Notes From Final Day of Charlotte Tour

Hendrick anxious to see son race By Shawn A. Akers NASCAR Online

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Jan. 15, 1999) Some notes and quotes Friday from the final day of the annual Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour presented by UAW-GM Motorsports, held in Charlotte, N.C., and the NASCAR Busch Series Grand National Division Preview, held Friday in Hickory, N.C.:

Because he was not allowed out of his house for a year due to legalities, Rick Hendrick said he sorely missed watching his son, Ricky, out on the race track this past year in the late model division at Concord (N.C.) Motorsport Park. This year, Hendrick will get the chance to see his son race at Concord, and also in the NASCAR Busch Series when he drives a limited schedule for the new Gordon/Evernham team in 1999, as well as some Hooters Pro Cup races.

Hendrick said it even frightens him to a degree to think about his son running at top speeds on superspeedways.

"I literally am in fear of watching him in those races," Hendrick said of his son. "I don't want to see my son in that. But, he's got the talent, and it's something he wants to do. We're not going to push him. I'll help him as much as I can."

Rick Hendrick isn't the only member of the Hendrick family that has been ailing. Hendrick's father, "Papa Joe" Hendrick, has been undergoing radiation treatment for prostate cancer.

Rick Hendrick said Friday was "Papa Joe's" last radiation treatment for the illness.

Bobby Labonte's new NASCAR Busch Series car was unveiled for the media on Friday. MBNA, which sponsored Ward Burton in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series the last few years, will sponsor the No. 18 Pontiac with a sleek green and silver design.

MBNA will also sponsor Joe Gibbs' son, J.D., for 12 races in the NASCAR Busch Series in 1999, and his other son, Coy, for the entire season in the NASCAR Slim Jim All Pro Series.

Gibbs, the former Washington Redskins' coach in the National Football League, was asked his thoughts Friday on this weekend's NFL conference championship games.

As always, the coach was diplomatic about the AFC championship with the New York Jets at Denver and the NFC championship, with Atlanta at Minnesota.

"I have my two sentimental favorites, ones I'd like to see win, but I don't know if that will happen," said Gibbs, who won three Super Bowl titles as a coach. "I'd like to see the Jets win, but I know it's awfully tough to win at Denver. And, I'd like to see Atlanta win, but the Vikings are just unbelievably strong. Hopefully, it will be a couple of good games."

A bit of history was made Friday in Hickory at the NASCAR Busch Series Preview, when Lyndon Amick, a young, up-and-coming NASCAR Busch Series driver, announced his 1999 season plans on a broadcast live over the Internet. Amick conducted an online chat sessions with fans around the world simultaneously from the Hickory Metro Trade Center.

Amick's new website -- www.lyndonamick.com -- was also launched Friday. Amick will be teammates with Hank Parker Jr. for the 1999 NASCAR Busch Series season. The two teams, however, are separate entitities, with Hank Parker Sr. owning Hank Parker Racing in Denver, N.C., and Bill Amick owning Amick Motorsports in Concord, N.C.

Several new paint schemes for NASCAR Busch Series cars were unveiled on Friday at the NASCAR Busch Series preview. New paint schemes for teams include the No. 32 Kleenex Chevrolet, for driver Jeff Green at Progressive Motorsports; Green's teammate, Jason Keller, driver of the No. 57 IGA Chevrolet; the No. 66 Trop-Arctic Phillips Performance Company Chevrolet of Todd Bodine at Cicci-Welliver Racing; the No. 10 Alltel Chevrolet of Phil Parsons; and the No. 72 Chevrolet of Hermie Sadler of Parker Racing.

Source: NASCAR Online