When all is said and done, you've got to be true to yourself; that from two-time track champion at Mesa Marin Raceway, Frank Adamo, who recently ended his relationship with the Crown Motor Sports team after one season.

The parting of ways between Adamo and team owner Tommy Fry Sr. comes after an incredibly successful 1998 season with three Bud Pole Awards in Southwest Tour (the most on the Southwest Tour in '98), one Tour win (later forfeited due to an illegal clutch found in inspection), eight Late Model wins, and two track records, one in the Late Model division and one in the Southwest Tour car on consecutive nights at the October Classic. Adamo earned the pole positions in the Southwest Tour car, despite running only four events in the series. The eight Late Model victories in the fire engine red No. 98 Late Model, represented the most wins in '98 at the 1/2-mile paved oval in Bakersfield, Calif., though a close points battle left Adamo third in his bid for a third track championship.

For Adamo, who has been involved in racing consistently for more than 25 years, be it flat track motorcycles, stock car racing on dirt or Southwest Tour showings at Winter Heat in Tucson, relinquishing his ride and facing the possibility of sitting out this year's circuit altogether was a difficult choice.

"We had a good deal going with Fry," said the 42-year-old father of three from his home in Maricopa, a small oil town in western Kern County, Calif. "It was hard to give it up, but I've always believed that you've got to be yourself."

Adamo's comments referred to Fry's decision that one of the Crown team's mechanics, Greg Pursley, take over the Southwest Tour car races for the 1999 season, while Adamo would maintain his role as the primary Late Model driver. Adamo disagreed with the change in driver roles, citing his record performances in both race divisions throughout the '98 season. Pursley did make a run in the Tour car back in September when he took the pole spot in the inaugural Los Angeles Street Race, a road course, though a wreck eventually took him out of contention after 37 laps.

"Not that I have anything against racing Late Models only, but I feel that I more than proved myself," Adamo said. "Every time I got in those cars, we went right to the front ... we won with a car that broke, we won from the pole, we dialed in the set-up every race and had very good outings and a great season overall ... to have the tour car taken away like that just didn't seem right to me since it was part of the original deal, and I decided it was best for us to go our separate ways."

The dissolution with Crown Motor Sports has Adamo in search of a new ride for the upcoming season, as he has no plans for a permanent retirement from racing any time soon.

"Oh no, this is definitely not the end of my racing career," he said. "I still want to drive and use my skills; I'm looking to drive anything, test anything, whatever is available out there, I'm willing."

Source: Teresa Adamo
Posted: 1/24/99