Lap 2

Turn 5

Season 1

Lap 2

"Ol Sugar Bear" Has Medical Troubles

by Ed Goodspeed
Salina Evening Post
Sunday, June 18, 2006

WAGONER- Race car driver Brian "Sugar Bear" Scroggins may need to control his sweet tooth in the future. Earlier this week, doctors diagnosed the factory stock racer with type 2 diabetes.

"I didn't get the nickname 'Sugar Bear' for no reason. I have a major sweet tooth, but I guess all of that snacking has come back to take a bite out of me," said Scroggins. "My doctor recommended I change my diet. I don't really want to give up eating two pounds of candy a day, but if it will keep me healthy, I'll give it a shot."

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the disease. It occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin to process sugars. Unprocessed sugars in the bloodstream can cause numerous complications, including heart disease, blindness, nerve damage, and kidney failure.

"Type 2 diabetes is serious, but people with diabetes can live long, healthy, happy lives," Bob Sweet, media relations officer for the American Diabetes Association said.

"Despite having diabetes, many athletes go on to have great careers. The most recent example being Adam Morrison," Sweet said.

Morrison, a stand-out basketball player at Gonzaga University, is projected to be taken early in the first round of the 2006 NBA draft. "We certainly hope that Mr. Bear can set a good example for people who want to beat diabetes in the same manner as Mr. Morrison," Sweet said.

"This is certainly a bump in the road, but my family, fans, and other drivers are all offering my support through this difficult time," Scroggins said. "I just hate to have this come up during the season I've been having. I've really been doing good since I got rid of that Camaro."

"Ol Sugar Bear is a scrapper. I'm sure he'll continue to race," factory stock driver Jerry Wagner said. "I guess we'll have to get him a new nickname though."

The diagnosis could lead to a lucrative sponsorship deal for Scroggins. Reportedly, his racing team has nearly closed negotiotiations with artificial sweetener maker Nutrasweet. The deal would pay for Scroggins to get a new paint scheme on his #86 factory stock car featuring the Nutrasweet logo, as well as changing his nickname to "Nutrasweet Bear."