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NorthernLight IRL: Blueprint Racing closes 2000 IRL season in Texas

16 October 2000

FORT WORTH, TX. Sunday, October 15, 2000 - The Jimmy Kite piloted #27
National Sports Management/ Blueprint Racing Special took the green flag for
the Excite 500k in 20th position.  After a stirring run up through the Indy
Racing Northern Light Series field in the black and yellow G Force, he would
finish where he started here at Texas Motor Speedway.

“I can’t believe the luck we’ve had this year,” lamented Kite.  “I just can’
t believe it.  We knew weren’t going to qualify very well but we thought we
had a great car for the race, and we did.  Unfortunately, it just didn’t
last as long as we needed it to… again.”

Kite drove the Brad McCanless-engineered car up from 20th to a high of
seventh within the first 50 laps.  The #27 Blueprint crew, led by Randy
Ruyle, had a phenomenal first pit stop that moved the car up three
positions.   Kite stayed in, or near, the top-ten until the second pit stop
on lap 88 under a yellow flag.  Moments later the engine in the #27 suffered
a failure.

“We know the team is there.  We have the guys and the driver,” offered
co-owner Keith Sanders.  “We just have to tweak a few things over the
winter.  We have had several cars this year that were capable of winning.
This car was capable of winning.”

National Sports Management comes to Blueprint Racing for the weekend of the
Excite 500 after signing a long-term contract with the Bedford Park,
Illinois-based race team to seek out marketing partners for the team’s
Northern Light Series effort with Kite.