NASCAR WCUP: Steve Park Awaits New York City Return
16 March 1999
Trump Track Offers Park Chance To Go Home; Sport Accepts Northeasterners#1 Pennzoil Monte Carlo driver Steve Park grew up in East Northport, N.Y. on Long Island racing modifieds. When the 31-year-old driver gives interviews he's constantly plugging modified drivers and racetracks from the New York City area or he's talking about fan loyalty. The New York City metro area isn't perceived as a hot bed of stock car racing, but last Friday's announcement could change all that. International Speedway Corporation and The Trump Organization announced plans to identify and develop a site to be used as a racetrack in the metro New York City area, which includes New York, Connecticut and New Jersey. For Park it means more than just a new track. It means a chance to go home again.
Racing Near Hometown
"Most drivers in this sport take for granted they can race in front of their home fans at least once a year. I've never had that chance. My fans can come to New Hampshire and Watkins Glen, and those are great places, but to run the Pennzoil car near New York City in a Winston Cup race would be something I never really expected I'd have the opportunity to do. I would have told you it was a longshot for me to be in Winston Cup and it was an even longer shot that I would be in Winston Cup when it made its initial appearance anywhere near New York City.
"I'm sure the fans would turn out no matter where they build the track. My Dad and Uncles and I raced at a lot of places like Riverhead and Islip on Long Island; Wall Stadium and New Egypt in New Jersey; and Stafford Springs and Thompson in Connecticut. I think fans would fill the seats up there just like they do in Charlotte and Bristol. This could be the first race where I might sell more T-shirts than Earnhardt. Heck, we might even have to bring two Pennzoil souvenir trucks."
Northeasterners Acceptance In NASCAR
"I don't think Northeastern drivers are an oddity in NASCAR anymore. For years Geoffrey Bodine carried our banner and sometimes he got a lot of criticism because he was different. But, he paved the way for me. Nowadays, you have Northeastern guys like me, the two Bodines, Ricky Craven, Jimmy Spencer, Jerry Nadeau, and Kevin LePage in the field each week. The fans down South are used to us and treat us just the same as they do the drivers from the Carolinas or anywhere else. I think it's good for the sport. It means we are becoming a national sport. Californians can cheer Ernie Irvan, Texans the Labontes, in the Midwest you the Gordons, Schraders, and Irwins and the South still has its drivers. We are from all over the country and it's a good thing. Like they say, diversity is our strength."
THE RACE: TransSouth Financial 400
* Race: Sunday, March 21, 1999 in Darlington, SC for the TransSouth
Financial 400
* TV: ESPN 12:30pm/et
* The TransSouth Financial 400 will have a WC purse of $1,842,081
* 1998 Race Winner: Dale Jarrett
* Track/Race Length: 1.336 mile oval, 267 laps, 400 miles
* Qualifying Draw: 10:30am/et
* Practice: Friday, Mar 19th, 11:00am - 12:15pm/et and 1:00 - 1:55pm/et; Saturday, Mar 20th, 9:30 - 11:00am/et
* First Round Qualifying: 1 lap for positions 1-25, Friday, Mar 19th, at 3:30pm/et after BGN qualifying, TV-ESPN2 and live via MRN radio/internet
* Record Pole Speed: Ward Burton, 173.797 mph, March 1996
* Last Year's Pole Sitter: Mark Martin
* Second-Round Qualifying: Saturday, Mar 20th at 11:30am/et for 1 lap, positions 26-36
* Happy Hour Practice: Saturday, Mar 20th, for one hour after the BGN race, TV-ESPN2 2am and 10am/et on Sunday, March 21st(tape delay)