The Buzz: Jan. 30, 2002

January 30, 2002
4:35 PM EST (2135 GMT)

NEW CREW CHIEF FOR NORICK?

Lance Norick

The Buzz has learned that Gary Showalter will be taking over crew chief duties for Lance Norick and the No. 90 Chevrolet team in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2002. Showalter would be replacing John Monsam, who parted ways with the team after leading them to an 11th-place points finish with three top five and five top-10s last season.

Showalter led Coy Gibbs to a 10th-place finish with two top fives and seven top-10 finishes during the 2001 campaign. He was replaced at Joe Gibbs Racing when Doug Hewitt was selected to call the shots for Gibbs in 2002.

DEI WILL BE HOLTZ-ED UP AT SHOP NEXT WEEK

With Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway beginning next week, it looks like Dale Earnhardt Inc. is going to get revved up a little bit early.

The home of Dale Earnhardt Jr., Steve Park, Kenny Wallace and Michael Waltrip is bringing in someone who knows how to motivate a group -- legendary football coach Lou Holtz. Coach Holtz was invited by Dale Jr. himself to come speak to the DEI team before they head to Daytona next week (Not that the DEI gang needs a whole lot of motivation with five combined victories in Winston Cup last year).

Holtz knows a thing or two about winning, too. As the head football coach of the University of South Carolina Gamecocks this past year, the school finished 13th in the polls to match their highest finish since 1984, including a dramatic win on the final play of the Outback Bowl over Ohio State. Holtz also coached the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, where he led them to a national championship in 1988. Holtz has also been the head coach at Minnesota, Arkansas, North Carolina State and William and Mary through the years since 1969. He was also was the head coach of the NFL's New York Jets in 1976.

BEST SELLER

"Driver #8," Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s new autobiography, will appear on the New York Times Best Seller list at No. 15 this Sunday. The 15 best-selling books in the country are listed each week, and usually correlates into increased shelf space and deeper discounts at many retailers across the United States.