Dodge Continues Toward Cup Debut

Dodge, the official supplier of race motors and vehicles of Skip Barber Racing School, continues to progress toward their NASCAR Winston Cup debut at the 2001 Daytona 500. With Skip Barber trained driver Steve Grissom behind wheel, the Ray Evernham led crew continued to develop the Intrepid R/T racer at Kentucky Speedway.

Two different engines were used in what Evernham referred to as the, “most extensive on track testing we’ve done.”

One engine was a development of the powerplant Dodge hopes to race in the chase for the Cup title. The second engine, from the Craftsman Truck Series, was used while aerodynamic tests were conducted on the 1.5-mile high-speed oval.

In other NASCAR news, Skip Barber grad Jeremy Mayfield led the timesheets in preparation for the Brickyard 400 to take place on August 4. Mayfield eclipsed the NASCAR lap record around the famed 2.5-mile oval set last year by another Skip Barber alumnus, Jeff Gordon. Mayfield’s fastest trip was recorded at 49.667 sec., good for 181.206 mph.

-George Tamayo