Oct 2000 CTS Archive

• 2001 CTS Sched UPDATE 2: NASCAR’s new truck tour schedule should be out within a week, held up apparently by some television questions at some tracks, such as Las Vegas. Part of the truck schedule is already out, and there will be no race at Michigan or Bristol in 2001(PitNow)(10-6-2000)(didn’t happen)
  UPDATE: hearing the CTS schedule will be released on Monday, October 30. A few new races will be at Darlington and Kansas, plus a return to Las Vegas and supposedly a race will be held at South Boston(VA), also their website reports that they will have a CTS race: Craftsmen Trucks to Run at So Bo in 2001
  UPDATE 2: see the full 2001 CTS schedule at That’s Racin’. No more road courses(10-30-2000)
• Bennett Looking UPDATE: Brad Bennett is actively looking for a full-time ride in the CTS in 2001. Despite their efforts, his family owned and operated team has been unsuccessful in finding sponsorship for next year, so they will most likely be “closing shop” before the new year. Bennett, 26, qualified for every race he attempted, running five races in both 1999 and 2000 with a best finish of 14th at Homestead this year. Bennsett will be going to California this week to talk to other car owners and crew chiefs, hoping to uncover something for next year(10-26-2000)
  UPDATE: was told that while Bennett is looking for a full time CTS job, the team, REYBEN Racing, has had no discussions regarding our position for next year and are speaking to many corporate contacts, and have made no decisions regarding next year because of this, which means the team may not be closing(10-30-2000)
• No more GMAC? #24 to #0? UPDATE 4: Hearing that GMAC will not return in 2001 to be the primary sponsor of the Hendrick Motorsports #24 Chevy Truck driven by Jack Sprague(10-7-2000)
  UPDATE: hearing it was reported during Friday’s CTS race at Texas that Jack Sprague’s Hendrick Motorsports Chevy truck would change numbers from #24 to #0 and the new sponsor would be NetZero, I missed most of the race, but a few readers have mentioned it(10-19-2000)
  UPDATE 2: the #24 Hensrick Motorsports team will announce a new primary sponsor for the 2001 CTS Season prior to Saturday’s season-ending NCTS race at California Speedway, Oct 28th at 10am/pt. For the past two seasons, GMAC Financial Services was the primary sponsor on Spragues Hendrick Chevy Silverado. The company will remain with Sprague in 2001 as a major associate sponsor(Catchfence). NOTE: no word on if the truck # will changem but I am told the number will NOT change from #24 to #0(10-24-2000)
  UPDATE 3: NetZero a leading provider of advertising- and commerce-supported Internet access, announced a NASCAR marketing and primary sponsorship program with CTS driver Jack Sprague and Hendrick Motorsports. The announcement was made at the California Speedway in conjunction with the final race of the 2000 CTS season. Sprague, a two-time NASCAR CTS champion, will carry the red, white and blue NetZero colors on his #24 Chevrolet Silverado beginning with the truck series opener at Daytona on Feb. 13, 2001(Yahoo Biz)
  UPDATE 4 an image: see an image of the truck at the Hendrick Motorsports site(10-30-2000)
• Ware Injured UPDATE ok but out: #81-Rick Ware was injured during Thursday afternoon’s practice at California. He hit the turn two wall and was taken to the infield medical center. He was alert and conscious but was complaining of a tingling sensation in his arm. He was then transported to Loma Linda Hospital and was kept overnight for observation and testing(NOL)(10-27-2000)
  UPDATE: Ware was released on Friday morning after all tests were negative. The #81 Sportsman Racing Products Chevrolet was totaled in the turn 2 wreck forcing him to withdraw from the event(NOL)(10-28-2000)
• Wallace Honors USS Cole: The tailgate of Mike Wallace’ #2 Team ASE Racing Ford will honor those recently killed on the USS Cole with, “In memory of the USS Cole” for Saturday’s Motorola 200 at California Speedway. It is a tribute to the 17 sailors who lost their lives when the ship was attacked on Oct. 12th.(NOL)(10-28-2000)
• #73 Dodge? UPDATE: Hearing that the # 73 Berryman B-12 / StockCarFans.com truck driven by B.A. Wilson will be sporting Dodge sheet metal and horsepower at the Fontana race(Stockcarfans CTS Newsletter)(10-19-2000)
  UPDATE: Fort Worth’s Mike Farris will have two trucks entered in Saturday’s CTS season finale at California Speedway. Fort Worth’s David Starr will drive the TKO Motorsports #41 Dodge, and Carrollton’s B.A. Wilson will drive a #73 Dodge. Wilson’s Dodge will be run as a joint venture between team owner Joey Sonntag of Little Elm and Farris. Sonntagg usually fields a Chevy(Dallas Morning News)(10-26-2000)
• Ruttman Birthday: story at NOL – Ruttman to celebrate 56th in home state(10-26-2000)
• #46 News: As the 2000 CTS season comes to close drivers and teams are preparing for the 2001 season. Most teams are preparing new equipment, making crew changes and recruiting sponsors. For Rob Morgan driver of the #46 Acxiom/AbiliTec Ford F-150 the end of the season brings a time for celebration. Although Morgan did not secure the 2000 truck series championship, he is set to have the celebration of a lifetime. Morgan will marry Victoria Abajian on November 4th in Laguna Beach, CA. Abajian a native of California met Morgan while he was living in Newport Beach, CA. The couple has been engaged since March and currently resides in Little Rock, AR. Morgan started 29th last year in the NAPA Auto Parts 200 and finished one lap down in 16th position. This season however, He has seemed to find the line at the series larger tracks. This season at California’s sister track the Michigan International Speedway Morgan qualified 6th, finishing 18th in the race(Acxiom Racing PR)(10-26-2000)
• #14 Sponsor re-ups: Milwaukee Electric Tool, a producer and seller of high-quality professional power tools, will be back as primary sponsor of the #14 Circle Bar Racing Ford and Rick Crawford of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2001(Circle Bar Racing PR)(10-25-2000)
• Trucks move to Spring at Dover: Denis McGlynn, the president and CEO of Dover Downs International Speedway, said Tuesday the Craftsman Truck Series will return to the track next June(not in September). The trucks will kick off the June 1-3 race weekend. The Winston Cup and Busch series will also run and be sponsored again by Delaware-based MBNA. Dover Downs is also working on bringing the Busch North stock car series to the track for a tripleheader on Sept. 21-23. The reason for the switch? Dover Downs couldn’t get a TV package together for September, so they talked to NASCAR and they were happy to move the truck race to June, where we had a TV opportunity with ESPN. The trucks will race Friday, June 1, at a time to be determined. McGlynn said it will probably be around 4 p.m. again, which gives fans more time to arrive at the track for the weekend. McGlynn’s primary concern for next June’s tripleheader will be the weather. Rain showers tend to hit the track in June more so than in September(News Journal)(10-25-2000)
• Powers News: #5 Powers Motorsports will compete at Fontana, CA in the season ending CTS race. Driver / Owner Tom Powers is still trying to find sponsorship for the race and all of next season(10-25-2000)
• Lance Looking: former Winston West Champ. Lance Hooper is currently talking with several BGN and CTS teams to drive for year 2001(10-25-2000)
• Cook Leaves the #88 UPDATE driver for Calif: Terry Cook asked SealMaster Racing team owner Duke Thorson to release him from his contract, effective immeditely. “I granted that request,” Thorson said. “We’ve known for some time that Terry was looking at his options for next season and beyond. He’s apparently found something and needs to get started on his new venture immediately.” Thorson said that Cook’s departure would have a major impact on the team, which was formed around the driver in 1996. Cook started 93 Truck races in the #88 SealMaster Chevy, winning one – the Stevens Beil/Genuine Car Parts 200 at Flemington (N.J.) Speedway in 1998. The team has entered the 2000 season finale, the Motorola 200 at the California Speedway Saturday, Oct. 28, and will name a driver for that race later this week(SpeedVision), Cook’s brother, Jerry, will remain the team’s crew chief, management consultant Tim Stephens said(That’s Racin’)(10-16-2000)
  UPDATE: Matt Crafton, 24, of Tulare, CA will pilot the #88 PickupTruck.com Chevy for SealMaster Racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series 2000 season finale Motorola 200 at California Speedway. Crafton is the current points leader in the NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series. To date he has competed in 70 races, collecting four wins, 19 top five and 31 top ten finishes(Team PR)(10-24-2000)
• Cook to the #29 for a race: Terry Cook, who stepped out of the #88 SealMaster Craftsman Truck recently, has signed a one-race deal to drive the #29 K-Automotive Dodge in the Motorola 200 season finale Saturday at California Speedway. Although neither Bob Keselowski nor Cook would say that this was any more than a one-race deal, both admitted that a longterm relationship would be welcomed. The team is looking for a sponsor for 2001(SpeedVision)(10-23-200)
• Riggs to drive the #31 at Calif: Scott Riggs, former driver of the #86 Royal Crown Dodge in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, will drive at Fontana, California behind the wheel of the #31 Brevak Racing Ford(Brevak Racing Site)(10-23-2000)
• Hornaday III to run at Calif: Ron Hornaday Jr. will own and field a truck for his son, Ronnie Hornaday III, at California Speedway this weekend. The 21-year old made five starts in 1999, with a best finish of 16th at Nazareth Speedway and a 17th finish at Nashville Speedway. Hornaday III had planned to run the ARCA Series in 2000, a move that didn’t turn out as planned as a sponsor deal didn’t pan out. Lucas Oil will sponsor the #94 Chevy truck at Fontana. The Hornaday’s are also expected to break ground in the next few weeks on two 10,000 square ft. race shops, complete with team offices, fitness and weight room and a museum(NOL)(10-23-2000)
• Hendrick to miss Calif: Ricky Hendrick was released after being diagnosed with a mild concussion when his #24 GMAC Chevy hit the wall with 14 laps to go in Saturday’s BGN race at Rockingham. But as a precautionary measure, Hendrick will be kept out of the season-ending NASCAR Craftsman Truck event at the California Speedway. The team will not run a replacement driver in Hendrick’s place, running just the single truck for Jack Sprague(SpeedVision)(10-23-2000)
• Bliss turns down truck ride: #27 Cup Crew Chief/Part Owner Barry Dodson said he still is seeking a sponsor for his #27 Eel River Racing team next season. Dodson has signed driver Kenny Wallace and is considering starting a Busch Grand National or second Winston Cup team with Mike Bliss, the team’s current driver(Times-Dispatch)(10-22-2000)
• Walters looking: Scot Walters, former Craftsman truck series regular, is looking for a full time driving position for the 2001 racing season(10-21-2000)
• #41 News: Case Corporation of Racine, WI will be the primary sponsor of the TKO Motorsports #41 Dodge driven by David Starr for the last truck race at Fontana. This will be their second race with the Ft. Worth, TX based team. Case was impressed with crew chief Todd Meyer and driver Starr that broke the Texas Motorspeedway CTS qualifying record and started on the front row in Case’s and Starr’s first start Mike Farris’s Dodge team(10-21-2000)
• 3rd Roush truck at Calif? UPDATE yep hearing that Chuck Hossfeld will attempt the race at California Speedway on 10/28 in a truck that Roush Racing is putting together for him to get seat time(10-17-2000)
  UPDATE: Roush Racing is planning on entering the #49 unsponsored Ford entry in the final race at California Speedway at the end of October for Hossfeld. Both Roush Racing NASCAR Craftsman Trucks(#’s 50 and 99) are still unsponsored as for the 2001 season(NOL)(10-20-2000)
• Truck’s Back to Las Vegas: the CTS will return to Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2001, it was announced Thursday by LVMS officials. After a one-year absence, the CTS will compete on LVMS’ 1.5-mile superspeedway on Sunday, Oct. 14, 2001. The race, which is tentatively scheduled to start at 2:00pm/pt and will be televised live by ESPN2, will be preceded on Saturday, Oct. 13 by a NASCAR Winston West event and a NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series event. The CTS competed each year from 1996-1999 at LVMS. In 1998, Jack Sprague won the race but lost out to Ron Hornaday for the points championship by a mere three points. Hornaday finished second in the event and the image of the two competitors doing synchronized doughnuts in the infield grass has been etched in the memory of racing fans ever since. In 1999, Greg Biffle, who in 1998 clinched the series rookie of the year title in Las Vegas, came to LVMS poised to sew up his first series championship. Despite winning the race, Biffle was penalized by NASCAR for rules infractions, tightening the points race between him and Sprague. Sprague would go on to win the series title(LVMS PR)(10-19-2000)
• Wallace to the #1? UPDATE: Ultra Motorsports, who recently signed Scott Riggs to drive the #2 Ultra Wheels Dodge truck for 2001, may have Mike Wallace move up to Cup in the #7 Ultra Wheels Ford team or drive the #1 Mopar Dodge in the CTS(Winston Cup Scene)(10-13-2000)
  UPDATE: hearing that is Wallace takes a Cup ride, Tyler Walker may end up in the #1 CTS ride(10-18-2000)
• Biffle hurt but ok: CTS Point Leader, Greg Biffle, was injured in a wreck at Texas when something broke on this truck and it went head on into the wall. He was up and around but may have a cracked/brokern rid. But Biffle’s 25th finishing spot allowed him to clinch the 2000 CTS Championship, the first ever NASCAR championship for his owner Jack Roush(10-14-2000)
• Marriage Proposal: The #51 Line-X Ford, driven by Rick Ware, will carry a unique ‘sponsor’ this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. Jerry Millas, a 31-year old aircraft mechanic in Enid, OK, has secured space on the hood of Ware’s truck with the assistance of Donnie Neuenberger, driver of the #21 eBay Ford for a proposal- of marriage. Early last week, Millas contacted Neuenberger about the eBay charity auctions for sponsor space on the eBay truck, and approached him about a unique idea- he wanted to propose marriage to his girlfriend of 3 years, Wendy Melton, a 22-year old police dispatcher. He wanted to do it by sponsoring a truck, putting the big question on a panel for her to see on TV while she was at work. What he got was a space on the hood-the most coveted space of any vehicle in NASCAR competition . After a lengthy phone conversation, Neuenberger agreed to help, and gained approval from his sponsors, securing the space on the hood of Ware’s truck for Millas’ proposal to his, hopefully, future wife. Millas is not in the same tax bracket as Bill Gates, but he IS a huge NASCAR fan, even sporting a Dale Earnhardt tattoo, and he has followed the Truck Series since its inception in 1995, attending numerous Truck Series events through his volunteer efforts with the #46 AcXiom Ford, driven by Rob Morgan. That was all Neuenberger needed to know to help out a fan with a unique “sponsorship” idea. Friday evening Millas will get his answer, thanks to Donnie Neuenberger, Rick Ware, and Line-X.(10-13-2000)
• 2nd Team Rensi Truck: Chad Chaffin will drive a second eLink truck for Team Rensi Motorsports at Texas Motor Speedway (#61). Changes have been made to necessitate both Jimmy Hensley and Chad Chaffin this weekend at Texas when these teammates take the field. The crew, who normally pits the #16 eLink Chevrolet Silverado, will be in charge of the #61 eLink Chevrolet. Team Rensi’s #25 Busch Series group has been given the assignment of pitting the #16 eLink truck for this race only(Motorsports Management Group)(10-11-2000)
• Roush Auditions UPDATE 4 two signed: On Wednesday and Thursday, Roush Racing will be hoping to find the next Kurt Busch during an audition at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Max Jones, who heads up Roush’s Truck Series program and current NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series points leader Greg Biffle will be on hand to put four candidates through a rigorous two-day test for the two vacant Truck rides in Roush’s stable for 2001(#’s 50 and #99 – no sponsors as of yet). Current Truck Series regular Scott Riggs(#86), Re/Max Challenge Series driver Nathan Haseleu, Tim Peters, a late model stock-car driver from Martinsville, Va., and Concord, N.C., late-model driver Chuck Hossfeld will be the four drivers auditioning for the rides. The auditions will be closed to the public(LVMS PR)(9-26-2000)
  UPDATE: hearing that Riggs and Hossfeld were chosen and offered longterm contracts with Roush Racing(10-4-2000)
  UPDATE 2 one signed: Chuck Hossfeld signed a deal Wednesday with Roush Racing to become a full-time driver in their NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series program for 2001. Hossfeld, 23, who is the 1999 Lancaster Speedway Modified champion, will either take over the truck of current Craftsman Truck Series point leader Greg Biffle or teammate Kurt Busch. Biffle is slated to drive for Roush in the Busch Series next season and Kurt Busch will remain in the organization as well, racing in the Winston Cup(Buffalo News)(10-6-2000)
  UPDATE 3: hearing Scott Riggs turned down the offer and will drive one of the two Ultra Motorsports Dodges in 2001(jayski) AND Roush Racing confirmed on Friday that it is interviewing a black driver from the Atlanta area for the other ride having scheduled a meeting for next week with Eric Reed of Stockbridge,GA. Reed, 34, has been racing late and super late model cars across the Southeast for the past seven years. The Ohio native said his parents were drag racers. Roush officials are impressed with Reed’s “model citizen” background: He is an ex-Marine, and minister of Power Camp Outreach Ministries, which provides food and clothing for the homeless in downtown Atlanta. Reed also is a successful business entrepreneur. Reed is ecstatic about meeting with Roush officials. He said he has lined up a group of sponsors to provide financial backing for his “impending” entry into NASCAR. Chuck Hossfed, who competed in 10 NASCAR modified events for owner and Busch Series driver Randy Lajoie this year, was hired by Roush on Friday to drive trucks(Atlanta Journal Constitution)(10-7-2000)
  UPDATE 4: hearing that Nathan Haseleu will be the other CTS driver for Roush in 2001(10-9-2000)
  UPDATE 5: Roush Racing has finalized its search for Craftsman Truck Series drivers announcing that RE/MAX Challenge Series standout Nathan Haseleu will drive a Roush Racing Ford F-150 in 2001(Roush Racing Site)(10-10-2000)
• Cope in the #86(a different Cope): Cup driver Derrike Cope will run his second career CTS race(first was Richmond in 1995) at Texas Motor Speedway in the #86 RC Cola Dodge fielded by Impact Motorsports in what is currently a one-race deal. Cope is starting up a Cup team with NHRA Winston Drag Racing veteran Warren Johnson for the 2001 season(see the #37 Team News and Links Page for more info). Mike Cope(no relation) started the season in the #86, followed by Scott Riggs who was recently released bu Impact Motorsports. #25-Randy Tolsma previously announced he would move to Team Rensi Motorsports in 2001 from Impact. CITGO announced this week its sponsorship of Roush Racing’s #99 Cup team. However, Impact team manager Cal Lawson said the company was discussing staying involved with Impact in some role. Carlos Contreras drives the team’s third truck, the #12 Hot Wheels Dodge. Mattel Latin America met a late summer deadline to inform Impact it would not return in 2001, but Lawson said the company had informed him it wanted to hold meetings in Texas next week(NOL)(10-7-2000)
• #41 Driver Change UPDATE: hearing Jamie McMurray has been released from the #41 TKO Dodge ride and David Starr will drive the truck for the rest of the year(9-28-2000)
  UPDATE: Earlier this summer, David Starr received a phone call from Mike Farris about driving for his #41 team on the CTS. Farris, who owns Fort Worth-based TKO Motorsports, needed to replace Randy Renfrow and Starr was one of the first drivers he called about filling the seat. At the time, though, Starr thought he was close to signing a deal with a Chevrolet team on the Series, so he turned Farris down. Starr’s deal didn’t come through and in the meantime, Farris hired Jamie McMurray. Two weeks ago, Farris came calling again after he and McMurray couldn’t come to an agreement for next season. Starr will drive the #41 TKO Motorsports Dodge Ram the last two races of the season, at the Texas and California(Star Telegram)(10-4-2000)
• Riggs Out? UPDATE: hearing the #86 Impact Motorsports team and driver Scott Riggs have parted ways, effective immediately, maybe something to do with auditioning for Roush?
  UPDATE: Riggs is out and Stacy Compton will run the final two races for the #86 team in 2000(9-28-2000)
  UPDATE 2: Compton will not drive the #86 and the team is looking for another driver(10-3-2000)
• Rules: NASCAR has made rule changes for the Craftsman Truck Series race on Oct. 13 at Texas Motor Speedway. The trucks will be required to run a front air dam measuring 80 inches in width, and carry eight-inch-high rear spoilers set at a minimum of 65 degrees(Gaston Gazette)(10-1-2000)