Pilot

Pilot Corporation has jumped into NASCAR Winston Cup racing, the professional sport known for having the most loyal fans. Jimmy Haslam, chief executive of the Knoxville-based company, announced May 20th that Pilot will become an associate sponsor for Bobby Allison Motorsports. The agreement, which went into effect with the announcement, is for the remaining 21 races this year.

"Being a sponsor gives us great visibility to many of our customers who are NASCAR fans," Haslam said. "Bobby Allison is a legend, and we were very pleased to enter into a relationship with someone as well known and well liked in the NASCAR industry."

Allison was equally happy. "We're really pleased to get together with Pilot because they are a company that is aggressive in the field," Allison said. "I've had a lot of good times and I've been through a lot of struggles, too, but I take this as one more step getting back to victory lane. This weekend (Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte, N.C.) would be a neat place to start."

Derrike Cope, Allison's driver, was elated. "It is indeed a pleasure. This is my first time here (Pilot headquarters) but I've heard a lot about the company," Cope said. "This is a new opportunity for Pilot. NASCAR has made rapid growth and has the loyalty of fans all the way to Hollywood. There are a lot of directions we can go. We can put together a strong marketing program. Collectively, we can put together a good program, and Pilot's hard work can do the same away from the tracks. We want to showcase our sponsors."

Allison, whose team hasn't been winning, admitted this isn't the time to stake out sponsors. "This is a tough time to search for immediate funding," Allison said. "We're pleased to have Pilot's support. I see a very bright future for this team."

"It takes a long time to build promotions," Cope said. "But there are a lot of great races left, starting with the Coca-Cola 600. We've still got events like Daytona (Pepsi 400) and Talladega (Diehard 500) in July, and Indianapolis (Brickyard 400) in August."

Allison's goal is to get to victory lane as a car owner. "The performance of this team will be there. We've gone through some unusual extremes, but we're getting the (financial) help we needed," he said. "I've gone through the worst of times and managed to have a good day on the track. I still think we can get there (win). I have never quit and I won't now."

Cope won't predict a win, but he is optimistic. "Honestly," he said, "I feel that I have a shot at winning in the 600. We were as fast as the others in practice last week. I feel like we can qualify in the top five or top 10, and I do feel we'll be a factor Sunday." (Editors note: Derrike qualified 14th and finished 14th)

By Bill Luther, Sportswriter