The Earnhardt Connection - News

Earnhardt's Chevy for the Winston Select will be solid gold with a black strip down the center and the Bass Pro Shop logo on the hood.

        Dale Earnhardt, seven-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion, will carry a special paint scheme on his No. 3 GM Goodwrench Service Plus Chevrolet for the running of The Winston on May 16th. This makes the fourth consecutive year that the team will run a special paint job for the non-points event at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

        Earnhardt, who previously ran a "silver anniversary" car, an "Olympic special" and an orange "Wheaties" Monte Carlo in the "winners only" event will use a unique black and gold paint scheme with a "Bass Pro Shops" logo on the hood of his Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet.

        "The NASCAR fan and the outdoor enthusiast are one and the same," said Bill Fitzgerald, manager of sports marketing for General Motors Service Parts Operation. "We are excited to have Bass Pro Shops on our team and look forward to being a part of the salute to the American outdoorsman."

        Bass Pro Shops and Tracker Boats joined Childress Racing as an associate sponsor at the beginning of the 1998 season. Earnhardt's cars carry their logos on their "B" pillars, with the exception of the special display for The Winston.

        "I'm always asked, if I wasn't driving a race car, what would I do?" said Earnhardt, who won The Winston in 1987, 1990 and 1993. "My answer would be something involved with the outdoors. When I get away from the race track, I usually head to the woods or the nearest lake. It's my way to relax and get away from the phones."

        "When they came to me and asked about carrying the Bass Pro Shops logo for The Winston, I thought it was a tremendous idea."

        Action Performance will have a special die cast replica of the car as well as other souvenirs available. The car is scheduled to be on display through Monday, March 9, at Bass Pro Shops' Sportsman's Warehouse at 3825 Shackleford Rd. in Duluth, Ga.