RJ Reynolds (RJR) and NASCAR yesterday announced that
the Winston Cup points fund for the 2000 season -- the year-
end money awarded to the top 25 drivers in the point
standings -- will increase to a record $10M. The champion's
share will jump from $2M to $3M, and the runner-up will earn
$1.05M (NASCAR). In Las Vegas, Jeff Wolf notes that the
prize fund increase was announced on the first day of the
17th annual UAW-GM Motorsports Media Tour hosted by Lowe's
Motor Speedway in Charlotte, NC. Wolf writes that the
"growth" of NASCAR "can be reflected" by the fact that more
than 200 reporters from 25 states and two foreign countries
are covering the media tour (REVIEW-JOURNAL, 1/12).
SMITH NOT AN OUTLAW: SMI Chair Bruton Smith said
yesterday that "he has no intentions of purchasing" the
World of Outlaws series....NASCAR COO Mike Helton said that
a sponsor "has not been secured" for NASCAR's grass-roots
Winston Racing Series (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 1/12).
..Dodge unveiled its new car as part of Ray Evernham's
Motorsports team to start in 2001, and in Charlotte, Jim
Utter writes that the "unveiling of an actual" Dodge car
yesterday "marked an important moment in the manufacturer's
march" to the Winston Cup Series (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 1/12).
The UAW will join Dodge as a sponsor of the Evernham team.
Dodge dealers nationwide will team as primary sponsors,
while UAW will be an associate sponsor and be represented on
cars, uniforms, vehicle transporters and any other equipment
associated with the Evernham Motorsports team (Dodge).
WHEELER UNPLUGGED: Speedway Motorsports President Humpy
Wheeler said yesterday that he "sees the pressure on drivers
to answer to their sponsors, and he is concerned. Where are
the personalities who will take advantage of that extra
exposure?" Wheeler: "We can't have a bunch of cookie-cutter
drivers that all talk the same way and do the same thing.
[We've got to] let their true personalities come through --
to a point. I call it 'sawdust.' We can't take the sawdust
out of this sport" (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 1/12).
