An Interview with Dion Ciccarelli

Part 2 of 3
Dion’s plans for 2005 are quite simple—run the three biggest Busch North Series races, then attempt to pick up sponsorship for the entire season. He’d love to return to the Busch Series, even on a low-funded team—however, independent teams run on the cheap have become a thing of the past. Without the technology and engine advantages an alliance with a Cup Series team brings, independent Busch teams like Dion’s find themselves seemly five laps down before the race begins. And this doesn’t even include field fillers (Dion proudly states that his Busch Series runs “…were never start and parks”). For an independent team to try to run competitive in the Busch Series is virtually impossible in 2005—just look at Ashton Lewis.
Dion’s current arrangement has him racing for Glidden Motorsports. They have formed several alliances with other small teams in an attempt to stay competitive. Dion has had to make due with such arrangements—most notably an all-volunteer crew. As a result, Dion has had “…about 50 people who’ve walked through our doors I haven’t seen since”, with only the most dedicated workers staying on the team. Just like at the Cup level, sponsorship is key to Dion’s racing dreams, firmly grounding them in the financial reality. Star Sales (a screw manufacturer) will be on the hood for Dion’s Busch North races this year. Associate sponsors will allow him to test and become more competitive. This is why long-term relationships with such companies as Culligan and Monster Racing (where Dion is an instructor) are crucial.

Part 3 Tomorrow