NASCAR goes Looney over cartoon cars

By Marty Smith, Turner Sports Interactive
June 8, 2001
6:39 PM EDT (2239 GMT)

CONCORD, N.C. -- Bah dee, bah dee, bah dee … uh … Start your engines?

That’s right, when the lights come on at Richmond International Raceway on Sept. 8, the roar of 750 horsepower engines will harmonize with the recognizable voices from the characters of Warner Bros.’ Looney Tunes.

Thursday at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Chevrolet, Warner Bros., Action Performance Companies and NASCAR announced a special collaboration that will send seven NASCAR Winston Cup Series Chevrolet Monte Carlos to the track with Looney Tunes paint schemes during the Chevrolet Monte Carlo/Looney Tunes 400 race weekend.

Looney Tunes cars unveiled  Videos: NASCAR drivers pair up with Looney Tunes  Jeff Gordon - Bugs Bunny  Jeff Green - Daffy Duck  Bobby Hamilton - Marvin the Martian  Kevin Harvick - Taz  Terry Labonte - Road Runner  Steve Park - Sylvester & Tweety  Mike Skinner - Yosemite Sam  Looney Tunes Event Car

This marks the first time in NASCAR history that seven different specially decorated race cars linked to a common theme have competed in the same event.

“This is an example of pulling the whole industry together as a whole,” said Steve Boguski, Vice President, Strategic Marketing and Licensing, for NASCAR. “This really is just a great tribute to the true American Family.”

Noel Blanc, son of the late Mel Blanc -- the voice of the Looney Tunes characters -- was on hand to introduce the characters and the drivers who will participate in the family-oriented event. . Here’s a quick rundown of the special schemes, in car number order:

Steve Park, No. 1, Pennzoil, Sylvester and Tweety

Terry Labonte, No. 5, Kellogg's, Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner

Jeff Gordon, No. 24, DuPont, Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd

Kevin Harvick, No. 29, GM Goodwrench Service Plus, Tasmanian Devil

Jeff Green, No. 30, AOL, Daffy Duck

Mike Skinner, No. 31, Lowe's, Yosemite Sam

Bobby Hamilton, No. 55, Square D, Marvin the Martian and K9

Gordon and Labonte, both from the Hendrick Motorsports stable, will sport Chromalusion paint that changes colors as the car zooms around the track.

Included in the promotion will be a special line of die-cast collectibles, which will be available in the NASCAR.com store starting Friday. The NASCAR.com store will also make available special apparel for this promotion in about three weeks.

Bah dee, bah dee, bah dee….uh….That’s all folks! -- for now.