LV’s Vasser joins elite group with Wheaties

Friday, June 12, 1998 | 9:05 a.m.

A lot of Las Vegans have done a lot of wonderful things in sports. But until this week, only one (Greg Maddux) had appeared on the front of a Wheaties box.

The distinction of becoming the city's second cereal thriller goes to Jimmy Vasser, who along with Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Alex Zanardi will appear on a limited edition of the Wheaties box, commemorating their back-to-back championships in the CART FedEx Championship Series.

"This is a tremendous honor," said Vasser, who moved to Las Vegas in the midst of his 1996 championship season. "It's one that I could never have imagined as a child.

"There have been some great athletes and champions and championship teams recognized by Wheaties over the years. So I'm honored just to be in the same company as those people. Wheaties is really a part of Americana, and we're just proud to be a part of that great tradition."

Zanardi, the 1997 champion who also leads this year's points chase after eight of 19 races (Vasser is third), also is proud of the honor. Although at first, the import from Formula One wasn't quite sure how big an honor it is.

Having grown up in Italy, Zanardi admittedly is more partial to Barilla (a spaghetti sauce and one of his sponsors) than the "Breakfast of Champions."

"Jimmy, what is this Wheaties?" Zanardi was said to have asked Vasser as the teammates geared up for last weekend's ITT Automotive Detroit Grand Prix.

So on race day Sunday, Zanardi said he had Wheaties for breakfast -- and then went on to post his third victory of the season. He celebrated by spinning his car around in circles -- his trademark "donuts" -- on the victory lap.

Wheaties and donuts -- sounds like a pretty balanced diet as far as team owner Chip Ganassi is concerned.

"We're thrilled to represent our sport by being part of the Wheaties tradition," said Ganassi, whose drivers join NASCAR ace Dale Earnhardt as the only auto racing champions honored with a Wheaties box by General Mills.

The boxes featuring Vasser and Zanardi are expected to be shipped to Target stores by next week. They will remain on shelves through July, or as long as supplies last.

* NASCAR: Dale Jarrett has cooled off somewhat after charging NASCAR with "making up the rules as it goes along" following last Saturday's Winston Cup event at Richmond, when the stock car sanctioning body unexpectedly red-flagged the race when it appeared Jarrett would win under caution. On the restart, Jarrett was bumped out of the lead with two laps to go by Terry Labonte. Jarrett later said fans pay good money to watch a race and deserve a green-flag finish. "But you also have to have some basis to go off of," he said. ... A published report indicated that Darlington Raceway is on the verge of losing its spring race. But track president Jim Hunter refutes the Charlotte Observer story that indicated new races in Homestead, Fla., and at a new track in Kansas City would result in Darlington losing its March date by 2000. "My source (within NASCAR) isn't talking anything about that," Hunter said. ... David Green is out as driver of the No. 96 Caterpillar Chevrolet. Veteran Hut Stricklin will drive the car in Sunday's Miller 400 at Michigan. ... Crew chiefs Larry McReynolds and Kevin Hamlin has switched teams within Richard Childress Racing, with McReynolds moving over to Mike Skinner's car and Hamlin to Dale Earnhardt's. The team has struggled mightily since Earnhardt won the Daytona 500 in the Winston Cup season opener. ... Team owners Tom Gloy and Bobby Rahal have named Tony Roper as new driver of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Icehouse Beer Ford.

* IRL: Last weekend was a busy one for Las Vegan Davey Hamilton, who finished sixth in the Pep Boys Indy Racing League True Value 500 at Texas Motor Speedway and sixth in a 100-lap USAC Silver Crown feature (after starting last) at Memphis Motorsports Park. ... Tony Stewart's speed of 228.012 mph on lap 86 of the True Value 500 was faster than his pole speed of 224.448 -- and was the fastest lap ever recorded by a new formula IRL car.

* LVMS: A full field of Late Model Sportsman entries is expected Saturday night, when the 1998 NASCAR Winston Racing Series resumes with a pair of twin main events at the short paved oval. Mike Ray continues to dominate the Late Models, having gained seven wins in eight decisions. Ray holds a 398-336 lead over Jerry Spilsbury in the LVMS points standings. Gates open at 4 p.m., with qualifying set for 5:45 and main events at 8:30. Tickets are $10 for adults; $5 for senior citizens, military and kids 6-12. Kids 6-under are free. ... The recent mailing of renewals for the 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup race next Feb. 28 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway has drawn a big response, according to track ticket manager Mike See. "We mailed them about a week ago," See said. "Since people started receiving them, the phones have continued to ring nonstop." See said those who did not attend last year's Winston Cup race can call 644-4443 to be placed on a waiting list.

* BACKMARKERS: Las Vegan Rob MacCachren powered his BF Goodrich Ford to fourth- and second-place finishes in the Pro-4 division at the CORR short course off-road event at Antigo, Wis., last weekend to increase his series points lead. That race will be shown at 11:30 a.m. June 20 on ESPN2. ... CART's FedEx Championship Series reached nearly one billion viewers around the world last year, according to a study conducted by Sponsorship Research International. ... Southern Nevada racers brought home some hardware from the 29th Tecate SCORE Baja 500 desert race last weekend in Ensenada, B.C., Mexico. Led by class winners Troy/Tim Herbst and Brian Collins, five of the 11 area desert racers completed all 460 rugged miles of Round 3 of the 1998 Lauglin SCORE Desert Series. Troy Herbst got a big driving assist from brother Tim in winning the unlimited Class 1 title and finished second overall with a time of 10 hours, 25 minutes, 4 seconds, averaging 44.155 mph. Collins won Class 8 in a White Lightning team Chevrolet C-1500, his first victory in the Baja 500. ... It's official: the unlimited hydroplanes, the world's fastest racing boats, will return to Lake Mead Sept. 25-27. Joining the big thunderboats again this year will be the exotic Formula One powerboats.