Pennzoil loss to scupper Hornish at DEI?

Pennzoil's decision to step back from its primary sponsorship role with the #1 Dale Earnhardt Incorporated NASCAR Winston Cup team should see an end to the rumours surrounding Sam Hornish Jr's possible future move to stock cars with the top draw outfit.

Pennzoil's departure from the hood and sides of the #1 Chevrolet Monte Carlo currently driven by Jeff Green had been news for some time even though an official release was distributed for officialdom's sake this weekend and although DEI are expected to have few difficulties in securing a replacement, the loss of the Texas based petroleum company may have dealt a fatal blow to the team's ambitions to sign the double IRL Champion.

Pennzoil, who joined DEI on the team's graduation to the Winston Cup Championship in 1998, have also sponsored Hornish's Panther Racing team since 1998 and their had been talk of a future arrangement between the two to send potential superstar Hornish into the more lucrative stock car scene.

Rumours picked up for a time last month as Hornish became increasingly disenchanted with the performance of his Chevrolet engine this year and DEI released former #1 driver Steve Park but DEI officials later went on to state that they had given up on luring Hornish away from the IRL.

The combination of an almost certain second Panther IRL team for 2004 and a much improved Chevrolet/Cosworth Gen IV engine has brought Hornish back towards the front of the IRL grid and even though he made a few murmurs about joining a bigger series when Chevrolet were being regularly pounded by Honda and Toyota, some truly epic drives in recent weeks seemed to have re-affirmed his faith in the open-wheel series.

DEI, for their part, are focusing on finding a replacement for Pennzoil, who have been with the team since their formation.

"Like Dale Earnhardt, Inc., Pennzoil has been through a lot of changes since we first signed our agreement in the fall of 1997," said Ty Norris, Dale Earnhardt, Inc.'s Executive Vice President of Motorsports. "We promised to win races for Pennzoil, and we did. They promised to support Dale Earnhardt, Inc. through the growing pains of a new operation, and they did. Pennzoil will always have a place in the history of Dale Earnhardt, Inc.

"We want to win before the end of the year and finish our great relationship on a high note."

Kraft Foods have stepped up to sponsor a fourth DEI car for several races this season, including next weekend's Brickyard 400 where John Andretti will drive, they are not thought to be considering a full-time deal next year.