Team Changes
After a championship together in 1985, Darrell Waltrip decided to move from the No. 11 Junior Johnson Budweiser Chevrolet to the new No. 17 Tide Chevrolet, a third full-time Rick Hendrick-owned team.
A famous quote stemmed from this move, which crew chief Jeff Hammond describes in his book Real Men Work In the Pits went like this:
"I finally got me a thoroughbred." – Darrell Waltrip, referring to his new ride.
"I don't know about any thoroughbred. I do know we had a jackass around here who recently left." – Junior Johnson
The rest of "silly season" looked like this among full-time teams: Terry Labonte left the No. 44 Piedmont Oldsmobile owned by Billy Hagan to replace Waltrip in the #11. Johnson decided to disband the No. 12 Budweiser team and let go driver Neil Bonnett, who moved to the No. 75 RahMoc Valvoline Pontiac. Morgan Shepherd vacated the No. 75 in favor of the No. 26 Quaker State Buick owned by Kenny Bernstein, driven by Joe Ruttman in 1986. Phil Parsons would replace older brother Benny in the No. 55 Copenhagen Oldsmobile owned by Leo and Richard Jackson. Lake Speed started out 1986 in the No. 75 RahMoc ride but was let go early in the season. With sponsorship from Wynn's, Speed would form his own team for 1987 in the No. 83 Oldsmobile. Valvoline would also sponsor the new No. 50 Dingman Brothers Pontiac, featuring Greg Sacks behind the wheel.
A few car number changes took place as well. Kyle Petty would continue to drive the Wood Brothers Ford, switching from No. 7 to #21. Alan Kulwicki took the No. 7 for his independent team. Cale Yarborough exited the No. 28 Ford team but took sponsor Hardee's with him to his self-owned No. 29 Oldsmobile. Davey Allison would compete for Rookie Of The Year in the Harry Ranier No. 28 Ford, still looking for a sponsor to open the season. Michael Waltrip would continue driving for Chuck Rider but switched from the No. 23 Hawaiian Punch Chevrolet to the No. 30 Chevrolet with various sponsors.
Drivers remaining with the same teams from 1986 would be: No. 3 Dale Earnhardt (sponsor: Wrangler, owner: Richard Childress), No. 4 Rick Wilson (Kodak, Larry McClure) No. 5 Geoff Bodine (Levi Garrett, Rick Hendrick), No. 8 Bobby Hillin, Jr. (Miller American, Stavola Brothers), No. 9 Bill Elliott (Coors, Harry Melling), No. 15 Ricky Rudd (Motorcraft, Bud Moore), No. 18 Tommy Ellis (Freelander Financial, Eric Freelander), No. 22 Bobby Allison (Miller American, Stavola Brothers), No. 27 Rusty Wallace (Kodiak, Raymond Beadle), No. 33 Harry Gant (Skoal Bandit, Hal Needham), No. 43 Richard Petty (STP, Petty Enterprises), No. 52 Jimmy Means, No. 70 J.D. McDuffie (Tom Winkle), No. 71 Dave Marcis, No. 88 Buddy Baker (Crisco, Baker/Danny Schiff), No. 90 Ken Schrader (Red Baron, Junie Donlavey) and the part-time/independent efforts of No. 14 A.J. Foyt, No. 67 Buddy Arrington, No. 77 Ken Ragan (Marvin Ragan), No. 81 Chet Fillip (Corey Fillip) and No. 89 Jim Sauter (Evinrude, Mueller Brothers).
Top drivers out of a ride included Benny Parsons and Joe Ruttman.
Those who officially threw their hat in the ring for Rookie Of The Year in 1987 would be: Davey Allison, Steve Christman (#62 AC Delco, Tom Winkle), Rodney Combs (#10 DiGard) and Derrike Cope (#19 Stoke Racing).
Ron Bouchard, Trevor Boys, Eddie Bierschwale and a host of others would battle for the remaining open spots.
Read more about this topic: 1987 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
Famous quotes containing the word team:
“Imagination is a valuable asset in business and she has a sister, Understanding, who also serves. Together they make a splendid team and business problems dissolve and the impossible is accomplished by their ministrations.... Imagination concerning the world’s wants and the individual’s needs should be the Alpha and Omega of self-education.”
—Alice Foote MacDougall (1867–1945)
“Romeo. I dreamt a dream tonight.
Mercutio. And so did I.
Romeo. Well, what was yours?
Mercutio. That dreamers often lie.
Romeo. In bed asleep, while they do dream things true.
Mercutio. O then I see Queen Mab hath been with you.
She is the fairies’ midwife, and she comes
In shape no bigger than an agate stone
On the forefinger of an alderman,
Drawn with a team of little atomi
Over men’s noses as they lie asleep.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)