Pressley Re-signs With Jasper Motorsports

MOORESVILLE, N.C. - As part of its continued successful effort to reach the upper echelon of the sport, Jasper Motorsports has signed Robert Pressley to continue the driving duties of the #77 Jasper Engines & Transmissions Ford into the 2001 season. Pressley, who has raced full-time in the series since 1995 will return for his fourth consecutive year with the team.

“I’m really excited about next year,” commented Pressley. “This has been a growing year for both me and Ryan (Pemberton, crew chief). We’ve had some really good runs and some great racecars, and just a lot of bad breaks that didn’t give us the opportunity to show what we were capable of. Ryan has taught me to be a lot more patient this year and has helped me to know what I want and need from the car to get the most out of it, as well as what the car needs from me.

“We’ve got another year on our contract now and the 2001 season should be great. I think we’re all ready to go out and show them what the Jasper Engines & Transmissions Ford can do.”

In addition to maintaining the continuity of the team, which has had it’s most successful season to date in 2000, by maintaining the changes made prior to the season, the team hopes to welcome the addition of a new primary or major associate before the onset of the 2001 Winston Cup campaign. Jasper Engines & Transmissions, a Jasper, IN, based engine and transmission re-manufacturer, has been the primary sponsor of the Jasper Motorsports team since 1994. JASPER originally joined the team, owned by co-owners Doug Bawel, Mark Harrah and Mark Wallace, as an associate sponsor in 1989.

“This team has stepped up to a new level and bringing on a new corporate partner will help us continue to elevate our program,” said Bawel. “Jasper Engines & Transmissions will raise their financial commitment, but will consider a move to an associate position if a suitable partner company joins us for 2001 and beyond. We have set some high goals for this team, and the way to achieve our goals is to step up to where those top-ten and top-five teams are. Both the team and JASPER recognize that additional resources are what we need to take our team where we want to be.

“NASCAR has been good for JASPER and JASPER has been good for NASCAR. With the increased cost of NASCAR, two more races in 2001, wind tunnel time and chassis development, JASPER realizes to continue their commitment to improve will require additional resources. This year, with the addition of our new crew chief, we have been able to give Robert Pressley what he needs to show what he can do. We are a top-25 team and we want to go to the next level. Jasper Engines & Transmissions has been very supportive of us since 1989 and now is very supportive of our objectives and the means by which we intend to achieve them.”

An experienced driver and an experienced team, as well as hopes of introducing a new corporate sponsor at Jasper Motorsports make certain the best is yet to come.