Park gone?

antig24 · May 4, 2002

I hope this isn't true, I'd give park till the end of the year, i mean he just came back from a terrible crash. http://www.sportingnews.com/voices/lee_spencer/20020503.html

MountaineerTom · May 4, 2002

I hope he doesn't lose his ride. Especially in mid-season. At least let him finish the rest of the year. ???

Kansas Kid · May 4, 2002

I have read from some pretty reliable sources that not all of the above story is true. But being as how it said that not all of the story is true, I have a bad feeling that Park is going to be gone regardless of what he does this year. Which is sad considering the type of injury he sustained. I don't know of any driver that could sit out the length of time that he has, and win right away. I will say this right now, if they do remove him before the end of the year I hope he comes back with a great team and flat kicks the snot out of of the DEI driver who replaced him. (can't believe I'm responding to rumors, but I'm just preparing to get good and pissed if it does happen)

btw, I just read on NASCAR.com that Ty Norris is saying that performance must improve soon, or major changes are coming.

Performance must improve, says Ty Norris

Elwood · May 6, 2002

From NASCAR.com

DEI denies report about Park's release

By Marty Smith, Turner Sports Interactive

May 5, 2002

4:38 PM EDT (2038 GMT)

RICHMOND, Va. -- Reports that Winston Cup driver Steve Park will be released by Dale Earnhardt, Inc. following the Coca-Cola 600 in three weeks are false, DEI executive vice president Ty Norris told NASCAR.com.

"It was irresponsible reporting … to make a ridiculous comment like that, when they asked me point blank and I said 'Absolutely no way,'" Norris said. "That rumor is very, very false."

Norris also said that conversations between DEI and any future talent are focused solely on the future.

"Any conversation that we're having with our drivers, or any others, are strictly about 2003," Norris said.

Norris also said that DEI's drivers were under performance-based analysis.

"Basically, the situation is, if we have good, solid performances, DEI will look the same," Norris said. "The problem is we as an organization are pretty inconsistent. We have to get better.

"We have a self-imposed deadline. By a certain time we want to see certain things, or we're going to have to make a decision and go 100 miles per hour down that road.

"Whether people think it's the right decision or think it's the wrong decision, we have to worry about what's best for Dale Earnhardt, Inc. in the long term."