Editor’s Note: Each month in recognition of SPEED SPORT’s 90th anniversary, the SPEED SPORT Insider will use the National Speed Sport News archives to look back at what happened in the racing world 25 years ago.
More Discord In The Road Racing World
Speculation is growing that Int’l Speedway Corp., promoter of the annual Rolex-backed Daytona 24-hour endurance race here, may be getting ready to set up a full series around the long-distance classic, possibly as early as this fall but more likely in 2000.
While Daytona and NASCAR officials weren’t available for comment, other insiders said the plan has been brewing the past several months, and may include links to the European-based International Sports Racing Series, which uses the same kind of World Sports Car spyders as are found in the Sports Car Club of America’s United States Road Racing Championship, of which Daytona is the kickoff event.
Insiders said if the USRRC could not be “pried away” from the SCCA, the proposed new title chase would be a substitute for, not a supplement, to it. According to those sources, ISC is upset with the lack of promotional support the SCCA has put behind the series, which runs as a counter to the Don Panoz-owned American Le Mans Series tour.
According to what NSSN has learned, some entrants believe the France family, which controls ISC and is aware of the growing recognition of the ALMS, is concerned the name “Le Mans” might eclipse Daytona; and indeed, there are suggestions that overtures between Panoz and the Frances over the 24-Hour Daytona show stalled on the point of Panoz’s decision to not
drop the “Le Mans” moniker from the title of his championship.
As well, it appears apparent that the American Le Mans Series could go global in 2000 with as many as three international events on the docket.
Other News
-Indy Pays A Record $9 million: Kenny Brack earned car owner A.J. Foyt $1,465,150 by winning the Indianapolis 500. The winner’s take was not a record, but the $9,047,150 purse was. Runner-up Jeff Ward took home $583,150, and Billy Boat, Brack’s teammate, won $435,200 for third.
-Curtain Falling on Riverside Park: Management of Riverside Park Speedway in Agawam, Mass., confirmed that the famed quarter-mile track owned by Premier Parks, which operates the amusement park on the property, will close the track at the end of this season, the 51st at the track.
-IRL To Replace CART In Cleveland: The 18th running of the Medic Drug Grand Prix of Cleveland, which was won by Juan Pablo Montoya, will be the last under CART sanction. The Indy Racing League is expected to take over the event in 2000.
Big Winners
-Labonte Featherfoots It: All you needed was a little basic math to figure the winner of the MBNA 400 at Dover (Del.) Downs Int’l Speedway. Twenty-two gallons of fuel over 105 miles added up to Bobby Labonte’s first NASCAR Cup Series victory of the season and eighth of his career.
-Goodyear on Bizarre Texas Night: In a race that began with blistered tires and included the pace car crashing into a race car during a caution period, Scott Goodyear stopped the insanity by winning the Longhorn 500 Pep Boys Indy Racing League race at Texas Motor Speedway.
-Earnhardt Bumps Past Son: Father’s Day was more than a week away, but Dale Earnhardt was pleased with the gift he received from Dale Jr. at Michigan Int’l Speedway. The Earnhardts thrilled a crowd of 40,000 with a fender-banging finish to the third leg of the True Value Int’l Race of Champions with the elder Earnhardt winning by a fender length.
-Kerr Tops Haudenschild: A cornerstone of the new Non-Wing World Championship, the Clabber Girl Terre Haute National Open was the first USAC event to fully accord co-sanctioning with the SCRA. Frankie Kerr earned $17,000 from a $93,000 purse, edging Jac Haudenschild in a battle between winged sprint car regulars.
The Advertising Department
-AC Delco used protégé racers Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kurt Johnson to promote their parts in the pre-father’s day edition of National Speed Sport News in 1991.
THIS ARTICLE IS REPOSTED FROM THE June 26 EDITION OF SPEED SPORT INSIDER
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