NASCAR Winston Cup Exide NASCAR Select Batteries 400 Report: #27, K. Irwin
8 September 1997
#27 Kenny Irwin, Tonka Ford Thunderbird NASCAR Winston Cup Series Exide NASCAR Select Batteries 400 Race Report Richmond International Raceway September 6, 1997 BLAIR TEAM 'SHOWS STUFF' WITH LEAD, TOP-10 STATESVILLE, NC - David Blair MotorSports partnered with Robert Yates Racing to give Yates' newly-hired rookie driver, Kenny Irwin, a running jump on the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup season. After qualifying for the outside pole in his first Winston Cup event, the #27 Ford Thunderbird led a portion of the race and finished eighth in the Exide 400 stock car race at Richmond, Va., Saturday night. The top-10 was the first for a team not running a full schedule in recent memory, and has been virtually unheard of in the 1990's. Irwin, who will drive Yates' Texaco Ford full time in 1998, is cutting his teeth in a limited number of 1997 Winston Cup races at the wheel of David Blair's #27. With the up and coming Irwin behind the wheel, the team utilized its sponsorship from Action Performance/Hasbro Toy Group to its fullest extent. Some observers wondered if Irwin's outside pole was a fluke after Friday evening's qualifying session. Following Saturday night's race, they no longer questioned anything. "This team showed what it can do with good financial backing. We've been telling potential corporate sponsors all along that this is a top-10 team with the right support," said Blair. "This proved we've been telling them the truth all along." Blair purchased the winning team from the legendary Junior Johnson in late 1995 and has kept the team together with a limited schedule while building the foundation for a full schedule in 1998. Action Performance/Hasbro Toy Group is sponsoring the five-race Robert Yates/David Blair effort. "David Blair MotorSports is still looking for 1998 sponsorship. Even though we have a lot of irons in the fire right now, it's not too late for somebody to come along and be a part of this," Blair said. "With the experience of my team personnel and Robert Yates' engines, all that is needed is some corporate backing to make things go." The team's next event will be the Goody's 500, Sunday, September 28, at Martinsville, Va. By Williams Company of America