New Driver, New Team, New Era for Pennzoil
2 September 1997
August 30, 1997, Houston -- Pennzoil Products Company announced today the beginning of a new chapter in its long history as one of auto racing's best known and most successful sponsors. Pennzoil, marketer of America's No. 1-selling motor oil, and Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (DEI) signed a three-year agreement to field a Chevrolet Monte Carlo for rookie driver Steve Park on the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit beginning at the 1998 Daytona 500. "We think associating our company with DEI and someone with a future as bright as Steve Park's represents an opportunity to field a winning NASCAR team that is too good to pass up," said Tom Floyd, Pennzoil's chief marketing officer. "We are delighted to be able to bring this exciting team to racing fans and our loyal customers around the country. "The Pennzoil name has long been associated with such open-wheel racing champions as Wilbur Shaw, Johnny Rutherford, Rick Mears, Al Unser, and Eddie Hill. Considering Steve's phenomenal success in the modifieds and the potential he's already shown in the Busch Grand National Series, we feel this agreement continues that tradition and leads us into a new era." Park, 30, is in his first year in the Busch Grand National Series driving a car owned by Earnhardt's wife Teresa. His Busch victories at Nashville Speedway in April and at Michigan in August, along with 15 wins and 22 poles in the NASCAR Featherlite Series, make the East Northport, N.Y., driver one of the hottest young stars in auto racing. "It was awesome to sign on with DEI last year, and I have the same feeling joining Pennzoil. Both DEI and Pennzoil have a history of winning, and I think we will be a part of that history," Park said. "This is the highlight of my career." Park, voted most popular driver twice in the Featherlite Series, earned two victories in NASCAR Busch North Series races in only nine starts. "I know how difficult it is to do well in Winston Cup," Park said. "This will be the toughest challenge I have ever faced. Winston Cup has been my goal since I started racing. We hope that Pennzoil yellow will run up near the front with a certain black Monte Carlo." Don Hawk, president of DEI, vowed to put together a team to contend for a points championship, as well as to continue to help in Park's development in the sport. "Steve has a lot of talent, and our organization is going to be top-notch. We plan to show Pennzoil that it made the right decision to sponsor us," Hawk said. "I think it is a lot to expect him to win right out of the box, but I am confident we will see some pretty impressive results quicker than a lot of people think." Veteran crew chief Philippe Lopez, noted for his ability to develop up-and-coming drivers, including Winston Cup driver Ward Burton, leads the first-year team, based in DEI's 108,000-square-foot shop in Mooresville, N.C. Lopez built the cars Park used on the Winston Cup circuit this year. Pennzoil has sponsored cars fielded by Bahari' Racing since 1991. Floyd said he expects an announcement regarding Pennzoil's future relationship with Bahari' by the end of the season. Floyd further stated, "We certainly intend to honor any contractual commitments we have with Bahari' Racing." Pennzoil is also one of this country's biggest supporters of motorsports, serving as the series sponsor for the Pennzoil World of Outlaws and the official motor oil of the Indy Racing League, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Brickyard 400 and New Hampshire International Speedway. Today's lineup of Pennzoil drivers include first-year winner Tony Raines in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, veteran Roberto Guerrero in the Indy Racing League, legendary Eddie Hill in top fuel competition in the NHRA, and World of Outlaws star Jac "The Wild Child" Haudenschild, plus many other drivers in series across the nation. Pennzoil Products Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Houston-based Pennzoil Company, and its motor oil has been America's No. 1-selling brand for more than a decade. STEVE PARK Date of Birth: 8/23/67 Birthplace: East Northport, NY Residence: Mooresville, N.C. Marital Status: Single Park has posted victories at Nashville and Michigan in his first year driving the ACDelco/ Burger King Chevrolet in the Busch Grand National Series for car owner Teresa Earnhardt. Park also has six top-five finishes, 12 top-tens and over $300,000 in winnings in just 22 starts. Park's statistics place him well above every other rookie in BGN history. Park comes from a Modified background, with 17 wins in 152 starts in the NASCAR Featherlite Modified Tour. He recorded 41 top-five finishes, 26 top-tens and 24 poles in the ultra-competitive open-wheel series. In the 1996 Busch Grand National North Series, Park claimed two wins, two top-five finishes and five top-tens out of 10 starts for an impressive rookie season. In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 1996, Park posted a top-five, a top-ten and two top-fifteen finishes in his four starts and captured the pole for the truck race at Watkins Glen and the outside pole for the Jiffy Lube race in New Hampshire. In addition to Watkins Glen, Park will compete in Winston Cup races this year at Loudon, Charlotte, Phoenix and Atlanta. Named by Sports Illustrated as one of the top-ten drivers to watch for 1997. Tied for most wins (2) as a rookie driver in the BGN North Series. 1996 New Smyrna IMCA Modified Champion. 1995 and 1996 NASCAR Featherlite Modified Tour Most Popular Driver. 1995 and 1996 NASCAR Featherlite Modified Tour Pole Champion. 1991 and 1992 New Smyrna Speedway World Series Champion. PHILIPPE LOPEZ Lopez, 34, born in France, lives with wife Angela in Mooresville, N.C. He completed three years of college at Texas A&M before deciding to pursue a career in racing. Since March, Lopez has been constructing five all-new Chevrolet Monte Carlos for Steve Park's Winston Cup races in 1997. Lopez prepared Chevrolets that Ward Burton drove to an outside pole and a runner-up finish in the July 1994 Pocono Winston Cup race and Burton's pole-winning car at Charlotte that year. Following a two-year tenure at AG Dillard Motorsports with Burton, Lopez worked with Stavola Brothers Racing (1996-1997) and driver Hut Stricklin. Much of Lopez's desire to compete in NASCAR's most prestigious series is due to Alabama native Stanley Smith who gave Lopez his start in the early 1990s when he worked on Smith's fledgling Winston Cup team. DALE EARNHARDT, INC. Seven-time winner of the Goody's Busch Grand National Race in Daytona, including five consecutive wins (1990-1994). 1996 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Owner's Champion with driver Ron Hornaday. In 202 starts as a team owner, DEI's BGN cars have claimed 23 wins, 101 top-fives, 144 top-tens and over $1.5 million in winnings. In 66 starts as a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Team owner, DEI has claimed the 1996 Truck Series Championship, 17 wins, 39 top-fives, 50 top-tens, 8 pole positions and over $1.4 million in winnings. DEI fielded the #14 Racing For Kids Chevrolet in two Winston Cup events in 1996, the June and July Pocono races, finishing 36th and 41st respectively. DEI fielded the #14 Burger King car for Park in several Winston Cup races in 1997. Contact: Drew Brown Cohn & Wolfe (404) 880-5269 drew_brown@cohnwolfe.com
