ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, December 14, 1995 TAG: 9512140003
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: AUTO RACING
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER
They call him ``Mr.Excitement,'' and Jimmy Spencer certainly lived up to that nickname in the 1995 NASCAR Winston Cup series.
Spencer spun or crashed 17 times in 29 races, literally wiping out the competition on his way to becoming the title-holder for the crash leader of 1995.
It wasn't even close.
Next on the list were Lake Speed and Ward Burton, each with 12.
The least likely to crash was Steve Grissom, who was involved in only three spins or crashes that brought out yellow flags. But Grissom gets an asterisk because he ran in only 29 races.
Among those who competed in all 31 races, the least likely to crash or spin were those you might expect: points champion Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Mark Martin, Sterling Marlin and Bill Elliott. All were involved in only four yellow-flag incidents each.
The average number of yellow-flag spins and crashes per driver (those competing in most races) was 7.5 in 1995, down from last year's 8.2.
These statistics are not compiled by NASCAR, but are gleaned from NASCAR's official race reports. We record a spin or crash for a driver every time his car number is listed as being involved in a spin or crash that brought out a yellow flag.
Statistics do not tell the full story of 1995. They do not speak of the wild finish at Bristol, Tenn., in August, when Earnhardt crashed Terry Labonte as Labonte reached the finish line a winner. They do not speak of Earnhardt's first road-race victory, which was highlighted by a dramatic pass with a lap-and-a-half to go at Sears Point in Sonoma, Calif.
And they do not show how Gordon left his mark on 1995, winning seven races and loosening his grip in the championship chase only when it was too late for Earnhardt to catch up.
Earnhardt will turn 45 next season. He has owned the 1990s, winning four of the six titles so far. But he is an ex-champion again.
He forcefully dismisses the notion he's slowing.
``I'm more eager and competitive today than I ever have been,'' he said on Nov. 30. ``I'm telling you, I'm going to be the same next year as I was this year, as focused and hard-driving as I was this year.
``I'm going to win races. I'm going to win the championship. You can count on that.''
Gordon, of course, will have something to say about it, as will Rusty Wallace and Martin, among others.
Most likely those four will win most of the races in 1996, as they did in 1995, showing up in Victory Lane for 18 of the 31 ceremonies.
While parity is an elusive goal, especially as far as winning races, there is compelling statistical evidence that the Winston Cup series was more competitive than ever in 1995.
An average of 11.45 cars finished on the lead lap of 1995 races. It is the first time that number has been in double figures. The previous high was 9.82 in 1993.
Twenty-nine drivers finished on the lead lap at Sears Point, a NASCAR record.
All 36 cars finished the second race at North Wilkesboro, N.C., the first time that has happened since 1959, when a 12-car field finished a race in Nashville, Tenn.
Thirty-nine cars finished the first race at Talladega, Ala., and 38 finished the Pepsi 400 at Daytona, Fla., in July, records for both tracks.
``It just shows how competitive the teams are becoming,'' said Kevin Triplett, a NASCAR spokesman. ``They know how important it is to finish a race.''
there was evidence of this in other statistics, too.
Among the regulars, Darrell Waltrip had the most unfinished miles in 1995. Waltrip's Chevy was parked for 2,538.68 of the 12,120.84 miles run in 1995. But only one year before, that same number would have put Waltrip fifth on the list, far behind 1994 leader Ward Burton, who failed to finish more than 3,500 miles that year.
While overall competition was closer, Gordon led twice as many miles as any other driver and more than 1,000 more laps. And he set a money-winnings record, too, becoming the first driver to top $4 million in a season with $4,347,343.
Gordon was fortunate to lead so many laps and lead so many races (29 of 31). In fact, that has what won him the championship, because Earnhardt had a lower average finish - 9.22 to Gordon's 9.58. Gordon, who won the title by 34 points, had 200 bonus points to Earnhardt's 140. Bonus points are awarded to drivers who lead races and the driver who leads the most laps.
A driver can be consistent, however, and little else.
Consider Ted Musgrave and Geoff Bodine. Both finished more than 11,000 miles and were in the top five when it came to finishing races. But when it came to leading races, Musgrave led slightly more than 56 miles to finish 22nd in that category, while Bodine led 22.3 miles and was 29th.
But when you mix futility with trouble, you've got Mr.Excitement.
Spencer led 7.73 miles. But his crash total of 17 is the second highest since we started compiling this statistic five years ago. It is second only to Richard Petty's 18 in 1991.
Spencer's troubles seemed to come in clumps. He was involved in two yellow-flag incidents at the first event in Richmond, two more at the first race in Darlington, S.C., three at the Bristol night race and two in Phoenix.
Spencer, who finished second in this category last year, also leads the five-year compilation, with 55 since 1991. Derrike Cope is next with 52. It should be noted Spencer either was not entered in or did not qualify for 21 races since 1991.
In other facts of note, the lowest-finishing driver in points who also won a race was Kyle Petty, who was 30th in the title chase. Petty won at Dover, Del., in June, but was miserable the rest of the year.
Fifteenth on the miles leader chart was Ernie Irvan, who led 130.36 miles and 142 laps despite running only three races as he made his comeback from a near-fatal crash at Brooklyn, Mich., in August 1994.
Seventy-one drivers earned Winston Cup points in 1995. Bringing up the rear was Ernie Cope, Derrike's cousin, who received 31 points for finishing last at Sears Point.
LENGTH: Long : 115 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshots) Spencer, Waltrip, Gordon, Earnhardt.by CNB