The 2000s Open-Wheel Invasion…PPI Motorsports: Part I (2000-2001)

The early 2000’s saw what some would call an “invasion” of open-wheel owners into the series. The start of the 2000 season saw the likes of Cal Wells (PPI Motorsports), John Menard, and A.J. Foyt enter the fray. This drew the ire of several in the garage at the time, because these teams were coming in with large budgets, and sponsors (or luring current ones). PPI was an excellent example of this, having signed both Tide and McDonald’s away from owner/drivers Ricky Rudd and Bill Elliott.

* I will be focusing on each team individually, to give each the respect they deserve*

PPI Motorsports 

During the 1999 season, it was announced that open-wheel owner Cal Wells would be joining the NASCAR ranks for the following season. PPI Motorsports would be starting off their NASCAR career with entries in both the Cup Series and Busch Series. Deciding to go all-in with two rookie drivers, Wells would hire Scott Pruett for his No. 32 Tide Ford in Cup, and Anthony Lazzaro to wheel his No. 97 McDonald’s Ford in the Busch Series.

The team would also announce a second part-time Cup team later in the season, carrying No. 96. Truck Series veteran Andy Houston would be signed to drive, carrying sponsorship from Ronald McDonald House Charities and McDonald’s Drive-Thru in 5 races.

2000 (Cup Series):

Cup Series

PPI Motorsports rolled into Daytona for the 2000 season opener ready to begin a new journey. Having signed open-wheel and Trans-Am veteran Scott Pruett to wheel the orange and white No. 32 Ford, the team was set to make its debut. Daytona would go well for the team, as Pruett would get the 32 in the show, qualifying 15th and finishing 19th. This would become one of few highlights for the team, as they were struck with growing pains and consistently under-performing.

When the series got to Rockingham for race no. 2, Pruett and the new Tide Ride would fail to qualify already. Having no choice but to go home, the 32 team would return at Las Vegas, where Pruett would qualify an impressive 2nd, but finish 42nd (running, but completing 143 of 148 laps). This would be followed by a 41st place finish at Atlanta, due to an accident. Underwhelming performance and bad finishes became the norm for a team that debuted with such high expectations.

By seasons end, Pruett would DNQ for 6 races (including Watkins Glen) and finish an abysmal 37th in Owner Points. The only ray of sunshine in an otherwise cloudy season would be Pruett’s 10th place finish in the Brickyard 400.

PPI’s second part-time team, the No. 96, would also struggle in their limited schedule, including 2 DNFs. Truck Series veteran Andy Houston was signed to start 5 races that season. Houston and team would also struggle, with two DNFs and a best finish of 26th at Charlotte in the fall.

Following the 2000 season, Scott Pruett was released from PPI, and returned to his Trans-Am roots.

Busch Series:

The PPI Motorsports No. 97 McDonald’s team would also struggle in the Busch Series that season. The team signed open-wheel standout Anthony Lazzaro to campaign the bright red and yellow Fords, but the Cup Series struggles would bleed into the 97. Lazzaro did not start at the race at Daytona, so PPI’s Cup rookie Scott Pruett would get the call, finishing 15th after starting 19th.

Lazzaro would make his debut for the team in Rockingham, finishing a respectable 29th after starting 20th. What followed was the lack of performance that PPI’s Cup team was experiencing. Lazzaro would fail to qualify for 4 of the first 13 races that season, with a bit of a revolving door of drivers finishing the season.

Pruett would run races at Dover and Darlington, finishing no better than 18th. Lazzaro would make what would be his final start at Milwaukee, finishing 32nd. Cup and Busch Series veteran Chad Little would also see seat-time, wheeling the No. 97 to a Top 10 in Michigan. 

The No. 97 team was an unfortunate failure for PPI, closing down after race 28 in Darlington. Lazzaro would also see one additional start at Watkins Glen, in Felix Sabates’ No. 82 Channellock Chevrolet, finishing 16th in a field of 44 cars. 

Cup Series (2001):

Following the major struggles of the 2000 season, PPI would focus solely on the Cup Series for 2001. Veteran Ricky Craven was signed to replace Pruett in the 32, while Andy Houston would also return to the No. 96 McDonald’s team. 

Craven would pay immediate dividends for PPI, pushing the 32 team to meet their true potential, while simultaneously reinvigorating Craven’s career. With a quality veteran behind the wheel, the Tide Ford could be seen running closer to the front more often, even scoring a pole at Michigan. The biggest payoff for the Tide team came at Martinsville, where Craven would get the team and himself their first career wins! The new Tide Ride would wrap up 2001 with (1) win, (4) Top 5s, and (7) Top 10s. 

Rookie of the Year Contender Andy Houston however, continued to struggle. The lackluster performance began immediately at Daytona. Houston qualified 9th…but would finish 38th after going out due to an accident on lap 173.

Daytona would ultimately foreshadow the rest of the season. Houston would miss 9 races, and not finish any better than 17th, with several finishes towards the bottom of the field. The team struggled so frequently, that sponsor McDonald’s pulled away from sponsoring the 96 after Kansas. The McDonald’s loss ultimately would lead to the end of Houston’s Cup career, as the team could not find a replacement sponsor, and he would not make a Cup start afterwards. 

McDonald’s, seeing the success of the 32 team, would instead move to an associate sponsor role with Craven for the remainder of 2001. 

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Stay tuned for Part II…and the eventual downfall of PPI in the coming seasons.