Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Said getting tired of ‘hired gun’ label

Friday, Aug. 8, 2003 | 9:07 a.m.

Brian Hilderbrand covers motor sports for the Las Vegas Sun. His motor sports notebook appears Friday. He can be reached at bh@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4089.

By virtue of his winning the pole for the NASCAR Winston Cup race at Infineon Raceway in June, road-course specialist Boris Said earned a spot in next year's Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway.

If Said has anything to say about it, that won't be his only NASCAR race on an oval next season.

Tired of being one of the "hired guns" team owners bring in to navigate the two road courses on the Winston Cup Series, Said 40, is hoping to parlay his pole-winning effort and sixth-place finish at Infineon into a full-time ride in NASCAR in the next year or two.

"My No. 1 goal right now is to try and get into Winston Cup full time," Said, who will compete in Sunday's race at the Watkins Glen International road course, said. "I'm going to try my hardest to make it happen but if it doesn't happen, I still have a pretty unique racing career and feel lucky I get to drive all the different cool cars.

"I'm going to try to make it happen in Winston Cup but if it doesn't, I'm not going to kick myself over it. I'm going to just continue what I'm doing and have a good time racing; that's what I love to do."

Oval racing is not completely foreign to Said, the reigning SCCA Trans-Am champion. He spent two years in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and said he would be comfortable making the move from road racing to oval racing.

"I did the NASCAR Truck Series a few years ago for two years and I didn't understand the cars at that point," he said. "And now, I understand what makes these cars work a lot better so I think if I had another chance at ovals, I'd be a lot more prepared. So, yes, I definitely have more confidence."

Now all Said needs is a chance. Since his performance at Infineon Raceway in June, he said team owners have been more willing to talk to him about driving in NASCAR on a regular basis.

"In the past, it's always been that everybody is my best friend and then once August comes around and Watkins Glen is over, your phone never rings again," he said. "And now, I'm getting a lot more positive responses from the people I've been talking to.

"The big problem is that you've still got to go out and prove you can do it on an oval. I think I can. I've just got to convince some team owner to give me a chance on an oval. The performance at Infineon is definitely giving me at least two ovals this year so I'm hoping I can prove myself there and get a full-time deal in Cup."

Boundless Motorsports Racing, which is looking to build a $100 million road course and entertainment complex south of Dallas, reportedly is in the market to purchase other dirt-track racing organizations and tracks. The group already has submitted a letter of intent to buy the New York-based DIRT Motorsports.

The report said an announcement on the group's bid to buy the Outlaws could come as soon as next weekend.

"I'm very sore ... I feel like I was hit by a racecar," Bryan cracked earlier this week. "I am a little sore all over right now but the biggest thing that's sore is my shoulder -- which makes sense because I landed on my right shoulder. Other than that, I feel pretty good."

Robert Rutemiller, who works on the No. 59 Busch Series team, will serve as jack man on Jarrett's crew at Watkins Glen International.

The 53-year-old track lost its traditional Labor Day Weekend date for the traditional Southern 500 to California Speedway but will continue to host two Winston Cup races in 2004.

On Monday, the Skoal Racing technology tractor-trailer struck an abandoned van parked along a highway in Iowa. Skoal Blue Racing crew members Mark Warnick and Robb Hauser were not injured in the accident.

On Wednesday, the Miller Lite Top Fuel parts truck was involved in a three-car accident outside Lincoln, Neb. Top Fuel crew members Kevin Secco and Walt Herr slowed in a construction zone and their truck was stuck from behind by an ambulance that had been rear-ended by a tractor-trailer.

Secco was not injured in the accident but Herr was taken to a nearby hospital for tests and was released later that evening with a mild concussion. The driver of the ambulance, whose identity is unknown, was killed in the crash.

"We are saddened to learn of the passing of the ambulance driver lost in this horrible accident and our thoughts are with his loved ones," team owner Don Prudhomme said.

The NHRA Powerade Drag Racing Series is in Brainerd, Minn., next weekend for the 22nd annual Lucas Oil Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway.

That came as welcome news to part-time Henderson resident Al Unser Jr., who won races at The Milwaukee Mile in 1990 and 1994 while driving in CART.

"It's going to be great to go back to The Milwaukee Mile," Unser said. "The Mile is a great racetrack and there is a lot of history surrounding that track. I think the track will be very suitable for the IndyCar Series cars and that we will continue the tradition of great races at The Mile."

Weber finished fifth, second and third in the three rounds of qualifying and had to win the provisional race to earn a berth in the final.

Villwock continues to lead the drivers' standings with 535 points, Mark Evans is second with 44 points and Weber is third with 433 points. The next Unlimited Hydroplane race is Aug. 22-24 in Detroit.