Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 6, 1990 TAG: 9005060049
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: TALLADEGA, ALA. LENGTH: Medium
Earnhardt, 0-for-IROC in 16 previous starts, broke through in International Race of Champions competition Saturday, capturing the 1990 series opener at Talladega Superspeedway.
"One-for-17," Earnhardt said. "That ain't bad, is it?"
Aided by a huge drafting boost from Indy-car driver Al Unser Jr., Earnhardt bolted past leader Darrell Waltrip on the back straightaway and held on to win, nipping Unser by one car length.
NASCAR drivers Mark Martin and Darrell Waltrip finished right behind in third and fourth, respectively.
Earnhardt, who started ninth in the 12-man field pitting drivers from different racing series in identically prepared Dodge Daytonas, had moved to the front by lap seven.
The top four finishers, running in a tight draft, swapped the lead numerous times before entering the 38th and final trip around the 2.66-mile tri-oval.
Waltrip, riding on the point going into the final lap, said he knew he was "a sitting duck."
As the four cars came off turn two, Earnhardt, with help from a trailing Unser, shot past Waltrip to the lead. Martin and Waltrip raced side-by-side and touched fenders, leaving Unser with no push to make a final run at Earnhardt.
"Little Al went with me [by Waltrip] and that won me the race," Earnhardt said. "I was in the second place, and that was the position to be in.
"I was surprised Martin didn't go with Little Al. If those guys would have stayed in line, they would have pushed Little Al right by me. I'm glad they didn't.
"Man, it's nice to finally win one of these things," said Earnhardt, a four-time runner-up in his IROC career.
Earnhardt averaged a series-record 188.055 mph for the highly competitive 101-mile trip. There were no caution flags.
With the victory, Earnhardt took the early points lead in the three-race series that continues July 7 at the Burke International road course in Cleveland.
"Winning the IROC championship would mean an awful lot," said Earnhardt, "but it's going to take a good finish at Cleveland, and that's one of the worst places I could go.
"Last time I ran there, I was all over the place. I was off the course half the time, so it's probably a good thing I have to start last so I will have all the road to myself."
Finishing fifth through 12th, respectively, Saturday were Martin Brundle, Dorsey Schroeder, Rusty Wallace, defending series champion Terry Labonte, Geoff Brabham, Emerson Fittipaldi, Bobby Rahal and Danny Sullivan.
The race was taped by ABC and will be shown May 27 at 3:30 p.m. on WSET (Channel 13)
\ Jimmy Horton won a furious three-car duel with Tracy Leslie and Charlie Glotzbach to win the 500K Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) race Saturday.
Horton passed Glotzbach and Leslie on the next-to-last lap to score his series-record third straight superspeedway victory. He won earlier this season at Daytona Beach, Fla., and Atlanta.
Leslie beat Glotzbach to the stripe by inches to take second.
Horton, of Hammonton, N.J., averaged an event-record 155.913 mph for the 312-mile run, which by ARCA standards, was extremely clean.
The race was marred only by a mid-race incident on pit road.
Clay Young, of Smyrna, Ga., spun his car entering his pit stall. The front end of the car clipped his son, Chris, catapulting the crewman over the inside pit wall.
Chris Young, 23, suffered a compound fracture of the fibula and tibia bones in his right leg.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB