Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 7, 1990                   TAG: 9003072008
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: By RANDY KING SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

PARSONS LOSES HIS RIDE ALREADY

In a sudden development on Tuesday, the Abingdon-based Morgan-McClure Oldsmobile team fired Parsons and hired Ernie Irvan as its driver for the rest of the season.

"It came as a total shock to me," said Parsons, who was booted after driving three stock-car races for a team he joined only five months ago.

"The only explanation I got was that they had to to make a change. But I certainly don't think three races is enough time to make a decision like that."

Irvan, who has driven the season's first three races for Richmond car owner Junie Donlavey's Ford team, was unavailable for comment.

Parsons, who replaced Rick Wilson in the Morgan-McClure car after running three seasons for Richard and Leo Jackson's team, said his stock-car future is uncertain.

"I haven't done anything yet," said Parsons, the 32-year-old younger brother of driver-turned-television commentator Benny Parsons.

"There are contractual matters that will have to be worked out," said Parsons, who won his only Winston Cup race in the 1988 Winston 500 at Talladega, Ala.

In three 1990 runs with the team owned by Larry McClure and Tim Morgan, Parsons was involved in a multi-car crash in the Daytona 500 and finished 42nd; was involved in unavoidable scrape at Richmond and finished 26th; and ran a clean 14th last Sunday at Rockingham, N.C.

Donlavey may not need a replacement for Irvan. It was reported at Rockingham last weekend that his team's future is in limbo due to the lack of a major sponsor.