ISM Racing
Encyclopedia
ISM Racing is a former autoracing team owned by Bob Hancher. The team fielded entries in the Indy Racing League and the NASCAR
Winston Cup Series.
, Jeff Ward
finished 6th in IRL driver points and won the pole at Phoenix
in an ISM car and the team fielded three cars in the 1998 Indianapolis 500
. However, the team was only able to run part time in 1999
and shut down in July of that year. The IRL team used G-Force
chassis and Oldsmobile
engines.
brand products, sponsored their Winston Cup car. The company announced in 1997
that it would sponsor the #35 Pontiac
driven by Todd Bodine
. The car would be owned by Bob Hancher. The team debuted on the weekend of the announcement at Lowe's Motor Speedway
, with Bodine finishing 26th.
After a rumor that Tabasco had ended his its sponsorship, the team failed to qualify for the first three races of the 1998 season. Surprisingly, McIlhenny Company voiced no concerns, despite the high-pressure stakes of NASCAR racing.
After a tenth-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway
, Team Tabasco missed the next race at Darlington Raceway
, as well as three of the next four races, ranking 39th place in the one race in which it did appear.
A practice accident took Bodine out of the California 500
, where Wally Dallenbach Jr. filled in as driver. Bodine would be back on board for the Coca-Cola 600
in late May, finishing 28th.
June 6th saw Bodine's last ride in the Tabasco Pontiac at Richmond International Raceway
. In his brief tenure, Team Tabasco only managed to qualify in five of the first thirteen races (including the race during which Dallenbach drove). Without the sponsor's knowledge, ISM released Bodine after the race in an attempt to turn things around.
ISM replaced Bodine with Loy Allen Jr.
, and it scheduled Gary Bradberry
and Jimmy Horton
to drive for the team at future races. After running only one of the next three races, however, Hancher sold the operation to Tim Beverly
and his driver Darrell Waltrip
. The Tyler Jet Motorsports Team drove Chevrolet Monte Carlo
s and intended to continue using the model. In their first race, the Brickyard 400, Waltrip started dead-last but climbed through the field to finish 13th. But the team's use of Chevrolets sparked outrage at McIlhenny Company because it had invested heavily in Pontiacs as part of its marketing program. Lawsuits ensued between Tabasco and Hancher, and McIlhenny Company forced the team to run Pontiacs. Waltrip's best finish that year was 18th at Richmond; otherwise, the team performed poorly and Tabasco left the sport at the end of the year.
In NASCAR
discussion this affair has become known as the "Tabasco Fiasco".
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Winston Cup Series.
Indy Racing League
ISM fielded cars in the IRL from 1997 to 1999. In 19981998 in IRL
The 1998 Pep Boys Indy Racing League season was one of relative stability compared to the previous two seasons. For the first time the season consisted of a single and complete spring, summer, and fall like all other forms of motorsport. 15 drivers completed the entire 11 race schedule, twice as...
, Jeff Ward
Jeff Ward (motocross)
Jeff Ward is the first motocross rider in history to win every major AMA motocross national championship...
finished 6th in IRL driver points and won the pole at Phoenix
Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix International Raceway, also known as PIR, is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. The track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the Indycar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series...
in an ISM car and the team fielded three cars in the 1998 Indianapolis 500
1998 Indianapolis 500
The 82nd Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 24, 1998. This was the first Indianapolis 500 fully sanctioned by the Indy Racing League after the IRL relied on USAC to sanction the 1996–1997 races...
. However, the team was only able to run part time in 1999
1999 in IRL
The 1999 Pep Boys Indy Racing League season was highly competitive and parity was the order of the year. Team Menard had a very good season with their driver Greg Ray capturing 3 race wins in a row and the series championship...
and shut down in July of that year. The IRL team used G-Force
Panoz
Panoz Auto Development is an American manufacturer of high-performance automobiles founded in 1989 by Dan Panoz, son of pharmaceutical and motorsport mogul Don Panoz. The company is located in Braselton, GA. Panoz products have included the Panoz Roadster and AIV Roadster, and the Panoz Esperante...
chassis and Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
engines.
ISM IRL drivers
- Jim Guthrie (1998)
- Steve KnappSteve KnappSteve Knapp , is a former driver in the Indy Racing League. He raced in the 1998-2000 seasons with 13 career starts, including 3 at the Indianapolis 500. His best career finish was in his first race, a third place at the 1998 Indianapolis 500, where he was named Rookie of the Year. He never led...
(1998-1999) - Jeff WardJeff Ward (motocross)Jeff Ward is the first motocross rider in history to win every major AMA motocross national championship...
(1997-1999)
Team Tabasco
McIlhenny Company, maker of TabascoTabasco sauce
Tabasco sauce is the brand name for a hot sauce produced by US-based McIlhenny Company of Avery Island, Louisiana. Tabasco sauce is made from tabasco peppers , vinegar, and salt, and aged in white oak barrels for three years. It has a hot, spicy flavor...
brand products, sponsored their Winston Cup car. The company announced in 1997
1997 in NASCAR
- 1997 Team Chart :- Busch Clash :The Busch Clash, a race for polewinners from the previous season, and drivers who have won the event before, was run on February 9 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Terry Labonte drew the pole...
that it would sponsor the #35 Pontiac
Pontiac
Pontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...
driven by Todd Bodine
Todd Bodine
Todd Bodine is a NASCAR driver. Todd is the younger brother of former racers Geoff Bodine and Brett Bodine. Bodine is known for his bald head, which has given him the nickname The Onion...
. The car would be owned by Bob Hancher. The team debuted on the weekend of the announcement at Lowe's Motor Speedway
Lowe's Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Sprint All-Star Race...
, with Bodine finishing 26th.
After a rumor that Tabasco had ended his its sponsorship, the team failed to qualify for the first three races of the 1998 season. Surprisingly, McIlhenny Company voiced no concerns, despite the high-pressure stakes of NASCAR racing.
After a tenth-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Atlanta Motor Speedway is a track just outside Hampton, Georgia, twenty miles south of Atlanta. It is a quad-oval track with a seating capacity of over 125,000. It opened in 1960 as a standard oval. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track...
, Team Tabasco missed the next race at Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed the "Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition"...
, as well as three of the next four races, ranking 39th place in the one race in which it did appear.
A practice accident took Bodine out of the California 500
Auto Club 500
The Auto Club 400 is a long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. Prior to 2005, the race was held in late April or early May, and until 2010, the race was run at a length of 500 miles. When the NASCAR Realignment of 2005 was made, the race...
, where Wally Dallenbach Jr. filled in as driver. Bodine would be back on board for the Coca-Cola 600
Coca-Cola 600
The Coca-Cola 600, formerly known as the World 600, is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held each year at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina on Memorial Day weekend...
in late May, finishing 28th.
June 6th saw Bodine's last ride in the Tabasco Pontiac at Richmond International Raceway
Richmond International Raceway
Richmond International Raceway is a 3/4-mile , D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series...
. In his brief tenure, Team Tabasco only managed to qualify in five of the first thirteen races (including the race during which Dallenbach drove). Without the sponsor's knowledge, ISM released Bodine after the race in an attempt to turn things around.
ISM replaced Bodine with Loy Allen Jr.
Loy Allen Jr.
Loy Allen Jr. , is a former NASCAR Winston Cup and Busch Series driver. He found his best results however in the ARCA series, with a win at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1992 and two second place finishes at Talladega and Daytona in 1993.- Winston Cup Career :Allen Jr. made his Cup Debut at Daytona in...
, and it scheduled Gary Bradberry
Gary Bradberry
Gary Bradberry is a race car driver. He raced in the NASCAR All-Pro Series, and had top-ten points finishes from 1990-1993. After that, Bradberry made the jump to major NASCAR leagues...
and Jimmy Horton
Jimmy Horton
Jimmy Horton is a racecar driver from Folsom, New Jersey. He raced in 48 NASCAR Winston Cup races in eight seasons. He was a regular on the ARCA circuit in the 1980s and 1990s...
to drive for the team at future races. After running only one of the next three races, however, Hancher sold the operation to Tim Beverly
Tim Beverly
Tim Beverly is former NASCAR team owner. He founded Tyler Jet, an airplane sales company that was based in Tyler, Texas, in 1986. In 1998, he purchased DarWal Inc. and ISM Racing and merged them together to form Tyler Jet Motorsports. He fielded cars for Darrell Waltrip, Rich Bickle, David Green,...
and his driver Darrell Waltrip
Darrell Waltrip
Darrell Lee Waltrip is a 3-time NASCAR Cup Series champion , 3-time runner-up , winner of the 1989 Daytona 500 and 5-time winner of the prestigeous Coca-Cola 600 ,...
. The Tyler Jet Motorsports Team drove Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Chevrolet Monte Carlo
The Chevrolet Monte Carlo was an American-made two-door coupe introduced for model year 1970, and manufactured over six generations through model year 2007. It was marketed as a personal-luxury coupe through most of its history, with the last model version being classified as a full-sized coupe...
s and intended to continue using the model. In their first race, the Brickyard 400, Waltrip started dead-last but climbed through the field to finish 13th. But the team's use of Chevrolets sparked outrage at McIlhenny Company because it had invested heavily in Pontiacs as part of its marketing program. Lawsuits ensued between Tabasco and Hancher, and McIlhenny Company forced the team to run Pontiacs. Waltrip's best finish that year was 18th at Richmond; otherwise, the team performed poorly and Tabasco left the sport at the end of the year.
In NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
discussion this affair has become known as the "Tabasco Fiasco".