Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 15, 1992 TAG: 9203150119
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C11 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: HAMPTON, GA. LENGTH: Medium
It happened on the fourth lap of the Atlanta 300 Grand National race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Irvan, the only driver hurt, was expected to spend the night at the Southern Regional Medical Center in Riverdale.
From the hospital Saturday night, Irvan told his team that he wanted to try to start today's Motorcraft 500, but it was unknown whether he could.
1991 Grand National champion Bobby Labonte practiced in Irvan's Chevrolet Lumina during the final Winston Cup practice late Saturday afternoon and is prepared to fill in for Irvan or provide relief. Labonte was recruited by two-way radio while he raced in Saturday's event.
"It's kind of a wait-and-see thing," team owner Larry McClure said. "We'd like to see what the doctor says in the morning."
The big crash occurred when Tom Peck slammed head-on into the outside wall of turn 1, perhaps because his car was bumped by another.
Irvan, who often has been criticized for his involvement in a number of multi-car crashes in Winston Cup, drove straight into a storm of debris spewing from Peck's car and spun to a stop at the bottom of the track.
Other cars began crashing and spinning. Peck's car, already destroyed in the front, was slammed in the rear by Shawna Robinson's car. Peck seemed to be the most likely candidate for injury, but he walked away unhurt.
Meanwhile, Ward Burton slammed into Irvan's stopped car, knocking Irvan unconscious.
Burton said he had managed to avoid several other spinning cars before hitting Irvan's. "I didn't see him until he was right there," Burton said.
Irvan told McClure he remembered spinning but didn't know what happened after that.
"He said somebody had a good left hook or something," McClure said. "He was alert, witty.
"Of course, he had his feelings hurt. I asked him who he would recommend to put in the car and he said, `Me.' But we'll just have to wait and see."
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB