Ken
Gone but not forgotten
From NASCAR.com:
Fellows to drive No. 32 for Cup race at Sonoma
From Team Release
May 26, 2005
01:00 PM EDT (17:00 GMT)
HICKORY, N.C. -- PPI Motorsports on Thursday announced that veteran road course driver Ron Fellows will climb behind the wheel of the No. 32 Chevrolet for the upcoming Nextel Cup Series race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., on June 26.
PPI owner Cal Wells III made the decision based on NASCAR's current qualifying rules and said Bobby Hamilton Jr. remains the driver of the Tide ride.
"I want to stress the fact that I have the utmost faith in my driver, Bobby Hamilton Jr.," Wells said. "Unfortunately, our team has suffered a string of bizarre circumstances that has equated to 37th place in the NASCAR Nextel Cup owner points.
"I felt, as did Bobby Jr., qualifying would be a major concern at Infineon since we may have to race our way in. Therefore, I believe it is in the best interest of the team to turn to one of the best road course racers in motorsports to help improve our results.
"Fellows can not only help our owner points but also provide the Tide team with a legitimate shot at winning the race."
"It's no secret I do not have the experience or the professional road course schooling needed to feel comfortable about qualifying successfully at a road course," said Hamilton Jr., who has raced only three times in his career at Watkins Glen in the Busch Series.
"The Tide team is not in a situation to take chances so putting Fellows in the car is a good decision."
Fellows did not race at Infineon last season due to a schedule conflict, but finished second at Watkins Glen after starting 43rd when qualifying was rained out.
Fellows, 45, is recognized as one of North America's best road course drivers. From Mississauga, Ontario, he has a vast array of experience after wielding Chevrolets in all three NASCAR series.
He has five NASCAR victories at Watkins Glen, including two in the Craftsman Truck Series and three in the Busch Series.
Fellows is a Chevrolet factory driver in the American Le Mans Series for Corvette Racing, where his most recent win came last month at Road Atlanta. He and teammate Johnny O'Connell drove the new Corvette C6R to its first victory as well as tying the ALMS record with 22 career wins.
Fellows to drive No. 32 for Cup race at Sonoma
From Team Release
May 26, 2005
01:00 PM EDT (17:00 GMT)
Bobby Hamilton says the No. 32 team is not in the "situation to take chances," so PPI will run at Sonoma with a road racer behind the wheel. Credit: Autostock
HICKORY, N.C. -- PPI Motorsports on Thursday announced that veteran road course driver Ron Fellows will climb behind the wheel of the No. 32 Chevrolet for the upcoming Nextel Cup Series race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., on June 26.
PPI owner Cal Wells III made the decision based on NASCAR's current qualifying rules and said Bobby Hamilton Jr. remains the driver of the Tide ride.
"I want to stress the fact that I have the utmost faith in my driver, Bobby Hamilton Jr.," Wells said. "Unfortunately, our team has suffered a string of bizarre circumstances that has equated to 37th place in the NASCAR Nextel Cup owner points.
"I felt, as did Bobby Jr., qualifying would be a major concern at Infineon since we may have to race our way in. Therefore, I believe it is in the best interest of the team to turn to one of the best road course racers in motorsports to help improve our results.
"Fellows can not only help our owner points but also provide the Tide team with a legitimate shot at winning the race."
"It's no secret I do not have the experience or the professional road course schooling needed to feel comfortable about qualifying successfully at a road course," said Hamilton Jr., who has raced only three times in his career at Watkins Glen in the Busch Series.
"The Tide team is not in a situation to take chances so putting Fellows in the car is a good decision."
Fellows did not race at Infineon last season due to a schedule conflict, but finished second at Watkins Glen after starting 43rd when qualifying was rained out.
Fellows, 45, is recognized as one of North America's best road course drivers. From Mississauga, Ontario, he has a vast array of experience after wielding Chevrolets in all three NASCAR series.
He has five NASCAR victories at Watkins Glen, including two in the Craftsman Truck Series and three in the Busch Series.
Fellows is a Chevrolet factory driver in the American Le Mans Series for Corvette Racing, where his most recent win came last month at Road Atlanta. He and teammate Johnny O'Connell drove the new Corvette C6R to its first victory as well as tying the ALMS record with 22 career wins.
