NASCAR WCUP: Petty and Dodge Spell Recipe for Success is 2001

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

DAYTONA BEACH, FL - The 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup season will be a year of firsts for John Andretti and the No. 43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Racing Team.

2001 marks the first full season of primary sponsorship for General Mills' Cheerios and Betty Crocker brands of Andretti and the famed Petty Enterprises No. 43 racing machine. General Mills, now in its fourth year as a primary sponsor in the Winston Cup series, replaced STP as the primary sponsor of the No. 43 at Daytona in July 2000.

The 2001 campaign also marks the return of Dodge to the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit and to the Petty racing team. The Petty family accounted for 45 of Dodge's 150 NASCAR wins, including 37 by "The King" Richard Petty. Dodge will make its debut at the Daytona 500 with five teams fielding 10 cars.

"This is a pretty exciting time for us right now," said Laurie Greeno, Vice President of Motorsports at General Mills. "We are looking forward to our first full season with John Andretti and Petty Enterprises as well as seeing what the new Cheerios / Betty Crocker Dodge Intrepid can do."

Richard Petty, owner of the No. 43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge, won three of his championships behind the wheel of a Dodge.

"I think its great that Dodge is back with the Pettys," Petty said. "2001 is going to be a good year for us, and we're going to keep moving forward with Dodge, Cheerios, Betty Crocker and General Mills for many years to come."

Andretti, who claimed his first Winston Cup victory in July 1997 at Daytona, feels 2001 will be a great year for the No. 43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge.

"This is an exciting time for the Petty racing team," Andretti said. "Richard had great success in his No. 43 Dodge, and I'm hoping to put my No. 43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge out front in 2001."

The Daytona 500 kicks-off the 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup season on Feb. 18 at Daytona International Speedway.

Text Provided By Nicole-Allen Studer

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