DOCTOR, DOCTOR GIVE ME THE NEWS: DR PEPPER RE-UPS BGN DEAL

          Dr Pepper has agreed to a "multi-year extension" of its
     sponsorship of Joe Washington and Julius Erving's Busch
     Grand National (BGN) team and said it will run four "major"
     promos around the team in '99, according to Sandra McKee of
     the Baltimore SUN.  The team ran the entire '98 BGN season,
     finishing 38th out of 112 teams, "despite going through" 12
     drivers and failing to qualify for seven races.  Washington:
     "We look at Dr Pepper as the Branch Rickey of NASCAR.  They
     were the only company willing to step up and take a chance." 
     Washington said that he and Erving sought a BGN team after
     their search for a Winston Cup sponsor failed.  Dr Pepper
     Senior VP/Marketing Cindi Clark said that the company
     entered its "rookie year with apprehension, but came out of
     it thrilled" (SUN, 12/16).  USA TODAY's Erik Arneson
     profiles the team and writes the "search is now on for a
     driver and team manager" for '99 (USA TODAY, 12/16).