News 98-01-20

NASCARFans E-Mail Newsletter

=====

Jayski's news:

The Ford teams are testing at Daytona January 19-21. For speeds see Speedworld or NASCAR Online. Monday's fastest was Greg Sacks in the #98 Thunderbird at 190.154mph, the fastest Taurus was Rusty Wallace in the #2 Miller Lite Ford at 189.546mph. Billy Standridge ran 11th at 185.9 mph in the Fans Can Race/FCR/Jayski Thunderbird.

Noticed: During Ford testing, still no Rich Bickle in a Washington-Erving Ford. During the truck race on Sunday, Dave Despain was talking about Bickle during the race(Bickle ran the #78 truck) and he mentioned that Bickles deal was questionable(?)

Four from NASCAR are first invitees for the 1998 True Value Firebird IROC series. Dale Jarrett, Jeff Gordon, and Jeff Burton. Mark Martin gains an automatic bid as 1997 IROC champion. IROC President Jay Signore said another group of drivers will be announced next week.(Motorsport News Int'l and IROC)

UPDATE: Ken Schrader will run Budweiser decals on his #33 Skoal Chevy in the Bud Shootout at Daytona.(NASCAR Online)(1-16-98) Schrader has a special paint scheme which is black on the hood and roof. Only thing Budweiser on the car will be the "Bud Shootout" decal on the deck lid and smaller decal behind the number in front of the rear wheel well and a small Bud King of Beers decal on both 'C' pillars.

Just heard: The pre-Bud Shootout will air live on ESPN or ESPN2 at 11:00am, followed immediately by the Bud Shootout on CBS at noon on Sunday, February 8, 1998(Mike Joy)(1-19-98)

Loy Allen will drive the No. 14 Pontiac at Daytona. Allen said the Richard Jackson-owned team believes it will have a sponsor for the 500, and hopes for enough success to pick up backing for the rest of 1998.(Charlotte Observer)

At this year's races at Charlotte and Rockingham, fans bringing canned food or nonperishable items to Kyle Petty's souvenir truck will get a ``Race to End Hunger'' T-shirt or a discount on one of Petty's T-shirts. Food collected at Charlotte will be donated to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. Food collected at Rockingham will go to the North Carolina Food Bank in Raleigh.(Charlotte Observer)

During an RPM2Nite interview, Ray Evernham, Crew Chief/TM of the #24 DuPont Chevy indicated Hendrick's Motorsports plans to build a Taurus, and install a Chevy engine. They want to know what the Ford teams have, and will run the car in the wind tunnel. Also quoted was Jimmy Spencer, who is upset the new Taurus is not up to speed, as saying he would like to race a Hudson Hornet.(RPM2Nite)

I hear Hendrick Motorsports General Manager, Jimmy Johnson will leave Hendrick Motorsports and move to Florida to run a boat dealership owned by Rick Hendrick.

Thanks, Jay. =====

Speeds Ford Test Day #4 (from NASCAR Online)

Pos/ No./ Name/ Make/ Time/ Speed 1 98 Greg Sacks Thunderbird 47.330 190.154 2 2 Rusty Wallace Taurus 47.482 189.546 3 28 Kenny Irwin Taurus 47.577 189.167 4 99 Jeff Burton Taurus 47.771 188.399 5 10 Ricky Rudd Taurus 47.873 187.997 6 88 Dale Jarrett Taurus 47.877 187.982 7 9 Lake Speed Taurus 47.935 187.754 8 90A Dick Trickle Taurus 48.118 187.040 9 9A Lake Speed Taurus 48.169 186.842 10 2A Buddy Baker / Rusty Wallace Taurus 48.278 186.420 11 81 Kenny Wallace Taurus 48.296 186.351 12 23 Jimmy Spencer Taurus 48.323 186.247 13 47 Billy Standridge Thunderbird 48.413 185.900 14 6 Mark Martin Taurus 48.417 185.885 15 13 Jerry Nadeau Taurus 48.502 185.559 16 7A Geoff Bodine Taurus 48.505 185.548 17 90 Dick Trickle Taurus 48.513 185.517 18 81A Kenny Wallace Taurus 48.515 185.510 19 2B Buddy Baker Taurus 48.597 185.197 20 23A Jimmy Spencer Taurus 48.597 185.197 21 10B Ricky Rudd Taurus 48.608 185.155 22 16 Ted Musgrave Taurus 48.621 185.105 23 7 Geoff Bodine Taurus 48.782 184.494 24 11 Brett Bodine Taurus 48.828 184.320 25 11A Brett Bodine Thunderbird 48.903 184.038 26 13A Jerry Nadeau Thunderbird 48.956 183.838 27 26 Johnny Benson Taurus 48.990 183.711 * Electronically recorded by AMB transponders =====

Mark Martin, whose road to driver of the Valvoline Ford on NASCAR's Winston Cup stock car racing circuit began on his father's lap driving down Arkansas highways, has been named to the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony is scheduled next month. (NASCAR Online)

=====

Lynne and Matt have a RYR news page for Robert Yates/Dale Jarrett/Kenny Irwin (love that name) Jr. fans at:

http://personal.cfw.com/~racin/news.htm ===== Mike Irwin (mailto:Mike@NASCARFans.Com) NASCARFans _______________________________________