THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 7, 1994 TAG: 9409070605
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTE LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
Bill Elliott is going back to his roots, and former NFL coach Joe Gibbs, moving even further from the sidelines, is planting the seeds of a racing conglomerate.
That was the news Tuesday as McDonald's unveiled its sponsorship plans for the 1995 season in a noon press 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 his return to his hometown, Dawsonville, Ga., and a family-run Winston Cup team fielding McDonald's Ford Thunderbirds.
Elliott has been driving for Junior Johnson since 1992. He won his first race in almost two years last weekend 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.''
Gibbs, meanwhile, will field three National Hot Rod Association drag-racing teams in 1995 in addition to his Winston Cup team - the No. 18 Interstate Batteries Chevrolet Luminas driven by Dale Jarrett.
``I'm excited about being back in drag racing along with NASCAR,'' said Gibbs, who drag-raced 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's announcement effectively ends any notion that he might return to coaching football, although he said he will continue to work for NBC 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 with me in this thing.''
The three NHRA teams Gibbs has bought are the top-fuel dragsters driven by Cory McClenathan, the funny cars driven by Cruz Pedregon and the pro-stock cars driven by Jim Yates. The top-fuel and funny-car teams are based in Indianapolis, while the pro-stock team is in Alexandria.
Gibbs, who now lives north of Charlotte on Lake Norman, is building a new Winston Cup shop outside Charlotte, only a few miles from his current shop.
Considering that Jarrett is winless this year and the stock-car team has been struggling, Gibbs was asked whether it was a wise move 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 the 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, will essentially be picking up from where it left off when it disbanded after Elliott went with Johnson.
``I don't see it as being a new race team'' he 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 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 for the number 9 but hasn't 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.'' ILLUSTRATION: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Bill Elliott's NASCAR team and Joe Gibbs' three drag-racing teams
will share a sponsor next year: McDonald's.
by CNB