Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 7, 1994 TAG: 9409070143
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTE, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
That was the news Tuesday as McDonald's unveiled its sponsorship plans for the 1995 season at a noon news conference, complete with Big Macs and Quarter Pounders for lunch, at the Omni Hotel.
``Hey, there's more to life than making tons of money,'' Elliott said, explaining the return to his hometown of Dawsonville, Ga., and a family-run NASCAR Winston Cup team fielding Ford Thunderbirds.
Elliott has been driving for Junior Johnson since 1992 and won his first race in almost two years Sunday in the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.
``I'd like to be able to start and build a first-class race team like Robert Yates and Richard Childress, to where if I quit [driving] down the road, people are going to want to get in that car,'' Elliott said.
Gibbs, meanwhile, will field three National Hot Rod Association drag racing teams in 1995, in addition to his Winston Cup team with the Interstate Batteries Chevrolet Luminas driven by Dale Jarrett.
``I'm excited about being back in drag racing along with NASCAR,'' said Gibbs, who used to drag race in California in the 1960s before becoming a football coach. Gibbs said his drag racing teams will come under the Pontiac banner, but his Winston Cup car will remain a Chevy.
Gibbs' announcement effectively ends any notion he might return to coaching football, although he said he will continue to work for NBC-TV as a game-day color commentator.
``I can't see myself coaching,'' he said. ``I think we've already crossed that bridge. I think I'm where I should be right now. I'm knee-deep in racing and getting deeper and I've got my family involved with this thing.''
The three NHRA teams Gibbs has bought are the top fuel dragster driven by Cory McClenathan, the funny car driven by Cruz Pedregon and the pro stock car driven by Jim Yates. The top fuel and funny car teams are based in Indianapolis, the pro stock team is in Alexandria, Va. And Gibbs, living in Lake Norman, N.C., is building a new Winston Cup shop outside Charlotte a few miles from his current shop.
Considering Jarrett is winless this year and the stock car team has been struggling, Gibbs was asked whether it was the right time to expand.
``I think that would be in the back of anybody's mind, but I've talked long and hard with Dale and [crew chief] Jimmy Makar and I wouldn't be doing it if they didn't agree,'' he said. ``I think it will bring money and extra resources to the NASCAR side of it and will help strengthen the team.''
Gibbs said he is adding an engineer and two mechanics to the staff of 20 on his NASCAR team, in addition to building the new shop.
Elliott, meanwhile, said his new team, which will be co-owned by Atlanta car dealer Charles Hardy, essentially will be picking up where it left off when it disbanded after Elliott went with Johnson.
``I don't see it as being a new race team,'' Elliott said. ``It will be just us getting back together.''
Brothers Ernie and Dan Elliott will be back, with Ernie building the engines and Dan dealing with people and sponsors and handling hospitality and other management tasks, Bill said.
Elliott said he doesn't know what number his car will have. He has asked Harry Melling, who used to own the Elliott Fords, for the No.9, but hasn't yet received a reply, he said.
Elliott said he expects to have a championship-caliber team next year, although in the first few months ``there will be a few rough edges to work off.''
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB