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

DATE: SUNDAY, May 2, 1993                   TAG: 9305020083
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: TALLADEGA, ALA.                                 LENGTH: Medium

AL UNSER JR. CAPTURES RECORD 7TY IROC RACE

Al Unser Jr. broke the stock-car drivers' stranglehold on International Race of Champions competition at Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday and became the first non-NASCAR driver to win at the track when Davey Allison ran out of gas on the last turn of the last lap.

On that final circuit around the 2.66-mile speedway, "I thought I was in the wrong place because I was leading the race," Unser said. "It's really important to be either second or third going into the last lap.

"I really didn't think we'd have a shot at it. But we got lucky. Davey ran out of fuel and that gave us the win."

It was Unser's seventh career IROC victory, a series record.

TransAm driver Jack Baldwin was second, followed by Dale Earnhardt (driving the late Alan Kulwicki's car), Ricky Rudd, Juan Fangio II and Allison.

The other six drivers in the third round of the four-race 1993 IROC series were eliminated in two crashes early in the race. None was injured.

IROC fans have come to expect highly competitive battles on the superspeedways, and the race fulfilled those expectations. There were 18 lead changes recorded at the start-finish line and many more lead changes at other parts of the track. Seven drivers led, including all six who completed the 38 laps.

Allison was third as the last lap started, but he shot past Unser and Earnhardt on the backstretch, only to drop off the pace in the final turn.

"I thought we had everything where I wanted it to be," Allison said. "You're not supposed to [run out of gas], but all those caution flags took their toll on fuel, I guess."

Allison leads Unser in 1993 IROC points standings with one race to go, July 31 at Michigan. Saturday's race will be televised by ABC at 4 p.m. June 27.

STEELE GETS ARCA WIN: Rookie Tim Steele, fighting back from a pit-road speeding penalty that put him a lap down, took the lead with 17 laps to go in the Poulan Pro 500K ARCA race Saturday and pulled away to a 6.7-second victory.

It was Steele's first race at Talladega.

Loy Allen Jr. was second, followed by Bob Brevak, Kenny Allen and Mark Thompson. Kirk Shelmerdine, Dale Earnhardt's former crew chief, was running fourth on the last lap but blew a tire and finished in eighth place.

Keywords:
AUTO RACING

by CNB