IROC: Final four drivers named to the 2000 IROC series field
27 January 2000
Posted By Terry
Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
|
The four-race series begins on February 18 at Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona Beach, Fla. and matches a dozen top drivers in equally prepared Pontiac Firebird Trans Ams. The schedule also includes events on April 15, Talladega Superspeedway, Talladega, Ala.; June 10, Michigan Speedway, Brooklyn, Mich.; and August 4 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. ABC Sports will televise Daytona, March 12 at 5 p.m., and Talladega, April 16 at 5 p.m. ESPN will broadcast LIVE from Michigan, June 10 at 12 noon, and ABC Sports will air Indianapolis, April 16 at 5:00 p.m.
Dale Jarrett of Hickory, North Carolina returns to True Value IROC competition as the 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup Champion. Jarrett collected five wins in 1999; Richmond, Michigan, Daytona and the Brickyard. He scored 29 top-ten finishes of which, 24 were top-fives. Jarrett will be making his fifth appearance in the True Value IROC series.
Mark Martin of Daytona Beach, Florida dominated the True Value IROC series throughout the last decade. He collected a record breaking four IROC championships, of which, three were consecutive. Representing the NASCAR Winston Cup division, Martin finished third in points with wins at North Carolina and Dover. A formidable competitor wherever he races, Martin won six of the fourteen NASCAR Busch Grand National events he ran in 1999. He captured three Busch pole positions and twice went onto victory from the first starting spot. 2000 will be Martin's ninth appearance in IROC.
Jeff Burton of Huntersville, North Carolina accepted his third consecutive invitation to the True Value IROC series. Burton ended up fifth in NASCAR Winston Cup points with six victories, 18 top-five and 23 top-ten finishes. Like teammate Mark Martin, Burton also visited victory lane on the NASCAR Busch Grand National tour with a win at North Carolina Speedway.
Mark Dismore of Greenfield, Indiana joins Greg Ray and Eddie Cheever Jr. from the Indy Racing League. Dismore's participation was announced earlier through the Indy Racing League and Kelley Racing. Dismore ended up third in Indy Racing League points with a win at Texas, five top-ten and two top-five finishes.
Reflecting on the driver lineup IROC President Jay Signore said, "We are very proud of our driver roster for the 2000 True Value IROC series. The enthusiasm expressed by these top name drivers to compete in the IROC series will never cease to amaze me. However, we are disappointed by the fact that there will not be any CART representation in our series this year. We were working hard toward resolving a scheduling conflict when we received word from invited CART front runners declining our invitations to compete. We regret that the 1999 Indy 500 winner Kenny Brack, now driving for Bobby Rahal in the CART series, falls victim to these circumstances. Kenny was eager to return to IROC competition this year; his brand of spirit will be sorely missed."
The True Value International Race of Champions matches twelve drivers to do battle in equally prepared Pontiac Firebird Trans Am race cars. At the end of the fourth race the points are tallied and an IROC Champion is crowned. All the IROC race cars are equipped with Goodyear Eagle radial tires and specially finished with brilliant DuPont ChromaSystem colors.
The True Value IROC series is sponsored by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and DuPont Automotive Finishes.
Text provided by IROC
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