Sauer, Donlavey, Mast to Team for Winston Cup 2002 Season

RICHMOND, Va. (Dec. 12) - The C.F. Sauer Company and Donlavey Racing announced today their agreement to an all-Virginia team for the 2002 Winston Cup season. The two Richmond-based companies also named veteran Winston Cup driver Rick Mast of Rockbridge, Va., as driver of the No. 90 C.F. Sauer Ford.

Conrad F. Sauer IV, President and CEO of the venerable spice, mayonnaise, margarine and condiment company, said, "We believe that Winston Cup offers the best opportunity to showcase our brands."

The 114-year old C.F. Sauer Company is family owned and operates manufacturing facilities in Richmond, Greenville, S.C., New Century, Kan., San Luis Obispo, Calif., and a distribution center in Orlando, Fla. The Company's brands are Sauer's, Duke's, Bama, Spice Hunter, Gold Medal and Mrs. Filberts, and it also manufactures customer label margarine products for the retail, food service, and industrial markets. The Company also owns Pleasant's Hardware.

"This marks our second season in racing," Sauer stated, "and everyone at The Company looks forward to a long and productive association with Junie Donlavey."

Donlavey, owner of Swansboro Motor Company and Donlavey Racing, added, "For the 52 years I've been in racing, I've wanted to field an all-Virginia team, and I reckon if you wait and work long enough, your dreams can come true."

Since 1949, Junie Donlavey has been involved in every aspect of stock car racing. With 852 starts in 829 different NASCAR Winston Cup Series races, he epitomizes the ever-burning spirit of the sport's competition, while maintaining a gentlemanly demeanor that has endeared and earned the admiration of fans and of generations in the NASCAR family. In 1998, Junie received the STP Richard Petty Achievement Award and in 1999 was the recipient of the NMPA/Meyers Brothers Award and the Ford Motor Company Spirit of Ford Award, Ford's highest motor sports honor.

Mast began his racing career at 16 years old, driving a '57 Chevy in the hobby division at Natural Bridge, Va. From that humble beginning, Mast competed in the NASCAR Busch Series and in 1988 got his start in Winston Cup. In 1994, Mast won the pole for the inaugural Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, finished second by inches to Dale Earnhardt at Rockingham and posted a trio of third-place finishes.

While driving for Butch Mock, Cale Yarborough and A.J. Foyt, Mast has always envisioned driving for Donlavey and, as fate would have it, he got that opportunity in the late stages of the 2001 season.

Said Mast, "The Chief, Junie, called me and said: 'Rick, I want you to finish out the season for us. Now, I can't pay you much, but we're going to have more fun than anyone in racing.' Well not since I traded a cow to get my first race car had I felt so much enthusiasm and contentment."

In addition to announcing the racing association, The C.F. Sauer Company named three non-profit charity affiliates to be involved in promotional efforts of the new team. The charities are the United Network for Organ Sharing, the Richmond-based non-profit that manages the nation's organ transplant system; Victory Junction Gang, a retreat for seriously ill children founded by Kyle and Pattie Petty and new member of the Hole in the Wall Gang Camps founded by Paul Newman; and the Winston Cup Racing Wives Auxiliary, which was established in 1965 to provide aid to Winston Cup families suffering injury or tragedy as a result of preparation or participation in Winston Cup events.

For additional information on charity affiliates:

United Network for Organ Sharing
1100 Boulders Parkway, Suite 500
Richmond VA  23225
(804) 330-8500
www.unos.org 
Victory Junction Gang

Winston Cup Racing Wives Auxiliary
5700 Concord Parkway South
Harrisburg, NC 28075
704-455-9307
www.winstoncupracingwives.com

The Victory Junction Gang Camp
311 Branson Mill Road
Randleman, NC 27317
(336) 498-9055
info@victoryjunction.org