PETTY'S GRAND FINALE COMES CRASHING DOWN

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, February 17, 1992                   TAG: 9202170162
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Bob Zeller
DATELINE: DAYTONA BEACH, FLA.                                LENGTH: Short
PETTY'S GRAND FINALE COMES CRASHING DOWN
Fate plays no favorites in a superspeedway crash, even if it's the King of stock car racing in his 32nd and final Daytona 500.
Richard Petty's blue and red No. 43 Pontiac was one of 14 cars snared in the big crash on the backstretch of Daytona International Speedway on lap 92 of the 200-lap race.
Petty, who was one lap down at the time, was hit from behind by Geoff Bodine. Petty's car spun down the backstretch and stopped before hitting anything.
"I'm disappointed," he told Pontiac's Brian Hoagland. "I felt really good while we were out there running. But then I got a lap down and we had that wreck over there and I got hit from behind."
Petty said his car ran well, but "not as good as it was supposed to. I don't think anyone could have done better in that car today in the same circumstances. I guess if I can do that I can feel satisfied with the race."
Petty finished 16th, two laps down.
Petty was the grand marshal of the race, and from the cockpit of his car he got things started by saying: "Okay, guys, let's go. Crank 'em up."
Keywords:
AUTO RACING

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB