Monday, January 26, 2004
The driver's Nextel Cup future is uncertain.
By JOHN BASSETTI
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
HARTFORD -- Dave Blaney will race in the Daytona 500 in a Dodge for the Bill Davis racing team, the Hartford native said Wednesday.
"After that, it's up in the air. I don't know," Blaney said of his Nextel Cup status beyond the series' inaugural event of 2004.
He will, however, drive in 10 Busch Series races for Whelen Engineering.
Blaney, 41, was in limbo after the 2003 Winston Cup season following a merger and shakeup of his former team under Jasper Motorsports.
After driving the No. 77 Ford Taurus for Jasper last year, Blaney was left in the cold when Jasper and Roger Penske Racing made a deal to share ownership of the No. 77 team. Once under the Penske and Dodge umbrella, Brendan Gaughan joined the team as its new driver.
Completed fourth year
In November, Blaney, whose home has been in High Point, N.C., completed his fourth year at NASCAR's highest level. NASCAR's long association with Winston Cup sponsorship changed to Nextel beginning this year.
Since then, he's been taking part in off-season testing at Daytona in the Davis Dodge. He'll return to Daytona on Feb. 5.
Blaney was behind the wheel of Whelen Engineering's No. 31 car in 10 Busch Series races last year.
Blaney's one-race deal with Davis materialized after changes in the team owner's status.
"Davis had a sponsor on his No. 23 car, but it was moved to his Busch team," Blaney said. "That left Davis without a [Nextel Cup] sponsor for the whole year."
Blaney isn't even sure if the No. 23 he'll drive for Davis in the Daytona 500 is sponsored.
"But we'll race, regardless," he said.
In the meantime, Davis is looking for sponsorship for that team.
"If one is found, then I hope to race the whole season. If not, then it's up in the air," said Blaney.
A buyout or settlement has yet to be reached on Blaney's contract with No. 77.
He said he signed a contract with Jasper last fall to drive this year. After Penske bought a piece of the team and brought in different sponsors, the situation changed.
Blaney said he's due a certain amount, depending on whether he gets another car to drive or has nothing to drive.
Future
Blaney, of course, hopes for a positive development to keep him in the driver's seat throughout the Nextel Cup season.
"I hope they get a deal put together and we can race all year," he said. "But there are a lot of good teams still looking for sponsors. It's tough right now."
Prior to his association with Jasper beginning in 2002, Blaney spent his first two Winston Cup seasons and two Busch seasons with Bill Davis Racing. His Winston Cup debut was at North Carolina Speedway in October 1999.
When asked his opinion of Nextel's revamped points system, Blaney said, "Some will like it, some won't. But, it will definitely make it more exciting, especially the last 10 races."
bassetti@vindy.com