THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 30, 1995 TAG: 9506300614
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
Ricky Rudd, assuming that NASCAR will not keep the Fords at a disadvantage for long, said Thursday he will not switch to the new Pontiac Grand Prix for 1996.
Rudd said he decided to stay with the Ford Thunderbird after Ford's top racing officials promised him more technical support.
``I think by staying with Ford we'll get more engineering support and more wind tunnel time,'' Rudd said. ``Pontiac is going to have a great race car, but I think that will be short-lived. I think NASCAR will get the cars evened up. I just can't see Ford staying down that long.''
Pontiac had been courting Rudd for a couple of months, reportedly offering him $640,000 to switch brands and $225,000 a year. Pontiac has five teams in the Winston Cup series and wants to expand to six or seven.
Ford already has more than 20 cars in the series, and Ford's top racing officials reportedly did not want get into a bidding war over Rudd. Nonetheless, they decided they didn't want to lose him and mounted an aggressive effort to keep him in a Thunderbird.
``We were one of the first teams Pontiac was after, and we were interested in them,'' Rudd said. ``But I think we've now got better access to engineering support and time in the wind tunnel than we did before. So I guess the bottom line was we would have had to switch cars to gain that (technical support), but now we don't.''
Another ``big determining factor'' was the strength of Rudd's engines. ``I've got a great motor program now and that would be in jeopardy,'' he said.
Rudd leases engines from Peter Guild and his Pro Motors company. Guild can build both GM and Ford engines, but he's coaxed more horsepower out of the Fords. Rudd frequently has had one of fastest Fords this year, and his engines have been one of the reasons for that.
Rudd also was concerned about the timetable for the development of the new Grand Prix stock car. He noted that Chevrolet began seriously testing the new Monte Carlo race car two years ago. Pontiac has built one Grand Prix test race car for all the teams to share, but Rudd said he didn't know when Pontiac was going to let his team build and test one on their own.
``You don't need to wait until January,'' he said.
Finally, Rudd did not want to alienate car-conscious fans. ``Fans get pretty upset when you switch brands,'' he said.
``It's very, very disappointing,'' said Pontiac's Brian Hoagland. ``I think Ricky had a good opportunity with us.''
NO APPEAL: Michael Waltrip said Thursday he has decided not to appeal his $10,000 punching fine after all.
``I gave 'em a check today, delivered it myself right out of my account,'' he said.
Waltrip was fined after he punched Lake Speed's helmeted head twice after the Michigan race two weekends ago. The incident was broadcast live on CBS.
HENSLEY'S NEW RIDE: Jimmy Hensley said he expects to finish the season in the Bill Davis Pontiac Grand Prix.
``I'm real excited about it,'' Hensley said Thursday after running 29th fastest in pole qualifying. ``It's supposed to be for the rest of the year.''
As one of the most experienced journeymen drivers in the series, Hensley knows the routine.
``I've been getting in cars for two years like this,'' he said. ``You just do what you know you need to do. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't.'' by CNB