Park lands a new ride

Shadowfax · May 8, 2003

Park signs with RCR

RCR Names Park to Drive for No. 30 America Online Team

WELCOME, N.C. (May 8, 2003) -- Steve Park has been named the driver for Richard Childress Racing’s (RCR) No. 30 America Online Chevrolet team in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series.

He will make his RCR debut May 17 in The Winston Open at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord.

“Steve is going to give the America Online team a fresh start going into the summer months of the season,” said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “He’s a proven winner in Winston Cup and I know he has what it takes to work with Mike Beam (crew chief) and the rest of the AOL team to get the program headed in the right direction. I’ve talked with Kevin (Harvick) and Robby (Gordon) and they’re both excited about him driving for RCR. ”

“America Online is committed to winning and we’re proud to have Steve Park in the driver’s seat,” said Richard Taylor, Senior Vice President of Brand Promotions for America Online.

Park, 35, from East Northport, N.Y., is in his fifth full season of NASCAR Winston Cup competition after making his series debut in 1997. He has two series victories, in August 2000 at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International and February 2001 at North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham. In 105 races, Park has 11 top-five and 33 top-10 finishes, and accumulated more than $10 million in earnings. His highest finish in the point standings came in 2000 when he finished 11th.

"To have the opportunity to drive for RCR and America Online is exciting," said Park. “A mentor like Richard and a change of scenery is something I'm really looking forward to. I’m lucky to have a primary sponsor like AOL with their marketing power behind me. My goal is to build consistency and to revitalize the AOL/RCR NASCAR Winston Cup program so we can finish the season on a high note."

In his only full season in the NASCAR Busch Series, in 1997, Park earned three victories, rookie-of-the-year honors, and finished third in the point standings. He also has more than two dozen victories in the NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series and the NASCAR Busch North Series.

Park spent the past six seasons driving in the NASCAR Winston Cup and NASCAR Busch Series for Dale Earnhardt, Inc.

About America Online, Inc.

America Online, Inc., is a wholly owned subsidiary of AOL Time Warner Inc. (NYSE: AOL). Based in Dulles, Virginia, America Online is the world’s leader in interactive services, Web brands, Internet technologies and e-commerce services.

About Richard Childress Racing Enterprises, Inc.

Richard Childress Racing Enterprises, Inc. (www.rcrracing.com, AOL Keyword: RCR), has set the standard for modern-era stock car racing teams. Based just south of Winston-Salem in Welcome, N.C., RCR is the only NASCAR organization with championships in the Winston Cup Series, Busch Series and Truck Series. It fields the Winston Cup teams of 2001 Busch Series and 2001 Winston Cup Rookie-of-the-Year Kevin Harvick, Robby Gordon and Steve Park; and the Busch Series teams of 1996 and 1998 Truck Series Champion Ron Hornaday, and the two-driver team of Harvick and 2001 ASA Champion and Rookie-of-the-Year Johnny Sauter.

Nadeau released from ICU

RICHMOND, Va. -- Jerry Nadeau was upgraded to fair condition and moved out of the intensive care unit Thursday, six days after he was critically injured in a crash at Richmond International Raceway.

A team spokesman said Nadeau's vital signs are normal.

Nadeau sustained head, lung and rib injures in an accident during practice last Friday when his car slammed driver's side first into the concrete wall at the track.

Meanwhile, Mike Wallace was hired to fill in for Nadeau while he recuperates. Wallace will begin driving the No. 01 Pontiac in The Winston Open on May 17.

"We're appreciative that Mike has agreed to drive the U.S. Army car during Jerry's absence," said Jay Frye, general manager of MB2 Motorsports, which fields Pontiacs for Nadeau and Johnny Benson. "Mike has a vast amount of experience and we're confident that he will do a great job."

Wallace has two Winston Cup starts this season and finished ninth at the season-opening Daytona 500 driving for Phoenix Racing. He also drives the No. 4 Chevrolet in the Busch Series, where he is 12th in points.

"I fully understand that I'm helping out on an interim basis," Wallace told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "The goal is to keep this car good in the points until Jerry comes back. Perhaps we can even win a few races along the way."

This is the second time in two years that Wallace has filled in for the team. Ironically, it was an injury Benson suffered at Richmond, the same track where Nadeau was hurt, that put Wallace in the No. 10 car for the 2002 Winston Open.

He also drove Andy Petree's No. 33 and A.J. Foyt's No. 14 last season