Burning Questions: Chicago

By CNNSI.com
July 10, 2001
4:56 PM EDT (2056 GMT)

While fans bask in the glow still emanating from last week's fairy tale-come-true finish at Daytona, Winston Cup drivers have turned their attention to the new 1.5-mile, 18-degree banked tri-oval at Chicago. And while it would be easy to ask if Little E can capitalize on his emotional victory -- or if Tony Stewart should pay for his emotional outbursts -- we're looking at the cars. More to the point: Who will be driving the cars, and under what sponsorship?

1. Would you like fries with that team change?

If McDonald's bankrolls Bill Elliott, Casey Atwood may carry the Dodge colors by himself in 2002.

Winston Cup races into the Windy City -- corporate home to McDonald's -- this weekend for the inaugural Tropicana 400 at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill. Among the possible menu items: a team change for the Golden Arches.

According to NASCAR sources, McDonald's may again become the sponsor for Bill Elliott. There also are reports that Dodge's dealers association may be bankrolling only one of Ray Evernham's two teams in 2002. If Mickey D's does back Elliott, that leaves Casey Atwood to carry the Dodge paint scheme.

Rookie Andy Houston, who currently flies the McDonald's banner, has found his first season on the Winston Cup circuit anything but inviting. He has qualified for 11 of 17 races and his top finish is a less-than-impressive 17th. His average finish is 30th.

2. Which drivers will fill out the RCR stable in 2001?

The silly season remains months on the horizon, but talk of possible driver changes remains a hot topic. And Richard Childress Racing seems to be the epicenter of potential shake-ups.

Jeff Green is expected to be behind the wheel of RCR's No. 30 AOL Chevrolet next season; an announcement could be made in Chicago. Green is fourth in the Busch Series point standings and first in earnings. He trails Kevin Harvick, another RCR driver, by 302 points.

Meanwhile, Roush Racing teammates Jeff Burton and Matt Kenseth also have been mentioned in conjunction with Childress. However, another name has recently been bandied around: Robby Gordon. Yes, that Robby Gordon.

It's no secret that Childress wants the No. 31 Lowe's car to be a factor on Sundays, but whether Mike Skinner is the driver to make that a reality remains to be seen. And don't forget that Lowe's is in an off-track battle with The Home Depot. We've all seen Tony Stewart's orange Pontiac, but rare are the clips of the Lowe's Chevy.

"We need to win a race, that's the bottom line because we're 0-for-a lot right now," Childress recently said. "He and I agreed that if we're not winning races, and we're not competitive, then we're going to look at our options."

3. Is Winston Cup a viable prime-time player?

The viewing public certainly thinks so. This tidbit crossed The Associated Press wire Tuesday: About 25 million people tuned in for the Pepsi 400, making it the most-watched NASCAR race in prime time.

The Pepsi 400 was Winston Cup's first race at Daytona International Speedway since seven-time series champion Dale Earnhardt's fatal crash Feb. 18. "We had a great, emotional story that obviously captivated a lot of people," NBC Sports VP Kevin Sullivan said of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s victory a mere 20 weeks after his father's death. "People watch sports on TV for stories like [Saturday night's], and that was borne out by the ratings."

As Richard Huff of the New York Daily News points out: "With NASCAR poised to become a major presence on TV, look for more references to stock car racing to pop up in series and movies. And, come February, prepare for a NASCAR-branded cable channel, launched in partnership with FOX. The new projects are part of the stock car racing sanctioning body's initiative to make NASCAR a household name and an offshoot of the sport's $2.4 billion television package with FOX, NBC and Turner Broadcasting."

While a 6.1 mark is great, remember it's a marathon -- not a sprint. However, there's no denying that NASCAR has found a niche and is capitalizing when given the nighttime spotlight.