Julius Erving and Joe Washington, founder of
Washington-Erving Motorsports, are "finding life at the
racetrack a little more difficult than anticipated,"
according to Erik Arneson of USA TODAY. While their Grand
National team is "up and running," the formation of a NASCAR
Winston Cup team "has been indefinitely stalled."
Washington-Erving has yet to secure a sponsor and its
driver, Rich Bickle, has been "vocal" in his disillusionment
with the organization. Bickle: "They said they had $6
million and were ready to go racing. Truth was, they didn't
have anything." Washington-Erving President Kathy Thompson:
"We still have companies interested; I think maybe we can
set something up for about five races to get things rolling
this season. We still hope to be ready for a full schedule
in 1999." Arneson reported that Washington-Erving's Grand
National sponsor, Dr Pepper, "says it is happy with its
relationship with Washington-Erving" (USA TODAY, 3/18).
NOTES: In Atlanta, Tom McCollister reports that Darrell
Waltrip will sell his race team after Sunday's race at
Darlington Motor Speedway. Waltrip: "I've spent $1 million
out of my own pocket so far this season, and I can't keep
doing that" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 3/19)....Ralph Sanchez
sold his remaining 10% stake in the Miami-Dade Homestead
Motorsports Complex to MI-based Penske Motorsports and FL-
based Int'l Speedway Corp. The two companies bought 80% of
the track last year (SPEEDNET, 3/18)....In Hartford, Lori
Riley profiles World Sports Enterprises President Patti
Wheeler, whose company handles TV production of racing
events. Many women are now getting involved in motorsports,
"mostly behind the scenes in marketing and promotions,
television and within NASCAR" (HARTFORD COURANT, 3/19).
