Racing notebook: Roush signs deal with Internet site FamilyClick.com

Friday, March 3, 2000 | 10:14 a.m.

Jack Roush on Thursday announced a multi-year deal to have FamilyClick.com serve as the primary sponsor on the Roush Racing No. 16 Winston Cup Ford driven by Kevin Lepage.

FamilyClick.com is a family-oriented website and Internet browser focusing on education and entertainment, and allows families to filter out offensive websites.

"We have so much confidence in the concept of filtration with regards to the Internet that we have chosen to invest in (FamilyClick.com) over the many other options we had to choose from," Roush said in a press conference at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

"We were looking for the right sponsor -- not just any sponsor. We're proud to have a company such as FamilyClick.com associated with the No. 16 team and Roush Racing. I think you'll see plenty of good things out of this team."

Tim Robertson, president and CEO of FamilyClick.com, said NASCAR was a perfect venue to promote his company.

"We have chosen NASCAR because we love its clean, family image," Robertson said. "We have a long-standing personal history and friendship with Roush Racing and know that Jack is totally committed to winning."

The same company that oversaw the Family Channel, which previously had sponsored one of Roush's Winston Cup cars, started FamilyClick.com.

Terms of the deal were not announced.

* HAPPY ROOKIE: NASCAR Busch Series rookie Mike Borkowski was the highest-qualifying rookie Thursday for Saturday's Sam's Town 300 at LVMS, putting his AT&T Pontiac Grand Prix on the outside of row four.

"We're real pleased with that run," Borkowski said of his 32.777-second, 164.750-mph lap. "I'm still a rookie and learning every single lap out there, so I'm pretty pleased."

* STAR GAZING: The television show "Baywatch" has signed on to sponsor Bobby Hamilton Jr.'s Chevrolet Monte Carlo in the Busch Series.

Actor David Hasselhoff, star of "Baywatch," is expected to be at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday to watch Hamilton compete in the Sam's Town 300. ...

Also expected to be in attendance at LVMS this weekend are several members of the rock group Van Halen. Instead of requesting tickets to one of the luxury suites, however, the unidentified band members wanted tickets in the grandstand, according to an LVMS official.

* HEALTHY ADVICE: The Pfizer "Tune-Up For Life" mobile health screening unit will be parked on the LVMS midway this weekend and will offer race fans a variety of health screenings.

The 50-foot mobile unit is staffed by health-care professionals and will include screenings on a variety of medical conditions such as hypertension, prostate disease, erectile dysfunction and high body fat.

Pfizer, the manufacturer of Viagra, has signed Winston Cup drivers Rusty Wallace, Mark Martin and Bobby Labonte to encourage fans to be diagnosed and treated for common medical conditions.

Viagra also sponsors Jeff Fuller's No. 27 Pontiac on the Winston Cup circuit.