Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA

BUSCH: Jimmy Foster To Run Limited Busch Series Schedule

Foster plans to control his own destiny By Brett Borden DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 15, 1999) In town for Goody's Dash, NASCAR Touring Division testing at Daytona International Speedway, former NASCAR Busch Series Grand National Division ...

Foster plans to control his own destiny By Brett Borden

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 15, 1999) In town for Goody's Dash, NASCAR Touring Division testing at Daytona International Speedway, former NASCAR Busch Series Grand National Division competitor Jimmy Foster announced plans to become future NASCAR Busch Series driver Jimmy Foster.

Foster will co-own the team, called Performance Motorsports, with long-time friend and business associate Alan Gustafson. Foster said he will drive 6-8 races, pending sponsorship. The team will be based out of Denver, N.C., and utilize Chevrolet Monte Carlos. The decision on who will be the engine builder is still up in the air.

Foster says he hopes the part-time NASCAR Busch Series effort will blossom into something full-time soon.

"That's what we're working on," Foster said. "We're hoping in the year 2000 that we'll be able to run a full Busch Series schedule."

A key to the success of the team could be the involvement of 1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion crew chief Gary DeHart. Foster said the relationship got started when he and partner Gustafson were selling carbon fiber products to DeHart.

"We're actually in the shop with Gary DeHart right now and he's built a bigger shop which we'll be moving into, which has helped us out a lot, helped us make the decision to do the Busch Series. Gary actually has given me a lot of confidence just helping us out verbally. I think we're going to be able to have a successful team. With Alan Gustafson, he's been off working with Don Rich for the past year and a half, who's an engineer. And with him being a partner in this team it's just driving both of us to accomplish our goals."

Foster said the first venue the team hopes to compete in is Myrtle Beach Speedway, but they also hope to make stops at Bristol Motor Speedway, Memphis Motorsports Park, and possibly a few other short tracks. He said his career is reenergized with this new package.

"This past year with breaking my foot I lost a lot of seat time," he said. "I've had a chance to sit back and I've done some spotting for some other drivers, which has helped me out a lot. I know a lot of successful drivers now have been spotters for other drivers. I'm hoping that by myself doing that it's going to help me out, too.

"I'm excited. I mean, to be in a building with a guy like Gary DeHart, and his reputation -- he's the 1996 Winston Cup champion crew chief. That's awesome. Just to be able to be in the same building with somebody like that, and him showing interest, I never would have dreamed that would happen."

After two unsuccessful previous stabs at the NASCAR Busch Series (1997 with Curtis Key/Speedvision and 1998 with Washington/Erving Motorsports), Foster is back in high gear, and says his lifelong dream of making it to the NASCAR Winston Cup Series is coming back into focus.

"That's been the goal ever since I was six years old is to run Winston Cup," he said. "I ran in Busch the last couple years. I learned a lot with the teams I've been with, and that's why I chose to do my own deal, so I could control my own destiny."

Will the added responsibility of owning the team affect the way he drives?

"No," Foster said. "I'm out there to race and I'm out there to win."

In the more immediate future, Foster will be driving the No. 30 Pontiac owned by Bill Ricker and sponsored by All-Star Bleachers in the Goody's Dash, NASCAR Touring Division's Discount Auto Parts 200 presented by ACDelco Rapid Fire on Feb. 12 at DIS.

Ricker said he's proud to have Foster drive for him in the race.

"I've met a lot of good young people in the Dash Series," Ricker said. "I'm very fortunate and happy that Jimmy's going to be driving for us."

Don Marsh, with All-Star Bleachers, said the sponsorship will give his company a different perspective on auto racing.

"We do a lot of work with Daytona, Talladega, Darlington, Phoenix, North Carolina Motor Speedway," he said. "We're currently working here on the Winston Tower. We've always been on the outside of the track. I guess you could say this is our entry into the pits as far as the actual racing goes."

One thing Foster would like to avoid is his scary airborne accident in the Goody's Dash Series race at Daytona back in 1996.

"I'll try not to tear up the grass this year," he said.

Source: NASCAR Online

Be part of Motorsport community

Join the conversation
Previous article SWS: Results 99-01-10
Next article Daytona Test Speeds 99-01-15

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA