Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, May 11, 1993 TAG: 9305110064
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
A news conference is scheduled for today at Kulwicki's shop near Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., to announce the sale.
Bodine, 44, a Chemung, N.Y., native who lives in Julian, N.C., could not be reached for comment Monday night.
Bodine was among the first to express interest in buying the Ford Thunderbird team when Felix Sabates, the administrator of Kulwicki's estate, said it would be sold in the wake of Kulwicki's death in a plane crash on April 1.
Bodine also was the first to submit a detailed, written offer to buy the team. Well before Kulwicki's death, Bodine had said he eventually wanted to own his own team.
Although almost 40 prospective buyers inquired about the team, the only other firm purchase offer came from a group headed by PGA Tour player Payne Stewart.
The sale to Bodine is solid, but "there's a lot of muddy issues that have to be cleared up," one source said.
Sabates, however, already has said the sale of the team won't be made final until after the 1993 Winston Cup season ends with the Nov. 14 race at Atlanta.
That means there's a good chance Jimmy Hensley will remain in the car through the end of the year. Hensley has been driving the car because before Kulwicki died he said he wanted Hensley as his backup if he was ever "knocked goofy."
Kulwicki, 38, was killed April 1 with three other people when their plane crashed on approach to Tri-City Airport outside Bristol, Tenn.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB