2001 – A RACE ODYSSEY
We enter the second year of the third millennium
of time, and it is a season of change, in race teams, broadcasters, racetracks,
even in qualifying procedure. With testing teams go through the preparations
necessary to compete, and work to correct mistakes made in 2000 and build on
strengths discovered or long-wielded.
What are the prospects for 2001? They say
that anything’s possible, so it is appropriate to look back on 2000 and guess
about 2001 for the various teams involved in Winston Cup –
2001 WINSTON CUP LINEUP:
RAD RACING ALLIANCE – Chevrolet
Dale Earnhardt Inc. – #1 Steve Park, #8
Dale Earnhardt Junior, & #15 Michael Waltrip
RCR Enterprises – #3 Dale Earnhardt &
#31 Mike Skinner
Andy Petree Racing – #33 Joe Nemechek
& #55 Bobby Hamilton
The breakout organization of 2000, the RAD
alliance won five races – two each for the Earnhardts, one for Steve Park. It
also placed three cars in 2001’s opening round of Winston’s No Bull Five
program.
RCR came the closest it has come since
1995 to another championship, but the final third of the season was the death of
title hopes – only the incredible win by Earnhardt at Talladega kept the point
chase alive. But while Earnhardt won twice, teammate Mike Skinner completed Year
Four without a win – the Atlanta 500 was especially bitter with his blown engine
with some 20 laps to go. Adding to Skinner’s problems came the dispute with
Lowe’s over their sponsorship of the car and the rise of Grand National rookie
Kevin Harvick in an RCR Busch car – a rise that may be a harbinger of a driver
change in the #31.
While Earnhardt the driver finished second
in points, Earnhardt the car owner broke into new territory as his son Dale
Junior whipped the field in the Texas 500, then held off Terry Labonte for the
win at Richmond, and then blasted through the field in the ten-lap sprint to win
The Winston. But mediocre runs and some bad late-race breaks denied Junior more
good finishes and he wound up a distant second in the rookie chase. Teammate
Steve Park, meanwhile, broke through at Watkins Glen and reached the hot level
of competition from there on. For 2001 they get a third teammate in Michael
Waltrip, now past 400 starts without a win and after another less-than-stellar
season of driving.
Struggling, meanwhile, were the cars of
Andy Petree. A running dispute with Goodyear over tire allotment hurt, and the
collapse of Kenny Wallace’s effort was salved only by his stunning second at
Talladega, but it was not enough and Kenny left the team. Teammate Joe Nemechek,
meanwhile, finished second at New Hampshire and ran well a number of times over
the course of the year.
2001 OUTLOOK – Chevrolet struggled most of
the season and will likely struggle more in 2001. The RAD Alliance will win more
races, but a title is unlikely. Junior will be under the gun because some are
beginning to write him off after Matt Kenseth beat him for top rookie honors.
This is Michael Waltrip’s last chance to win in Winston Cup.
PENSKE RACING SOUTH – Ford – #2 Rusty
Wallace & #12 Jeremy Mayfield
The horsepower king of 2000, Penske South
led some 2,000 laps and nabbed six wins between Wallace and Mayfield. Mayfield
proved to be the running story of 2000, first with a heavy fine and points
penalty for a fuel additive at Talladega, then with a dark horse win at
California, then by punting Dale Earnhardt aside to win Pocono in June, then by
shredding a tire on the last lap at Pocono in July, then with his injury at
Indianapolis, then when co-owner Michael Kranefuss sold his interest in the
team, then with a string of seemingly endless blown engines and DNFs. It got so
bad that Mayfield was widely rumored as on the way out, but he will drive the
car in 2001.
A new teammate debuted in USAC star Ryan
Newman. The youngster appears being groomed to take over one or the other of the
two Penske Fords, as Roger has indicated he will not field a third team.
2001 OUTLOOK – Their horsepower edge
appeared eliminated by late September, so the win total will likely not exceed
six. Despite Penske’s misgivings, a third team for Newman may be formed.
MORGAN-MCCLURE MOTORSPORTS – Chevrolet –
#4 Robby Gordon
One of the last of the single car teams,
the Kodak #4 struggled mightily over 2000 with Bobby Hamilton despite several
excellent runs. Rumors of a switch to Dodge abounded despite denials by all
involved. Hamilton left for Andy Petree, and Robby Gordon signed on after an
unsuccessful effort with a team co-owned with John Menard.
2001 OUTLOOK – Gordon has long struggled
in stock cars and this may be his last chance to amount to something in NASCAR.
HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS – Chevrolet – #5
Terry Labonte, #24 Jeff Gordon, & #25 Jerry Nadeau
A down season from 1999, Hendrick managed
four wins but paid a heavy fine for an illegal intake at Richmond. New Jeff
Gordon crew chief Robbie Loomis adapted well, and new Hendrick driver Jerry
Nadeau broke through with the win at Atlanta. Terry Labonte, in contrast, showed
little life and then was injured in crashes at Daytona and New Hampshire than
brought an end to his Ironman start streak.
2001 OUTLOOK – Five or six wins; title
shot unlikely
ROUSH RACING – #6 Mark Martin, #17 Matt
Kenseth, #97 Kurt Busch, & #99 Jeff Burton
Mark Martin finished lower in points than
most expected in 2000 and managed only one victory that he readily acknowledged
was a gift. He did, however, see his protégé Matt Kenseth win the World 600
and Rookie of the Year. Teammate Jeff Burton was the dominator of the
organization, winning four races and finishing in the top four in points and
looking like an early favorite for the 2001 title. Craftsman Truck wonder boy
Kurt Busch replaced Chad Little in the ex-Mark Rypian #97 and shows enough fire
to make a lot of waves – but also to cause controversy.
2001 OUTLOOK – Jeff Burton will challenge
for the title; Kurt Busch will be a strong contender for Rookie honors; Mark
will win again; Kenseth will win more
MB2 MOTORSPORTS – Pontiac – #10 Johnny
Benson & #36 Ken Schrader
What began as Tim Beverly’s #10 Pontiac
became the obstacle-defeating story of 2000. Without a sponsor, Benson led late
at Daytona but got snookered out of the win on the last restart. Lycos joined on
but never paid their sponsorship monies and were subsequently sued. Despite that
Benson ran second at Bristol and was competitive week after week. The team
appeared ready to close up shop until Aron’s Lease and RCA jumped on board and
Morton-Bowers Motorsports bought out Beverly in August. For 2001 Valvoline
bought an ownership interest in the #10 and will be the new sponsor.
2001 OUTLOOK – Benson now appears due for
a win. Ken Schrader, in contrast, is just making laps
FOYT ENTERPRISES – Pontiac – #14 Ron
Hornaday
A.J.’s entry into full-time NASCAR was a
struggle through several different drivers, but with Craftsman Truck star Ron
Hornaday the team appears to now have stability. They are not yet at a good
level of competitiveness, though, and as a rookie Ron Hornaday has his work cut
out for him.
2001 OUTLOOK – Hornaday will show flashes
of the brilliance shown in the Trucks and Grand National, but struggle will
nonetheless be the word.
JOE GIBBS RACING – Pontiac – #18 Bobby
Labonte & #20 Tony Stewart
"We run Vince Lombardi-style
racing" was a Bobby Allison catchphrase from his DiGard days, but 1999-2000
saw the real McCoy do the Lombardi dance in NASCAR circles. The Coach was begged
by Redskins fans to come back to his old team and sport and weave the magic he
possessed in the NFL and which has now given him a Winston Cup title as well.
But Gibbs won’t be abandoning racing. His first six seasons as a one-car team
were certainly good, but it wasn’t until the formation of his second team and
the hiring of Tony Stewart that JGR exploded to championship caliber. His is
unquestionably Pontiac’s go-to team and almost single-handedly shamed Pontiac’s
bullying older brother Chevrolet.
2001 OUTLOOK – Bobby Labonte may suffer
the champion’s slump that tends to hit the season following a title, but there
will still be wins in 2001. Tony Stewart, meanwhile, has all the momentum and is
my pick for the 2001 championship. There will be seven or more wins between the
two JGR Pontiacs.
———————————————————————-
TRAVIS CARTER RACING – Ford – #26 Jimmy
Spencer & #66 Todd Bodine
Having wasted two seasons babysitting
Darrell Waltrip and his monstrous ego, Travis Carter paid for it with the
collapse of what had been a spunky little outfit. With Todd Bodine’s excellent
run at Atlanta, Carter looks ready to get back to competitive form.
2001 OUTLOOK – Todd will be strong at
numerous tracks; Spencer will relearn how to run up front with consistency.
ROBERT YATES RACING – Ford – #28 Ricky
Rudd & #88 Dale Jarrett
The champion’s slump hit Jarrett in 2000,
as he humiliated the field at the Daytona 500 but went winless until conquering
his Rockingham dragon in October. Jarrett’s status as RYR’s undisputed king
ended with Ricky Rudd’s return to competitive form, despite another season
without a win. A by-product of Rudd’s run was a return of the intemperate streak
that got him in trouble when he drove for Kenny Bernstein and Rick Hendrick.
2001 OUTLOOK – Jarrett will again finish
in the top three in points; Rudd will break through and win again. Three or more
wins between them.
PPI – Ford – #32 Scott Pruett & #96
Andy Houston
Cal Wells made enemies almost upon
entering NASCAR waters, won for the first time in CART and then effectively shut
down his CART team, and may have left Winston Cup sponsors Tide and McDonalds
wondering why they ever bothered with him. Certainly Wells’ NASCAR foray was
worse than most first-year outfits and Scott Pruett showed a lack of
adaptability to stock cars. Andy Houston jumped from the Craftsman Trucks and
shone in the second Wells Ford at Michigan.
2001 OUTLOOK – Pruett will be gone by the
end of the year; Houston will adapt to the cars well
MARCIS AUTO RACING – Chevrolet – #71 Dave
Marcis
For one shining weekend we saw the Dave
Marcis that won four races with Nord Krauskopf’s #71 K&K Insurance Dodges.
For the Winston 500 Marcis timed ninth and led Lap Two. He was still battling
for the win when the engine shut off.
2001 OUTLOOK – it will likely be Marcis’
final year as a driver, and outside of the plate tracks don’t look for anything
here.
GALAXY MOTORSPORTS – Ford – #75 Wally
Dallenbach Jr.
Remember Ted Musgrave’s biting derision of
the team when he quit after the Homestead race in 1999? Too bad Dallenbach
didn’t remember, though he did have some moments, notably at Atlanta.
2001 OUTLOOK – Forget about wins
JASPER MOTORSPORTS – Ford – #77 Robert
Pressley
Staying with this team because no one else
would dare hire him, Pressley briefly showed signs of competitive life in late
spring, but it didn’t last. Though Jasper engines is the sponsor, they don’t
even use their own engines anymore.
2001 OUTLOOK – Zilch
DONLAVEY RACING – Ford #90
Despite everything, Junie Donlavey’s Ford
did make some appearances in 2000, but this may be it for the veteran owner from
Virginia.
JOE FALK RACING – Chevrolet #91
A stellar top ten at Atlanta by Todd
Bodine was the highlight of the season.
No doubt by now you’re wondering about THE
story of 2001 and why it has not been discussed – well, I felt it appropriate to
use a separate section for those five teams that will be under the microscope
more than most –
DODGE MOTORSPORTS –
Ray Evernham Motorsports – #9 Bill Elliott
& #19 Casey Atwood
Bill Davis Racing – #22 Ward Burton &
#93 Dave Blaney
Ganassi/SABCO Racing – #40 Sterling Marlin
& #01 – as of this writing no driver has been named to the #01 team
Petty Enterprises – #43 John Andretti, #44
Roy "Buckshot" Jones, & #45 Kyle Petty
Mark Melling Racing – #92 Stacy Compton
Dodge’s return to NASCAR has been among
the big stories of 2000 as preparations and test sessions have gone through the
year and rules controversies have already flared – Dodge’s test program was
changed after NASCAR slapped handicaps on their testing and aero matched the
Intrepid body style to the Ford Taurus. Problems with the new P7R5 engine have
cropped up and are being dealt with, a backup engine – the Craftsman Truck W8R4
– has been approved despite resistance from Dodge, and all are paying close
attention to Dodge’s debut season back in the sport.
Ray Evernham’s team is brand new, though
its nucleus is the former Bill Elliott Racing team. Evernham was a consultant to
Elliott during 2000 and his consultations helped Elliott display a sudden surge
of competitive fire. Evernham was not tasked with running the 2000 season so he
was thus freed up to develop his new outfit and develop Dodge’s equipment. He
did enter a second car for BGN grad Casey Atwood, and a tenth at Homestead is a
good sign. Evernham has freely admitted his organization will work in a manner
similar to F1 teams, with Elliott as his designated winner and Atwood as the
team’s R&D specialist developing new and different ideas.
Evernham has allied with Petty Enterprises
and Bill Davis Racing to develop the new cars. For Davis, 2000 was a
breakthrough year, as Ward Burton finally broke through to victory after five
years and was very competitive throughout the season. Dave Blaney had a rough
rookie season, but in November he exploded to two top tens and a very strong
effort at Atlanta, a sure sign that he is the real deal.
The lion’s share of actually building and
developing cars and engines was tasked to Petty Enterprises, as they had a Dodge
program in place with their Craftsman Truck team. 2000 was the nightmare of all
nightmares for racing’s Royal Family; between Adam’s death, the struggles of
developing the Dodge program, losing engineering help from GM as a result and
underestimating how that loss would affect their 2000 program, and reorganizing
the business, the Pettys and driver John Andretti were never able to display
their true potential, though John shone at New Hampshire in September and
Talladega in October, and entering 2001 the team will have a new chief engine
builder with the departure of Rick Mann. Kyle drove Adam’s BGN car and showed
good form a number of times, and will bring it to Winston Cup in 2001, while his
former #44 team will go to Buckshot Jones and new crew chief Mark Tutor, a
former Travis Carter crew chief; Jones and the team’s Craftsman Truck and new
BGN driver Steve Grissom have done the lion’s share of test driving of the new
Dodges. Andretti remains with the #43, now with Cheerios sponsorship.
2000 began with Felix Sabates in control
of his two Chevrolet teams and supplying engines to Jim Mattei’s #7. It ends
with Chip Ganassi having majority control of the team, a new engine supplier in
Ernie Elliott, and new Dodges. Ganassi’s presence with Dodge has reportedly
stirred controversy within the Dodge program; it has also seen several excellent
runs by Sterling Marlin during the season. The death of Kenny Irwin at New
Hampshire was a horrifying blow to the team.
Sharing Ernie Elliott with Ganassi will be
Mark Melling Racing and driver Stacy Compton. Compton will return to Dodge in
2001 after leaving David Hodson’s Dodge Truck team for Winston Cup after 1999.
2000 was a learning year for the Virginia driver.
2001 OUTLOOK – Dodge has striven to get
all of its teams working together, and this emphasis on depth paid off handsomely
in 1999 with six wins in the Craftsman Trucks; often the majority of Dodge’s
Rams were together in the top ten. This emphasis on depth will help speed up the
strengthening of the new cars and engines, but struggle is still likely. Will
the teams be competitive? I suspect they’ll be quite so, more than many may
think.
Bill Elliott, John Andretti, Ward Burton,
and Sterling Marlin appear to be the point men for Dodge, as all showed good
competitive form in 2000. Casey Atwood and Buckshot Jones are the rookies
(though officially Jones is in his second Cup season); Atwood is the smoother of
the two, but Jones’ throttle-stomping ability will likely be smoothed over by a
team with a good history of smoothing out drivers’ rough edges. Kyle Petty
appears ready to race again with 2000 over and the team reorganized, though as
he is basically an owner-driver more struggle can’t be ruled out. Dave Blaney
came to life at the end of 2000 and that may carry into 2001, notably at
Atlanta. Stacy Compton’s return to Dodge will likely help his team, though
Compton himself needs to be fed gunpowder to get his driving more aggressive.
I suspect there will be wins for these
teams in 2001.
So we await the dawn of NASCAR 2001.