GNC Live Well Racing unveils new look.

At the Busch Series Preview in Charlotte, N.C., driver Hank Parker Jr. today revealed the new car he'll drive this season.

Accompanied by team owner Wayne Jesel of Welliver Jesel Motorsports, Parker uncovered a No. 36 GNC Live Well car that not only bears a new paint scheme for 2002, but also a different manufacturer's mark.

Parker and teammate Casey Mears, driver of the No. 66 Phillips 66 entry, will pilot Dodge Intrepids, becoming the first two drivers to attempt a full season of NASCAR Busch Series (NBS) competition in that make of race car.

"I'm excited to be a part of the first team to bring Dodge to the Busch Series full time," Parker said. "Everyone at Welliver-Jesel feels the Intrepid is a car capable of winning a lot of races and contending for the championship. It's going to be different to climb in a car that doesn't have a 'bowtie' on the hood, though."

Gary Cogswell, crew chief for the No. 36 GNC Live Well entry, said a number of factors were considered when the team made the switch from Chevrolet to Dodge.

"We had several cars that needed to be reworked after last season," Cogswell said. "We figured out the amount of labour the crew was going to put in on those cars was about equal if we stayed with Chevy or switched. With the Intrepid being a newer design, the technology that went into it is more recent. The numbers we've gathered in our wind tunnel testing make us feel like the Dodge is potentially a better car at this time."

Another factor in the decision to switch was Wayne Jesel's close involvement in the design process of the Dodge race engines.

Jesel is the president of Jesel Valvetrain Innovation, the leading supplier of valvetrain engine components to NASCAR Winston Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck teams. Jesel and his engineers have worked closely with Dodge's personnel as the manufacturer's engine program developed.

"I've been fortunate to have witnessed the development of the Dodge power plant from near the beginning," Jesel said. "What I've seen, in terms of Dodge's commitment to success in NASCAR, helped convince me they're a company I want my race team to be associated with."

The new look of the GNC Live Well car for 2002 includes a switch from what was predominantly a white paint scheme to one that is dominated by the colour red.

"Looking at tapes from last year, it was hard to pick our car out on television," Parker said. "GNC wanted something that was more visible and visually exciting for the fans, and I think that's exactly what we have for 2002. The car looks fast just sitting still."

Steve Breakfield of Steve Breakfield Studios designed the new paint scheme. Breakfield is the same artist responsible for look of the 2001 GNC Live Well car, and also designed the 2002 paint schemes for the No. 20, No. 6 and No. 10 Winston Cup entries.

Parker's new car and paint scheme will debut next month at the season-opening NASCAR Busch Series event at Daytona International Speedway in Florida.