Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 25, 1993 TAG: 9304250247
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MARTINSVILLE LENGTH: Medium
He needs one like he needs Ernie Irvan on the rear bumper of his No. 15 Ford Thunderbird.
Every time Bodine has won at Martinsville Speedway, he has received the traditional $1,000 grandfather clock trophy that track president H. Clay Earles gets from the nearby Ridgeway Clock Co.
And in more than 20 years of racing at Martinsville, Bodine has won seven Modified, two Grand National and four Winston Cup races. That's 13 clocks.
Bodine will get another one if he can win today's $672,791 Hanes 500. And along with Rusty Wallace, who is seeking his third victory in a row, Bodine would have to be judged the pre-race favorite.
For one thing, Bodine won last fall's race. And he is on the pole today after setting a track record of 93.887 mph in qualifying Friday. Wallace starts fifth.
Bodine would be thrilled to get his first victory of the year, but like Richard Petty, who has won 15 Martinsville races, Bodine has more clocks than places to put them in his home in Julian, N.C.
"I've given 'em to my parents," Bodine said. "I've given 'em to former car owners. Flossie [Johnson, former wife of Junior Johnson] has one. I gave one to [crew chief] Donnie Wingo last year."
Considering his Martinsville record, Bodine is an acknowledged master of the .526-mile, relatively flat short track.
But he really doesn't know why.
"When I first got into Winston Cup racing, everyone expected I would be a short track wizard," he said in the pits Saturday. "But I really ran better on the speedways for a long while. I'm good on both at times, but why here, I don't know. If I could figure that out, I'd apply it to everywhere I go."
As for driving the track, "it doesn't matter what you run here at Martinsville, you drive in the corners deep and jump on the gas early. Of course, the trick is driving in deep without hitting the wall and jumping on the gas without spinning the wheels."
Bodine likes his chances. "From testing this car a week ago here, and from what we've seen [in qualifying Friday], this car is plenty good enough to win Sunday."
Of course, he'll need to finish the first lap.
Last weekend at North Wilkesboro, Bodine started second, but crashed into the third turn wall on the first lap after Irvan got under him into the corner and nudged him.
He was upset, but held his temper.
Irvan's bump "wasn't intentional," Bodine said. "It could have been a whole lot worse. I used to kick tires and throw helmets, but I've learned to deal with things a lot better."
Winston Cup teams in general seem to have a better handle on crashes.
Bodine, Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon all will be driving the same cars today that they crashed last Sunday at North Wilkesboro.
"That shows just how hard our fellas work," Bodine said. "They worked all week to repair that car."
Said Gordon: "My car has been destroyed two weeks in a row."
He wrecked at Bristol as well as at North Wilkesboro.
"My team has really done a good job," he said. While a driver might worry if a repaired car is as good as a brand new one, "I think my car has been getting better and better, actually," Gordon said. "I qualified 21st at Bristol. Then I was seventh at North Wilkesboro and here I'm starting third."
Hut Stricklin will start the race next to Bodine on the outside of the front row. His qualifying run Friday was the best of his career. His previous best starting position was fifth.
"We thought we had a shot at the pole, but I guess in order for us to win a pole, we have to lose a pole," Stricklin said Saturday.
Stricklin hasn't finished in the top 10 this year since his fourth-place finish in the Daytona 500.
"It's getting better," he said. "I think we're getting to a deal where the team is figuring out what I need to run fast and I'm getting a good feel for the cars."
Team owner Junior Johnson has been with the team more often in recent weeks and that helps, too, Stricklin said.
"I feel like everybody on our team stands on their own two feet real good, but when he is around, it gives us another foot to stand on," Stricklin said.
Joe Montana, the new quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, is the grand marshal for today's 500-lap, 263-mile race.
ESPN will televise the race, but because of the cable network's coverage of the NFL draft, the race won't be shown until 7:30 p.m. Monday.
The only live television from Martinsville Sunday will feature Montana and ex-Washington Redskins coach and NASCAR team owner Joe Gibbs. ESPN has set up a booth to get their thoughts on the football draft.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB