the track’s parent company and the construction firm that built the bridge. The lawsuit, filed in Rowan County Superior Court, accuses Speedway Motorsports Inc. and Tindall Corp. of negligence in the May 20 accident that injured 107 people. At least 15 people remained hospitalized Wednesday, two in critical condition(WRAL/AP)(6-1-2000)
Sad News: Ricky Nicholas, pit crew member with Norm Benning’s ARCA/CUP team, was killed over the weekend in an offtrack vehicle accident near Huntingdon, PA. He was the son of Rick Nicholas Sr., front tire changer and the nephew of crew chief Linda Nicholas. Services were held in Irwin, PA Tuesday evening(6-1-2000)