Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 10, 1991 TAG: 9103100069
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: MARTINSVILLE LENGTH: Medium
Well, don't dare tell drivers Jimmy Hensley and Elton Sawyer.
Indeed, what transpires today at Martinsville Speedway could well determine Hensley's and Sawyer's immediate racing future.
For different reasons, the Virginians enter the season's fourth race riding a hot seat.
Hensley, the 43-year-old veteran from nearby Horsepasture, desperately needs a victory to help turn a major sponsor's head his way.
"The word is this could be our last race unless we can come up with a sponsor," Hensley said of his Chester-based team owned by Don Beverly. "I'm supposed to talk to Don on Sunday morning.
"He said back in early February that he thought we could make it without a sponsor until Martinsville. We've talked to people [sponsor representatives], but nobody has committed. I'm just hoping that something will come up.
"But as things stand right now, I honestly don't know what's going to happen. All we can do is do the best we can and try to hang on."
Originally, the Beverly team had expected last season's sponsor, Crown Petroleum, back. But because of circumstances surrounding the death of Rob Moroso in a highway crash last October, Crown pulled out of stock car racing, leaving Dick Moroso's Winston Cup team and Hensley's Grand National operation without major backing.
Therefore, Hensley, the runner-up in the 1990 GN championship chase, went to the season opener at Daytona with no sponsor. A month later, his car's rear quarterpanels are still blank.
"And we've run well at Richmond and Rockingham [two top-10 finishes]," Hensley said. "We led a bunch of laps at Richmond and could have won the race.
"You would think that would mean something. We're running out of [Beverly's] pocket now, and it's probably costing him $10,000 to $12,000 a race. That's not going to last. If we don't get something soon, we might have to miss a race or two."
Sawyer's situation is not nearly so precarious. Still, Sawyer has heard rumblings that he might be replaced - his car owner Alan Dillard has admitted to talking to Hensley - unless the Charlottesville-based team does an immediate about-face.
Sawyer, 30, may have alleviated some of the pressure on Thursday when he won the pole for today's race.
"Still, we need to run well in this race," said Sawyer, who has struggled early in '91, finishing 15th at Daytona, 26th at Richmond and 25th at Rockingham, N.C.
"I know there's pressure. But, hopefully, the No. 27 car will be there [today]," Sawyer said.
Tires likely will answer that question. Sawyer's Buick is one of eight cars in the 32-car field that will start the 200-lap, 105.2-mile race on Hoosier-brand rubber. The rest of the pack will be on the harder Goodyear radials.
The big question all week has been: Will the softer Hoosiers stay consistent for the long haul?
"The [Hoosier] tire is awful fast, and that would lead you to believe it's too soft," said Sawyer, who is committed to running Hoosiers. "But if we have problems, we'll adjust accordingly.
"I think both tires are somewhat of an unknown here. It's the first time here for the Goodyear radials [in the GN division], and I don't think anyone is sure what will happen with them."
Rival crew chief Jeff Hensley predicted the Hoosiers will begin to lose their grip in 50 laps.
"I don't think you'll see any upset," Hensley said. "The radial is so consistent. I think a car on Goodyears will win."
Only two of the top five qualifiers - third-place Bobby Labonte and fifth-place Chuck Bown - will start on the radials.
Former Martinsville winners in the field include Jimmy Hensley in the eighth starting spot, Tommy Ellis (seventh), Tommy Houston (ninth), Harry Gant (11th), Jack Ingram (13th), Jeff Burton (18th) and Steve Grissom (22nd).
Ingram, 54, undoubtedly will be the sentimental choice in the field. The five-time GN champion, who is retiring after this season, will be making his final Martinsville start.
New Yorker George Kent starts up front in the Modified tour's season-opener. Despite arriving late and getting only five practice laps, Kent took the pole on Thursday at 97.297 mph.
"Hopefully," said Kent, "I will be just as lucky on Sunday."
Including Kent, there are eight former Martinsville winners among the top 20, including Rocky Mount's Don "Satch" Worley in the 10th starting spot, defending champion Reggie Ruggiero (18th) and 1990 Modified Tour winner Jamie Tomaino (19th).
The 100-lap LMSC show, which takes the green flag at noon, opens the three-race card. Pole-sitter Curtis Markham, a three-time Martinsville winner, is a heavy favorite.
Area entries include Christiansburg's Ronnie Thomas (seventh), Ferrum's Paul Radford (14th), Roanoke's Tink Reedy (31st) and Floyd's Jeff Agnew (32nd).
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB