October 2000 News Archives

(10-31-2000)
#98 Driver? UPDATE 3: hearing that MacPherson Motorsports released Jeff Fuller and that Geoffery Bodine has arranged a one race deal with an unnamed sponsor (possibly a casino) for the race at Homestead. Also hearing that MacPherson Motorsports may run BGN next year with a limited CUP schedule instead of fielding a full Cup team. Bodine may or may not be candidate for 2000. Supposedly a test with Bodine behind the wheel will occur at Atlanta within the next few weeks(10-28-2000)
UPDATE: Geoffrey Bodine tested in the #98-Miccosukee Ford fielded by Chip MacPherson at Homestead on Monday(HMS PR)(10-30-2000)
UPDATE 2: being told that the deal with Bodine is a one race deal only at Homestead and that Fuller is still the teams driver for 2001. Fuller cannot run in anymore Cup races in 2000 or he would not be eligible to run for the 2001 ROTY award. Also, hear that Vic Kangas, who was the team’s crew chief, has left the team
UPDATE 3: Geoffrey Bodine has been named to drive the #98 MacPherson Motorsports Ford Taurus in the Nov. 12 Pennzoil 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. MacPherson Motorsports competed at Lowes with rookie driver Jeff Fuller. That race marked Fuller’s seventh CUP start in 2000, and in order to preserve Fuller’s rookie status for 2001, Bodine was tabbed to pilot the #98 Ford at Homestead. Steve May, who previously worked for Bodine’s CTS team will be filling the role as crew chief since Vic Kangas was released from the team in mid-October. MacPherson Motorsports, which is continuing its sponsor search for the 2001 season, is in the process of building a new 52,000 square-foot state-of-the-art race shop. The new racing complex, located across from Concord Regional Airport, will include complete chassis and body fabrication capabilities for the team’s fleet of Ford Tauruses(Motorsports Decisions Group PR)(10-31-2000)

(10-30-2000)
More Homestead Testing: Kevin Harvick tested the #3 GM Goodwrench Chevy at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Monday, his first “official” NASCAR Winston Cup test session. Harvick turned the fastest lap of the NASCAR Winston Cup testing for the Nov. 12th Pennzoil 400 presented by Discount Auto Parts Cup race. Havrick ran a fast lap of 154.639mph. Harvick’s fast lap bettered Ricky Rudd’s speed from last week 154.286mph and was just short David Green’s Winston Cup track record of 155.759 mph. Also testing at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Monday were Hermie Sadler in Joe Bessey’s #60-PowerTeam Chevrolet, Geoffrey Bodine in the #98-Miccosukee Ford fielded by Chip MacPherson, and David Green in Ricky Hendrick’s GMAC Busch Series Chevrolet. Hendrick is expected to test that car in final pre-race testing at the Speedway on Tuesday(HMS PR)(10-30-2000)
Chef Boyardee re-ups with Gibbs: Chef Boyardee, nationally renowned pasta products recently acquired by ConAgra Foods, Inc. has renewed its associate sponsorship of Joe Gibbs Racing’s NASCAR Winston Cup program through the end of the 2001 season. The success of the program with consumers and retailers, which includes using team drivers Tony Stewart and Bobby Labonte in television commercials, led to the renewal of sponsorship. Team owner Joe Gibbs said finding the right company for your team is the key to a good sponsorship program(DF Partners PR)(10-30-2000)
New HMS Building: Hendrick Motorsports Inc. will build an addition to its current racing facility, giving Winston Cup driver Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson their own building. It is estimated that the 85,000-square-foot building, to be constructed across the Hendrick complex in Harrisburg, NC will cost as much as $6 million. Gordon will share the new building with Johnson, who will join the Hendrick organization for the 2002 Winston Cup season(Business Journal)(10-30-2000)

(10-28-2000)

#11 Scheme at Phoenix: hearing that Brett Bodine will be running a different paint scheme on the #11 Ralph’s Supermarkets Ford at Phoenix. Instead of the car being all red, the front end and roof will be white with red sponsor decals on the hood – red and black numbers on the roof AND from www.brettbodine.com: The #11 Ralphs Ford will showcase a new paint scheme for Phoenix. “This is one of our Ralphs’ “host” races where they entertain their guests and we wanted to have something a little different.”(10-28-2000)
AMS to use Talladega rules? UPDATE No: Ed Clark, president and general manager at Atlanta Motor Speedway, has contacted Mike Helton and Gary Nelson to consider a rules package change implementing the roof deflector and front valence and rear spoiler package used at the Winston 500 in Talledega for the NAPA 500. This change would not include the restrictor plates that were used at Talledega. Clark said he believed the use of the Talladega rules could spur interest – and ticket sales – for his season-ending race.(That’s Racin’)(10-23-2000)
UPDATE: NASCAR officials on Friday declined Atlanta Motor Speedway president Ed Clark’s proposal that the Winston Cup series use aerodynamic rules similar to those run at Talladega Superspeedway for the Nov. 19 season finale at Atlanta(That’s Racin’/SpeedVision)(10-28-2000)
Tolsma Cup Debut UPDATE 2: CTS driver Randy Tolsma will compete in the Cup race at Homestead-Miami Speedway in a Team Rensi Motorsports Chevy. Tolsma will drive the Team Rensi NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series truck in 2001(NOL)(10-21-2000)
UPDATE: Tolsma will drive the #61 E-Link Pontiac(not Chevy) at Homestead. Tolsma will be driving the same Pontiac that Ernie Irvan drove to back-to-back Bud Poles at Indy which Team Rensi recently purchased from MB2 Motorsports(#36)(NOL)(10-23-2000)
UPDATE 2: hearing from a few sources that the car was totally in the accident at Homestead and Tolsma will not run at Homestead(10-28-2000)
Joe Gibbs Racing Changes? UPDATE no: PitNow(link no longer good) reported that if Bobby Labonte wins the Winston Cup Championship, team owner Joe Gibbs may move his crew chief, Jimmy Makar to a Team Manager role, move Tony’s Stewart’s crew chief, Greg Zipadelli over to Labonte’s #18 Interstate Batteries team and hire a new crew chief for Stewart’s #20 Home Depot team, one name mentioned in the article is the #55 APR crew chief Jimmy Elledge(PitNow)(9-15-2000)
UPDATE: As Labonte’s lead has grown, the talk about Jimmy Makar’s desire to move up to team manager or general manager of the Gibbs team have become a constant hum. “I’ve got a great relationship with Bobby and I still really enjoy what I’m doing, or else I’d be thinking about changing a little bit right now,” said Makar. “I still see quite a few years ahead of me being Bobby’s crew chief,” Makar said. Down the road, in perhaps in the next five years, Makar will consider making a change.(AP/Tennessean)(10-28-2000)

(10-27-2000)
Mayfield to Leave #12? still hearing a ton of rumors that Jermey Mayfield will leave the #12 Mobil One Penske Racing LLC team and go to the #4 Kodak Morgan-McClure team but was leaving it alone since there were also so many stoires out there with quotes from Mayfield saying he is staying, but today on the CBS Sprotsline site there is a story: He won’t admit it, but Mayfield ready to jump ship by Jeff Owens, in which it says: Mayfield and McClure are working on a deal, and if their lawyers can work through the legal gobbly-gook, Mayfield may just stun the NASCAR world by walking away from Penske and Rusty Wallace and joining a team that is currently 31st in points(CBS). If this happens, it may be the big surprise with Rick Mast going to the #12, and the Winston Cup Scene mentions Mast, Kenny Wallace and Robby Gordon as possible drivers for the #12(10-27-2000)
Vasser in Cup? UPDATE 3 his if he wants it: Ganassi CART driver, Jimmy Vasser is slated to test for Ganassi’s NASCAR team next Friday(Oct 6th). Vasser also won Sunday’s CART race in Houston(SpeedVision)
UPDATE: Vasser said he will test Friday in Lakeland, Fla., with Ganassi’s Winston Cup team, the former Sabco Racing. The team has an opening because of the death of Kenny Irwin at New Hampshire International Speedway this summer(Dallas Morning News)(10-2-2000)
UPDATE 2: hearing Vasser tested #01 Ganassi Racing Chevy at Lakeland and did fine, no accidents and may test at Las Vegas in the next few weeks(10-7-2000)
UPDATE: Jimmy Vasser might yet wind up driving for Chip Ganassi next season. “I’m hoping he’ll drive our Winston Cup car next year,” says Ganassi, who has bought controlling interest in a NASCAR team. “The job’s his if he wants it.” Vasser’s comments: “It’s a little strange that he doesn’t think I can do the job in CART, where I won a championship and am going to finish in the top three (in the points standings) four years out of five, and now he wants me to drive in NASCAR where I’d be a rookie,” Vasser says. One thing Vasser says he won’t do is contact Scott Pruett or Robby Gordon, who have struggled this year after making the jump from CART to NASCAR(more at the USA Today)(10-26-2000)
AND a larger story today at the USA Today: Now Ganassi wants Vasser(10-27-2000)
Bliss looking BGN or Cup: Mike Bliss, driver of the #27 Eel River Racing Pontiac, is looking for a Winston Cup ride for 2001. He’s being replaced by Kenny Wallace at Eel River Racing and hasn’t found a job for next year. Bliss came to Winston Cup from the Craftsman Truck Series(CTS) and could return there or go to the Busch Series. “It(CTS #60) was an option as of last Monday, but I turned it down,” Bliss said. “I’d like to stay here(CUP). I’d like to stay here and pick up another ride. But there is some Busch stuff that is starting to open up, and I’d do that and get some more experience on these race tracks. It’s the race tracks that I need to run.”(Total Sports)(10-27-2000)
Andretti and USAC: John Andretti and USAC legend Rollie Helmling are back together this week – but this time it’s in Memphis, Tenn. Andretti and Helmling are fielding a car in Sunday’s USAC Coors Light Silver Bullet Series race. Bud Kaeding of Campbell, California will drive for the CARQUEST team, fielded by Andretti-Helmling Automotive Corporation of Indianapolis, Indiana. The 20-year-old is the son of California sprint car legend Bret Kaeding. Kaeding is the defending USAC Western States Sprint Car champion and is the leading rookie in this season’s USAC National Sprint Series, where he is seventh in points. He has already notched a second-place finish in the Silver Bullet Series, that coming at Springfield, IL, in August in our car. Helmling is a long-time USAC Open Wheel owner, who fielded cars for Andretti 1984-1986 in the USAC Midget Division. Helmling has also fielded cars for fellow Winston Cup drivers like Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Ken Schrader(Williams Co)(10-27-2000)
First Cars at Chicago: Cup driver John Andretti drove the #19 Dodge Dealers Intrepid R/T and IRL driver Scott Sharp in the #8 Delphi Automotive Systems IRL car turned the first laps on the 1.5 mile oval at Chicagoland Speedway on Wednesday, Oct 26th(MotorsportsTV)(10-26-2000)
AND see a story at SpeedVision: Joliet Track Announces Marketing Partners by Ben Blake, along with an image of the two cars(10-27-2000)
Berggren Nominated: Motorsports and NASCAR Broadcaster and Publisher/Editor, Speedway Illustrated magazine’s executive editor, Dick Berggren, has been nominated to the Sprint Car Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Iowa. Berggren was a very good sprint car driver in his time, but most recognize he has been the leading journalist in both the sprint car and stock car fields ever since(Speedway Illustrated)(10-27-2000)
Pfizer Men’s Health Tune-up for Life: Mark Martin’s J-Mar Express and Pfizer Inc are partnering to bring the Pfizer Men’s Health Tune-up for Life program to Searcy, Arkansas. The Pfizer Men’s Health Tune-up for Life program’s 50-foot state-of-the-art mobile screening unit is staffed with healthcare professionals and offers screening for a variety of common disorders including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and elevated blood sugar. The goal of Pfizer Men’s Health Tune-up for Life is to help raise awareness about men’s health and the importance of seeking routine medical exams. The Pfizer Men’s Health Tune-up for Life mobile screening unit will be at J-Mar, 731 Taylor Road, on Monday, October 30 and will be open for the public from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. In addition to basic health screenings, the trailer also provides take-away information about various health disorders and Pfizer products. Women are also welcome to come for screenings(J-Mar Express Newsletter)(10-27-2000)

(10-26-2000)
Rudd Special Paint? UPDATE: hearing Ricky Rudd will run a few special paint schemes on the #28 Texaco Ford in early 2001, not known yet what they will be or promote, hearing it may be to promote Texaco’s 100th birthday(10-25-2000)
UPDATE: Rudd will be running a special scheme for the Bud Shootout and at Texas related to the 100th anniversary, have not seen the schemes or had them described(10-26-2000)
Bodine gets Yates Engines: Brett Bodine has landed an engine deal with Robert Yates Racing for next season. Bodine will use Yates’ Ford engines instead of the Ernie Elliott motors he raced this season. Elliott will build Dodge engines next season. Bodine, meanwhile, is still trying to put together a sponsorship package that would allow older brother Geoffrey to race one of Brett’s cars during the final two races of the season and could possibly lead to a two-car Bodine operation next year. Before signing the deal with Yates, Bodine considered a possible switch to Dodge so he could continue his relationship with Elliott(Winston Cup Scene)(10-26-2000)
Add Bickle to the #7 driver mix: With Ron Hornaday set to replace Rick Mast at A.J. Foyt Racing, Rich Bickle has joined the list of candidates Ultra Motorsports has presented to sponsor NationsRent. At one point believed to be the top candidate to replace Michael Waltrip at Ultra Motorsports, Hornaday is set to join Foyt’s operation in 2001. Hornaday is keeping mum, but admits something should be announced shortly. Ultra Motorsports presented Robby Gordon, Mike Wallace and Bickle to NationsRent. Crew chief Bobby Kennedy said the team expects to hear the sponsor’s preference the week of Oct. 23.(Winston Cup Scene)(10-26-2000)
Mikey at Homestead? hearing that Michael Waltrip was testing a Dale Earnhardt Inc Chevy at Homestead this week. Waltrip is of course going to drive the #15? NAPA Auto Parts Chevy for DEI in 2001 and rumor has it that he MAY drive the last two Cup races(Homestead and Atlanta) of the season in the car. Waltrip presently drives the #7 Ultra Motorsports Chevy(10-26-2000)
Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductees: The New Inductees for the International Motorsports Hall of Fame Class of 2001 were announced Wednesday, October 25, 2000 in Birmingham. The choice was very tough: choose from a list of 23 potential candidates, great men who have taken their place in the hearts and minds of motorsports fans around the world. Here are the four men who will form the Class of 2001…Neil Bonnett; Jimmy Bryan; Mike Hailwood; and Fred Offenhauser(Hall of Fame Site)(10-26-2000)
Hillin selling, looking to drive: Bobby Hillin is putting his BGN team on auction. His inventory of cars, engines, parts, shop and pit equipment will be auctioned Oct 30th at 9:00am/et at Hillin’s shop. A preview is set for Oct 29th from 1:00 – 4:00pm/et. The Hillin’s shop is located within the Stavola Brothers complex on Highway 49 just north of Harrisburg, NC. For more information, call auction sale manager R.A. Benson at (309) 343-6464.(Winston Cup Scene and Hillin Racing). Hillin is focusing on pursuing a ride in either Cup or BGN(10-26-2000)
Homestead Testing UPDATE 4: Homestead-Miami Speedway will be holding a test session for several of the top NASCAR Winston Cup Series teams on Tuesday/Wednesday, October 24-25. Some drivers that will test include: #26-Jimmy Spencer, #20-Tony Stewart, #18-Bobby Labonte, #99-Jeff Burton, #24-Jeff Gordon, #5-Terry Labonte, #77-Robert Pressley, #10-Johnny Benson and others(HMS PR)(10-23-2000)
UPDATE: Drivers testing Tuesday were: #24-Gordon, #5-Terry Labonte, #26-Jimmy Spencer, #31-Mike Skinner, #75-Wally Dallenbach, #77-Robert Pressley, #43-John Andretti, #19-Casey Atwood, #94-Bill Elliott, #88-Dale Jarrett, #28-Ricky Rudd, #97-Kurt Busch, #10-Johnny Benson, #40-Sterling Marlin, #01-Ted Musgrave, #61-Randy Tolsma, and #1-Steve Park. During the test session, Tolsma banged up his #61 Pontiac, which was purchased recently from MB2 Motorsports. Tolsma was uninjured(HMS PR), no word on speeds or how much damage was done to Tolma’s car(10-24-2000)
UPDATE 2: hearing the car was totalled, no idea of Homestead plans(10-25-2000)
UPDATE 3: Drivers shaking down their Winston Cup machines on Wednesday at Homestead Miami Speedway included: #19-Casey Atwood, #97-Kurt Busch, #43-John Andretti, #14-Rick Mast, #99-Jeff Burton, #2-Rusty Wallace, #31-Mike Skinner, #01-Ted Musgrave, #40-Sterling Marlin, #5-Terry Labonte, #24-Jeff Gordon, #1-Steve Park, #77-Robert Pressley, #75-Wally Dallenbach, #18-Bobby Labonte, #20-Tony Stewart, #33-Joe Nemechek, #94-Bill Elliott, #26-Jimmy Spencer, #96-Andy Houston and #9-Stacy Compton. The only speed reported was Nemechek, who was fastest on Wednesay at 153.671mph. Track record is 155.597mph by David Green last year(first Cup race). Tuesday’s fastest lap was run by #28-Ricky Rudd at 154.286mph(HMS PR)(10-25-2000)
UPDATE 4: testing Thursday were – #9-Stacy Compton, #14-Rick Mast, #18-Bobby Labonte, #20-Tony Stewart, #33-Joe Nemechek and #32-Scott Pruett. No speeds reported(HMS PR)(10-26-2000)
PPI leaves CART: PPI Motorsports, who field the #32 Tide Ford and the #96 McDonalds Ford on the Cup circuit will leave the CART series at the end of the 2000 season. Lack of sponsorship for 2001 is the reason given(ESPN2’s RPM2 Night) and Multiple team sources revealed Wednesday that Cal Wells III is closing the PPI Motorsports California shop, and disbanding both his Champ Car team and his off-road organization as soon as the season ends. Sources cited insufficient sponsorship, loss of team members to rival outfits and also the defection of driver Cristiano da Matta(SpeedVision)(10-26-2000)
Ultra Motorsports News: Veteran motorsports marketer, Paul Mecca, has been appointed to the newly created position of Director of Marketing at Ultra Motorsports, it was announced here today. The former Director of Racing for Exide Corporation will steer the marketing efforts related to Ultra Motorsports’ NASCAR Winston Cup and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series programs, starting November 1(Exide PR)(10-26-2000)

(10-25-2000)
Pressley Re-ups with the #77: As part of its continued successful effort to reach the upper echelon of the sport, Jasper Motorsports has signed Robert Pressley to continue the driving duties of the #77 Jasper Engines & Transmissions Ford into the 2001 season. Pressley, who has raced full-time in the series since 1995, will return for his fourth consecutive year with the team. In addition to maintaining the continuity of the team, which has had its most successful season to date in 2000, by maintaining the changes made prior to the season, the team hopes to welcome the addition of a new primary or major associate before the onset of the 2001 Winston Cup campaign. Jasper Engines & Transmissions, a Jasper, Ind. – based engine and transmission re-manufacturer has been the primary sponsor of the Jasper Motorsports team since 1994. Jasper originally joined the team, owned by co-owners Doug Bawel, Mark Harrah and Mark Wallace, as an associate sponsor in 1989. Jasper Engines & Transmissions will raise their financial commitment, but will consider a move to an associate position if a suitable partner company joins us for 2001 and beyond(in part from a Jasper Motorsports PR)(10-25-2000)
Bickle in the #60 at Phoenix: Rich Bickle will drive the #60 Power Team Chevrolet fielded by Bessey Motorsports in next weekend’s NASCAR Winston Cup event at the Phoenix International Raceway(Power Team Site)(10-25-2000)
Another Sadler? UPDATE: in the #60 at Homestead: hearing that Hermie Sadler, Elliott’s older brother, will be testing the #60 Bessey Motorsports Chevy at Homestead on Oct 30-31 and if all goes well, he will supposedly drive the car in the Cup race and if all goes well in the race, he may be in line for the full time ride in 2001 as he supposedly has a sponsor to bring with him(for 2001)(10-21-2000)
UPDATE: Hermie Sadler, who came within one lap of winning the inaugural NASCAR BGN event at the Homestead-Miami Speedway, will have his chance in a NASCAR Winston Cup car at the track when he pilots the #60 Power Team Chevrolet for Bessey Motorsports in the Pennzoil 400 on November 12th. “Joe and I are both trying to secure sponsorship for next season. This races gives us the chance to audition my abilities and the abilities of this team,” he said. “I sincerely appreciate the confidence and support from everyone at Power Team and Bessey Motorsports.”(Power Team Site)(10-25-2000)
Pruett Scheme UPDATE: the #32 Tide Ford fielded by PPI Motorsports and driven by Scott Pruett was to run a special fan designed “Give the Kids the World” Tide car at Lowes Motor Speedway but failed to make the race, but the team announced that the car will return at Homestead to show off its multicolor livery(PPI Site)(10-7-2000)
UPDATE: A special paint scheme will be run on the #32 Tide Ford driven by Scott Pruett at Phoenix(not Homestead as previously reported). The signature design benefits Give Kids The World. Heather Mason, 13, of Berkeley, Ill., created the outer-space themed design featured on the Tide Ford. Heather’s paint scheme was the winning entry in the annual Tide race car coloring contest at Give Kids The World. Heather, who is battling an inoperable brain tumor, first visited the Give Kids The World village in 1997. Why Phoenix and not Homestead as was planned after Lowes? Heather will have the opportunity to see her grandfather, Chuck Castle, of Mesa, AZ for the first time in three years during her visit to Phoenix for race weekend. Castle retired to Mesa from the Chicago area five years ago(PPI Site). See an image of the car on my Paint Schemes Gallery(10-25-2000)
Hamilton tests? hearing Bobby Hamilton tested at Kentucky Speedway on Tuesday with his 2001 Cup team the #55 Square-D Chevy(not a Ford, Doh!) and the Andy Petree Race team(10-25-2000)

(10-24-2000)
Gill to stay – UPDATE 2 – nope, he leaves the #4 – goes to APR: #4 Owner, Larry McClure said first-year crew chief Danny Gill will remain with the #4 Kodak Chevy team in 2001(Bristol Herald Courier)(10-17-2000)
UPDATE – #4 Crew Chief Leaves: Danny Gill, who joined Morgan-McClure Motorsports in July, has resigned as crew chief for the #4 Kodak MAX Film Chevy. The change is effective immediately. No interim crew chief will be announced at this time. Gill will be leaving to pursue other opportunities(Jayski: hearing the #55 team with Hamilton). Larry McClure, team owner, stated he will make a decision on who will take over the crew chief responsibilities for the remainder of the season at a later date(Morgan-McClure PR)(10-23-2000)
UPDATE 2: Andy Petree Racing announced today it has named Danny Gill crew chief for driver Joe Nemechek and the #33 Oakwood Homes Racing team. Gill, 31, will take over for team owner and current crew chief Andy Petree. Gill will make his debut with the team at the Checker Auto Parts/Dura Lube 500 at Phoenix International Raceway next weekend. Owner Andy Petree has decided he needs to focus more on his owner role and have a less active role with the #33 team, Petree was handling the crew chief job and ownership(APR PR)(10-24-2000)
DEI Crew chief and number? UPDATE 2 #40 Crew Chief? still hearing that the new NAPA Cup team with Michael Waltrip will be the #15 and also now hearing that SABCO/Ganassi Racing’s Scott Eggleston, who is Sterling Marlin’s crew chief(#40) may be the new crew chief of Waltrip’s team with DEI(10-9-2000)
UPDATE: Dale Earnhardt Inc. was expected to sign Scott Eggleston to a contract on Monday to be the new crew chief for the #15 car and driver Michael Waltrip next season. Eggleston, 38, is currently the crew chief for Sterling Marlin on the #40 car at Ganassi/Sabco Racing(Sporting News)(10-10-2000)
UPDATE 2: still hearing Scott Eggleston will be the crew chief of DEI’s #15 Napa Chevy, who will replace him at Ganassi Racing/Sabco on the #40 car? Hearing it could be be Kevin Cram, who is part of Bill Elliott’s crew chief by committee on the #94(10-24-2000)
#85: Carl Long made his 2nd Cup start in the #85 Mansion Motorsports Ford sponsored by ST Wooten at Rockingham and came away with his career best finish, a 32nd. For images and reports, see the Late Model site. Thought this would be an interesting post as it is about a team and driver most folks know little about(10-24-2000)
Less Commercials Again: Less than one month after TBS tested the idea during the Cup race at Lowes Motor Speedway, NBC has decided to provide its viewers continuous coverage of NASCAR events at Homestead. Beginning with the BGN race at Homestead-Miami Speedway and including the Cup race tghe following day, NBC will dedicate 25 percent of the screen to the race during commercials. Advertisers must first agree to adopt the format(St Petersburg Times)(10-24-2000)
Another Allison UPDATE: Robbie Allison, sone of the late Davey Allison and Liz Alliosn, has decided to try auto racing. Allison, 9, will run in the Bandolero series near his Nashville, TN home. Rising Star who published a just released book on his father Davey, Full Circle — The Story of Davey Allison, will be an associate sponsor on Allison’s car(Winston Cup Scene)(10-20-2000)
UPDATE: Robbie Allison will launch his racing career at Galaxy/Twin Fountains Raceway in Shelbyville, TN when he competes in the Galaxy Jr. Racing League in the spring of 2001. The series which utilizes the Galaxy Motorsports manufactured 1/2 scale Cup car is powered by a New Generation Honda V2 engine. In addition to the new Jr. League, Galaxy will expand its popular larger scale Pro-Challenge Series with introduction of the Kawasaki 1100 powered Pro-Series Cup car, which is capable of exceeding speeds of 100mph. Besides manufacturing racecars the company is in the second phase of acquiring over 100 short tracks that will be converted into family-friendly race facilities. Galaxy Motorsports fields the #75 Cup car driven by Wally Dallenbach(Galaxy PR)(10-24-2000)
Mayfield at the World Series: Jeremy Mayfield, driver of the #12 Mobil 1 Taurus on NASCAR’s Winston Cup Series, takes part in one of the world’s most important sporting events Wednesday night. Mayfield will be guest of the Commissioner for Game Four of the World Series. The New York Mets will host the New York Yankees in that game. He leaves Wednesday afternoon for the game, returning after the game Wednesday night. It will mark the first time a NASCAR driver has been the guest of Major League Baseball at any post-season event(Williams Compamy)(10-24-2000)
NASCAR to LA: NASCAR is expanding again, this time opening an office in the Los Angeles area, while revamping its broadcasting department. Paul Brooks, who has worked closely with NASCAR president Bill France on several ground-breaking projects since 1993, has been promoted to the vice president of broadcasting. Bray Cary, who has served as vice president of broadcasting and technology for the past two years, will remain a vice president in the Charlotte office(Speed Magazine)(10-24-2000)

(10-23-2000)
Pit Road Fire UPDATE: there was a scary incident on pit road at Rockingham when a gas can erupted into fire in #17 Matt Kenneth’s DeWalt Tools team pit. The Gasman for the team, Rick Machinski, who also works in Roush’s engine department was transported to a local hospital with 2nd degree burns to his neck and from inhaling the fire extinguisher fumes/chemicals. Two safety workers were also being looked at due to breathing in the fumes from the extinguisher. Great job by the safety workers and surrounding crews in handling the fire which was quickly put out. Also, from That’s Racin’/AP: 3 Hurt when fire flares in pits. Firefighters Wayne Partin, Herman Andrews and Harold Andrews were released after being treated for minor burns at the infield medical center of North Carolina Speedway(AP), image of the fire at Speed Magazine(10-22-2000)
UPDATE: It was reported on ESPN2’s RPM 2Night that Machinski (no relation to Jayski) is home and doing ok, no scarring nut is on medication, good to hear(10-23-2000)
#9 Crew Chief? UPDATE 2 Official: hearing that Evernham Motorsports car chief, Chad Knaus is being considered for the crew chief job at the #9 Kodiak/Melling Racing Ford team and driver Stacy Compton. Melling Racing will be switching to Dodge in 2001 and to a new number, #92 and have worked closely with Evernham Motorsports(10-20-2000)
UPDATE: Chad Knaus, who has served as Casey Atwood’s crew chief in his two Winston Cup events this season for Evernham Motorsports, will take over as crew chief for Winston Cup rookie Stacy Compton. An official announcement of Knaus’ move to the #9 Fords of Melling Racing is expected this week. Knaus has been working with Ray Evernham on the development of the Dodge Intrepid, which Melling will move to next season. Knaus also worked with Evernham when Evernham served as crew chief to three-time Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon at Hendrick Motorsports(That’s Racin’)
UPDATE 2: NASCAR Winston Cup team owner, Mark Melling, announced today the addition of Chad Knaus as Crew Chief for the #9 Kodiak team. Knaus joins Melling Racing after working at Evernham Motorsports as manager of the Dodge development program. Before that, he had been a Car Chief at Tyler Jet Motorsports in 1999, and Dale Earnhardt, Inc. in 1998. From 1993-97, he performed body and chassis construction for Hendrick Motorsports under Ray Evernham(Melling PR)(10-23-2000)
#21 Crew Changes UPDATE 2: The #21 Wood Brothers team is in the process of making several personnel changes to their Cup team driven by Elliott Sadler, including the hiring of a new crew chief, which may occur as early as this week. Mike Beam, Sadler’s crew chief November 1998, is expected to leave. Pat Tryson, the crew chief for #16-Kevin Lepage to replace Beam, sources said. The Wood Brothers and Lepage’s car owner, Jack Roush, have a working partnership with Roush Racing producing car chassis for Sadler’s team. The Wood Brothers has already hired Neil Perkins, a former crew chief in BGN and Late Model series, to help in weekly car preparation(That’s Racin’). Hmm..wonder if this means the #16 team is history and Lepage has another gig set up, #4??(10-15-2000)
UPDATE Beam to the #75: The #75 Galaxy Motorsports team with driver Wally Dallenbach Jr. announced the acquisition of veteran crew chief/mechanic Mike Beam. Beam has been named to the position of Team Manager and begins his duties starting today. According to team owner/president Darwin Oordt, Beam, 44, will oversee all competition-related issues while working closely with crew chief Newt Moore. The move is intended to provide one of the “missing performance ingredients” Oordt felt the team was lacking. Beam joins Galaxy after a two-season stint as crew chief with the Wood Brothers. His career began in 1981 at age 24 when he joined Petty Enterprises as a mechanic and was elevated to crew chief that same year. Since then Beam has served as crew chief in the Winston Cup Series for such noted teams as Bahari’ Racing (1988, ’89), Melling Racing (1990), Junior Johnson (1991-’95), Bill Elliott (1995-’98) and the Woods (1999 – 2000). Driver Dallenbach agrees the Beam acquisition should make Galaxy a consistent front runner in 2001. Galaxy in 2000 has run a consortium of three rotational primary sponsors consisting of Turner Broadcasting, RotoZip Power Tools and RedCell Batteries(Galaxy Motorsports PR) and The Wood Brothers Racing Team announced today that Mike Beam and the team have mutually agreed to part ways. Eddie Wood, co-car owner of the #21 CITGO Ford, stated, “We hope to have a new crew chief named within the next few weeks.”(Cox Marketing)(10-17-2000)
UPDATE 2: Pat Tryson, crew chief for Kevin Lepage(#16), will become the crew chief for the Wood Brothers and driver Elliott Sadler at the end of the season if not sooner, sources say. The Wood Brothers need a crew chief after Mike Beam ‘s departure last week. Brothers Len and Eddie Wood are sharing pit strategy duties on race day. Lepage drives for Roush Racing and the Wood Brothers have engines and some of their cars built by Roush Racing, so Tryson’s move keeps him close to the organization(Roanoke Times)(10-23-2000)
Latford Retires: Bob Latford, a living constant in NASCAR racing’s history, worked his final race in the press box Sunday at Rockingham. Latford has been working in motorsports media- and public-relations for 55 years. His first job was selling programs for the beach race at Daytona Beach in 1946 for NASCAR founder Bill France, the father of one of Latford’s school classmates, Bill France Jr. Latford has worked in the PR offices at several tracks and has directed press box operations at many others over the years. He also helped devise the points system currently in use in NASCAR’s top divisions. He also publishes a weekly newsletter, The Inside Line, and is considered one of the sport’s leading historians(That’s Racin’)(10-23-2000)
Jarrett’s Win helps out: Dale Jarrett’s victory in the Pop Secret 400 at Rockingham results in another $10,000 donation from Ford Credit to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation to help in its mission to eradicate breast cancer as a life-threatening disease. Ford Credit, co-sponsor of the #88 Ford Taurus in NASCAR’s Winston Cup Series, now has committed $97,500 to the Komen Foundation this year. Ford Credit has donated over $500,000 to the Komen Foundation based on Jarrett’s on-track performance and end-of-season bonuses since 1998. Ford Credit gives the Komen Foundation $10,000 for each of Dale’s wins, $5,000 for each pole, $7,500 for each second-place finish and $5,000 for each third-place finish over the course of the NASCAR season. In addition, Ford Credit is sponsoring a “Race Fans for a Cure*” booth at various NASCAR Winston Cup events and Ford Racing Fan Appreciation Days during the 2000 race season. “Race Fans for a Cure*” is an initiative designed to increase awareness of breast cancer and the importance of early detection, and to provide a way for race fans to support the Komen Foundation. “Race Fans for a Cure*” booths have raised $19,442.89 this year(Campbell & Co PR)(10-23-2000)

(10-22-2000)

Ford Clinches: with Jarrett’s win in the #88 Quality Care/Ford Credit Ford Taurus, Ford clinches the Manufacturers Championship. To see the rundown, see my Manufacturers Championship Points Standing page(10-22-2000)
Labonte needs 15th and…: If #18-Bobby Labonte finishes 15th in each of the remaining three races and leads a lap in one, or finishes two races 15th and one 14th, he will clinch the 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Drivers Championship, regardless of any other driver’s performance. How to figure this? #3-Dale Earnhardt is 2nd in drivers points with 4444 points. If he wins the final three races and leads the most laps, he would get 185 points a race(total 555) for a season ending total of 4999. Bobby Labonte has 4645 drivers points, so he would need to score 354 points to get 5000, an average of 118, a 15th place finish is worth 118 points. Labonte would tie Earnhardt in points in this scenario, but Earnhardt would win as he would have five wins to Labonte’s four. So Labonte’s ‘Magic Number’ is a 15th place finish and leading at least one race to get the five bonus points(Earnhardt presently has two wins, Labonte has four), or to make it simple, if Labonte finishes 14th or better, none of the above matters(10-22-2000)
Eel River Racing: 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)
Petty News: Kyle Petty, CEO of Petty Enterprises, announced Saturday that he and wife, Pattie Huffman Petty are founding The Victory Junction Gang Camp. The camp will serve as a retreat for seriously ill children and will be in honor of their son, Adam Petty. The new Camp will be the seventh in the network of Hole In The Wall Gang Camps, founded for Kids by Paul Newman, joining Camps in Connecticut, Florida, New York, California, Ireland and France. The Camp will be located on property in Level Cross, North Carolina, donated by Richard and Lynda Petty. Other contributions include $50,000 from The Hole In The Wall Gang Camp Fund and $50,000 from The Winston Cup Racing Wives Auxiliary(Williams Company PR)(10-22-2000)
Oreo Car? hearing that Dale Earnhardt will run an Oreo(cookie) scheme in the Daytona BGN race(10-16-2000)
UPDATE: hearing now it will be for the Bud Shootout, or actually the qualifying race since Earnhardt has not qualified for the Bud Shootout….yet, but has qualified for the Bud Shootout Qualifier, the race for fastest 2nd round qualifiers(10-22-2000)

(10-21-2000)
BACE/Little Announcement UPDATE: Bace Motorsports will make an announcement concerning their plans for the 2001 NASCAR Busch Series season on Saturday, Oct 21st at 10:00am/et at North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham, NC, hearing it’ll be to announce Chad Little as their driver for 2001(10-18-2000)
UPDATE: Bace Motorsports announced at Rockingham Saturday morning that Chad Little will drive the #74 Chevy starting in 2001. The multi-year deal includes the possibility of running some Winston Cup races(NOL), no sponsor mentioned(10-21-2000)
Another Sadler? hearing that Hermie Sadler, Elliott’s older brother, will be testing the #60 Bessey Motorsports Chevy at Homestead on Oct 30-31 and if all goes well, he will supposedly drive the car in the Cup race and if all goes well in the race, he may be in line for the full time ride in 2001 as he supposedly has a sponsor to bring with him(10-21-2000)
Mast Out: During RPM 2Night on Friday, it was mentioned that Rick Mast has confirmed he will not return to the #14 AJ Foyt car, but he has something big in the works and says it may be one of the open rides or something no one has heard about…hmmm(10-21-2000)
Pit Crew Competition – #99 Wins: The Union 76/Rockingham World Pit Crew Competition is on Saturday October 21, 2000, 11:00am/et at North Carolina Speedway. Bobby Labonte and the Interstate Batteries Pontiac team took home the trophy and the bragging rights as being the fastest pit crew on the NASCAR Winston Cup Series circuit in last year’s event(10-15-2000)
What Happened in 1999? 1999 Pit Crew Competition Results from the 33rd annual Rockingham Pit Crew Competition at North Carolina Speedway on Oct 23rd, 1999 at That’s Racin’: Pit Crew Competition Results(10-26-1999/10-18-2000)
UPDATE: a few stories on the Competition: Competition pits crew against crew by Jim Utter of That’s Racin'(10-20-2000)
UPDATE – #99 Wins Pit Competition and Results: Jeff Burton’s #99 team completed the four-tire and gas pit stop in 18.355 seconds without any penalties, which also was a competition record to give the team its first Rockingham World Pit Crew Competition championship Saturday at Rockingham. #1-Steve Park’s team completed its stop in 17.907 seconds, but was assessed a three-second penalty for one loose lug nut, which proved the difference in the final standings. #43-John Andretti’s team finished with a stop in 18.614 seconds, while #88-Dale Jarrett’s team was third (18.799 seconds). The defending champion of the event, Bobby Labonte’s team, completed its stop in 18.368 seconds, but had one loose lug nut(That’s Racin’, results from That’s Racin’; and SpeedVision). TNN will televise the competition on November 26th at 5:00pm/et(10-21-2000)
Wind Tunnel Stuff: Teams were reluctant to give numbers, but it appears the Chevrolets topped the field in the wind tunnel this week and the Fords were best in the engine horsepower tests. The Pontiacs, as usual, were in the middle(Times-Dispatch)(10-21-2000)
Hanging with Martin for a good cause: A couple from Wisconsin who donated $25,000 to Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America are accompanying Mark Martin on a weeklong fantasy vacation. Mike and Liz Lewens of Shawano, Wis., came to Lowe’s Motor Speedway on Tuesday, with Liz Lewens driving some laps on her own after Martin’s tutelage and then rode some laps at race speeds with Martin. The couple will work as honorary pit crew members for Martin’s team at Rockingham this weekend(That’s Racin’)(10-21-2000)
NASCAR License Plates: West Virginia’s plan to allow motorists to purchase NASCAR-theme license plates was upheld Tuesday(Oct 3rd) when a judge ruled that royalty payments associated with the sales do not violate the state constitution. The ruling means the plates could go on sale shortly. (Charleston Gazette)(10-21-2000)
Phoenix Testing: Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman, spent two days at Phoenix International Raceway this past week working on qualifying setups in preparation for the upcoming Checker Auto Parts/Dura Lube 500 NASCAR Winston Cup Series race. Busch, who will bein the Cup series full time next season driving the #97 Roush Racing Ford Taurus. Busch is still unsure about 2001 sponsorship for the #97 Ford which currently carries the John Deere colors and he will have a special paint job for the Checker Auto Parts/Dura Lube 500. Busch made contact with the wall during the two-day test but was not injured. Ryan Newman will be driving #02 ALLTEL-sponsored cars for Penske Racing South next season in a variety of series, 4 ARCA races, 12 Busch races and 7 Winston Cup races; and then, hopefully, a full Cup season in 2002 with an eye on Rookie-of-the-Year honors. Newman ran a top 25 time compared with last year’s times(PIR PR)(10-21-2000)
PPI Assoc Sponsor: DP Technology, software developer of the ESPRIT CAM system, today recently their official sponsorship of PPI Motorsports. This new partnership through the 2002 NASCAR season enables PPIM to use ESPRIT’s powerful CAM software in their race shop to machine parts for the company’s NASCAR Winston Cup cars. Currently, PPIM fields the #96 Happy Meal Ford with Andy Houston and the #32 Tide Ford driven by veteran CART racer Scott Pruett(DP Technology PR)(10-21-2000)
#21 Crew Chief: Eddie and Len Wood will serve as co-crew chiefs for their #21 CITGO Ford driven by Elliott Sadler. The Woods released former crew chief Mike Beam earlier this week, and Beam has signed on with the #75 car driven by Wally Dallenbach as the Team Manager(AJC)(10-21-2000)

(10-20-2000)
Interesting: The recent bombing of the USS Cole hit close to home for Langley Speedway executives Wayne Wyatt and Chuck Hall. They were part of the NASCAR/NHRA group that spent four days with the Navy in December 1996. The group included drag racer Jim Yates and NASCAR drivers Mike Wallace, Johnny Benson, Steve Grissom, Jimmy Hensley and Randy LaJoie, plus retired star Bobby Allison. They toured the USS Boise submarine and the USS Cole, then flew to Bermuda the next morning to ride in as the USS Enterprise led its battle group home from a six-month deployment in the Middle East(Daily Press)(10-20-2000)
Geoffrey Bodine at Homestead UPDATE 5: am hearing that Brett Bodine is considering fielding a second car for a few races with brother Geoffrey driving. Geoffrey was recently released from the #60 Power Team ride(9-20-2000)
UPDATE 2 and 3: on the Drivers Looking page
UPDATE 4: Brett Bodine, owner and driver of the No. 11 Fords in the Winston Cup series, is exploring the possibility of running a second car in some remaining races this season with his brother, Geoffrey Bodine. Brett and Geoffrey are also looking into running a two-car operation in 2001. Brett Bodine said with the right funding, he believes a two-car operation would bring great benefits to his program(That’s Racin’)(10-5-2000)
UPDATEE 4: am hearing that Brett Bodine is considering fielding a second car for a few races with brother Geoffrey driving. Geoffrey was recently released from the #60 Power Team ride(9-20-2000)
UPDATE 5: Brett Bodine says he will field a 2nd car at Homestead for his brother Geoffrey and expects to have a sponsor for the car soon(Winston Cup Scene)(10-20-2000)
Skinner in a backup: #31-Mike Skinner was forced to move to a backup car after hitting the inside retaining wall on the back stretch at Rockingham during Friday’s practice(That’s Racin’)(10-20-2000)
Health Screenings: Pfizer Pharmaceutical’s “Tune-Up for Life” unit will be on hand at North Carolina Speedway this weekend to offer free health screenings to men. The 50-foot mobile unit, which is staffed by health care professionals, tests for common medical conditions including high cholesterol, diabetes, and hypertension(Fayetteville Observer)(10-20-2000)
Hookie Car: Some Virginia Tech faithfuls are trying to make the best of a total loss by putting the wrecked remains of the schools’ NASCAR entry on the electronic auction block. The school’s brief association with NASCAR ended last month when Elliott Sadler’s maroon and orange Hokie race car crashed last month at Richmond International Speedway(see Speed Magazine for more on the story)(10-20-2000)
Roper Decals: The Busch Series Ladies Association (BSLA) will coordinate the distribution of Tony Roper memorial decals to be placed on all cars competing in the NASCAR Busch Series’ “Sam’s Club 200” at North Carolina Speedway this weekend. The memorial decals will also be distributed to teams at the final NASCAR Craftsman Truck race held next weekend at California Speedway. The decals will not be made available to the public. The BSLA has also worked with North Carolina Speedway to incorporate a moment of silence as part of Saturday’s pre-race ceremonies. This will allow teams and fans to honor Tony Roper and show support for his family and friends. On a separate note, the BSLA will distribute another decal to all Busch teams this weekend, this one offering “get-well wishes” to Tim Fedewa, driver of the #36 Stanley Chevrolet. Fedewa suffered injuries in a motorcycle accident Wednesday and is unable to compete in this weekend’s event. Both sets of decals have been generously donated by The Decal Source (336) 574-3141. Both decals are located on the BSLA website at: www.buschladies.com (10-20-2000)

(10-19-2000)
#21 and the USAF: The U.S. Air Force announced today it will advertise on the Wood Brothers Racing #21 Taurus, driven by Elliott Sadler and sponsored by Motorcraft Quality Parts, for the 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup racing season. The Air Force continues to seek new advertising opportunities in its recruiting, retention and public awareness efforts. NASCAR is presently the fastest growing spectator sport in America, and the tie with the Air Force is natural. NASCAR has fast cars, drivers, crew chiefs and pit crews, all necessary for a winning team. The Air Force will recruit more than 34,000 young people in fiscal year 2001 and has a great need for recruits with mechanical and electrical skills. NASCAR races are where many of today’s young people with those aptitudes spend their time(10-19-2000)
Rockingham not Martin’s final BGN race: getting asked by many readers about a report on That’s Racin’ that Rockingham being Mark Martin’s final BGN (Busch Series) race. The Homestead-Miami site is reporting (and as far as I know) that the BGN race at Homestead-Miami Speedway WILL be Martin’s final BGN race, supposdly he will even have a special paint scheme there honoring the event. Homestead will also be Jeff Gordon’s last planned BGN race(10-19-2000)
#85 Sponsor: Mansion Motorsports today announced that they are proud to have ST Wooten Corporation of Wilson, NC as their primary sponsor at Rockingham this weekend. ST Wooten is a multi-million dollar heavy highway construction company serving North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. ST Wooten specializes in grading and paving, building bridges, installing underground utilities, pouring concrete, manufacturing asphalt and ready-mix concrete(Latemodel.com)(10-19-2000)
Geoffrey News: Geoffrey Bodine will drive the #36 BGN car at Rockingham this weekend, for the whole story, see my BGN Site(10-19-2000)
Zoom…Bap! Look for John Madden to be part of the Fox Daytona 500 telecast in February. Madden, Fox’s lead NFL analyst, said that as soon as Fox was awarded half of the Winston Cup package starting next year, he was asked by network officials to be involved in the telecast. Fox is expected to announce after the World Series that Mike Joy will anchor its NASCAR telecasts. Joy has called the last several Daytona 500s for CBS. Joining Joy on the Fox telecasts will be retiring driver Darrell Waltrip and crew chiefs Larry McReynolds and Jeff Hammond(That’s Racin’)(10-19-2000)
#50 News: The Midwest Transit team has operated all season without a major sponsor. It may have to do that again in 2001, but crew chief Greg Conner said that team owner Hal Hicks definitely will field a team. “If we don’t get any sponsorship, Hal is going to continue to do it like did this year,” Conner said. “We’ll probably run 25 or 26 races. We want to run the first 10 to try to build up some points and give us a little safety net with provisionals. If we need to cut back at that point, then we’ll do like we’ve done this year and look at the schedule and decide which tracks may be best for us to concentrate on. If Hal can get a million or two million from an associate sponsor, he’d run the whole season. He’d like a major sponsor, but if that doesn’t work out, he just needs a little bit of help to run the whole year.”(FoxSports)(10-19-2000)
Mayfield Award: Jeremy Mayfield, driver of the #12 Fords, has been named the third-quarter winner of the National Motorsports Press Association’s Pocono Spirit Award. The award goes to the individual in NASCAR who perseveres and attains high accomplishment in the face of adversity, displays sportsmanship and contributes to motorsports. Mayfield was honored for his determination to succeed in a season that has included a series of dramatic ups and downs, including a penalty against his team after an April race at Talladega and an injuries from a crash at Indianapolis that kept Mayfield out of the car for the next race. Mayfield has won two poles since his return(That’s Racin’)(10-19-2000)

(10-18-2000)
Pop Secret, no longer a secret: Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn officials announced today that Donna Miner of Milbank, South Dakota, is the grand prize winner of the Pop Secret “Guess Richard Petty’s Favorite Paint Scheme” Sweepstakes. Miner will be Petty’s guest this weekend at the Pop Secret 400 NASCAR Winston Cup race at North Carolina Speedway to watch John Andretti race Petty’s favorite Pop Secret #43 Pontiac. As part of the grand prize, Miner is guaranteed to take home $25,000 this weekend, but could win additional cash based on Andretti’s performance in the race. Fans were asked to enter the online sweepstakes at www.popsecret.com and guess which of three Pop Secret #43 Pontiacs was Richard Petty’s favorite. Each car paid tribute to Petty’s legendary career. Petty chose the “Butter Bomber” as his favorite, stating that it was a tough decision over the “Pop Rod,” and “Kernel Cruiser.” Miner’s name was drawn from those who correctly guessed the “Butter Bomber” and was awarded the grand prize(IMG Motorsports PR). See an image of the winning car in my Paint Schemes Gallery(10-18-2000)
#90 Team News: the #90 The Hills Bros Coffee Team will be taking a brand new down-force car with a Hopkins chassis to Rockingham, the first new car for Donlavey Racing since 1998. It is a standard Hopkins chassis with a lot of down force. Hut Stricklin scored his only Winston Cup pole at Rockingham in the fall of 1995(Keystone Marketing)(10-18-2000)
Bud Can: Although fans will have to wait a few more weeks for him to return to PIR, Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s #8 Budweiser car already has been reunited with the track — on a new 16-ounce Budweiser can, available nationwide through the end of the Cup season in November. Budweiser has produced the can as part of a four-can collector series commemorating Earnhardt Jr.’s Winston Cup rookie season. The PIR-themed can showcases the one-mile oval known as the Desert Jewel, along with an image of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Budweiser crew. Earnhardt Jr.’s signature and the words “2000 Winston Cup – Team Work” also appear on the can(Racing Milestones)(10-18-2000)
Waltrip to leave #7 early? UPDATE: It is likely that Michael Waltrip will leave the #7 Ultra Motorsports Team before the end of the season and race in a NAPA-sponsored(#15?), Dale Earnhardt Inc.-owned car in the final one or two races this year. Waltrip will move to that team full time next year. Geoffrey Bodine could wind up driving the #7 car in the races remaining after Waltrip’s departure(That’s Racin’)(10-16-2000)
UPDATE: According to sources at Ultra Motorsports, Michael Waltrip is expected to leave the #7 Nations Rent Chevrolet before the end of the season to begin his new stint as the third driver in the Dale Earnhardt Inc. stable. Waltrip could make his debut as early as Phoenix, but more likely will drive for DEI at Homestead. Last month, Earnhardt announced that Waltrip, 37, would drive the NAPA Monte Carlo in the Winston Cup series. Scott Eggleston, currently of SABCO Racing, will be named crew chief of that team. The team has designs on running the #15 on Waltrip’s car. Mike Wallace, who drives the #2 Ford for Ultra Motorsports in the CTS will drive the #7 Monte Carlo for the remainder of the year. Wallace is also under consideration for the #7 seat in 2001, but has talked to other Winston Cup owners including Larry McClure(Sporting News)(10-18-2000)
Shelmerdine looking at Cup: Kirk Shelmerdine, a crew chief on four Winston Cup championship teams, a driver in the ARCA series now, is now trying to break into Winston Cup as a driver. He applied for the job as Jimmy Spencer’s teammate on the Travis Carter team(#66 Ford, went to Todd Bodine), and he’s been trying to wrangle a driving job with Roush(PitNow)(10-18-2000)
Stewart’s crew member back: remember the nasty accident on pitroad at the Daytona 500, when #20 Tony Stewart hit one of his crewman? That was Mike Lingerfelt, and the good news is, he is back changing right-front tires for Stewart(PitNow)(10-18-2000)
Wallace Commercials: Rusty Wallace, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Ford, completed shooting new TV commercials for sponsor Miller Brewing Company last week in Charlotte. He will be featured in four spots which will have prominent major network placement and are expected to air in rotation format with two spots per race broadcast in 2001(Speedway Illustrated)(10-18-2000)
Benson buys into a speedway: Whitecaps Racing Development, a newly-formed affiliate company of the West Michigan Whitecaps Professional Baseball Team (Class A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers), today announced the purchase of Berlin Raceway from the Mysliwiec family, which founded the track in 1951. The new ownership group also announced the addition Johnny Benson Jr. as an equity partner in the venture. Benson is the driver of the #10 Aaron’s Rent Pontiac in the Winston Cup series and a Grand Rapids native. Benson flew from his home in Charlotte, North Carolina, to speak at the press conference, which was attended by more than 300 race fans, track employees, drivers and sponsors, and public officials. “It’s a great track that deserves to be open for another 50 years,” Benson said. “It’s close to me because I have a lot of wins there and my dad does too. I just wanted to make sure that it’s going to continue operating and be successful.” The new ownership group also announced the return of ASA racing to the Berlin Raceway in 2001 on July 14(PR)(10-18-2000)

(10-17-2000)
DEI Announcement UPDATE 2: there will be a ‘special’ announcement at Dale Earnhardt Inc(DEI) on Tuesday, Oct 17th at 9:30am/et(RP), have not heard what it is for sure, two rumor’s I have heard: the third DEI team running one or two races this year(see Waltrip story below), the other is Dale Sr running an Oreo scheme in the Daytona BGN race, but it seems kind of early for an announcement concerning Daytona(10-16-2000)
UPDATE: have heard noting official yet, but am hearing the announcement was that Dale ‘Sr’ and Dale Jr are going to run the 24 Hours of Daytona together and they unveiled the car, a Corvette that they are racing there
UPDATE 2: Road racing veteran Andy Pilgrim has a couple of new teammates for the 2001 version of the Rolex 24 at Daytona – Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. The announcement was made today at DEI’s shop on the Earnhardt farm south of Mooresville, N.C.(SpeedVision), see an image of the car at the Chevy Site(10-17-2000)
Hornaday and Foyt? UPDATE 3: hearing Ron Hornaday may join AJ Foyts team, either in an 2nd BGN car, a 2nd Cup car or taking the seat of the #14 Conseco Pontiac. The last option seems odd as it has been reported current #14 driver, Rick Mast, is supposedly close to signed up with Foyt for 2001 to drive the #14 Pontiac
UPDATE: A.J. Foyt appears to have hired driver Ron Hornaday and crew chief Fred Graves to drive his #14 Conseco Pontiac next season. Word is the deal is done, with only contract formalities remaining(SpeedVision) and Rick Mast said he could not comment on the rumor that Ron Hornaday is joining the A.J. Foyt team next season. Mast joined the team in May and has worked to build the slow-starting operation. Crew chief Phillipe Lopez and several crew members followed Mast from the Larry Hedrick #41 team(Richmond Times Dispatch)(10-14-2000)
UPDATE 2: hearing that Rick Mast has been told that he will not be asked back to the #14 Foyt team next year. Also hearing Ron Hornaday is in the process of signing a multi-year deal with Foyt. Mast is supposedly speaking with the #7 Ultra Motorsports team, but has not yet been approached by the #4 Morgan McClure team(10-15-2000)
UPDATE 3: #14 Team owner A.J. Foyt will name Ron Hornaday as his new driver in NASCAR Winston Cup Series at the end of this season, according to sources. Foyt would not confirm the hiring of Hornaday(National Speed Sport News)(10-17-2000)(no where does it say Hornaday has signed with Foyt)
#21 Crew Changes UPDATE Beam to the #75: The #21 Wood Brothers team is in the process of making several personnel changes to their Cup team driven by Elliott Sadler, including the hiring of a new crew chief, which may occur as early as this week. Mike Beam, Sadler’s crew chief November 1998, is expected to leave. Pat Tryson, the crew chief for #16-Kevin Lepage to replace Beam, sources said. The Wood Brothers and Lepage’s car owner, Jack Roush, have a working partnership with Roush Racing producing car chassis for Sadler’s team. The Wood Brothers has already hired Neil Perkins, a former crew chief in BGN and Late Model series, to help in weekly car preparation(That’s Racin’). Hmm..wonder if this means the #16 team is history and Lepage has another gig set up, #4??(10-15-2000)
UPDATE Beam to the #75: The #75 Galaxy Motorsports team with driver Wally Dallenbach Jr. announced the acquisition of veteran crew chief/mechanic Mike Beam. Beam has been named to the position of Team Manager and begins his duties starting today. According to team owner/president Darwin Oordt, Beam, 44, will oversee all competition-related issues while working closely with crew chief Newt Moore. The move is intended to provide one of the “missing performance ingredients” Oordt felt the team was lacking. Beam joins Galaxy after a two-season stint as crew chief with the Wood Brothers. His career began in 1981 at age 24 when he joined Petty Enterprises as a mechanic and was elevated to crew chief that same year. Since then Beam has served as crew chief in the Winston Cup Series for such noted teams as Bahari’ Racing (1988, ’89), Melling Racing (1990), Junior Johnson (1991-’95), Bill Elliott (1995-’98) and the Woods (1999 – 2000). Driver Dallenbach agrees the Beam acquisition should make Galaxy a consistent front runner in 2001. Galaxy in 2000 has run a consortium of three rotational primary sponsors consisting of Turner Broadcasting, RotoZip Power Tools and RedCell Batteries(Galaxy Motorsports PR) and The Wood Brothers Racing Team announced today that Mike Beam and the team have mutually agreed to part ways. Eddie Wood, co-car owner of the #21 CITGO Ford, stated, “We hope to have a new crew chief named within the next few weeks.”(Cox Marketing)(10-17-2000)
#4 Announcement postponed UPDATE 7 add Wallace: have heard from quite a few sources that Jeremy Mayfield will drive the #4 Kodak Chevy is he can get out of his contract with Penske Racing LLC(which I hear he can’t and won’t)
UPDATE: confliction of sources – also being told Kevin Lepage has the gig with the #4 and Ricky Craven was the hot rumor a week or so ago(10-12-2000)
UPDATE 2: it was reported on RPM 2Night Friday that Mayfield, crew chief Peter Sospenzo, and sponsor Mobil One will stay with the #12 Penske Racing LLC team and honor their contracts which run thru 2002(10-13-2000)
UPDATE 3 – #4 Driver Announcement MONDAY: #4 Kodak Owner, Larry McClure plans to announce his new driver Monday(Oct 16th). McClure has been linked to several competitors in the garage with Jeremy Mayfield, Kevin Lepage and Ricky Craven heading the list. Mayfield says he is staying put who says he hasn’t spoken with either Roger Penske or Michael Kranefuss since Penske bought out Kranefuss earlier this week. Mayfield is under contract with the team and says he plans to remain next season(Richmond Times Dispatch)(10-14-2000)
UPDATE 4: throw Rick Mast into the #4 Driver mix if he does not go back to AJ Foyt’s #14 if Hornaday gets that ride and no two car team materializes
UPDATE 5: hearing that Jeremy Mayfield has told #4 owner Larry McClure he is NOT interested in driving the #4 car, and that he has a contract for two more years with Roger Penske(10-15-2000)
UPDATE 6: The anticipated announcement of a new driver for Morgan-McClure will not be made until a later date. It was thought to happen today, but will not materialize. “I am not ready to make an announcement about a new driver at this time,” Larry McClure, team owner, stated. “We have not yet made a definite decision. I realize the importance of this announcement to the team, our sponsor and the media. “I cannot give an exact date on when a decision will be made. As soon as everything is in place, we will send out a release or hold a press conference.”(Morgan-McClure PR)(10-16-2000)
UPDATE 7: hearing Mike Wallace recently tested in the #4 Chevy and is another candidate for the drivers job there(10-17-2000)
Testing at Kentucky: hearing Hendrick Motorsports is at Kentucky Speedway testing the #5 Kelloggs Chevy and the #25 MH2.com Chevy on October 17-18th. Hearing #20-Tony Stewart was there also(10-17-2000)
No Bull 5 Contest allowed in VA: Next season, state residents will be allowed to enter the Winston-brand “No Bull 5” million-dollar bonus contest. R.J. Reynolds had banned Virginians, believing state law prohibited them from entering the contest. After holding one of the bonus races at Richmond last season, company officials learned state residents were legally eligible. “The Virginia residents are eligible as long as they follow all applicable state laws, which, as we understand it, means that they will not be able to pick up an entry blank in stores in Virginia to enter,” R.J. Reynolds spokesman Rick Sanders said. “They can pick those up in other states, and we also will have direct marketing programs they’ll be allowed to enter at the track.” No purchase is required. Fans can enter the contest and wait on a drawing that determines the five contestants. These winners are flown to one of the five selected races and paired with the five qualified drivers. If the driver wins, the contestant earns the million-dollar prize(Times-Dispatch) more info on the Racing Contest page(10-17-2000)
Sad News: not NASCAR but – Howell C. Jones III, from Sheldon, SC, was fatally injured during the Inaugural Southern Three Quarter Midget Nationals feature at the Hardeeville Motor Speedway on Saturday night. The 29-year-old Jones, passed away on early Sunday morning(PR)(10-17-2000)
Gill to stay: #4 Owner, Larry McClure said first-year crew chief Danny Gill will remain with the #4 Kodak Chevy team in 2001(Bristol Herald Courier)(10-17-2000)
Did ya Know? When Brett Bodine crossed the finish line in the Winston 500 at Talladega, he accomplished something he had not done in nearly two years. He finished on the lead lap. Bodine finished 26th on Sunday, the last car running on the lead lap – and finishing on the lead lap was something that had not happened to him since the season finale at Atlanta in 1998. That’s a span of 57 races(CNN/SI)(10-17-2000)

(10-16-2000)
Dodge Talladega Test UPDATE: One year into Dodge’s Winston Cup project and everything is right on schedule. At least that’s what Bob Wildberger, senior manager for Dodge’s NASCAR operations, said Friday at Talladega Superspeedway. On-track testing, which began May 2, continues with all five teams recruited by Dodge scheduled to take part in tests on Talladega’s 2.66-mile oval on Monday and Tuesday(Total Sports/AP) AND Ray Evernham, the lead developer of the Dodge Intrepid that will begin competition in the 2001 Daytona 500, said he is pleased with the durability of the Dodge engine. Engine parts were submitted to NASCAR for approval earlier this month and Dodge is still awaiting a decision(That’s Racin’)(10-14/16-2000) Dodge Test at Talladega: see the Press Release and Pictures: Dodge Marks One-Year Anniversary Of Winston Cup Launch With Inaugural Speedway Test At Talladega(10-16-2000)
Atlanta Testing: Winston Cup drivers Jeremy Mayfield and Todd Bodine and ARCA driver Shawna Robinson tested Monday at Atlanta Motor Speedway in preparation for the NAPA 500 weekend Nov. 17-19. Mayfield, who will race in the Winston Cup season-finale NAPA 500, turned a best lap 187.678mph in the #12-Mobil One Ford, which was the fastest lap of the day. The Winston Cup qualifying record is a 197.478, set in 1997 by Todd Bodine’s older brother, Geoffrey. Todd Bodine, who was testing the #66 Haas/Carter Motorsports car driven by Darrell Waltrip, had a best lap 187.487mph. Robinson, who will run the ARCA finale Georgia Boot 400 this November, ran a top lap of 183.333mph. The ARCA qualifying record is 184.345 mph, set in Nov. 1998 by Bobby Hamilton Jr(actually it is 188.021 held by Derrick Gilchrist in the Andy Petree Racing Chevy)(AMS PR). ALSO have heard that Todd Bodine will drive a third Travis Carter Ford at Atlanta in the Winston Cup finale(10-16-2000)
Monster Truck Race UPDATE 3 Hamlin Status: Tony Stewart and Kevin Hamlin will race in the Monster Truck race at Talladega Superspeedway Saturday night along with Jimmy Spencer and Elliott Sadler. For more information see the Talladega Superspeedway site(10-11-2000)
UPDATE: see how the Cup drivers did in their match races and some comments at the TSS Site: Bigfoot Wins, Tonka Takes Championship in ProMT Series At Talladega – NASCAR Winston Cup Drivers Mix It Up In Monster Trucks; and from the Anniston Star: Cup stars, Monster trucks put on good show(10-15-2000)
UPDATE 2: Kevin Hamlin planned on running a Monster Truck in the Talladega infield Saturday night. What he didn’t plan on was having a wreck. Hamlin, Dale Earnhardt’s crew chief, suffered a compression fracture of the fifth vertebra in an incident. He was, however, on hand in a somewhat handicapped state to direct Earnhardt’s efforts from pit road Sunday(Gaston Gazette)
UPDATE 3: After celebrating in a come from behind victory on Sunday, crew chief of the #3 GM Goodwrench Service Plus team and driver Dale Earnhardt, Kevin Hamlin made his gingerly way home Sunday night. Hamlin as reported on Sunday, suffered injuries while competing in a Monster Truck event at Talladega on Saturday night. Although experience discomforting he was still able to make the calls from the pits in Sunday’s victory. On Monday, Hamlin visited Dr. Charles Branch, M.D., Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. Dr. Branch diagnosed Hamlin with two compressed fractured vertebras, the 5th and 7th, and one fractured rib. Dr. Branch ordered Hamlin to get plenty of rest for the next 48 hours and to wear a brace to support his injuries. Hamlin will be at Rockingham this weekend and is expected to have a full recovery. Dr. Charles Branch is the same Doctor who performed surgery on Dale Earnhardt over the winter to repair a ruptured disc in the seven-time champion’s spine(Champion Sports Group PR)(10-16-2000)
Chevron to buy Texaco: Chevron formally unveiled its plan to buy Texaco, the latest in a wave of controversial oil industry consolidation. The deal calls for Chevron to give 0.77 of its shares for every Texaco share. That totals about $35.35 billion for Texaco’s 545 million shares. The companies said the combined company had an enterprise value of $100 bln. The transaction is expected to result in some 4,000 job cuts, reflecting seven percent of the combined companies’ 57,000 workforce(Infobeat/AP). NOTE: No idea how or if this will effect the sponsorship of the #28 Robert Yates Racing(RYR) Ford and driver Ricky Rudd. RYR signed with Texaco thru 2004 last year(10-16-2000)
Lead Changes: The 49 lead changes among 21 drivers was and the most different leaders since Talladega in July 1986 (26) and the most lead changes since Talladega July 1989 (49)(NOL)(10-16-2000)
Dynos and Wind Tunnel: hearing that NASCAR put #33 Chevy(Nemechek, finished 3rd), #28-Ford(Rudd, 11th), and #20-Pontiac(Stewart, 27th) Ricky Rudd’s on the chassis dyno after the Winston 500 at Talladega and will take all three to the Lockheed Wind Tunnel in Marietta, GA to test this week(10-16-2000)

(10-15-2000)

HANS Device: have gotten a few question regarding the HANS Device, and if Tony Roper had one one, the answer is no, would it had saved his life, can’t answer that. How many Cup drivers are wearing it? two – Brett Bodine and Scott Pruett in Cup, Jack Sprague in the CTS and ARCA Champ Frank Kimmel and driver Rich Woodland also wear one. More info? What is the HANS Device? See my HANS Device/Safety page for images and links(10-15-2000)
Bliss has Career Day: Mike Bliss recorded his best finish of his Winston Cup career with a 9th at Talladega, plus Bliss led a lap in Winston Cup competition for the first time in his career. Bliss was the highest finishing ROTY candidate(10-15-2000)
Waltrip Lap: After driver introductions before the race today, Darrell Waltrip took a lap around the 2.66 mile track at Talladega in the restored #95 Mercury he drove at Talladega in 1972 in celebration of his Victory Tour and in recognition of his first Winston Cup start at Talladega(TSS Site), also the same car won the 1967 Daytona 500 with Mario Andretti driving it when it was a Ford Fairlane, then re-skinned to became a Mercury. Waltrip owns the car(10-15-2000)
France Better: Bill France Jr., president of NASCAR, has won his race against cancer, according to Jim Hunter of Darlington Raceway. France announced last December he was fighting an undisclosed form of cancer. France also is battling a neuro-muscular disease. “He is doing better and visiting the office (in Daytona Beach), Everybody is greatly encouraged knowing that he’s cancer free. He’s doing the therapy to get his muscles back in shape.” Hunter said(Atlanta Journal Constitution and St Petersburg Times)(10-15-2000)
#60 Done? Joe Bessey, owner of the #60 Power Team Chevy, said Saturday that his team may be finished. Two weeks ago, he had told me that a sponsorship was about to be signed, but the deal had fallen through. Bessey has told members of his team that the deal went from red-hot to luke warm and that they might want to look elsewhere for work. If no sponsorship can be found for next year, Bessey said that he probably would spend most of next year trying to put something together and return in 2002(Insider Racer)(10-15-2000)

(10-14-2000)
#77 and Penske? UPDATE 2: Roger Penske is reported considering buying the Doug Bawal (#77) operation, possibly as a base for the new Ryan Newman team. Bawal’s shop sites adjacent to Penske’s in Mooresville. Ryan Pemberton, who runs the team for Bawal, says he’s unaware of any possible sale pending(PitNow)(10-9-2000)
UPDATE – Engines? hearing that the #77 Jasper Engines team has shut down their engine shop effective this week and will begin using Penske Motors(10-10-2000)
UPDATE 2: Jasper Motorsports has closed its engine shop and will use Penske engines for the remainder of the 2000 season. Next season, the team will form a partnership with Penske and Pressley’s team will run a newly designed engine produced by the collaborative effort. Pressley is in the third and final year of his contract and he and the team were working extending the contract(That’s Racin’)(10-14-2000)
More Plate News: hearing that the smaller restrictor plates during Happy Hour practice at Talladega Saturday. But with a twist, as there was some mix-ups in handing out the plates, so while most teams practiced with a 15/16ths plate, some practiced with a 7/8ths plate and a few with a 29/32nds plate. So there were some pretty upset teams in the garage once they realized what had happened. That’s All I know at this point – AND from That’s Racin’: NASCAR swaps plates between practices, including – Five of the cars originally went out for the final practice with incorrectly sized plates, which had been grabbed by mistake from NASCAR’s supply and handed out. Winston Cup series director Gary Nelson said the mistake was discovered and rectified within a few minutes(10-14-2000)
Failed Inspections: Inspections for Winston Cup cars was slow going Friday, as several teams failed to make it through prequalifying inspections on the first try. The teams of Dale Earnhardt, Jeremy Mayfield, Bobby Hamilton, Sterling Marlin, Blaise Alexander and Matt Kenseth had to make many alterations to their cars before they could make it through inspection and onto the track for practice. NASCAR inspectors also collected a group of unapproved fuel-cell containers, from the teams of Kevin Lepage, Michael Waltrip, Mike Skinner and Dale Jarrett(That’s Racin’)(10-14-2000)
Penske Does a Favor: ARCA driver, Bob Strait, who wrecked his primary and only car in final practice Friday at Talladega, is back in business complements of the Roger Penske Alltel Ford team who have loaned Ryan Newman’s back-up Taurus. However, the Mokena, IL veteran will now have to forego his outside-pole starting position, and drop to the tail-end for the start of Saturday’s Winn-Dixie 300. Catch all the action on ESPN2 Sunday, Oct 15 at 5:00pm/et(ARCA Racing Site), more ARCA news on my BGN Site(10-14-2000)
DW has Broken Rib but: Darrell Waltrip discovered this week he was more hurt than he had thought from an accident during last Saturday’s Winston Cup Happy Hour practice session at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. During the race, Waltrip got out of the #66 BigKmart Ford, saying he “didn’t feel comfortable” and turned the driving duties over to Todd Bodine. On Tuesday, Waltrip visited a doctor and discovered he had a broken rib on his right side. Waltrip qualified his car Friday at Talladega and planned to go the distance in Sunday’s Winston 500(That’s Racin’)(10-14-2000)

(10-13-2000)
Home Depot Re-ups: Tony Stewart will be wearing orange and white for at least four more years. The Winston Cup driver has renegotiated his sponsorship deal with Home Depot for the 2001 season and has signed a three-year contract extension with the Atlanta-based company. Home Depot has been Stewart’s primary sponsor since he joined the Winston Cup Series in 1999(Atlanta Journal Constitution)(10-13-2000)
#25 Sponsor? UPDATE: while Lowes is making the rumor rounds as the next sponsor of the #25 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy with driver Jerry Nadeau, hearing that Delphi Automotive may be the next sponsor for the #25 team(9-28-2000)
UPDATE: hearing the #25 will have a co-primary sponsor with Delphi Automotive and UAW-GM as the sponsors(10-13-2000)
NASCAR and Coleman: Race fans in need of outdoor gear will be able to choose from several new NASCAR- and team driver-branded products starting with this weekend’s race at Talladega. NASCAR and Wichita, Kan.-based Coleman Co. have signed a licensing agreement that allows Coleman to offer a line of specially designed products that include the NASCAR logo. Available this year are coolers, chairs, lanterns and sleeping bags(NASCAR PR)(10-13-2000)
Petty Ride: The dates for the 2001 Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America have been finalized. The motorcycle ride, which will be in its seventh year, will leave from Sacramento, Calif., June 24 and will end at the Petty Farm in Trinity, N.C. on July 1. Petty will race at Sears Point in Sonoma, Calif., then leave on the cross-country trip. The Winston Cup teams will have an off weekend the next week(Kyle Petty Ride Site)(10-13-2000)

(10-12-2000)
PPI Crew Chief: After thorough evaluation and discussion, PPI Motorsports and Brad Parrott, crew chief for the #32 Tide Ford in Cup, have mutually agreed to part ways. Parrott has elected to pursue other opportunities outside of PPI Motorsports. PPI Motorsports has named Scott Houston, who served as the interim crew chief on the #32 Tide Ford this past weekend at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, to the position full-time effective today. Houston, 35, of Hickory, N.C., has worked as an engineering liaison for PPI Motorsports for the past year. In August, Houston also served as crew chief for PPIM’s McDonald’s Busch series effort with driver Chad Little at Michigan Speedway, where the team qualified 11th and finished 10th – their best Busch series performance to date. Brother to newly announced PPIM/McDonald’s Winston Cup driver Andy Houston and son of legendary NASCAR Busch Series competitor Tommy Houston, Scott grew up working on stock cars and served as crew chief on his father’s successful Busch series efforts for eleven years(PPI PR)(10-12-2000)
Gordon and Kranefuss? hearing there could be some sort of ‘merger’ between Robby Gordon’s Team Gordon and former #12 team owner Michael Kranefuss. As for Kranefuss buying the #41 Hedrick Motorsports team, I hear it was only the building(10-12-2000)

(10-11-2000)
Benson Announcement UPDATE 2: there will some sort of announcment by Johnny Benson at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Oct 11th(today)
UPDATE: hearing the announcement will be a new paint scheme featuring the Aaron’s 312 Busch Series race and will be on the car for the NAPA 500 only. The Aaron’s 312 will be March 10, 2001 at Atlanta Motor Speedway
UPDATE 2: Johnny Benson and his Aaron’s Racing team announced Wednesday they would run a specially designed paint scheme for the season-ending NAPA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. For the Nov. 19 race only, Benson’s #10 Pontiac will feature the splashy black and yellow logo of the Aaron’s 312 Busch Series race, which will be held March 10, 2001, at Atlanta Motor Speedway(AMS)(see an image at the AMS Site)(10-11-2000)
Bickle in the #60: Rich Bickle will drive the #60 Power Team Chevy fielded by Bessey Motorsports at Talladega(Power Team Site)(10-11-2000)
Grissom Double Duty: Steve Grissom will drive Petty Enterprises’ #43 Dodge truck in the race Friday night at Texas Motor Speedway, then fly to Talladega, Ala., where he will drive the #44 Pontiac in Sunday’s Winston 500. Kyle Petty, formerly the driver of the #44, will qualify the car for Grissom at Talladega(Gaston Gazette)(10-11-2000)
#25 Penalty UPDATE: NASCAR officials announced today they have penalized NASCAR Winston Cup Series crew chief Tony Furr for rules violations discovered in inspection prior to last Sunday’s UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C. Furr, crew chief of the No. 25 NASCAR Winston Cup Series team, was fined $2,000 and 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)
UPDATE: more info about the fine/penalty and images at TachZone: Furr Fined $2,000 for Unapproved Fender Brace(10-11-2000)
#17 Penalty: NASCAR officials announced today they have penalized NASCAR Winston Cup Series crew chief Robbie Reiser for a trailing arm that was modified to be lighter than the specifications in the 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series rule book discovered in preliminary inspections on Friday for the NAPA AutoCare 500 at Martinsville Speedway on October 1, 2000 in Martinsville, Va. Reiser, crew chief of the No. 17 NASCAR Winston Cup Series team, was fined $5,000 for violations of Section 20-12-A in the 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series rule book: “If an I-Beam style trailing arm is used, it must be constructed using two (2) C-channels of a minimum one (1) inch in width by three (3) inches in height magnetic steel with a minimum wall thickness of 1/8 inch… welded back to back, creating a vertical wall of two (2) 1/8 inch wall thicknesses…” Reiser was penalized under Section 12-4-Q: “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)(10-11-2000)
Long’s Plans: hearing that Carl Long will drive the #32 truck at Texas and possibly at Fontana. Long’s next Winston Cup race is planned at Rockingham(10-11-2000)
Atlanta Testing: Expected to test at Atlanta are #5-Terry Labonte and #10-Johnny Benson. Labonte is scheduled to test Oct. 10-11, and Benson is scheduled to test Oct. 11-12 in preparation for the Nov. 19 NAPA 500 season finale at Atlanta Motor Speedway. All three days will be open to the public from 10:00am to 4:30pm/et, for more info see the Atlanta Motor Speedway site(10-11-2000)
Talladega Extended Practice UPDATE: NASCAR may extend the final Happy Hour practice Saturday at Talladega to allow teams additional track time to work with new rules for the race, which NASCAR issued last month(see the Talladega Race Info page for info). NASCAR will evaluate the practice sessions on Friday and Saturday morning to determine whether to extend the Saturday afternoon session(That’s Racin’). Also, supposedly teams will be allowed to practice on Thursday if they wish, a day earlier t hen normal(10-9-2000)
UPDATE: from what I hear, there will be no extra practice session on Thursday to test the new Aero Rules at Talladega(10-11-2000)
Buddy Baker: Buddy Baker, who has been announcing TNN races since 1991, will remain with the network in 2001 as part of the team calling American Speed Association races. Baker will make his ASA debut on Feb. 17 at a race in St. Augustine, FL(Gaston Gazette and TNN)(10-11-2000)

(10-10-2000)
#21 Scheme: Elliott Sadler’s #21 CITGO Ford will sport the same paint scheme Neil Bonnett drove when he raced the Wood Brothers Ford Thunderbird in 1989 at Talladega. Bonnett won 9 races in the Wood Brothers owned Ford and was a part of the famous “Alabama Gang”.(Cox Marketing) See an image of the car at my Paint Schemes Gallery(10-10-2000)
Alexander Readies for Cup debut: BGN regular (#81 TracFone/WCW Chevy) Blaise Alexander will make his NASCAR Winston Cup debut in the Oct. 15 Winston 500 at Talladega. The Montoursville, Pa.-native will pilot the #91 Ericsson Chevy fielded by LJ Racing/Team SABCO in the final restrictor-plate event on the 2000 Winston Cup schedule. Alexander is not the only newcomer in the Winston Cup garage from the Team SABCO camp. While the Winston 500 marks the first Cup appearance for Ericsson and BellSouth Mobility, neither company is a stranger to the NASCAR Busch Series nor Team SABCO. BellSouth Mobility and Ericsson currently are featured as the primary and associate sponsors, respectively, on the #01 Team SABCO Busch Series entry. Ericsson is extending that relationship via its primary sponsorship on the #91 Chevrolet in this weekend’s 500-mile event with BellSouth Mobility as the associate sponsor. Alexander has set his goals for Sunday’s race one step-at-a-time. Alexander already has logged several laps on the 2.66-mile superspeedway. He placed his #81 Chevy in the 20th starting spot in the April Touchstone Energy 300 Busch Series event and ran in the top 10 most of the day until he became involved in an accident. Ben Holm, Alexander’s Busch Series crew chief, will call the shots for the Ericsson Chevrolet, while his crew turns the wrenches and pits the car during Sunday’s event(SABCO PR)(10-10-2000)
#77 and Penske? UPDATE Engines: Roger Penske is reported considering buying the Doug Bawal (#77) operation, possibly as a base for the new Ryan Newman team. Bawal’s shop sites adjacent to Penske’s in Mooresville. Ryan Pemberton, who runs the team for Bawal, says he’s unaware of any possible sale pending(PitNow)(10-9-2000)
UPDATE – Engines? hearing that the #77 Jasper Engines team has shut down their engine shop effective this week and will begin using Penske Motors(10-10-2000)
#12 Rumors/News? UPDATE 2: hearing that #12 Mobil One owner, Michael Kranefuss is to sell the #12 team to Roger Penske, who owns the #2 Miller Lite Ford team. Also, Kranefuss is expected to purchase the #41 from Larry Hedrick and run Shawna Robinson with a possible Cup deal out of the Statesville, NC shop. One thing that makes this odd, is the #41 is a Chevy team, Kranefuss is a Ford guy. No word on if Mayfield stays of goes to one of the other teams looking for a driver (#’s 01, 4 or 7), seems to be something going on with the #12. Kranefuss was not in Charlotte for the race week and during the Ryan Newman announcement (#02 ALLTEL) there was NO mention of Mayfield being a teammate or Kranefuss
UPDATE: Penske Performance South, Inc., the managing member of Penske-Kranefuss Racing, LLC, and Michael H. A. Kranefuss today announced the purchase of Kranefuss’ 50 percent stake in Penske-Kranefuss Racing, LLC by Penske Performance South, Inc., effective immediately. The Team will now be known Penske Racing, LLC, and Walter P. Czarnecki, vice-chairman of Penske Performance South, Inc., has been elected president of the company. Jeremy Mayfield will continue as the driver of the Team’s #12 Mobil 1 Ford Taurus, with Michael Kranefuss continuing as a member of the Team for the remainder of the NASCAR Winston Cup season(Williams Company)(10-9-2000)
AND see related stories at the Sporting News: Source: Penske now sole owner of No. 12 Ford team and SpeedVision: Penske Buys Out Kranefuss and That’s Racin’: Penske buys out Kranefuss
UPDATE 2: The Penske-Kranefuss Racing NASCAR Winston Cup team Monday night announced an ownership change, one that could lead to driver Jeremy Mayfield’s departure from the operation at the end of the season. A Penske news release said Mayfield and Kranefuss will continue to be associated with the Mooresville, N.C.-based team through the end of this season. Mayfield is considered a candidate for at least two Winston Cup cars that will be vacant at the start of the 2001 season(Greenville News) BUT an NOL column reports: A spokesman for Mayfield said the driver had two years remaining on his contract with the team and he had “no plans to go anywhere.”(10-10-2000)
DEI Crew chief and number? UPDATE: still hearing that the new NAPA Cup team with Michael Waltrip will be the #15 and also now hearing that SABCO/Ganassi Racing’s Scott Eggleston, who is Sterling Marlin’s crew chief(#40) may be the new crew chief of Waltrip’s team with DEI(10-9-2000)
UPDATE: Dale Earnhardt Inc. was expected to sign Scott Eggleston to a contract on Monday to be the new crew chief for the #15 car and driver Michael Waltrip next season. Eggleston, 38, is currently the crew chief for Sterling Marlin on the #40 car at Ganassi/Sabco Racing(Sporting News)(10-10-2000)
Lowes? The silence about what’s going on with the Lowe’s sponsorship of the #31 Chevys driven by Mike Skinner makes you believe that lawyers are involved. The best guess is that they’re trying to work out some kind of settlement that will allow Lowe’s to come off the car after paying car owner Richard Childress some sum of money(That’s Racin’)(10-10-2000)
Fox News: FOX Sports Net Annouces Extensive 2001 NASCAR Scehdule(10-10-2000)
NASCAR Online sold to Turner? UPDATE 2 Yes: NASCAR is expected to announce today that it will be selling the rights of its popular Web site NASCAR Online (www.nascar.com) to a division of Turner Broadcasting. According to various sources, NASCAR has sold the rights of NASCAR Online to the Turner Interactive group for the next six years, beginning in 2001. Turner is owned by the Time-Warner Co., which is controlled by America Online. NASCAR Online is expected to have a major presence on AOL, the nation’s leading Internet provider with more than 20 million subscribers. Currently, NASCAR is partnered with ESPN on the Internet, but when the new television deal starts in 2001, ESPN will only have the broadcast rights to the Craftsman Truck Series(Speed Magazine and SpeedVision)
UPDATE: Turner Sports, NASCAR partner for Internet rights Turner Sports and NASCAR announced Tuesday that Turner Sports has acquired NASCAR’s internet rights and will become the exclusive producers of NASCAR Online. See stories at NOL: urner, NASCAR partner for Internet rights and AOL, NASCAR announce marketing agreement
UPDATE 2: from SpeedVision – NASCAR and Turner Sports Tuesday announced that Turner has acquired NASCAR’s Internet rights and will become producer of NASCAR Online, NASCAR’s official web site, beginning Jan. 1. In a separate announcement, America Online and NASCAR have agreed to a partnership for mutual promotion and marketing. AOL and its affiliates will plug NASCAR and NASCAR Online, while NASCAR will offer AOL an increased presence in several areas. Further in the same story the follow is mentioned and quoted: “We’ve got to be true to the journalistic mission of the company; we dont make stuff up. That’s something Brian(France) and his group recognize is important to NASCAR fans.” Turner president Mark Lazarus took what sounded like a sideswipe at other news and rumor sites, such as jayski.com, the Drudge Report of NASCAR. “There’s a cottage industry out there that takes advantage of this and fragments the audience, which we can now bring to NASCAR Online,” he said. And…”News and the delivery of news will continue as it always has, on the Internet or other forms of news, there are exclusivities we will have, but Internet sites will cover NASCAR and other sports as they always have.”(SpeedVision), hmmm…interesting(10-10-2000)
#88 Coverup UPDATE: on RPM2 Night it was shown and mentioned that after the #88 wrecked that the team covered the car up even though they were working on it at the same time. As Benny Parsons said, I have no idea why they did that or what the reason was
UPDATE: the reason as explained to me – The people working on the #88 were not crew members but the television technicians removing the in-car cameras. The crew had already covered the car to be transported to the shop, so the techs just crawled under the cover got the cameras and the car was then sent home(10-10-2000)

(10-9-2000)
#66’s Future: Todd Bodine replaced Darrell Waltrip in the #66 BigKmart Ford, early in the race at Lowes Motor Speedway as DW suffered a shoulder injury in his crash in Saturday’s Happy Hour practice and decided against driving Sunday. DW had a few problems in Happy Hour, first a oil fitting was accidentially left loose and then a shock bolt was not tightened and caused DW to hit the wall and go to a backup car. Bodine will take Waltrip’s seat next year with Waltrip retiring, got a chance to get familiar with the car and crew a bit(10-9-2000)
Gibbs Hot Streak: the Joe Gibbs Racing team has a nice streak going, three Cup wins in a row, Stewart at Dover and Martinsville, and Labonte at Lowes. Plus the team has won four out of the last six counting Labonte’s win at Darlington(10-9-2000)
#32 Crew Chief for Lowes UPDATE 3 Parrott?: crew cheif of the #32 Tide PPI Motorsports Ford, Brad Parrott, is taking the week off with Scott Houston handling the crew chief duties for driver Scott Pruett. Explanation: PPI Motorsports is trying to resolve some management issues and improve the management structure of the team(RPM 2Night)(10-4-2000)
UPDATE: Crew chief Brad Parrott, three months on the job with car owner Cal Wells and Scott Pruett, is sitting out a few days, for unexplained reasons. ”I hope Brad will be back Monday, we just need some time to sit down and talk,” Wells said(PitNow)(10-5-2000)
UPDATE 2: hearing that if Brad Parrott leaves the #32 Tide Ford/PPI Motorsports team, he may end up with the #75 Galaxy Motorsports team in some capacity(10-7-2000)
UPDATE 3: Brad Parrott, after three months on the job as crew chief for car owner Cal Wells and driver Scott Pruett, is apparently moving on, possibly to the Wally Dallenbach-Darwin Oordt team, another Ford team that gets its engines and some technological help from Robert Yates. Parrott wouldn’t confirm anything yesterday except to say he would be talking with Wells today(PitNow)
UPDATE 3: hearing Parrott has cleaned out his office at PPI and will go back to Robert Yates Racing(10-9-2000)

(10-8-2000)

Cup Body’s: In an announcement at Lowe’s Motor Speedway this week, Body Dynamics Racing Bodies, Inc., the industry’s leading out source race car body fabrication facility, is offering race fans a chance to look inside their facility via the internet to watch how a race car body is built. BDRBI, located in Denver, North Carolina, was established in 1996 and in just four years has become the premiere out source for racing bodies. See their website at www.bodydynamicsracing.com.(TachZone)(10-8-2000)
More NASCAR TV stuff: NASCAR officials are looking at scheduling Saturday’s final-round practice sessions next season for noon, as a made-for-TV package lead-in to Saturday’s Busch Series events. The one-hour happy hour sessions, usually at 4:00pm, have been a popular ESPN staple for several years. NASCAR also is considering dropping second-round qualifying and handling all qualifying in a single two-lap session at every track(PitNow)(10-8-2000)

(10-7-2000)
Coors Re-Signs with the #40 UPDATE: Chip Ganassi Racing/Team Sabco have renegotiated and extended the sponsorship deal between Coors Light and driver Sterling Marlin. An official announcement of the new deal is planned for Oct. 7 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Ganassi Racing is also working on a similar renegotiated and extended sponsor contract with BellSouth for its #01 Chevy’s(to be Dodges in 2001)(That’s Racin’)(9-30-2000)
UPDATE: Coors Brewing Company and Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates are teaming up for the 2001 Cup season with Sterling Marlin returning to the seat of the #40 Dodge Intrepid. New ownership and new maufacturer have sparked a different look for the #40 Dodge as it will sport a unique scheme, which was introdued in several events during the 2000 season, resembling the “Silver Bullet” Coors Light can. More at TachZone, including an image of the car(10-7-2000)
Pruett Scheme: the #32 Tide Ford fielded by PPI Motorsports and driven by Scott Pruett was to run a special fan designed “Give the Kids the World” Tide car at Lowes Motor Speedway but failed to make the race, but the team announced that the car will return at Homestead to show off its multicolor livery(PPI Site)(10-7-2000)
Midwest Driver? hearing that if Ricky Craven leaves the #50 Midwest Transit Chevy team, the following drivers are under consideration: Hank Parker Jr, Kevin Grubb(thought he was signed with Brewco thru 2001), Jeff Purvis and Hut Stricklin(but will probably stay in the #90)(10-7-2000)
Shortage of Tires? UPDATE 2: Just as the Winston Cup garage was closing Friday afternoon at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, NASCAR officials handed out a rather cryptic statement: “Currently, we are in conversations with Goodyear regarding the quantity of tires for the NASCAR (Grand National) Series and the NASCAR Winston Cup series races here at Lowe’s Motor Speedway,” the statement said. Goodyear official Phil Holmer said that the tire supplier is trying to keep NASCAR apprised of the availability of tires for this weekend’s race, but declined to elaborate on the reason behind any potential shortage in the number of tires available for this weekend’s races(That’s Racin’)
UPDATE: Goodyear officials are shipping in more tires to make up for a shortage at the track this weekend. A problem developed this week, and the company originally did not have enough right-side tires manufactured to make it through the weekend. Officials said it should not be a problem(Times-Dispatch). Am hearing that they are shipping in Dover tires for the BGN teams and all the Charlotte tires will be used by the Winston Cup teams
UPDATE 2: In response to what was characterized this morning by BGN head man John Darby as an “extreme shortage” of appropriate tires for the BGN and WC runners at Lowe’s this weekend, Goodyear and NASCAR have made a tire change for this weekend’s racing. Basically, the Lowe’s right-side tires originally allocated for the BGN racers are now going to be re-allocated for the Winston Cup racers. What will the BGNers race? They get to install some of the infamous right-side tires recently used at Dover(more at TNN)(10-6-2000)
UPDATE 2: a bunch of columns on the tire situation on my Story/Column Links page(10-7-2000)

(10-6-2000)
Homestead Testing: On Wednesday, Oct. 25, Homestead-Miami Speedway will hold a major NASCAR Winston Cup test session to help teams prepare for the Nov. 12 Pennzoil 400(Homestead-Miami PR)(10-6-2000)
Special Stewart Scheme: As part of its ongoing commitment to give back to the communities it serves, The Home Depot announced that it is utilizing its NASCAR sponsorship to raise funds to benefit KaBOOM!, a non-profit organization that builds safe and accessible playgrounds for underprivileged children across North America (www.kaboom.org). Through a partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing, NASCAR, Toys “R” Us and Action Performance Companies, the world’s largest home improvement retailer will feature a special Kids Workshop paint scheme on the #20 Home Depot Pontiac driven by Tony Stewart, at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, Nov. 12. The Home Depot and its partners will donate proceeds from the sales of the #20 Kids Workshop commemorative merchandise-including die-cast cars, apparel and other souvenir items-to KaBOOM!. The #20 Kids Workshop merchandise will be available at all Toys “R” Us stores in the U.S. from Nov. 1 through Nov. 21.(Home Depot PR)(10-6-2000)
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)(NOL)(10-7-2000)
#98 News UPDATE: Jeff Fuller, who drives the #98 Ford, said team owner Chip MacPherson is “pretty close” to obtaining a primary sponsor that will allow the team to run the entire schedule next season. And in the months leading up to the season-opener at Daytona next February, the team plans to test at several of the series’ tracks(That’s Racin’)(10-5-2000)
UPDATE: MacPherson said Sunday’s race will be the team’s only effort this season, because Fuller can’t run any more events and still be eligible to compete for rookie of the year in 2001(AJC), can’t run in more then seven(7) races, see the ROTY page for rules(10-6-2000)
Bliss Back to the Trucks? Rookie Mike Bliss knows that his Winston Cup career could end after this season, and he’s not too upset. Bliss does not have a Cup ride for next season. Bliss is hunting for a job because his team, Eel River Racing, announced last month it had hired Kenny Wallace for next season. Bliss has had no offers for any open Cup ride. Car owners don’t return his calls. The former truck series driver said he’ll probably return to that series, where he won seven races and had 36 top-five finishes in five seasons(Roanoke Times). Am hearing Bliss may be a candidate to take over for Andy Houston in the #60 CAT Rental truck, Houston is jumping to Cup in 2001(10-6-2000)
Mast to stay with AJ: Rick Mast is completing a new contract to remain with A.J. Foyt Racing and the #14 team(Roanoke Times)(10-6-2000)
Richard Childress Venture: Richard Childress has formed a partnership with machine tool maker Okuma. They are building a racing parts manufacturing facility at the Childress complex in Welcome. The building is under construction. Childress said the first parts produced by the facility should be available for use in the Daytona 500(High Point Enterprise)(10-6-2000)
hmmmm…. Winston Cup car owners are being asked by NASCAR to move their Internet websites to become a page on NASCAR.com.(PitNow)(10-6-2000)
Lowes Sponsorship News: Car owner Rick Hendrick(#’s 5,24,25) said he has been approached with a pitch for a Lowe’s sponsorship but turned it down saying “…Lowe’s will not be sponsoring one of our cars next season.” Lowe’s has two more years on its contract with Childress, but Lowe’s officials said two weeks ago they would be dropping Childress at the end of the season, a move that Childress has disputed(PitNow)(10-6-2000)

(10-5-2000)
Stuff: There will be no Michigan Truck race in 2001. The new Kansas City track has sold 19,000 PSL seats and 65,000 season tickets. The new Chicago track has sold 7,200 PSL seats (that’s 7,196 if you don’t count mine). Season ticket details for Chicago will be out later this month. The possible track in New Jersey is in the ninth month of a 12-month study. No decision will be announced before January. An outside firm, Envision, has been hired to sell naming rights to the California and Kansas City tracks. ISC is seeking to sell naming rights to other tracks, but those efforts are originating in-house.(Track News from ISC Conference Call via Motorsports TV)(10-5-2000)
Penske-Kranefuss Team Structure? UPDATE: in the last few days, there have been news regarding Penske South adding Ryan Newman to their team and Penske Kranefuss adding Shawna Robonson to their Cup team in 2001 and 2001. How this affects the structure of the team is unknown. Neither news item mentioned the other team, so not sure if it turns into a four car team or the two split but still work together
UPDATE: comments, news and stuff about this situation at SpeedVision: Blake’s Charlotte Notebook: Wednesday, pretty much touches on the above and has other ‘rumors'(10-5-2000)
#91 Goes Home: hearing that the #91 LJ Racing team with driver Larry Gunselman, has withdrawn from the Cup race at LMS, apparently the damage from yesterday’s practice accident was too extensive to repair in time for second round qualifying tonight(at 6:00pm/et)(TachZone)(10-5-2000)
Less Qualifying? NASCAR officials are considering a change in the Winston Cup qualifying format for the 2001 season, scheduling pole runs for noon Saturday instead of Friday afternoon at many of the tracks. The change would be in part for television’s benefit; Fox and NBC haven’t shown any interest in Friday-afternoon pole runs, but a Saturday afternoon show would work as a lead-in to Busch events, the majority of which are expected to be carried on Fox’s FX-cable, not the network itself(PitNow)(10-2-2000)
UPDATE: Despite what you might hear, NASCAR has no immediate plans to move some or all qualifying sessions to Saturday, NASCAR operations director Kevin Triplett says. Triplett noted last week at Martinsville that NASCAR was looking at small steps toward condensing weekend schedules next year, given expansion of the calendar to 38 events. Word began to circulate, meanwhile, that NASCAR’s new television contractors would prefer Saturday mid-day qualifying to Friday afternoon time trials, and that NASCAR would move some large number of Cup qualifying sessions to Saturday. Triplett said one problem, both from a competition and a television perspective, is that if Saturday qualifying is rained out, few options are left other than gridding the cars on points. In addition, TV time slots later on Saturday might not be available(SpeedVision)(10-5-2000)
Yates/Galaxy to Merge? UPDATE 4: this is an interesting one – hearing that Galaxy Motorsports(#75-Dallenbach) and Robert Yates Racing are talking merger and are putting together BGN programs for 2001 involving Ron Hornaday and PJ Jones. Also, supposedly will run a six race R&D Cup team with Hornaday as the driver(I assume that in addition to the #28 and 88 Yates cars and the #75 Galaxy car). Also still hearing that Pizza Hut will be part of the primary sponsorship on the #75 in 2001. Yates supplies engines to the #75 Galaxy Motorsports team(9-22-2000)
UPDATE: Robert Yates may be acquiring part-ownership of the Darwin Oordt team for which Wally Dallenbach drives(PitNow)(9-25-2000)
UPDATE 2: Although members of Darwin Oordt’s Galaxy Motorsports team seem to believe otherwise, Robert Yates says he has no interest in acquiring any part of the #75 group. Dallenbach said Saturday that a deal with Yates was in the works, and “when it happens I’ll be real happy, but I’m not counting chickens. It’s what this team needs. That’s what’ll take this team to the next level, the right level.” According to Dallenbach, certain prerequisites had to fall into place, such as sponsorship. Dallenbach confirmed that Pizza Hut, a Pepsi subsidiary( a spin off company called Tricon Global Restaurants-YUM-NYSE), is on the list. Yates, however, is on the Coca-Cola plan, which would seem to create difficulties(SpeedVision)(9-26-2000)
UPDATE 3: my understanding is that Yates contract with Texaco prevents him from owning more than two Winston Cup Teams. So, supposedly RYR would make Doug Yates the partner with Galaxy, which then they will be like a three car team, but legally RYR will have two teams (#28, #88) and Galaxy/Doug Yates will have a team. This also gets Yates around the Coke/Pepsi conflict. Pepsi spun off Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and KFC a few years ago. The three restaurants are now a publicly held company called Tricon. Pepsi owns a lot of Tricon stock(9-28-2000)
UPDATE 4: #75 owner Darwin Oordt says he is not interested in selling part ownership of his team to Robert Yates Racing, as has been speculated on internet reports. Oordt, winding up his rookie season as a Winston Cup team owner, expects to run the full schedule again next year. Wally Dallenbach is expected to return as driver. A search for a sponsor is underway(Tennessean/AP)(10-5-2000)
#9 Crew Chief leaves UPDATE: Mark Melling, owner of the #9 Kodiak Ford NASCAR Winston Cup Series car, announced today the departure of crew chief, Jerry Pitts. “In this sport, it’s unfortunate, but these things happen,” said Melling. “On a very positive note though, we’ve got everything in place with our driver, sponsor and facilities for this year and the future, so, our priority now is to hire a replacement for Jerry immediately.”(Melling Pr)(10-2-2000)
UPDATE: Skip Pope, a team engineer with Melling Racing, will serve as interim crew chief for #9-Stacy Compton at at Charlotte(That’s Racin’)(10-5-2000)
Geoffrey Bodine News UPDATE 4: am hearing that Brett Bodine is considering fielding a second car for a few races with brother Geoffrey driving. Geoffrey was recently released from the #60 Power Team ride(9-20-2000)
See updates 2 and 3 on the Drivers Looking page
UPDATE 4: Brett Bodine, owner and driver of the No. 11 Fords in the Winston Cup series, is exploring the possibility of running a second car in some remaining races this season with his brother, Geoffrey Bodine. Brett and Geoffrey are also looking into running a two-car operation in 2001. Brett Bodine said with the right funding, he believes a two-car operation would bring great benefits to his program(That’s Racin’)(10-5-2000)
Earnhardt (Kerry) wrecks: Kerry Earnhardt wrecked the #71 Realtree Chevy during practice at Lowes Motor Speedway (2:30-4:30pm). Dave Marcis will climb in a backup car and try to make it in the race during 2nd round qualifying(TachZone with images)(10-5-2000)

(10-4-2000)
#88 and Ford Credit: Ford Credit has agreed to terms with Robert Yates Racing on a multi-year associate sponsorship package involving Dale Jarrett and the #88 Robert Yates Racing Ford Taurus beginning in 2001. Co-sponsor of the #88 Ford Taurus in the Cup series competition since 1996(with Quality Care), Ford Credit is a subsidiary of Ford Motor Company and the world’s largest provider of automotive finance. It serves more than 10 million customers in 40 countries(Ford Racing): Quality Care will not be the primary sponsor on the #88 in 2001 as UPS has been rumored for months to become the team’s new sponsor, see the #88 Team News and Links page for past info(10-4-2000)
Penske/Newman/ALLTEL News: Officials of ALLTEL and Penske Racing South announced today a 23-race “blended” 2001 schedule for driver Ryan Newman in preparation for a full NASCAR Winston Cup effort in the 2002 season. ALLTEL will sponsor the former USAC champion in a schedule next season that will see the 22-year-old Purdue University senior compete in four ARCA, twelve BGN and seven CUP events. The Ford Taurus cars and teams for all races will be fielded out of Penske Racing South’s Mooresville, N.C., shop. Penske Engines Company will supply all of the racing engines. ALLTEL also announced that Nokia will participate as an associate marketing sponsor for the 2001 racing season, continuing its racing affiliation with ALLTEL. Plans call for Newman to make his Cup debut driving an ALLTEL-sponsored Ford Taurus in this year’s Nov. 5 race at Phoenix. At Penske Racing South, Newman will become a teammate to former Cup champion and 53-time series race winner Rusty Wallace. Wallace likes what he sees in this young driver(Tom Roberts/ALLTEL PR) Newman will drive the #02 Ford(10-4-2000)
#21 News UPDATE 2: The #21 Wood Brothers Ford with driver Elliott Sadler will have a ‘different look at Charlotte for the UAW-GM Quality 500(MRN Radio Radio Coverage). Supposedly it will be the new sponsor, Motorcraft replacing CITGO who is moving to the #99(10-1-2000)
UPDATE – Today: there will be an announcement about the Wood Brothers new sponsor on Wednesday Oct 4th in Charlotte, word is: Motorcraft
UPDATE 2: Motorcraft, the Ford Motor Company brand of automotive components ranging from filters and spark plugs to engines and transmissions, returns to NASCAR Winston Cup racing in 2001 as the primary sponsor of Wood Brothers Racing. Today’s announcement in Charlotte, North Carolina, made by Allen Benson, brand manager for Ford Customer Service Division (FCSD), ended months of speculation surrounding the status of Ford Customer Service Division’s sponsorship plans in NASCAR Winston Cup racing. The Wood Brothers, acknowledged pioneers in the sport of stock car auto racing, are the winningest team in Ford Racing history with 96 NASCAR victories in 50 years of competition. Eddie and Len Wood, sons of Glen Wood and nephews to Leonard Wood, carry on the legacy of one of NASCAR’s most revered teams. Elliott Sadler will drive the #21 Motorcraft Ford Taurus. A longtime team sponsor in NASCAR Winston Cup, Ford Customer Service Division named Bud Moore Engineering’s Ford Thunderbirds with Motorcraft from 1985-1993 and with Quality Care from 1994-1995. From 1996-2000, FCSD teamed with Ford Credit to co-sponsor Robert Yates Racing’s #88 Quality Care Service/Ford Credit Thunderbirds and Tauruses. Motorcraft has enjoyed significant success in auto racing, winning several NASCAR races with Bud Moore, five NHRA Pro Stock championships with Bob Glidden, and numerous road racing and off-road truck titles from 1985 – 1993(Wood Bros PR) – an image of the car can seen at the Racin’ Network(10-4-2000)
Robinson to Cup in 2001? UPDATE/CORRECTION: Shawna Robinson, on the verge of becoming the first female to finish in the top 10 in the points standings of a major national oval-track touring series, has begun taking a look at NASCAR’s Winston Cup Series. The driver of the Kmart Kids Race Against Drugs Ford in the ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series could make that move as early as next season. If things work out the way she and her team hope, Robinson will become the first female to start a NASCAR Winston Cup race in over 18 years and the five to seven races they have planned would give her more starts than any female in the past 30 years in the major leagues of stock car racing. In 2002, she would become the first female to run a full NASCAR Winston Cup schedule in the history of the series. MK Racing owned by Michael Kranefuss(and owner of the #12 Cup car driven by Jeremy Mayfield), is owner of the team which fields Robinson’s cars(Williams Company PR)
UPDATE/CORRECTION: Actually it was 11 years ago, in 1989 when a female last ran a Cup race. Patty Moise ran the #45 Amway Buick in the July Daytona and Talladega races in 1989, finishing 36th at Talladega(10-4-2000)
Ford Heads: Ford officials have submitted a new cylinder head and two new intake manifolds to NASCAR for consideration, but General Motors team owners say that NASCAR should reject those projects out of hand(PitNow)(10-4-2000)
Talladega Testing: #24-Gordon was at Talladega Superspeedway Tuesday concluding a two-day test session with his Hendrick Motorsports #24 DuPont Chevy team. The Ultra Motorsports’ #7 Nations Rent Chevy with Mike Wallace and the Bessey Motorsports’ #60 Power Team Chevy wi th Dick Trickle were also back at the track on Tuesday. The majority of testing at Talladega has concerned the new rules implemented by NASCAR for the 32nd running of the Winston Cup Series Winston 500 on Sunday, Oct. 15. Winston Cup drivers will return to the track on Oct. 13 for Ricochet Qualifying Day. Gordon, who drove in the Daytona test that culminated in the new rules, said the changes may create more side-by-side racing – which Talladega fans see each year. Gordon said the Daytona test did indicate drivers may feel a few changes once the green flag drops, although qualifying speeds may be the same as in April.(Talladega Superspeedway PR) No speeds reported(10-4-2000)
Speaking of Jarrett: Jason Jarrett qualified 3rd for tonight’s ARCA event at Lowe, Jarrett’s first ARCA race venture, and his #88 car will be serviced by the pit crew from Dale Jarrett’s #88 Ford Credit Winston Cup team. Although there are usually a number of cautions in the 67-lap sprint, the importance of track position usually limits trips to pit road to one per team(MachOne PR) Other Cup connections in the ARCA race include: Roger Penske and Ryan Newman, Jason Leffler from Gibbs Racing BGN operation, Ricky Hendrick, is the son of Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick; and Justin Labonte, is the son of Terry Labonte(That’s Racin’) Plus AJ Foyt’s son Larry and David Donahue, son of the late Racing Legend Mark Donohue are in the race(10-4-2000)

(10-3-2000)
#99 Announcement UPDATE ?: hearing that starting with the race at Charlotte in October, the #99 Ford will carry the CITGO colors for the balance of the 2000 season as CITGO has purchased the space from Exide. Exide continues to downgrade it’s motorsports expenses and while they have expressed interest in remaining as an associate sponsor on the #99 for the 2001 season, it’s only a slight chance as they continue to downsize in the company(9-11-2000)
UPDATE: There will be a press conference/announcement on Tuesday, Oct 3rd at 12:30pm/et in Charlotte regarding the #99 Roush Racing team and it’s new sponsor: CITGO. Got a rough image of what the car will look like, see it at my Paint Schemes Gallery(10-1/3-2000)
UPDATE – It’s OFFICIAL: CITGO has expanded its NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing sponsorship program to include Roush Racing and veteran driver Jeff Burton. Beginning with the Lowe’s Motor Speedway Race on October 8, 2000 and for the remainder of the 2000 season and the full 2001 season, CITGO will be the primary sponsor of the #99 CITGO SUPERGARD Ford(CITGO PR) AND See an image of the scheme from CITGO on my Paint Schemes Gallery and see an image of the actual car at NASCAR Online – Burton flying the colors of CITGO
and the #21 CITGO Ford? CITGO has been sponsoring the Fords fielded by the Wood Brothers for 16 years and will continue to have its colors displayed on the team’s #21 Fords driven by Elliott Sadler through the rest of the 2000 season. The Wood Brothers are set to announce their 2001 sponsorship plans Wednesday(NOL) added four images of the actual car taken at the Press Conference, see my Paint Schemes Gallery, 2000 Cup Schemes page(10-3-2000)
Trickle to run the #60 at Lowes: Dick Trickle will drive the #60 Power Team Chevy for Bessey Motorsports this weekend in the Cup race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Trickle made three starts in the #60 Chevy earlier in the 2000 season driving the car in the spring events at Texas, Talladega and California(Power Team Site)(10-3-2000)
Super 8 to PPI: PPI Motorsports (PPIM) announced it has entered into a multi-year associate sponsorship agreement with Parsippany, N.J.-based Super 8® Motels, Inc., in support of PPIM’s McDonald’s Racing program. The sponsorship begins this weekend at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, where Super 8 logos will appear on the #96 Ronald McDonald Ford driven by Andy Houston in the UAW-GM Quality 500 NASCAR Winston Cup race(PPI PR)(10-3-2000)
Talladega Testing: NASCAR’s announcement of rule changes at Talladega Superspeedway means more testing time for some Winston Cup Series teams. On Monday, a few Winston Cup teams took advantage of cooler temperatures and blue skies as the 32nd running of the Winston 500 gets closer. Mike Wallace was at Talladega Superspeedway testing for the Ultra Motorsports #7 team and Michael Waltrip. Jeff Gordon and the #24 Hendrick Motorsports team and Dick Trickle with Bessey Motorsports’ #60 crew were also at Talladega Superspeedway. All three teams will be back on Tuesday to conclude the test session as teams prepare for the Ricochet Qualifying Day and the Winston 500(Talladega Superspeedway PR)(10-3-2000)
#7 Driver News – Little?: Leading the list of candidates for the #7 Ultra Motorsports team is Chad Little, who was informed of his release from Roush Racing’s #97 in mid-summer, but will race the John Deere Ford one last time at Talladega. Team owners Jim Smith has also talked with Ron Hornaday and Rich Bickle about driving for him next year(Sporting News)(10-3-2000)
Two Labontes: Terry Labonte has entered two cars in Saturday’s BGN race at Lowes Motor Speedway – the #44 Chevrolet driven by his son, Justin, and the #04 Chevrolet, which Terry is scheduled to drive. Justin Labonte is also entered in Wednesday night’s ARCA race(That’s Racin’)(10-3-2000)
Fox Promos: Jeremy Mayfield, Michael Waltrip, Kyle Petty, John Andretti and Sterling Marlin will be the leaders when FOX Sports officially begins promoting its NASCAR involvement for the 2001 season in two weeks. The World Series will mark the first time the international promotional spots have been used. The spots will begin during the World Series and continue throughout the NFL season and up to the beginning of the 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup season. All five drivers are clients of Williams Company of America, Inc., a Mooresville-based motorsports marketing and public relations agency. FOX will televise almost every NASCAR Winston Cup event during the first half of the 2001 season as part of a new international television package with NASCAR. Mayfield and Kyle Petty met with FOX Sports President Ed Goren when the spots were filmed. Estimates were as much as 100,000,000 impressions for each driver used in the international promotion, a record for anything done with NASCAR competitors(Williams Company PR)(10-3-2000)
Sad News: NASCAR driver Dwight Wrich died of injuries suffered in a weekend crash at the Crawford County Speedway in Denison, Iowa. Wrich, 38, of Omaha, Neb., died around 9 p.m. Sunday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center. Wrich was injured when his car went out of control, flipped five times and caught fire Saturday night during the O’Reilly Auto Parts Hawkeye 100.(St Louis Post Dispatch)(10-3-2000)

(10-2-2000)
More Dodge Testing: Dodge will be testing the Dodge Intrepid at Kentucky Speedway Oct 3-4, 2000. Ray Evernham will have drivers Casey Atwood, and Buckshot Jones testing(Kentucky Speedway PR)(10-2-2000)
Houston to attempt Lowes and others: Andy Houston will drive the #96 Ronald McDonald Ford for PPI Motorsports in four of the six remaining Cup races, beginning with this weekend’s at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Houston, who was named driver the #96 PPI Motorsports Ford in August for the 2001 season,, will also drive the car at Rockingham, Phoenix and Homestead. Houston tested the PPI Motorsports Winston Cup car at Lowe’s Motor Speedway and at Phoenix International Raceway. The team has scheduled upcoming test sessions at Rockingham, Homestead, Watkins Glen, Darlington and Talladega. Joe Garone, general manager of PPI Motorsports and Pat Smith, crew chief, will oversee team operations for Houston’s four Winston Cup races.(PPI PR)(10-2-2000)
Buckshot to run Atlanta: Buckshot Jones, who will drive full-time in the Winston Cup Series next year for Petty Enterprises(#44 Dodge), will attempt to qualify for the Cup race at Atlanta in a Chevy fielded by Buckshot Racing. Jones had also planned on running at Talladega, but scratched the idea when Hendrick Motorsports couldn’t promise to have a restrictor-plate engine built in time for Jones to practice with. Hendrick became backed up in its lease engine program because of the last-minute requirements for plate engines at New Hampshire. Team owner Billy Jones is focusing on finding a replacement for his son in the Busch Series next year. He said he has talked to two drivers, and three others have contacted him. The team needs to find a sponsor to replace Cheez-It in order to keep running(Atlanta Journal Constitution)(10-2-2000)
Petty to Honored: The late Adam Petty will be remembered by fellow NASCAR drivers Lyndon Amick and Ken Schrader in Wednesday night’s ARCA race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The #99 ARCA entry, owned by Schrader and driven by Amick, will carry special decals in memory of Petty, the 19 year-old driver who lost his life in a racing accident in May at New Hampshire International Speedway. Amick says the tribute is meant to not only honor Petty’s memory, but also to commemorate Petty winning in his very first ARCA start, which came at Lowe’s Motor Speedway just over two years ago(That’s Racin’)(10-2-2000)
More on the Gordon Appeal UPDATE: (See more on the story below) – #24 Team owner Rick Hendrick, who had lawyers help prepare the Gordon appeal, said he was considering appealing the issue to Charles D. Strang, NASCAR’s national commissioner, a post used by NASCAR as the final arbitrator. Strang is a rarely seen figure in the NASCAR garage. He is in his late 70s and was the lead engineer for Carl Kiekhaefer in the 1950s, when Kiekhaefer’s Mercurys(actually it was Chryslers, not Mercury’s) were dominant on the NASCAR tour. He then spent 30 years running the Outboard Marine Corporation until retiring in 1996. Strang was given the post after the 1998 death of Bunky Knudsen, a well-known Detroit executive in the early years of NASCAR but who during his reign was almost never seen, although he did render verdicts(PitNow) AND from the Hendrick Motorsports Site and owner Rick Hendrick: “We are disappointed in the decision concerning our appeal. We felt we presented a strong case that NASCAR clearly indicated to us and other GM teams that there was no issue with the use of magnesium in intake manifolds. Unfortunately, the NASCAR rulebook is very vague concerning what constitutes an approval and we feel that there needs to be some clarification of this to prevent these types of situations from occurring in the future. As we’ve said before, use of the part in question did not give us a competitive advantage and should in no way detract from the team’s victory at Richmond. There is one further step in the appeals process and we are trying to make a decision concerning any future action at this time”(9-30-2000)
UPDATE: Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick said Monday that he will make no further appeal of NASCAR’s penalty imposed on Jeff Gordon’s team following Gordon’s win in the Sept. 9 race at Richmond(That’s Racin’)(10-2-2000)
Craven to run BGN at Lowes: David Ridling, team owner for Emerald Performance Group, has made a decision to place Ricky Craven in the #19 Yellow Freight/Pameco Chevy at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in the BGN race. Ridling has also purchased one of Craven’s Busch cars and a PCCW motor for this weekend’s event(Emerald Performance Group PR)(10-2-2000)
No Ford for the #7 in 2000 UPDATE Bodine/Brewer?: Ultra Motorsports has decided not to proceed with plans to change manufacturers before the conclusion of the season. The team, which fields the #7 Chevys for Michael Waltrip, had planned to change to Fords beginning with the Oct. 15 Winston 500 at Talladega and has already built four Fords to make the change. The combination of a driver change – current driver Michael Waltrip is moving to DEI next season – and new rules for the Talladega race made it necessary to make the manufacturer change at the start of the 2001 season(That’s Racin’)
UPDATE: Ford officials say they expect (#7)car owner Jim Smith to be on the Ford team next season. While Smith’s driver is up in the air, Tim Brewer, once one of the tour’s top crew chiefs, could be coming back as general manager for the team. Geoffrey Bodine is one of the men under consideration for the ride; Bodine and Brewer have worked together several times over the years(PitNow)(10-2-2000)
Fans Push Stewart to Win: saw Stewart mention this in victory lane and in a story at The State: Tony Stewart would like to thank the fans for his win Sunday at Martinsville. One in particular. “Every time I’d go down that backstretch — the grandstands are right up against the fence — this guy . . . I don’t know if he was an Earnhardt fan or not,” Stewart said. “I just know he wasn’t one of mine. Every time I’d go into the third turn, he’d make a gesture. Every time he did, I was more determined to win that race.”(10-2-2000)
Huh? Dale Earnhardt Jr. denied speculation that he will let his father drive his car at Lowe’s Motor Speedway near Charlotte in the next race as a last-ditch effort to win the Winston Cup championship. At Charlotte last May, Dale Jr. had a dominant Chevrolet — winning The Winston all-star exhibition and dominating the Coca-Cola 600 before mechanical problems late in the race. “That’s just rumors. . . . That would be a big slap in the face to the guys who work on his car, so he surely wouldn’t want to do that,” Dale Jr. said. “He has got a lot of confidence in his (team). There is no reason for him to throw everything away on some foolish move like that.”(by switching cars, it is meant that Dale Sr would use a DEI car painted up in GM Goodwrench colors and have the #3 on it)(Atlanta Journal Constitution)(10-2-2000)
Less Qualifying? NASCAR officials are considering a change in the Winston Cup qualifying format for the 2001 season, scheduling pole runs for noon Saturday instead of Friday afternoon at many of the tracks. The change would be in part for television’s benefit; Fox and NBC haven’t shown any interest in Friday-afternoon pole runs, but a Saturday afternoon show would work as a lead-in to Busch events, the majority of which are expected to be carried on Fox’s FX-cable, not the network itself(PitNow)(10-2-2000)
Martin BBBSA Update: Mark Martin’s on-track performance in the Valvoline Ford, combined with contributions from Valvoline and NASCAR fans, has brought the current total raised for Big Brothers Big Sisters since 1999 to $534,878. Valvoline is donating $5,000 for every Winston Cup race Martin wins, $2,500 for each pole, $1,000 for a top-five finish, and $20 per lap Martin leads in this “Caring Hands” program(Valvoline PR)(10-2-2000)
Mayfield has a bad day: Hut Stricklin replaced Jeremy Mayfield, who was overcome with exhaust fumes(he did NOT have the Flu), in the #12 Mobil One Ford with about 150 laps left. Overheating ended Stricklin’s run after about 30 laps. It was the sixth consecutive race Mayfield’s team has failed to finish(Roanoke Times)(10-2-2000)
Sad News: Leroy Dunphy, a 22-year-old race fan from West Virginia, was found dead Sunday morning in the campground at Martinsville Speedway. Speedway officials said Dunphy died of natural causes. According to a family member, Dunphy was a cancer patient. He was found early Sunday morning and he had slept outside his camper Saturday night(That’s Racin’)(10-2-2000)
Ward, three in a row: after going the first 25 Cup races in 2000 without an DNF (Did Not Finish), #22-Ward Burton has had three straight DNF’s(see my DNF page)(10-2-2000)
Marlin Wins, Steadman: Steadman Marlin, 19 year old son of NASCAR Winston Cup driver Sterling Marlin and his cousin Tandy each won their respective 50 lap feature events in the final 2000 points race Saturday night at Nashville Speedway USA(Nashville Speedway Site)(10-2-2000)
NASCAR TV: NASCAR has purchased its own television production company for an undisclosed sum. The auto racing organization, in a partnership with Fox Sports, has purchased Street & Smith’s Productions, a sister company of the Orlando Business Journal. While specific terms of the deal were not disclosed, the company will be renamed Nascar Images. All of the current staff will be retained and the company will continue to be run by President Tom Grabowski. Street & Smith President Whitney Shaw says Nascar’s new television deal with Fox was key to the sale. That’s because networks that ran shows produced by Street and Smith’s Productions no longer held the rights to NASCAR — and NASCAR wanted to produce its own programming under the new television deal(Orlando Business Journal)(10-2-2000)
Action Moving: Action Performance Companies Inc., a Phoenix-based business with 1999 sales of $340 million, will consolidate operations and relocate to Charlotte. The company opened a 125,000-square-foot facility on Performance Drive in Harrisburg two years ago. That location has room to add 100,000 square feet. NASCAR-related collectibles account for 70% of Action Performance sales. Top drivers such as Earnhardt, Gordon and defending Winston Cup champion Dale Jarrett also have ownership stakes in the seven-year-old publicly traded company(Charlotte Business Journal)(10-2-2000)

(10-1-2000)

Dodge Testing Schedule: One of the five Dodge manufacturers tests this fall will be at Martinsville Speedway. NASCAR rules permit Dodge to have five manufacturers tests at tracks the series races. There is no limit to testing at other tracks. The two-day manufacturer tests are open to all Dodge teams. Most tests have a third date as a rain date. The Martinsville test is scheduled Oct.24-26. The other tests are at Talladega on Oct.16-17 and Nov.14-16, Daytona on Oct.31-Nov.1 and Las Vegas on Nov.6-8.(Roanoke Times)(10-1-2000)
Pressley and the #4? TNN’s Raceday reported that Robert Pressley, driver of the #77 Jasper Engines Ford, has talked with Larry McClure, owner of the #4 Kodak Chevy concerning the 2001 driver opening there(10-1-2000)
Geoffrey Bodine News UPDATE: am hearing that Brett Bodine is considering fielding a second car for a few races with brother Geoffrey driving. Geoffrey was recently released from the #60 Power Team ride(9-20-2000)
UPDATE: Cicci-Welliver Racing(#’s 34,36 and 66 in the BGN) made a last-ditch effort to get its potential sponsor to sign a letter of intent when all parties involved, including Todd Bodine, met in New York City last Friday to try to hammer out a deal. While the sponsor wasn’t prepared to commit at that time, team owner Frank Cicci said it’s still interested in the proposal and will make a decision within the next 30 days. If the deal comes to fruition, Cicci said the team will seek a veteran Winston Cup driver to replace Bodine. In fact, it may turn to another Bodine, Geoffrey, to fill the Cup seat. Bodine was recently released from his Bessey Motorsports ride(#60 Power Team). In any event, Cicci-Welliver’s Winston Cup opportunity will not affect its Busch Series operation, which is still unsettled for 2001. Of its three Busch cars, the only done deal is with David Green in the #34 Chevy(Star Gazette)(9-22-2000)
UPDATE 2: Brett Bodine, is trying to line up a second car with his team for brother Geoffrey this season. Brett Bodine said the team is close to sponsorship for that car in the Homestead race(Richmond Times Dispatch) – Could it be Miccosukee Indian Gaming that has appeared on Bodine run trucks and BGN cars in the past?
AND Geoffrey Bodine apparently will be back next year. Rumors have put Bodine in as driver of Busch Series owner Frank Cicci’s Winston Cup start-up in 2001. Those rumors were strengthened Friday with word that MetLife has agreed to sponsor the ramp-up(SpeedVision)(9-30-2000)
UPDATE 3: Geoffrey Bodine said he has talked with several owners, including Jim Smith(#7 team Bodine formally owned) and Larry McClure(#4 Kodak), about driving their Winston Cup cars next season. He’s also talking with Cicci-Welliver about driving for the team originally planned for his brother, Todd. But he hasn’t signed with anyone yet. Bodine has some Busch Grand National plans in mind, too. He’s working to build a team for his son, Barry. If he finds a sponsor, Bodine could be competing next season.(Richmond Times Dispatch)(10-1-2000)
#4 Driver? UPDATE 4 Craven?: #4 Kodak Chevy team owner Larry McClure said he may take a gamble with his next driver, picking someone unusual. The most logical two picks on McClure’s list are Geoff Bodine and Ricky Craven. Ron Hornaday and Jimmie Johnson are also potential candidates(PitNow). Note: forget Johnson, as he signed with Hendrick on Friday
UPDATE: hear McClure is talking with Steve Grissom about next season in the #4 Chevy(9-23-2000)
UPDATE 2: Ricky Craven is the man at the top of Larry McClure’s list of potential drivers, according to sources close to the team. McClure could make a decision within the week(PitNow). On a side note, Craven’s current team has new and improved their website at: www.mwtracing.com(9-25-2000)
UPDATE 3: The LTN Radio show is reporting that Kevin Lepage is the front runner for the #4 Morgan-McClure ride. AND from a Morgan-McClure PR: Despite rumors of several different drivers being signed to the team over the past two weeks, a decision has not been made. However, calls have been accepted from interested drivers in every racing division across the country. Larry McClure said “I know everyone is eager to find out who is going to drive the #4 car next year. I have done some interviews and talked to several drivers. I guess you might say we are weighing the options. We are looking at veterans and at fresh, young drivers. An announcement could come as soon as this week or it could come in several weeks. I just do not have the answer yet. I think it is interesting to see all of the rumors of drivers that we have signed in the past two weeks(9-28-2000)
UPDATE 4: Newburgh’s(Maine) Ricky Craven could find himself driving Larry McClure’s (#4)Kodak Chevrolet in the Winston Cup series next season. “I have talked with Larry McClure. They have a phenomenal complex and a great team,” said Craven. “I really appreciate the team I’m with and I feel like we’ve done more with less than anybody in the series. I think we’re 17th in laps lead. But we aren’t sponsored. I have three opportunities that interest me right now” but he wouldn’t mention the other two teams besides the Kodak team(Bangor News(ME) AND While Craven is proud of what his part-time team, owned by Hal Hicks, has been able to do over the past season and a half, he’s still looking for a chance to race every week for a team with the resources to run competitively. But things are changing. His name is back in the rumor mill, and in this case that is a good thing. Craven has talked with Larry McClure about the No. 4 Chevrolets that Bobby Hamilton will vacate at season’s end. He may or may not get that ride, but either way, Craven is determined that he’s going to get the second chance he feels he has earned(That’s Racin’)(10-1-2000)
Bye-Bye Exide: For the last seven seasons, Exide has been a prominent fixture among primary sponsors in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. That’s about to change. Effective with the checkered flag falling on Sunday’s NAPA AutoCare 500 here at Martinsville Speedway, Exide, the global leader in stored energy solutions, will no longer be the primary sponsor of the #99 Ford Taurus, driven by Jeff Burton. The Martinsville race marks the end of a run for Exide which saw Geoffrey Bodine and Burton carry the company name on their race cars from 1994 into much of the 2000 season. Bodine piloted the #7 Exide Ford for the 1994 and 1995 seasons, while Burton has driven the #99 Exide Ford since 1996. Heading into his last race with Exide as the featured sponsor, Burton has posted three wins in 2000 and currently has a firm grip on fourth in the standings. While primary sponsorship of the #99 car is ending, Exide has intentions of remaining on the car as an associate sponsor for the 2001 season, while continuing its affiliation with NASCAR(Exide PR)(10-1-2000)
Another Foyt UPDATE: A.J. Foyt Racing will become the latest operation to branch into the ARCA Series for experience and driver training when it enters the team owner’s son, Larry Foyt, 23, in the Oct. 4 ARCA race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The younger Foyt, who graduated from Texas Christian University with a degree in Communications in May, will race a #41 Harrah’s Pontiac in the event that will be held following Bud Pole Qualifying for the NASCAR Winston Cup Series UAW/GM Quality 500(Wednesday). Foyt, fields the #14 Conseco Pontiac for Rick Mast. The younger Foyt, has driven open-wheel formula cars and is a rookie in the American Speed Association(ASA) Series this year and also plans to compete in the ARCA season finale at Atlanta Motor Speedway(NOL)(9-30-2000)
UPDATE: Larry Foyt won the first pole of his ASA career in qualifying Saturday night at Winchester Speedway, breaking the 20-year-old ASA track record of Mark Martin(Total Sports)(10-1-2000)
Milestones: the race at Martinsville marked #11-Brett Bodine’s 400th start as a Cup driver(10-1-2000)
Matt Wins; Wyatt makes debut: Matt Martin, 8-year-old son of Mark Martin(#6 Valvoline), claimed another win Friday night at the Apopca(FL) Speedway quarter-midget track. The younger Martin won his Junior Honda event from his third-place starting position. Wyatt Dallenbach, son of Winston Cup driver Wally Dallenbach Jr.(#75 Galaxy Motorsports), also made his quarter- midget debut with a third-place finish in the Junior Novice division(That’s Racin’)(10-1-2000)
The Switches: Cup owner Jack Roush said his four cars (he has five in the race #6,16,17,97 and 99 not sure if all or just four have it) have a brake-pressure device that is used to cut off the engine when the throttle sticks. Roush said his company has made enough devices for almost a full 43-car field(Roanoke Times)(10-1-2000)
Lepage Increases BGN sched: Swedish Match North America Inc. announced that they will sponsor Matrix Motorsports and driver Kevin Lepage with their Southern Pride brand of chewing tobacco in the All Pro Bumper-to-Bumper 300 at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway on October 7th. Matrix Motorsports is owned by Lepage and Steve Plattenberger. The announcement continues the relationship between Swedish Match and Lepage that began in 1999. In the past two years, Kevin Lepage has driven a Red Man sponsored car in selected NASCAR Busch Series races. In 1999, Lepage drove the #99 Red Man Chevrolet for Brewco Motorsports/J&J Racing in thirteen races. However, the relationship with Lepage does not end at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Matrix Motorsports will enter the #71 Southern Pride Ford Taurus in the Sam’s Town 300 at the Memphis Motorsports Park on October 29th(Southern Pride PR)(10-1-2000)