CAL WELLS THAT STARTS WELL: In Winston-Salem, Mike
Mulhern reported that Winston Cup driver Wally Dallenbach
"has a meeting this week with Tide executives and if he
passes that test, he could be offered the ride" for Cal
Wells' new Winston Cup team next season. Dallenbach, on
Wells getting a "bum rap from some quarters" in NASCAR: "Cal
Wells has a great program going and a lot of these guys who
are talking are just full of it. If they just knew what I
knew" (W-S JOURNAL, 8/21). Ricky Rudd, who Tide dropped in
favor of the Wells team, is "apparently closing in on a new
sponsor" for his team (W-S JOURNAL, 8/23). Rudd: "We're
working on sponsorship with good companies -- somebody who
can absorb the cost of what it takes to run these things,
which is astronomical" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 8/22).
TV OR NO TV? Mulhern also writes that TV Guide, should
they return next year as a Winston Cup sponsor, is "planning
a major NASCAR season-preview issue for next February."
However, the magazine is "debating what to do with its
[Kevin LePage] sponsorship" (WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL, 8/23).
MORE NOTES: PA-based candy manufacturer Just Born has
formed a partnership with NASCAR and additional sponsorships
with Hensley Racing. The deal extends across Just Born's
Hot Tamales, Mike & Ike and Zours brands and covers NASCAR's
non-chocolate category through 2003. The deal also includes
signage at tracks in Myrtle Beach, SC, and Sevierville, TN
(Allentown MORNING CALL, 8/19)....AC Delco will sponsor the
Kevin Harvick-driven car on the Grand National circuit next
season. The car will be owned by Richard Childress Racing
(CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 8/22)....In Indianapolis, Robin Miller
writes that CART's inaugural Target Grand Prix in Chicago
was a "winner because the sponsor understands how to market
and promote" the series "like few of the companies -- listen
up Federal Express -- involved" (STAR-NEWS, 8/23).
