The Buzz: Oct. 29, 2001
October 29, 2001
6:16 PM EST (2316 GMT)
HEEEEEEEEERE's DALE JR.!
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Dale Earnhardt Jr.
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Tonight (Monday, Oct. 29), on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, there will be one guest very familiar to NASCAR fans. Dale Earnhardt Jr will be on the NBC late-night television show. The three-time Winston Cup race winner will be making his first appearence on the popular show.
Also appearing on the show will be actor John Travolta. The show airs at 11:30 p.m. ET.
IT'S A NUMBERS GAME
With all the speculation about the No. 3, The Buzz wondered just what it took for the number to appear on cars to be driven next season in two races in the NASCAR Busch Series by Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Of course, Junior drove No. 3 Chevrolets fielded by Dale Earnhardt, Inc. to two Busch Series championships, in 1998-99. He then graduated to the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, where he drives DEI’s No. 8 Chevrolet. Ron Hornaday drove DEI’s No. 3 Busch Series Monte Carlo in 2000.
At the beginning of the 2001 season, after DEI closed its Busch operation, no one held the rights to the number in the Busch Series, though it was being reserved for Dale Earnhardt or DEI. After Earnhardt was killed on the last lap of the Daytona 500 driving a No. 3 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, NASCAR’s competition department put the Busch Series’ No. 3 “on hold” for the rest of the year.
For the second Winston Cup race of the season RCR, with NASCAR’s blessing, transferred the No. 3’s owner points to the No. 29 car driven by Kevin Harvick. For 2002, the competition department is working with RCR and DEI to determine the status of the Busch No. 3.
The discussion has continued over what will happen with the No. 3 in the Winston Cup Series, where RCR still maintains its rights. More than likely, that status will continue into 2002, whether or not the team actually runs the number.
NO. 31 TEAM CONTINUES HAT DANCE FOR U.S. NAVY
The Richard Childress Racing-owned No. 31 Chevrolet may be starting a new "Hat Dance" tradition. The phrase refers to when a winning driver puts on various hats in Victory Lane with a different sponsor logo on each one. Each time he does, another picture is taken. Sometimes the crew is part of it, sometimes they aren't.
Well, looks like the RCR gang may be starting a new tradition where they wear hats from a U.S. Naval Ship.
Last week at Phoenix they wore the hats from the USS Kitty Hawk and other ships in its battle group. The team was showing their support for the groups efforts where it is currently stationed in the Arabian Sea and lending support to the war efforts in Afghanistan. This week, the team plans to wear the hats from the USS Carl Vinson to continue their patriotic message.
Looks like it might have been a good message, as well. Robby Gordon had his best finish, seventh, since taking over for the injured Mike Skinnner.
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