Dan Pardus-Past News-1/17/00

January 17, 2000

Dan Pardus Enters Daytona 500

1/17/2000 -Dan Pardus arrived at the Daytona International Speedway Monday to participate in the mandatory two day General Motors test session for Speedweeks entrants.

"We have been working hard in the off season putting together a program to compete in Winston Cup." Dan commented when interviewed at the track on Monday. "Right now we are scheduled to compete in the four superspeedway events at Daytona and Talladega in addition to our ten race ARCA schedule. More races may be added during the season.

NASCAR has assigned the new team car number 65. The team is a joint effort of Jim & Judie Motorsports, co-owned by Dan Pardus and Jim Gardner and D & M Motorsports of McAllen and San Antonio, Texas. D & M Motorsports is owned by Steve Medlin, Wayne Medlin and Mickey Smith, a group that sponsored Dan in ARCA races last season.

"I'm excited about being here" Dan spoke as his team readied the car for testing. "We have a good car. Wally Dallenbach's car from last season's Winston 500. It qualified 7th and ran in the top ten for most of the day."

Carl Wagner of Wagner Motorsports, Markesan, Wisconsin is supplying the engines. They currently supply engines for Joe Nemechek and Adam Petty in the Busch series. Adding to the experience of Jim Gardner and Carl Wagner, the group has hired Carl Gollnast and Dave Leiner as co-crew chiefs. Gollnast and Leiner have worked together for five years, most recently for Tim Steele and Blaise Alexander.

"I feel real comfortable here at Daytona, said the Daytona native. "I was the fastest second day qualifier in the 1998 Pepsi 400 and ran well until we got caught up in an accident. During the off season, I was the chief instructor for the Richard Petty Driving Experience here at Daytona and ran more than 2000 laps on the track. My confidence level going into Speedweeks is high."