Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, May 7, 1990 TAG: 9005070128
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: RANDY KING SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: TALLADEGA, ALA. LENGTH: Medium
Upstart Greg Sacks, driving for a team running its first race, finished just two car lengths from winning the Winston 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.
"Man, we almost pulled it off," said Sacks, after coming up 30 feet short of writing yet another 1990 upset story.
"Second is great, but there's nothing like winning. Winning is where it's at."
All week, Sacks tried to tell people he could win the race. Some listened; others snickered.
"I knew for a fact we had a strong car. I knew we could win," Sacks said.
The 37-year-old former Modified driver from New York didn't win. Still, it couldn't keep him from feeling like a winner.
"This is just another one of those peaks for me. My whole career has been like that," said Sacks, whose only Winston Cup victory came in a huge upset in the 1985 Firecracker 400 at Daytona Beach, Fla.
Sacks got his new ride thanks to car owner Rick Hendrick's participation in the upcoming stock-car movie "Days of Thunder."
"We wouldn't have this team if not for the movie," Hendrick said. "These guys worked like marines getting all those movie cars together. Then, one day, they came to me and say, `Let's race.' "
They raced for real Sunday - and almost won.
"Not a bad way to start," Sacks said. "Who knows? Maybe next time it will be my turn."
\ Pole-sitter Bill Elliott hoped to turn his season around Sunday. The only thing that turned around was his Ford. Elliott clipped Rob Moroso coming out of the turn on lap 77, turned sideways and took a wild spin through the grass.
"My day wasn't worth a flip," a disgruntled Elliott said.
His day was spoiled early when NASCAR forced crew chief Mike Beam to install a new rear spoiler on the car after prerace inspection.
"The spoiler they had on the car was turned down on the sides," said Dick Beaty, Winston Cup director.
Elliott was jumped on the green flag and never led a lap. He wound up 13 laps down in 22nd place.
\ Another prerace favorite, Darrell Waltrip, also had a long day.
Waltrip's Chevrolet suffered handling problems and his team never could correct the problem. Waltrip's Chevy, which was lapped only 71 laps into the race, then suffered front-end sheet-metal damage in a multicar spin on lap 105.
"I think the car drove better after the wreck," said Waltrip facetiously. "It just wouldn't handle and I couldn't drive it."
Waltrip still managed to finish a lap down in 10th.
\ There were no miracles for Derrike Cope.
Cope, who pulled a startling upset in February's Daytona 500, finished last in the season's second major. Cope's Chevrolet retired after only three laps because of a broken camshaft.
"This isn't the way we planned it. There's nothing you can do about engine failure or driver failure or brain failure on the track," Cope said.
"Racing luck is strange. I finished first at Daytona and I was the first out here."
The engine, built by Keith Dorton, was the same one that powered Cope at Daytona.
\ Colorful flagman Harold Kinder has thrown a red flag on his 25-year NASCAR career.
Kinder, 63, announced at the morning drivers' meeting that the Winston 500 would be his final race.
"I've been with NASCAR a long time and I have enjoyed every minute of it," Kinder said. "Now, it's time to relax with my wife [Mildred] and enjoy time with her.
"Plus, there are a few fish out there that I haven't caught yet, and I plan to spend some time looking for 'em."
Kinder's backup man in the stand, Doyle Ford, is expected to take over as the Winston Cup tour's main flagman.
\ Car owner Raymond Beadle indicated he plans to continue operation of the Blue Max Racing team next season.
The future of the team has been in question since driver Rusty Wallace announced he will leave to form his own team, supposedly with Indy-car magnate Roger Penske, in 1991.
Blue Max chassis man Jimmy Makar also has said he will go with Wallace.
Plus, Wallace will take the team's megabucks sponsor, Miller Genuine Draft, with him.
"Right now, things still look good," Beadle said. "I think I have a sponsor lined up, and there will be some drivers out there looking."
by CNB