Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 16, 1992 TAG: 9202160163
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. LENGTH: Medium
300-MILER MARKED BY CRASHES
DALE EARNHARDT stayed in front of the carnage to win his third straight Goody's 300 Grand National race.\ With all the crashing and banging in Saturday's Goody's 300 Grand National race at Daytona International Speedway, it sure looked like an ARCA race.
But Dale Earnhardt doesn't compete in Automobile Racing Club of America races, and while many in the 44-car field were tearing up their machinery, Earnhardt remained in first and won his third Goody's 300 in a row.
"My biggest worry today was keeping the car in front and not get back there in too much traffic," said Earnhardt, who crossed the finish line just ahead of Ernie Irvan.
Ward Burton was third, followed by Jimmy Spencer, Robert Pressley and Rick Mast.
"Today's race was a stay-out-of-trouble race," Earnhardt said.
That proved impossible for most of the 44-car field.
When it was over, 23 cars had been involved in seven incidents, including two multi-car accidents in turn 2.
And three drivers, including Jimmy Hensley, were taken to Halifax Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries.
Hensley ended up with a slight fracture of his right foot when he crashed alone coming off turn 4 on lap 92. He was taken to the hospital for a complete examination when his blood pressure dropped as he sat up and prepared to leave the infield care center at the track.
In the day's most frightening accident, Joe Nemechek's car exploded in flames after an 11-car melee in turn 2 on lap 76. Nemechek was treated at the hospital for eye irritation.
Some observers said it seemed a miracle that Nemechek was not burned because the fire looked worse than the Bristol accident last year that left Sterling Marlin with severe second-degree burns. Nemechek's car continued to burn fiercely for several seconds after it came to a stop on the backstretch.
A fiery crash on lap 32 that appeared far less serious than Nemechek's left Robert Huffman with second degree burns on his mouth, neck and right forearm. Huffman was scheduled to be held overnight at the hospital.
Except for all the crashes, the race was largely uneventful. Earnhardt led 101 of the 120 laps, including the final 48. On the final lap, Irvan was unable to make any move to pass Earnhardt.
Irvan "made me a little loose through [turns] three and four," Earnhardt said, "but I held him off."
This is the third year in a row for big crashes in this race.
Last year, it started on the first lap.
This year, they waited a while, but in turn 2 of lap 16, Randy MacDonald lost control when he was squeezed by another car. Five other cars were involved.
MacDonald said he always had wondered what it would be like if he smacked the wall at Daytona. After it was over, he was, more than anything else, relieved.
"I did it," he said. "I hit the wall. I spun. I survived."
Huffman's crash, also in turn 2, came next. Dave Rezendes also was involved.
There were two more minor incidents before Nemechek's fiery wreck, the biggest crash of the day.
Nemechek lost control in turn 2 after Jimmy Spencer's car moved up the track and apparently ran into him.
Spencer said it wasn't his fault. He said he was trying to avoid a loose car in front of him.
"Are they blaming it on me?" Spencer asked. "I can take it. I'm a big boy."
It was a typical big Daytona crash. Nemechek's car spun down the track, then spun back up to the wall in front of a big pack of cars with nowhere to go.
Chuck Bown slammed into Nemechek's car and, a second later, Nemechek's car burst into flame as a mad scramble began on the high bank.
When Nemechek's car was hauled to the garage area on the back of a flat-bed hauler, unburned fuel was spilling out of the line between the filler valve and the tank. The line had been severed. Most of the paint and decals had been burned off, and the plastic side windows were melted.
Bown's car also had received a torch bath, and much of the paint was blistered.
"It got a little warm in there," said Bown.
After Nemechek's car was shrouded with a cover, NASCAR technical director Gary Nelson crawled under the back end to inspect the fuel line damage.
Most of the drivers involved in the crash said all they saw was Nemechek spinning and they had nowhere to go. The crash also ended the day for 1991 Grand National champion Bobby Labonte and Tom Peck.
After Hensley's accident, the final incident happened when Butch Miller blew an engine and spun wildly down the front stretch. He didn't hit a thing.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING