MAY 11, 1998

NASCAR comes visiting

THE Formula 1 paddock in Barcelona was full of unusual characters including NASCAR Winston Cup driver Johnny Benson Jr., paying his first visit to a Grand Prix.

THE Formula 1 paddock in Barcelona was full of unusual characters including NASCAR Winston Cup driver JohnnyÊBensonÊJr., paying his first visit to a Grand Prix. Benson drives the Cheerios-sponsored Roush Racing Ford Taurus in NASCAR but is interested in F1, which he follows on television, often while at NASCAR race meetings.

Benson was given tours of several team garages and was impressed with what he saw. "It's pretty awesome," he said. "It is the first time I have seen how Formula 1 operates and I am impressed. The technology is really impressive and a lot different to what we have in NASCAR. People have been really friendly."