NOTES : WANT TO GET RICH? JOIN A CREW.Byline: Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. The cost of racing stock cars is going up, and it's not just driver salaries, sponsorships and equipment. One of the biggest cost increases in NASCAR's Winston Cup series is crew salaries. ``A lot of people are paying huge salaries,'' said Felix Sabates Felix Sabates (born September 9, 1942) is a Cuban entrepreneur and philanthropist living in the United States. Early life Sabates, was the oldest of seven, three boys and four girls. , who owns a three-car Winston Cup team. ``We have a lot of new teams this season, and it's tough to find enough quality to go around.'' Sabates, a multimillionaire mul·ti·mil·lion·aire n. One whose financial assets are worth several million dollars. multimillionaire Noun a person who has money or property worth several million pounds, dollars, etc. businessman from Charlotte, N.C., said one of his crew member was offered a $28,000 raise by another team. ``I'm not going to get involved in that. I can afford to match anything I want to, but it's stupid on my part if I do,'' he said. ``I don't want people working for SABCO SABCO South Australian Brush Company Racing for the money. I want people working here because they want to be here and they want to win.'' Darrell Waltrip Darrell Lee Waltrip (born February 5, 1947 in Owensboro, Kentucky) is a three-time former NASCAR Winston Cup champion, the 1989 Daytona 500 winner, and current television race commentator with Fox Broadcasting Company. , an driver-owner, said crew members ``you could hire a year ago for $50,000, now they're getting $80,000. ``I hated to do it, but to be competitive, I have to do it. I'm paying the going rate.'' Big winner: Jimmy Vasser Jimmy Vasser (born November 20 1965 in Canoga Park, California ) is an American racing driver. Vasser was the 1996 Champ Car champion, driving for Chip Ganassi, and has scored ten victories in the category. , the 1996 PPG PPG Points Per Game (basketball player statistic) PPG Power Play Goals (hockey) PPG Planning Policy Guidance (UK) PPG Programmable Pulse Generator PPG Power Puff Girls CART World Series champion, received an ESPY Award Monday night as performer of the year in auto racing. Vasser, who drives for Target-Chip Ganassi Racing, was on hand in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of to accept the award during the ceremonies conducted and televised by ESPN ESPN Entertainment and Sports Programming Network . The fifth annual ESPYs recognized achievement in 34 categories spanning all major sports. The other finalists in auto racing were Terry Labonte Terrance Lee Labonte (born November 16, 1956, in Corpus Christi, Texas) is a former NASCAR driver. Labonte was introduced to the sport through his father, who had worked on racecars as a hobby for his friends. , the Winston Cup champion, and Formula One champion Damon Hill of England. Other athletes honored Monday included Muhammad Ali, Evander Holyfield, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods. ``The opportunity to be around some of those great names was a big thrill and something I'll always remember,'' said Vasser, who won four races and $3 million on the way to his first Indy-car title. Former racing-category winners include Nigel Mansell in 1992 and 1993, Al Unser Jr., in 1994 and Jeff Gordon in 1995. Oval change: The Metro Dade Homestead Motorsports Complex in Homestead, Fla., less than two years old, is going to undergo a major change later this year. Reacting to complaints from both CART and NASCAR NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing), organization that sanctions American stock-car races, est. 1948. It held its first race in Daytona Beach, Fla. , owner Ralph Sanchez has agreed to a $6 million renovation of the 1.5-mile oval on which CART's Indy cars and NASCAR's Craftsman trucks and Busch Grand National cars have raced. The competitors have complained that the current configuration is too tight and dangerous and too difficult to make a pass. Sanchez, a Cuban-born Miami businessman who made his dream a reality with the building of the south Florida track, said, ``This will be a huge job, so I don't want to say it will cost $6 million and it winds up costing $12 million. That's the problem, but our intention is to go ahead and get it done.'' Work will start after the NASCAR truck race at the track in the middle of March and should be finished in time for a Busch Grand National race in November. ``A little more than half the track will have to be reshaped or repaved,'' Sanchez said. ``This means redoing the banking. We've got to go outside about 100 feet at each end to do what we want to do. ``We've got to add more fill to bring the banking up 2 more degrees. We'll go almost 30 feet higher on the embankment.'' First lady: Tammy Jo Kirk Tammy Jo Kirk (born May 6, 1962 in Dalton, Georgia) is a racecar and motorcycle racer. She was the first woman to race in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and later returned to NASCAR to run the Busch Series. She hasn't driven in NASCAR since 2003. recently became the first female starter in NASCAR's Craftsman Truck Series, qualifying ninth and finishing 24th in the season-opening race at Orlando, Fla. Kirk, driving for Geoff Bodine, spun on the fourth lap and lost critical time in the pits for repairs. ``It's your typical first-race mistake - a rookie mistake,'' said the former NASCAR All-Pro Series racer. ``The truck was too loose. You get down into traffic like that and it just goes. ``They can tell you but you never know until you experience it,'' added Kirk, whose next race is March 1 in the NAPA 200 at Tucson, Ariz. New chassis: The Brahma Sports Team, with Scott Pruett and Raul Boesel as drivers, has made a late switch from Lola to Reynard chassis. ``It takes a lot of things to be a success in CART racing,'' said Pat Patrick, owner of the CART Indy-car team. ``The overall package has to fit together in just the right way. We felt that, considering the other elements in our program, that our best chance in 1997 was with the Reynard.'' The Brahma team has retained its Ford engine program. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: WALTRIP |
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