Tom Gloy, Bobby Rahal Announce Driver Change

BORIS SAID Tony Roper, Boris Said and a "driver to be named later" will finish the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season in the No. 55 Icehouse Beer Ford owned by Gloy/Rahal Racing, team owners Tom Gloy and Bobby Rahal announced Tuesday.

Roper, a native of Fair Grove, Mo., who has competed in both the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and NASCAR Busch Series Grand National Division over the past two seasons -- including a stint in 1998 with Gloy/Rahal Racing -- will drive the Icehouse truck in the Kroger 225 on Friday night at the .438-mile Louisville Motor Speedway.

Said, a former regular in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series who has driven in all three primary NASCAR series in the past couple years, will pilot the No. 55 Ford in the Bluebonnet 300 at the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway on Oct. 15.

The driver for the season finale NAPA Auto Parts 200 at California Speedway in Fontana on Oct. 30 has yet to be determined, the owners said. The team's regular driver, Ron Barfield of Florence, S.C., previously was notified that he would not be retained beyond the end of the 1999 season. The decision to separate now was called a "mutual agreement."

"We felt it was in the best interests of Ron and our Icehouse team to go our separate ways right now," said Gloy, whose team ranks 18th in the current standings. "We appreciate Ron's efforts this year and we wish him the best in the future. We are glad to have Tony and Boris in the Icehouse Ford for the next two races."

Barfield will stay busy as well. He is entered for the Kroger 225 in a No. 40 McCray Racing Chevrolet owned by Rick and Sandy McCray. Rick McCray drives the team's regular entry, a No. 42 Chevy Silverado.

Barfield, who recorded a season best third place finish in the Icehouse truck in the third race of the season at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash., is pursuing other rides for the balance of 1999 as well as 2000.

"We started out the season with a fast truck but we had some tough luck," Barfield said. "Unfortunately, things weren't clicking for myself and the Icehouse team in the second half of the year. It's the best for everyone to move on at this point. I want to thank the Gloy/Rahal team for their effort this year and the folks at Icehouse.

"I'm looking forward to my future in NASCAR racing."

Roper drove 19 races for Gloy/Rahal in 1998, scoring his only career top-5 in 55 truck starts at Indianapolis Raceway Park in the No. 55 Ford. He had two other top-10 finishes and ended the season in 16th in the standings.

Roper had started the season in the NASCAR Busch Series driving the IWX Motor Freight Pontiacs. He and team owner Steve Coulter agreed to part ways midway through the season due to the uncertainty about the team's future. Roper is looking forward to Louisville, where he started eighth and finished sixth last year in the Icehouse Ford.

"We had a good truck at Louisville last year and I think we can be competitive again this time," Roper said. "It will be fun to race with the Icehouse team again. They have put together some very good equipment but have had some tough luck this year."

Said, who competed full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 1998 with Irvan-Simo Racing before that team stopped its full truck program this season, has driven in a variety of events this season ranging from the NASCAR Winston Cup Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series to the American Le Mans Series for sports cars.

"I've driven for Tom in sports cars for many years and I know the team's personnel very well," said Said, who competed for Gloy in the SCCA Trans-Am Series from 1994-95. "I've finished second at Texas before (1997) so I think I have the potential to be very strong on the big track. I'm looking forward to it."

Source: NASCAR Online