Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Gaughan opts to stick with his roots

Friday, Oct. 26, 2001 | 11:07 a.m.

Brian Hilderbrand's motor sports notebook appears Friday. Reach him at bh@lasvegassun.com or 259-4089.

AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Brendan Gaughan turned down a ride with a championship-caliber team and instead will compete full-time next year in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with his Las Vegas-based Orleans Racing team.

But that doesn't mean Gaughan, a 26-year-old Las Vegas native, has given up on running for the Truck Series championship next season.

"We want to go out there and not only win Rookie of the Year but we want to be a championship contender," said Gaughan, whose No. 62 Dodge Ram will be sponsored by NAPA Auto Parts.

Gaughan had been offered the ride next season in the No. 2 Ultra Motorsports Dodge truck, which has amassed five wins and 14 top-five finishes in 22 races this season with Scott Riggs behind the wheel. Riggs, who is third in points, is moving up to the NASCAR Busch Series next season.

Gaughan, who qualified 13th for today's truck race at Phoenix International Raceway, said he believes his Orleans Racing team will have all the resources to compete with the top teams in the Truck Series.

"I wouldn't have turned down a team that could win (the championship) to go to a team that can't," Gaughan said. "I believe in (crew chief) Shane Wilson and (engine builder) Kevin Kroyer and the guys in the Orleans Racing shop.

"My dream has always been to do it from Vegas. It's very difficult to turn down a championship-caliber ride ... but we put all this time and effort into the shop (in Las Vegas) and to just throw it away that quickly would have really sucked."

Gaughan's relationship with NAPA Auto Parts won't be a new one. He won the NASCAR Winston West championship last season with NAPA backing and he holds a 40-point lead in this year's Winston West championship battle with one race remaining. He has competed in six truck races this season carrying the NAPA colors and has a second- and third-place finish.

All Gordon has to do to clinch his fourth Winston Cup championship is finish 18th or better in each of the remaining races.

Earnhardt Jr. will debut the car, which is owned by Richard Childress and sponsored by Oreo cookies, in the Busch Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway in February.

Terms of the settlement were not disclosed at the time it was announced on Oct. 16, but CART released the figure during its third-quarter report to shareholders.

CART spokesman Ron Richards said the $3.5 million charge covered the settlement amount and related legal expenses but said a confidentiality clause prevented further comment.

"Our team and our sponsors believe the FedEx Series features the top open-wheel competition and exciting racing, and we're committed to helping CART remain the premiere open-wheel series in 2002 and beyond," Ganassi said. "Team Target has experienced much success in CART over the past decade or so, and we're confident that trend will continue."

Speedvision president Jim Liberatore said the Inside Winston Cup program, which was shelved earlier this year, would return to the network's weekly programming lineup upon the Feb. 4 re-launch. Liberatore also said the network will continue to carry other forms of racing such as CART, Formula One, Classic Cars, LeMans, the American LeMans Series, World Rally and car shows from around the world.

Clark, of Las Vegas, is both the Nevada State Semi-Pro and Young Lion Legends champion; Rogas, of Henderson, is the state champion in the Masters division; Krentz, of Sparks, is the Pro Division state champion; and Busch finished second to Clark for the LVMS Legends championship.

Qualifying and heat races are scheduled for today beginning at 3 p.m. and racing begin at noon on Saturday.

Two-time Indy 500 winner Al Unser Jr., a part-time resident of Henderson, and 1983 Indy 500 winner Tom Sneva will be at the races Saturday and Unser is scheduled to sign autographs at 3 p.m.