Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 30, 1993 TAG: 9310300148
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PHOENIX, ARIZ. LENGTH: Medium
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., in a lavish, smoke-filled, light and sound show Friday evening at the Phoenix Civic Plaza, announced that its Camel brand will sponsor a Winston Cup car in 1994 driven by Hut Stricklin, fielded by Travis Carter and led by crew chief Pete Wright of Rocky Mount, Va.
RJR's new "Smokin' Joe's Racing" also will sponsor a Top Fuel dragster driven by Jim Head and a Funny Car driven by Gordie Bonin in the National Hot Rod Association drag racing series, as well as three motorcycles in American Motorcycle Racing series, RJR executive vice president James C. Schroer announced.
The Winston Cup car will be a Ford Thunderbird carrying the number 23.
This marks the first time since RJR became involved in NASCAR in 1971 that it will sponsor an individual stock car in addition to the series.
While the Winston brand will continue to sponsor the NASCAR Winston Cup and NHRA series, Camel has dropped sponsorship of the IMSA sports car series in favor of sponsoring individual cars "to focus our motorsports program within series where we have the greatest opportunities to reach our direct trade customers and adult smokers," Schroer said in a statement.
Stricklin, 32, who was runner-up for rookie of the year in 1989, is still looking for his first victory after 139 starts. But Carter, 43, as crew chief, won the won the 1973 Winston Cup championship with Benny Parsons and the 1978 title with Cale Yarborough.
Jimmy Spencer reportedly will take over the Junior Johnson-owned McDonald's Ford Thunderbird that Stricklin has driven this year.
Spencer is leaving the team owned by Bobby Allison, who was all but silent about his 1994 plans. "I'm trying to figure that out," he said.
\ BONNETT COMEBACK: Neil Bonnett said he is returning to the Winston Cup series because "it's just something I gotta do."
Bonnett, 47, has signed for six races in 1994 and six in 1995 with car owner James Finch and sponsorship from Country Time Drink Mix.
Bonnett was out of the driver's seat for more than three years after suffering a serious concussion in a Darlington wreck in 1990. His comeback this July at Talladega was marred by a front-stretch crash in which his car flipped and slammed into the spectator fence.
But Bonnett was not injured in the crash and during the race, "I never got hot, I never got tired and it made me think maybe I could do more," he said Friday during a press conference at Phoenix International Raceway.
During the Talladega race, shortly before his crash, Bonnett was having the time of his life, radioing to his crew: "Man, this is some kind of fun!"
"That's what people don't understand," he said Friday. "The reason I'm doing this is I'm going back to something I enjoy. Racing means more to me than anything else."
The races will be the Daytona 500, the Purolator 500 spring race at Atlanta, the Winston Open and Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte, the DieHard 500 at Talladega and the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis.
Bonnett said the Daytona, Talladega and Charlotte races will conflict with his television commitments, but he'll work that out. "I'll trade a TV day for a race day anyday," he said.
\ TWO-WHEEL JOURNEY: Harry Gant and Kyle Petty were the stars among a group who rode their Harley-Davidson motorcycles to Phoenix.
"We left Monday morning and got here Wednesday night," Petty said. "The most we rode was 800 miles the first day. After 500 miles at Rockingham, 800 miles on a motorcycle ain't nothin."
The group also included Petty's crew chief, Robin Pemberton, engine builder Waddell Wilson and three others.
Dale Earnhardt, meanwhile, bagged an elk hunting in New Mexico earlier this week.
Earnhardt and his car owner, Richard Childress, headed west immediately after the Rockingham race last Sunday and were in Silver City, N.M., by about 12:30 a.m. Monday morning.
"We got out to the ranch by 1:30 or 2 a.m. and started riding horses at 2:30 a.m. by moonlight," Earnhardt said. "We went up in the mountains and got into camp about 6 a.m. and were up on the ridge about 8. We hunted for three days."
\ ELDER MOVE: Suitcase Jake has packed his suitcase again.
A press release issued by Western Auto Racing announced that veteran crew chief Jake Elder, 56, and Darrell Waltrip have parted company amicably.
Elder was with the team almost three years, but is leaving to pursue other interests. Since arriving in the series in 1966, Elder has worked for more than 25 teams, earning him his "Suitcase" title.
\ MARCIS ABSENT: Dave Marcis is not in Phoenix and did not enter the Slick 50 500. It is reportedly the first Winston Cup race he has not entered since 1977.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB