Second Winston Division Opposed by France

Now may be the time for NASCAR to consider splitting its Winston Cup into two divisions. There are enough drivers and cars to fill two fields, enough race tracks to run on and enough fans to support two championship divisions.

The idea has been floated before, only to be knocked down by the France family, rulers of NASCAR.

Bill France Jr., president of the stock car racing organization, pooh-poohed the idea when it was suggested during his visit to the Daytona International Speedway media center, but that was expected. He hates the idea because it has been broached by Bruton Smith, who owns most of the major tracks not owned or controlled by France’s International Speedway Corp.

“Our fans would never sit still for it,” France said. “You’d have fans everywhere saying, ‘We want to see Rusty Wallace,’ or whoever. They would rebel if Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart weren’t racing each other. We did a feasibility study a few years ago and nobody wanted it.”

The Winston Cup season comprises 36 points-paying events, plus two invitational races, with every driver and every team running for the championship entered in them all. Last year, there was one 20-week stretch during which they raced every weekend.

In that way, the sport is similar to golf or tennis. The difference is, in those sports, individuals play the events they want to play. If Tiger Woods doesn’t enter a golf tournament, or the Williams sisters skip a tennis tournament, fans may be disappointed, but the events go on anyway.

With two divisions in NASCAR, there could be as many as 45 or 50 races a year, instead of 36, a figure drivers and car owners say cannot grow under current conditions. There could be road races at Sears Point and Watkins Glen, for instance, on the same day with half the Winston Cup roster at each event.

It would be similar to Thursday’s twin 125 races, for which the Daytona 500 entry was split. There was no lack of talent in either race -- Gordon, Dale Jarrett, Ricky Rudd and Sterling Marlin in one, and Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Bobby Labonte and Bill Elliott in the other.

With two points-paying divisions, there could be four or more major events on tracks such as Daytona, California, Indianapolis and Charlotte with everyone invited.

France has recommended a realignment of the schedule to give well-attended tracks two races while dropping some lesser events from the schedule. That’s another hit against Smith, who has been clamoring loud and long for a second race at his highly successful Texas Motor Speedway.

“Our realignment will take care of new tracks, and tracks that can use more races,” France said. “It makes sense to me if one track isn’t selling out a race, and another track can sell more tickets, why not change?”

That means, why doesn’t Smith take a race from his Atlanta Motor Speedway, which does not sell out its second date, and move it to Texas? Not surprisingly, Smith has rejected that idea.

France, however, said NASCAR might also shift several ISC dates, taking one from Darlington, for instance, and giving a second race to California Speedway.

That could also open the possibility of more night races. Saturday night’s Budweiser Shootout, with an estimated 80,000 on hand, despite a biting cold wind, was the best attended since the series began in 1979.

“I wish all races were at night, except the Daytona 500 and the Southern 500, which are so full of tradition,” said John Andretti, who grew up racing under the lights. “It’s better for the drivers, the crews, and the fans. Another great thing about Saturday night is that now you have another day [Sunday] in case of weather, for fans to travel home, and it gives teams a day off too.”

Derrike Cope, 1990 Daytona 500 winner, added, “From a sponsor’s standpoint, they are good not just because there might be better TV numbers but because the logos pop off so well. You can see the ‘Friendly’s’ on our car pretty well, but with a little creativity, that’s going to pop off even better in a night race -- for the fans in the stands and the ones watching on television.”

There is certainly no shortage of drivers. There are 51 on the grounds at Daytona and in the wings are a number of youngsters clamoring for opportunities, drivers such as J.J. Yeley, Kasey Kahne, Jason Leffler, Jay Drake, Brendan Gaughan and Cory Kruseman, all with proven records just a step below the Winston Cup level. If Brazilian Christian Fittipaldi is successful, it could bring a flood of young South American kart drivers to NASCAR, as it did to CART when Fittipaldi’s uncle, Emerson Fittipaldi, came to the United States.

And if there were 60 or more opportunities for stock car drivers, the exodus from CART and the IRL could become torrential. Already, NASCAR has taken Stewart, Andretti, Robby Gordon, Casey Mears and Fittipaldi from the open-wheel circuits.

The two-division concept won’t happen as long as Bill France holds the reins at NASCAR, but in April he will turn them over to Jim France, his younger brother.

The only thing certain in life is change, and even Winston, the moneybags of NASCAR since 1971, is rumored to be about to phase out of the program. R.J. Reynolds Co. officials say the rumor is premature, but it has been a major topic of conversation in the Daytona garages this week.

NASCAR and RJR have a contract that does not expire until 2007. Both sides say they will uphold it, but both also say if one or the other wants out, neither will stand in the way.

In a few years, the car count and sponsor dollars will grow when Toyota enters the fray. It will begin competing in the Craftsman Truck series with the Tundra in 2004, with an eye toward Winston Cup in 2006. With Toyota now building cars in the United States, it fulfills the NASCAR regulation that cars must be American built.

With the Winston Cup name expected to be dropped about that same time, how does Toyota Cup sound?

Sprint Cars

When the Sprint Car Racing Assn. season opens Saturday at Perris Auto Speedway, Harlan Willis’ familiar No. 45 will be driven by Damion Gardner instead of Kruseman, the 2001 champion.

Kruseman is leaving the SCRA to drive a sprint car for Tony Stewart in the U.S. Auto Club series, mainly in the Midwest. However, “the Kruiser” will be in Saturday night’s race in a car owned by Cory Witherall. Last weekend, Kruseman became the first American in 40 years to win the Australian Speedcar (midgets) championship.

Gardner was a little-known Northern California driver from Concord when he appeared with the SCRA last year and became an overnight sensation.

He set the Perris track record of 15.954 seconds for half a mile and finished third in the series behind four-time champion Richard Griffin and Tony Jones.

Saturday’s program will have an early start, 4 p.m., for time trials.

The World of Outlaws and their winged monsters will make their only Perris appearance of the year Feb. 22.

Looking for Lug Nut Jr.

Irwindale Speedway officials are looking for a second edition of their popular mascot, Lug Nut Jr., who races around at the track in a specially modified legends car, to the delight of youngsters.

“We’re putting out a general casting call for our new ‘Lug,’ ” said Bob DeFazio, track vice president. “This is really a key position at our facility. It takes a unique person.”

Joe Clark has been Lug Nut Jr. for two years but is giving it up for business and family reasons.

“It’s a really wonderful experience to be the guy who animates Lug Nut each week,” he said. “To see the looks in the little kid’s eyes, the smiles, the hugs. What a great job.”

Details: (626) 358-1100.

Last Laps

Seven-time supercross champion Jeremy McGrath will try his luck at four-wheel racing when he competes in the Toyota celebrity race April 12 as part of the Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend.... The NHRA Motorsports Museum has been renamed the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum in honor of the NHRA founder’s 90th birthday.

The Winston Cup race April 27 at California Speedway will be known as the Auto Club 500. It was formerly the NAPA Auto Parts 500.... The California Dragway, in the Fontana speedway’s parking lot, will conduct street-legal racing Saturday and Sunday as part of a seven-event schedule. Racing will start at 9 a.m.

Mike Follmer of Newport Beach was awarded the racer-of-the-year trophy for the Off-Shore PWC Endurance Racing series after winning the BP Motorsports overall championship.