NASCAR WCUP: It's Time for Dodge Entry Into Winston Cup
15 October 1999
It's Time for Dodge Entry Into Winston CupProgram is Logical Extension of Dodge Motorsports Program NEW YORK, Oct. 15 -- Dodge's announcement that it will field teams in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, beginning with the 2001 Daytona 500, completes its dominating motorsports lineup with championship-caliber teams in NASCAR's Craftsman Truck Series, drag racing, sprint cars, short-track racing and open-wheel series. The 2001 Dodge NASCAR Winston Cup entry will feature two teams and five cars. The popular Dodge Intrepid will be the vehicle for the racing program with two of the cars featuring Dodge and its dealers as the primary sponsors and carrying the bright red colors of the Dodge brand. The additional cars will be open for primary sponsorship. Ray Evernham will own and manage one team; additional owners have not yet been announced. Evernham will be instrumental in the design and development of Dodge's Winston Cup vehicles. Dodge is expected to submit vehicle designs and specifications for NASCAR approval early next year. A version of the actual NASCAR Intrepid is expected to be announced in early 2000 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. During 2000, Dodge will test the Intrepid race car at top tracks around the country. The Winston Cup debut will come at the 2001 Daytona 500. "Through our varied and comprehensive motorsports involvement," said Lou Patane, Vice President - Motorsports Operations and Mopar Performance Parts, "we can utilize our integrated team approach of design, engineering and marketing to manufacture better, faster, more dependable and higher quality components for all our brands and for our customers. "We want to develop our product against the best competition we can find. It is our goal to show there is a Dodge difference for our teams, our dealer organization and our customers." NASCAR's Winston Cup Series is just the latest addition to a growing and highly competitive Dodge Motorsports presence. Dodge Motorsports involvement includes the Dodge Viper road racing program which has twice won the 24 Hours of LeMans, taken the FIA GT2 Championship three times and won the North American Super Touring Series. The Dodge Ram teams are frequent winners in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series teams include a Richard Petty-owned team with driver Jimmy Hensley, a Bob Keselowski-owned team with driver Dennis Setzer and Winston Cup driver Bobby Hamilton's Dana Dodge team driven by Joe Ruttman. Additions to the program in 1999 include championship point contender Stacy Compton in the RC Cola Dodge and former open-wheel star Randy Tolsma in the Impact Motorsports Dodge Ram. Dodge Rams have scored four wins, 11 poles and 31 top-five finishes in the first 23 races of the 1999 season. In drag racing, the Dodge banner is carried by the Team Mopar Pro Stock Dodge Avengers of team owner/crew chief/engine builder David Nickens for drivers Scott Geoffrion and Darrell Alderman. Dodge has worked for four seasons over the Top Fuel machines of owner Darrrell Gwynn and driver Mike Dunn. This year, Dodge Motorsports and Team Mopar have been affiliated with the Skuza family team in the NHRA Funny Car class for the fourth straight year and are backers of seven teams in NHRA Pro Stock Trucks. Included among them are the Pro Stock Dodge Dakota Trucks of Todd Patterson and Bo Nickens. Mopar is also teamed with the famed Kinser family in World of Outlaws sprint car racing. Car owner and builder Karl Kinser uses Mopar-sponsored and powered machines for son Mark to drive in the exciting open-wheeled competition across the country. The all-aluminum 410 cubic inch Mopar V-8 engines Kinser uses are developed and built by Gary Stanton in cooperation with Team Mopar engineers. "Our customers benefit directly from our approach to all our motorsports involvement," concludes Patane. "The venues where we compete are proving grounds for car designs and engineering allowing us to test parts and concepts under the most severe conditions." "Dodge 500" Countdown to 2001 Daytona 500: 493 days; 1 hour; 15 minutes