Seattle-based Freeinternet.com has signed on to sponsor
19-year-old IRL driver Sarah Fisher for the remainder of the
2000 season. The Fisher-driven, Walker Racing-owned No. 15
Cummins Special will feature Freeinternet.com spokesperson
Baby Bob on the nose. Freeinternet.com has already been an
associate sponsor of Fisher (Freeinternet.com).
TREAD-LOCKED? ESPN2's Robin Miller, on IRL's Treadway
Racing, one of the IRL's founding teams, possibly suspending
operations: "[Owner] Fred Treadway spent a lot of his own
money, and I think he thought with the success they had and
the drivers they had early on, he would get some major
sponsorships." But the team lost Sprint PCS as a sponsor,
and its "deal with Miller wasn't for a lot of money. ... So
right now, he's saying, 'If I don't have a sponsor, I'm not
running anymore. I'm tired of spending my own money.' And
that would be a real blow because he's had a really good
first-class operation" ("RPM 2Night," ESPN2, 7/20).
BEVERLEY SELLS: ESPN2's John Kernan reported, "The lack
of a sponsor has forced Winston Cup team owner Tim Beverley
to sell a major share of his Tyler Jet Motorsports team to
MB2 Motorsports. The deal was completed [yesterday],
meaning Johnny Benson will drive his No. 10 Pontiac this
weekend in Pocono under the MB2 banner as a teammate to Ken
Schrader. Sources have told 'RPM 2Night' that prior to next
season, Valvoline will buy a 50% interest in the 10 car and
also become the primary sponsor. Sources have also told
'RPM 2Night' that Lycos, which signed on as Tyler Jet
sponsor earlier this year at Daytona, had not paid any money
to the team. As a result, the team took the Lycos decals
off the car prior to the Pepsi 400 at Daytona earlier this
month" ("RPM 2Night," ESPN2, 7/20).
