Friday news #2 97-08-29

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What driver has come the closest to winning the Winston Million at Darlington after Bill Elliott turned the trick in 1985? (See answer below.) (Brian Hoagland, iRace)

When asked about his Cup chances, Dale Jarrett said, "I'd like to be 150 or so points closer. But it's a whole new championship deal after tonight (Bristol). We need to capitalize on nights like this because you never know what's going to happen next. The points deal is a lot like this track. Things can change in such a hurry."

After the cocaine arrest of baseball's Tony Phillips, Les Richter (VP California Spdway), former star NFL linebacker and stock car guru, said why there isn't such drug abuse in NASCAR: "You've got 40 traffic cops out there. And they wouldn't let a crazy get one lap." (Autoweek, BWTM)

#1 question asked Rusty Wallace by way of a radio poll in Detroit:

"Do you get free beer from Miller?" (Autoweek, BWTM)

I found in reading this week's Winston Cup Scene that, regardless of my informal poll result showing a 3 to 1 margin in favor of Jeff Burton allowing teammate Mark Martin to regain his lap at the DeVilbiss 400, all of the writers in the "From Our Readers" section were overwhelming NOT in favor of the "team concept".

There is a bill in the House that would ban the production and sale of all scanners that receive any business bands, including race frequencies, and all telephone bands, sponsored by Rep. Ed Marky of Massachuesetts, according to Winston Cup Scene letter writer John and Joyce Carrara of Toms River, NJ. I suggest all you race fans who use scanners contact your representatives and voice your disfavor over this bill.

Banjo's Performance Center, a leader in the race car building industry, closed its doors August 25. Jodi Matthews, the son of the firm's founder, Banjo Matthews said it was no longer financially feasible to keep operating the Arden, NC firm. He mentioned the trend toward teams developing their own chassis as a contributing factor to the decision. (Winston Cup Scene)

Lake Speed and his Melling Racing team hadn't planned to compete in the Goody's Headache Powder 500 at Bristol, but when they decided to come the result was a fund-raising event for the Speedway Children's Charities. For $50, individuals or groups could sign the hood of Lake's Ford. A Melling Racing crewman said nearly $1500 was raised. (Winston Cup Scene)

Kenny Wallace and Tammy Jo Kirk have web sites now:

http://racing.squared.com http://tammyjokirk.com

September NASCAR Birthdays

1 - Denise Bierschwale 2 - Mike Hartman, Corrie Scott 4 - Bobby Wawak, Bob Jenkins, Earl Ross 5 - Scott Robinson, Glenn Brewer, John P. Mann IV 6 - Craig Donley, Summer McKnight 7 - Donnie Allison, Mike "Grumpy" Culbertson, Terry Pupp 8 - Clay Adams, Jim Hunter, Frank Warren 9 - Felix Sabates, Wayne Hamby, Phil Barkdoll, Troy Martin, Jeff Hammond, Kyle Grissom 10 - Ed Miller, Gregg Buchanan, Tom Gale 12 - Ricky Rudd 13 - Terry Bivins 15 - Jimmy Fennig 16 - Jack Hennen, Bob Rhodes, Anthony Shoemaker 17 - Norman Koshimizu, Will Lind, J. W. Waldrop, Sam Sommers, Johnny Allen, Jessica Leigh Waltrip 18 - Jerry Hailey 21 - Richard Childress 22 - Leonard Wood, Johnny Siler, Anne M. Edwards, Charlie Libby, Carol Jones, Randy Cox 23 - Ken Hammond, Bryan Robertson 25 - Jamie Bishop 26 - Joe Nemechek, Tina Dillon 27 - Robin Metdepenningen, Glenn Skillman 29 - Wayne McCord, Stanley Smith, Gerald Swafford 30 - Wayne "Red" Tanner, Jeffrey Baker (Winston Cup Scene)

Ford isn't pleased with the slow start of the Washington-Erving team, and a source close to the situation says the manufacturer's deal with the outfit hinges on its start-up progress. The new team is to be owned by former NFL running back Joe Washington and NBA legend Julius "Dr. J" Erving. The team was announced May 21 in Charlotte, but little progress on assembling it has been reported since then.

"All they've got is a shop," said a source close to the situation. "It's about too late to do anything. I don't know what they're going to do. Ford's contact is contingent on putting a program together. I've got to believe whatever (sponsor) they thought they had dried up, went away, or something. They talked to Ernie (Irvan) and he wasn't interested. It's so late now, I don't see how they're going to get anything done without buying an existing team."

Meanwhile, a team spokesman stated they are "inches away" from naming their Winston Cup driver. Still no word on a crew chief or sponsor, however. (Brian Hoagland, iRace)

"We appreciate the opportunity, but it's got to be business as usual." -- crew chief Ray Evernham, downplaying his team's quest for the Winston Million with driver Jeff Gordon at Darlington. (BH, iRace)

Grand National rookie Bill Hoff made history at Darlington Raceway last Thursday when he became the first driver to make contact with the wall in the "new" Turn 4. Said Huff: "This is the hardest race track I have ever seen in my life" (Godwin Kelly, News Journal)

Dale Earnhardt, mired in a 48-race losing streak, is the only driver in the top 40 this season who has finished every race. In fact, he has been running at the finish in 34 straight races. (News Journal)

TRIVIA ANSWER: Davey Allison finished fifth in the 1992 Southern 500 after finishing fourth in the Coca-Cola 600. (Brian Hoagland, iRace)

Mike Irwin (mike@nascarfans.com) NASCAR Fans _______________________________________ NASCAR Fans Website http://www.nascarfans.com

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