Open-wheel champ lands in NASCAR

Published: 2006-01-20
By: Chad Dare

DANVILLE - Paul Tracy, a former Champ Car Champion, is making a two-year transition from open-wheel racing to NASCAR.

Today in Daytona Beach, Fla., Tracy announced that he would be driving a stock car in five races this season on the NASCAR Busch Series.

The man behind the scenes putting this deal together was Danville sports agent Doug Barnette.
"Paul and I were just hanging out at Homestead (Fla.) at the end of last season,'' said Barnette in an exclusive interview. "He didn't have a ride in NASCAR, and we talked about doing something together.''

Barnette, who has put together several NASCAR deals for other drivers, including one for Tracy's friend, Jimmy Vassar, was able to get a package together in about three weeks.

"Drivers are good at driving. When it comes to putting together deals like this, that's when you need a guy like Doug,'' said Tracy.

Tracy, who was the 2002 Indianapolis 500 runner-up, has a five-race deal to run the No. 34 Sports Clips Chevrolet Monte Carlo of Frank Cicci Racing with Jim Kelly.

"I went to Sports Clips, their CEO Gordon Logan jumped all over it,'' Barnette said. "He had some money, but the funding side dictated that we needed more. One of his vendors, American Crew, a shampoo company, rounded out the financial program.

"It will allow us to run four races: Daytona (Feb. 18), Las Vegas (March 11), Indianapolis Raceway Park (Aug. 5) and Fontana, Calif. (Sept. 2). Then Paul will run Mexico City, regardless of sponsorship in the No. 34 car.''

Barnette said he was able to raise enough funds for Tracy to run 10 race weekends this season, but Champ Car owner Jerry Forsythe wanted his driver only running five events.

"It's no secret that I attempting to make the move to NASCAR Nextel Cup,'' Tracy said. "But unlike other forms of racing, you have prove yourself before you can get a ride. I've always been a guy that people have sought out in the open-wheel ranks.

"It's important that I make a good impression, so this deal that Doug has put together for me is the best possible situation.''

According to Barnette, the best possible situation is Frank Cicci's No. 34 Monte Carlo.
"The No. 34 car finished in the top 30 of points a year ago, securing it a position in the Feb. 18 Hersheys Kissables 300,'' Barnette said. "If we didn't have this ride, we would be looking at trying to beat out 40 other drivers for 12 spots.''

Last Summer, it was rumored that Tracy would be running a Busch Car for Richard Childress, who owns a pair of Nextel Cup cars.

But the two sides were not able to reach an agreement, leaving Tracy open to find a guy that Barnette.

"With this deal in place, we are going to start looking at getting Paul into a Nextel Cup car as soon as possible, with our goal of running a full Nextel Cup schedule in 2007.''

According to Barnette, that would cost about $15 to $16 million a season.

"Paul has a great personality and he is very popular World wide,'' Barnette said. "I expect this to be a very smooth transition for him.''

Tracy was scheduled to start testing his Monte Carlo today at the Daytona International Speedway.