Stricklin in the driving seat at Donlavey.

NASCAR Winston Cup Series team owner Junie Donlavey scored his first career hat trick at a Richmond Renegades hockey game (on Dec 30) when he announced his driver, crew chief and new paint scheme, for the Hills Bros Coffee Ford.

Hut Stricklin, a native of Calera, Ala., will return in 2001 as Donlavey's driver. Stricklin joined the Hills Bros Coffee Racing Team in August after leading the team to a fourteenth place finish in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Guiding Stricklin from the pits will be Bobby King, who led Tommy Ellis to the NASCAR Busch Series Championship in 1981, Jimmy Hensley to a second-place finish in the NASCAR Busch Series Championship in 1990 and Hermie Sadler to the Busch Series Rookie-of-the-Year title in 1993. Prior to joining Donlavey Racing, King, a native of Richmond, worked at Grubb Motorsports.

Donlavey said he chose Stricklin because of his record of success, his commitment to make the Hills Bros Coffee Racing Team stronger, and continuity.

"At one point last season, Hut was both our driver and our crew chief," Donlavey said. "If that doesn't show dedication to the cause, then I don't know what does. It is rare to find a driver these days that will put so much energy into the entire operation and not just his driving."

Stricklin, a journeyman for the last several years, began his full-time Winston Cup career in 1989 and finished second in the rookie-of-the-year standings to Dick Trickle. In 1990 Stricklin began a three-year stint with Bobby Allison Motorsports.

After that relationship ended in 1992, Travis Carter hired Stricklin to drive a Ford Thunderbird and team with Bill Elliott for the 1993 season. Stricklin took the driver's seat for Kenny Bernstein's team in 1995 after Steve Kinser resigned as driver.

Stricklin finished the season with one pole position, two top-five and five top-10 finishes. Since then Stricklin has driven for the Stavola Brothers from 1996-1998, Triad Motorsports, SBIII, Donlavey and a variety of Busch Series teams.

"I am excited about the efforts that the team has put together from the middle of this season on," Stricklin said. "Some of the things that we accomplished were very amazing under the circumstances that were presented to us. I had a good feeling at the end of last season that things would work out well for the team. Junie has hired several employees to help Bobby in the shop, so we will be ready to go in 2001."

In 283 Winston Cup starts, Stricklin has achieved eight top-five finishes, 28 top-10 finishes and almost $5 million in winnings.

Donlavey, one of Richmond's favourite sons, said he was ecstatic to work with King, who is bringing with him several employees from Grubb Motorsports.

"We are happy to get Bobby here with us," Donlavey said. "We have known him for several years and think he is a great addition and fit for the Hills Bros Coffee Racing Team. He is a Richmond native, and that aspect was very important to us - someone who is comfortable working and living in this area."

King, who was born and raised in Richmond, worked with Ellis from 1972-1985. Ellis was the Busch Series Champion in 1981. King had the chance to work with another legend in the making, Dale Jarrett, from 1986-1987 in the Busch Series before working with Beverley Motorsports and drivers Hensley, Sadler and Phil Parsons from 1988-1995.

Hensley finished second in the points in 1990 and Sadler won rookie-of-the-year honours in 1993. Since 1996, King has worked with Grubb Motorsports and driver Wayne Grubb.

"I am excited about the opportunities here at Donlavey Racing, and I'm ready to begin the process of turning this team around," King said. "I was able to bring Darrell Wiggins, Johnny Cash and Charles Hammock from Grubb Motorsports to help get some of the things done that we have fallen behind on heading into next year. The guys are all working hard and are starting to get things going into the right direction."

The 2001 season will be Donlavey's fifty-second season of fielding teams in the top echelon of NASCAR. Donlavey has worked with 69 different drivers in the Winston Cup Series and 14 of them were named to NASCAR's fiftieth Anniversary Greatest Drivers list.

He has been honoured with three of the top awards in Motorsports: the NMPA/Myers Brothers Award (1999), the Ford Motor Company Spirit of Ford Award (1999) and the STP Richard Petty Achievement Award (1998).