NASCAR life for some a difficult task

Steve Guiremand

Thursday, Feb. 26, 1998 | 1:29 a.m.

This week it's Las Vegas. Last week it was Rockingham, N.C. Next week it's Atlanta.

Being a member of a NASCAR team certainly has its advantages when it comes to seeing the country and racking up frequent flier miles. But it also can be a logistical nightmare, especially when it comes to transporting expensive equipment cross country for a big race.

Take the case of the Charlotte, N.C.-based American Racing Equipment team for instance.

A large semitrailer left Charlotte on Monday night for Las Vegas filled with two Caterpillar Chevrolets for driver David Green, tools and pit equipment. Weather permitting, the truck is expected to complete its 2,200-mile cross country sojourn to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway this morning in time for today's practice sessions.

"You just keep your fingers crossed that you don't hit any bad weather," said ARE crew chief Sam Johns. "Our driver, Ronnie Baker, called us Tuesday from Arkansas and said it was snowing. But we haven't heard anything from him since which usually means everything is going OK."

Baker is making the trip solo. He periodically stops to catch a few hours of sleep before continuing west.

"He's our unsung hero," said Johns. "This schedule is more stressful on the truck driver than anybody else. The rest of us just jump on a plane and we're out there in a few hours."

Johns said shipping his team's racing equipment 2,200 miles isn't as problematic as one might believe.

"When you plan it out well, it's not that tough," said Johns. "It all depends on the planning of the race cars. We've been working on getting cars ready for this race since the start of the year."

Still, sometimes you still need a little luck.

"I remember last year pulling into the Poconos and Ronnie said, 'I beat you by five minutes.' He had two flat tires on the way up there. Still he made it there on time.

"It's always comforting when you know your truck has made it. Right now Ronnie's the most important guy on our team."

A few hours after Sunday's race, Baker and another driver, Daryl Shoope, will set out for the long drive back to Charlotte, likely arriving back home early Tuesday morning.

"They'll alternate their driving and stay within the laws of the DMV," Johns said.

Then, after a day off, it's off to Atlanta.