ThatsRacin.com Report
Whelen Engineering announced Friday it will celebrate its 50th anniversary by participating in the great American race - the Daytona 500.
Whelen will be the primary sponsor on the No. 23 Dodge driven by Dave Blaney for the Bill Davis Racing team in both the Budweiser Shootout on Feb. 7 and the Daytona 500 on Feb. 15.
"Finding a sponsor is always good news, but to work with a company I already have a relationship with like Whelen is even better. This is about as good of news as I have heard in a long time," said Blaney who reunites with the BDR team where he raced full-time in 2000 and 2001.
"This proves that there's still a place in this sport for businesses that don't have millions and millions of dollars to spend, but who really understand the value racing brings to their customers and employees."
The Daytona agreement is in addition to Whelen's plans for a 10-race Busch Series schedule with Blaney and Ted Marsh Racing in 2004.
"Last year was my first year with Ted's team and we had some good runs so combining for a second year should be even better," Blaney said. "We still want to get the Whelen car to victory lane and we don't care if we do it in the Busch Series or the Nextel Cup Series."
Veteran Philippe Lopez will serve as Blaney's crew chief at Daytona with the pit crew supplied by BDR.
Blaney will join teammate Scott Wimmer as BDR entries at Daytona. BDR will field trucks for Bill Lester and Shelby Howard in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and an entry for Kenny Wallace in the Busch Series.
Whelen Engineering announced Friday it will celebrate its 50th anniversary by participating in the great American race - the Daytona 500.
Whelen will be the primary sponsor on the No. 23 Dodge driven by Dave Blaney for the Bill Davis Racing team in both the Budweiser Shootout on Feb. 7 and the Daytona 500 on Feb. 15.
"Finding a sponsor is always good news, but to work with a company I already have a relationship with like Whelen is even better. This is about as good of news as I have heard in a long time," said Blaney who reunites with the BDR team where he raced full-time in 2000 and 2001.
"This proves that there's still a place in this sport for businesses that don't have millions and millions of dollars to spend, but who really understand the value racing brings to their customers and employees."
The Daytona agreement is in addition to Whelen's plans for a 10-race Busch Series schedule with Blaney and Ted Marsh Racing in 2004.
"Last year was my first year with Ted's team and we had some good runs so combining for a second year should be even better," Blaney said. "We still want to get the Whelen car to victory lane and we don't care if we do it in the Busch Series or the Nextel Cup Series."
Veteran Philippe Lopez will serve as Blaney's crew chief at Daytona with the pit crew supplied by BDR.
Blaney will join teammate Scott Wimmer as BDR entries at Daytona. BDR will field trucks for Bill Lester and Shelby Howard in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and an entry for Kenny Wallace in the Busch Series.
