Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 2, 1991 TAG: 9103020175
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: ROCKINGHAM, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
They did not forget him.
They were the Unocal 76 world champion pit crew of 1990. But between the time they won the pit stop contest here last October and the time their championship rings were presented Thursday night at the Holiday Inn in Southern Pines, Rich had been killed in a pit-road accident during the last pit stop of the year.
Rich was the right rear tire changer on Elliott's car. He was all nerves and intensity on the afternoon of the contest last October as the crew members readied themselves to spring upon Elliott's Ford for one quick pit stop against the stopwatch.
His blond hair flying, Rich scooted around to the right rear tire, loosened the lug nuts, yanked the tire off, manhandled the new one on and tightened the new nuts. He made no mistakes.
The entire crew made no mistakes. They changed four tires and added two seven-gallon cans of gas in 24.002 seconds - the best time of the day.
Thursday night, when Mike Rich's name was called, his widow, Teresa, stood in his place. She wore a black dress with gold buttons down the front. She walked to the podium, wordlessly accepted his ring and took her place among the crew as they stood side-by-side on the stage.
Moments earlier, jackman Tommy Cole had found the words to say what all of them must have been thinking. Cole was one of Rich's best friends. Cole also had been battered and bruised in the tragic accident at Atlanta.
"It's not only special, but sentimental," Cole said as he gave thanks for the award. "And I'm sure all of you know what I mean by that.
"I see a lot of folks out there I know, but there's one that is not out there who I loved so much. It hurts my heart every day. And he's going to live with me forever."
Another poignant moment came when Elliott's brother, Dan, who changed front tires, accepted his ring. "This has been a dream of mine for 15 years," he said.
Although he didn't mention it from the stage, Dan Elliott has decided to leave the pit crew.
He will continue to work with the team, building gears and transmissions at the Dawsonville, Ga., shop. He also told Winston Cup Scene he was interested in public relations and said the Atlanta accident was instrumental in helping him decide to move on to other areas of the sport.
Elliott said his last race as a pit crewman would be at Atlanta on March 17.
\ As the green flag waves for today's Goodwrench 200 for Busch Grand National cars, Patty Moise and Elton Sawyer officially will become the first married couple to race in the same major NASCAR event.
Moise and Sawyer, who were married in November, had their first chance at Daytona, but Patty failed to qualify for the race. She also didn't make the field last weekend at Richmond.
But she easily qualified for the Grand National race here and will start on the 14th row, 28th-fastest among 40 starters.
"We may be the first husband and wife competing against each other, but we won't be the last," Sawyer said last week at Richmond. "It's really a great thing to be in a society where you can do something like this."
Dale Earnhardt is on the pole after setting a track record Thursday for Grand National cars of 145.598 mph.
\ Tom Peck's Grand National team, which was about to give up for lack of financing, has received a boost from Winston Cup driver Rick Mast of Rockbridge Baths, Va.
Mast, in effect, has become the owner of the team, thus qualifying Peck for the Grand National "Winner's Circle" program on the basis of Mast's participation in the series last year.
"We kind of combined forces," Mast said Friday. "He hired one of my crewmen and I'm also acting as an adviser. This enables him to run all the races."
Mast said the move could mean as much as $40,000 for Peck this year.
Peck, from McConnelsburg, Pa., was planning to run only four races this year before Mast offered his help. Peck is still looking for a sponsor. He starts today's race in 20th position.
Mast's Grand National team, which won three races last year, became dormant this year as he moved to the Winston Cup series.
\ Rain is expected to be a threat to Sunday's Goodwrench 500 and Morgan Shepherd may be one driver who welcomes it.
Shepherd was unable to practice Friday because of the flu and his status was questionable for the 500-mile race.
Car owner Bud Moore called Larry Pearson in as a possible back-up driver should Shepherd be unable to race.
The forecast called for a 70 percent chance of showers on race day.
\ Terry Labonte scraped the wall in the second turn with the right side of his car Friday after something let go in the engine during practice.
Crew chief Steve Loyd said the damage appeared to be superficial and the crew intended to repair it overnight.
by CNB