Petty, Hulk Hogan Join Forces
Kings in their respective fields, Richard Petty and Hulk Hogan have become a tag team.
They held a news conference Saturday to announce Petty’s associate sponsorship agreement on the Grand National racing circuit with World Championship Wrestling. Petty owns a Grand National car driven by Rodney Combs.
“Wait until Hulkamania runs wild in NASCAR,” said Hogan, who wore a yellow bandana on his head, red tights and a yellow Hulkamania T-shirt ripped in the back.
Joked Petty: “I don’t know if I’m ready for this. Having Hulk’s like having a PR man a PR man and a bodyguard.”
Hogan cheered on his new team from the press box Saturday during the Goody’s 300 as Combs finished 16th.
Coach Earnhardt
Dale Earnhardt’s car finished seventh in the Goody’s 300 with someone else in the driver’s seat.
Earnhardt, winner of the past five Goody’s 300s, retired from the Grand National series after last year. He owns the black No. 3 Chevrolet that rookie Jeff Green drove Saturday.
“We would have liked to have done better,” Earnhardt said, “but I think he did a good job.”
Green started third, but a pit stop left him out of the top 10 with 25 miles to go. He managed to avoid the worst of a wreck with just more than two laps left and was still running at the finish.
“I tried to do what Dale wanted me to do,” Green said. “It paid off a lot of times. What he said worked. He’s a good coach.”
Inquiring minds
Several NASCAR drivers, including Bobby Labonte and Ted Musgrave, visited with more than 250 children ages 3 to 12 during a recent Speed Weeks promotion at Daytona International Speedway. The drivers answered questions submitted in writing.
From Bobby, no age given: “At 180 mph on an 80-degree day with a 10 mph tail wind, how many miles can you get out of a set of Goodyear radials?”
From Thomas, age 4: “Why do you shut your eyes when you crash?”
Modest goal
As one of four rookies in the lineup, Randy LaJoie takes a modest goal into his first Daytona 500.
“Our strategy is to get the car to run good and comfortable, stay out of trouble and finish,” he said.