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The TACH Report: USAC and NASCAR to Link Up? SCORE 1998 Schedule Set; Mercedes Wins Another GT Race, R. Gordon Learns Fate Tomorrow

12 August 1997

Big rumor going around the pits, paddock, and local watering holes at Lexington, Ohio; Watkins Glen, New York; and Daytona Beach, Fla is the possible take over of USAC by NASCAR. It seems that the Frances, like Bruton Smith and Roger Penske, are buying everything in racing that's not nailed down. But standing in the wings ready to pounce on the IRL-less United States Auto Club is ProSportsCar mega bucks owner, Andy Evans who has Microsoft Bill Gates' checkbook.

SCORE, the MAIN off-road racing sanctioning body has released their 1998 schedule of six major races. It kicks off with the Laughlin Desert Challenge, March 22.

The Mercedes Silver Arrows team of tube framed super touring cars won last Sunday's round of the FIA World GT championship at Germany's A1 Ring. Drivers were Klaus Ludwig, Bernd Maylander and Bernd Schneider.

NASCAR team owner Felix Sabates was to give stormy petrel driver Robby Gordon his go/no go decision re his 1998 employment on July 15, but he extended the decision to August 15.

The road course at the new Pikes Peak Intn'l Raceway is now complete and it runs 1.3 miles. It will be christened Sept. 26-28 with an SCCA Trans Am.

Kenny Bernstein's long time crew chief and right hand man, Dale Armstrong missed his first NHRA race in 16 years as he had the flu and couldn't make Seattle last week.

The IRL announces that in eight races they have shelled out $16 million in prize money.

Geoff Bodine will announce two new sponsors this week.

Best car publication on the market, bar none, is Automobile Quarterly. The current issue of the $20 coffee table book traces the history of BMW with pictures of all their models plus shots of concentration camp prisoners working in their factory, and a scene with a visit by Hitler.

In F-1 (wasn't that a great dice today between the Schumacher brothers in Hungary?) Eddy Irvine will remain with Ferrari for 1998 and CART's Mark Blundell may return to Europe.

AC Cars, England, the backbone of the famous Shelby Cobra has a new sports car on the market. It's about the size of a Toyota Celica and has a sticker of $100,000.

A new hot rod Ford Taurus will come out this fall powered by a 200hp V6 motor and some chrome goodies.

The speed record at Sears Point Raceway, Sonoma, CA for IMSA WSC cars is held by James Weaver at 93.335 mph.

Nice guy Dick Wells, PR director for SEMA, has been elected a VP. When you want SEMA info you go to Dick and this fella gets things done.

Bill Maloney -- The Auto Channel