Sunday, September 02, 2001
Auto racing insider
Fultz still itching for Winston Cup ride
Blue Ash native Jeff Fultz won again last week on the NASCAR Gatorade All-Pro circuit, a regional series that tours the Southeast U.S.
Fultz's victory was at the Charter Communications 250 at Bristol, Tenn., where the Winston Cup series also ran last week. It was Fultz's fourth win of the All-Pro season, including both Gatorade events at Kentucky Speedway this summer.
Fultz stands third in the Gatorade season points race. He twice has finished second in the season standings.
Fultz, 31, a Sycamore High School graduate, is Cincinnati's top active driver in NASCAR. He aspires to Winston Cup or perhaps a Busch ride this year, and has been attempting to find sponsorship.
In May, Fultz tried but failed to make the field for the Winston Cup's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. He was able to get his car onto the track for a qualifying run but did not have the speed or provisional points to make the 43-car field.
Fultz is trying to become the first Cincinnati driver to reach Winston Cup since Rodney Combs, who last drove a Cup race in 1990.
Combs, 50, is now a spotter
for Winston driver Jerry Nadeau.
CLARIFICATION: We mentioned recently that the Shur-Good Racing Report, the Sunday night radio show on WLW-AM (700), had received an 11.9 rating for the last rating period for the 25-54 age group. Actually, that should be an 11.9 “share,” WLW programming director Daryl Parks called to say.
The “share” means the show drew 11.9 percent of all listeners ages 25-54, Parks said. The actual “rat ing” for the show is 0.7, which reflects “the amount of people listening to the radio program as far as the entire market population,” Parks said.
Either way, Bill “Seg” Dennison's Shur-Good report was still No.1 for its time period (7-9 p.m. Sundays), Parks said.
SHARP FINED: Scott Sharp has been fined by the Indy Racing League for unsportsmanlike driving during the IRL race Aug.12 at Kentucky Speedway.
Sharp was fined last week by IRL operations chief Brian Barnhart, who did not disclose the size the fine but said it was “a substantial amount.”
Sharp, polesitter for the Kentucky race, finished second to Buddy Lazier. Sharp, cited for blocking during several recent wheel-to-wheel battles, said he would not contest the fine.
NHRA UPDATE: The 47th annual NHRA U.S. Nationals continue today and conclude Monday at Indianapolis Raceway Park in Clermont, Ind., a short drive from Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
FINISH LINE: Because of my added responsibilities as senior preps reporter at The Enquirer, this will probably be our last auto racing “insider” this year.
We will continue to pro vide coverage each week for the major series, notably the Winston Cup campaign that runs through Nov.18. We will also report any breaking news on the local scene.
The plan is to resume the weekly insider in February, around the time of the Daytona 500. Until then, keep us posted with local news and local drivers' achievements by e-mailing the address below. Thanks to all who called and e-mailed again this season.
Contact Tom Groeschen at 768-8450; fax: 768-8550; e-mail: tgroeschen@enquirer.com.
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