1:24 Todd Bodine's ISM Racing No. 35 "Tabasco" NASCAR, 1998 (R/W)

[Dizzyfugu]

New (actually first scenic) pictures from a relatively old model, finished during the late Nineties: this (real world) Pontiac Grand Prix model has collected some dust and the decals have markedly yellowed over the years, so that I photoshopped a little and refreshed some areas digitally. Background is that a "sister ship" that I started after finishing this one more than 20 years ago stalled halfway through the build and became one of the few "project zombies" in The Stash™. Now I had gathered enough mojo to finally complete it, and in the wake of taking pictures of this model (might follow soon) I decided to take some more of the aged Pontiac, too.


1:24 Revell/Monogram - Todd Bodine's ISM Racing 1997/98 No. 35 "Tabasco" NASCAR Winston Cup Pontiac Grand Prix by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Some background:
ISM Racing was an auto racing team owned by Bob Hancher. The team fielded entries in the Indy Racing League and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. ISM fielded cars in the IRL from 1997 to 1999, and McIlhenny Company, maker of Tabasco brand products, sponsored their Winston Cup car. The company announced in 1997 that it would sponsor the No. 35 Pontiac driven by Todd Bodine. The car would be owned by Bob Hancher. The team debuted on the weekend of the announcement at Charlotte Motor Speedway, with Bodine finishing 26th. 

After a rumor that Tabasco had ended its sponsorship, the team failed to qualify for the first three races of the 1998 season. Surprisingly, McIlhenny Company voiced no concerns, despite the high-pressure stakes of NASCAR racing. After a tenth-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Team Tabasco missed the next race at Darlington Raceway, as well as three of the next four races, ranking 39th place in the one race in which it did appear.  A practice accident took Bodine out of the California 500, where Wally Dallenbach Jr. filled in as driver. Bodine would be back on board for the Coca-Cola 600 in late May, finishing 28th.


1:24 Revell/Monogram - Todd Bodine's ISM Racing 1997/98 No. 35 "Tabasco" NASCAR Winston Cup Pontiac Grand Prix by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:24 Revell/Monogram - Todd Bodine's ISM Racing 1997/98 No. 35 "Tabasco" NASCAR Winston Cup Pontiac Grand Prix by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


June 6 saw Bodine's last ride in the Tabasco Pontiac at Richmond International Raceway. In his brief tenure, Team Tabasco only managed to qualify in five of the first thirteen races (including the race during which Dallenbach drove). ISM replaced Bodine with Loy Allen Jr. for the Pepsi 400 on a temporary basis; after the race was delayed due to wildfires, Bodine was fully released by the team before the next race at New Hampshire International Speedway. Gary Bradberry and Jimmy Horton were scheduled to drive for the team at future races.

After running only one of the next three races, however, Hancher sold the operation to Tim Beverly and his driver Darrell Waltrip. The Tyler Jet Motorsports team drove Chevrolet Monte Carlos and intended to continue using the model. In their first race, the Brickyard 400, Waltrip started dead-last but climbed through the field to finish 13th. But the team's use of Chevrolets sparked outrage at McIlhenny Company because it had invested heavily in Pontiacs as part of its marketing program. Lawsuits ensued between Tabasco and Hancher, and McIlhenny Company forced the team to run Pontiacs. Waltrip's best finish that year was 18th at Richmond; otherwise, the team performed poorly and Tabasco left the sport at the end of the year.

In NASCAR discussion this affair has become known as the "Tabasco Fiasco"  .


1:24 Revell/Monogram - Todd Bodine's ISM Racing 1997/98 No. 35 "Tabasco" NASCAR Winston Cup Pontiac Grand Prix by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:24 Revell/Monogram - Todd Bodine's ISM Racing 1997/98 No. 35 "Tabasco" NASCAR Winston Cup Pontiac Grand Prix by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


About the model:
This real world race car model was built around 2000 - one of the very few car kits I ever did.

The inspiration came through television - in the mid 90ies, local Free TV aired parts of the NASCAR Winston Cup series, as summaries but also some complete live races. Being interested in motorsport, I followed the series and decided to try my skills at a model - and the choice fell onto this Pontiac Grand Prix from the 1998 season.

At first I was a bit disappointed of the kit, because it looked pretty simple and crude, with flash and rather soft details. But after building it and checking reference pictures of the real stock cars of that era, I must admit that the kit is a) very accurate, b) fits well and c) offers anything you might ask for.

The kit was built almost 100% right out of the box. The only changes I made were opened cooler intakes in the car's front (you can see the radiator behind the mesh, the motor is complete, too, as well as the interior - the hood can be opened, and the whole car body can be lifted from the chassis) and scratch-built safety belts from paper instead of the decals, for a 3D effect. The rest is OOB.

The paint job was hell, though, because the first attempt to paint the car body with white from the rattle can went awry, with cracks appearing everywhere, so that I eventually had to get rid of the initial layers of primer and paint through a bath in brake fluid. Messy affair that also washed out some of the styrene's softener, leaving the plastic rather brittle and with a matt/coarse surface. However, the second attempt (with a different primer) was successful. Applying the large decals on the car's bulged shapes was another challenge, but the carrier film was pretty elastic so that it worked even without decal softener or other aids. Finally, everything was sealed with glossy varnish. And after lot of sweat and cursing, the car looks just great!


1:24 Revell/Monogram - Todd Bodine's ISM Racing 1997/98 No. 35 "Tabasco" NASCAR Winston Cup Pontiac Grand Prix by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:24 Revell/Monogram - Todd Bodine's ISM Racing 1997/98 No. 35 "Tabasco" NASCAR Winston Cup Pontiac Grand Prix by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:24 Revell/Monogram - Todd Bodine's ISM Racing 1997/98 No. 35 "Tabasco" NASCAR Winston Cup Pontiac Grand Prix by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

[Old Wombat]

Not a NASCAR fan but good build, Dizzy!

[PR19_Kit]

WOAH!

I'd never have classed you amongst the small group of car modellers on here Thomas, but you sure are now! And very welcome too building stuff like that!

[zenrat]

Ah the good old Monogram NASCAR moulds.
I've had a few of these but always used them as chassis doners.  I once built one of their NASTruck kits but gave it away.  I do however have a Monogram Thunderbird NASCAR kit in the stash and plan to build it one day with a home made sponsorship scheme.

This one looks very good.  Any issues with the tyres?  They can be prone to sinkmarks.

[Dizzyfugu]

IIRC, there were no tire problems - also on the other one that has just been finished. However, I think that the tires had quite prominent seams on their surfaces, and sanding these away for an even/natural slick look was tedious. But that happened more than 20 years ago... 

[Wardukw]

Lovely build Dizzy..ive built many a NASCAR kit as they were cheap as chips ..as we all know now..not anymore but ive been having thoughts about a 78 Trans am and turning it into a NASCAR.
All i can say now Thomas mate..welcome to the fold  brother  

[su27rules]

  

[zenrat]

Sand the tyres by chucking them onto an electric drill and running them against abrasive paper.  Just don't push too hard and melt them (don't ask me... etc).
Apparently you can also make them easier to sand by freezing them first.  I have not tried this out.

[PR19_Kit]

Apparently you can also make them easier to sand by freezing them first.  I have not tried this out.

I did...................once...........

The tyre shattered into a zillion parts as soon as I touched it down on the wet-and-dry. 

[zenrat]

Apparently you can also make them easier to sand by freezing them first.  I have not tried this out.

I did...................once...........

The tyre shattered into a zillion parts as soon as I touched it down on the wet-and-dry. 

Did you use a domestic freezer or liquid nitrogen?

[Dizzyfugu]

IIRC, I used a file or rather coarse sand paper to make the mold groove disappear, plus a final finish with finer sandpaper.

[PR19_Kit]

Did you use a domestic freezer or liquid nitrogen?

  I put it in the freezer compartment of the fridge. Maybe I should have used the main compartment.

[zenrat]

Did you use a domestic freezer or liquid nitrogen?

  I put it in the freezer compartment of the fridge. Maybe I should have used the main compartment.

Dunno, everything I have read says "freeze them".

[Wardukw]

Ok the best way to sand tyres..soft or hard it dont matter..its fast and the end result is great...nail and beauty sanding sticks..i get mine from a $2 shop and they come in many different grits..they come in what must be 60 grit and they go to like 1000 grit..they also come as hard files and soft which will curve for profile sanding.
Trust me guys these work and thanks to Scotaidh getting me back into building cars they've gotten a good workout with excellent results.

[PR19_Kit]

My personal experience is that there are more than one type of vinyl tyre (or whatever its they're made of...) and they need different sanding techniques for each type.