Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, July 24, 1993 TAG: 9307240078
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: TALLADEGA, ALA. LENGTH: Medium
Although still devastated by Allison's sudden, tragic death after a July 12 helicopter crash here, McReynolds found himself tuning his radio to the pole-position qualifying show from Pocono International Raceway.
"When qualifying came on the radio, I knew I still had it in my heart," McReynolds said Friday at Talladega Superspeedway. "I knew the fire was in me."
He had fled his home, taking his family with him, because the phone wouldn't stop ringing. And as he ran errands that were long overdue, McReynolds avidly listened to qualifying. Even when he had to go into a store, he made his wife, Linda, keep track of what was happening and give him a report.
And on Friday, here in the stifling Alabama heat, the grease smears on McReynold's shirt and the sweat pouring off his flushed face showed that he was, indeed, back into it.
But there is a terrible void in this team without Allison, who was possibly closer to his crew than any other driver on the circuit. And that emptiness was obvious Friday.
"I think we're further along than I expected at this juncture," McReynolds said. "We know we've got to pick up and go on. We've had a lot of team meetings."
The shop was closed after Allison's crash and through his funeral a week ago Thursday. The shop remained closed last weekend as the grieving team skipped the race at Pocono.
On Monday, the team's first day back at work, they voted to accept 24-year-old Robby Gordon, a rising Indy-car star, to drive Davey's car here.
Gordon was the fastest in practice Friday, but he qualified 14th for Sunday's race.
"He's probably the strongest member of our team right now," said car owner Robert Yates.
"It's not the way I wanted to climb in the car," said Gordon, who has three Winston Cup starts. "It's going to be tough on me. But the better we do, it's all for Davey. We're definitely not replacing him. He was an awesome driver and will be in these guys' hearts forever."
Neil Bonnett, meanwhile, was struggling with his emotions after qualifying 20th for his first race since April, 1990, when he suffered a severe head injury in a race at Darlington, S.C.
Bonnett was at the track when Allison crashed and helped lower Davey out of the wrecked helicopter.
"It felt good going around," Bonnett said, "and after I saw the people in the stands, it was pretty emotional. After what happened last week, it's hard to put it all behind you."
Bobby Allison, meanwhile, was nowhere to be seen Friday and was not expected to come here this weekend, although Bobby Allison Motorsports issued a press release Friday saying that driver Jimmy Spencer had decided to remain with the team in 1994.
But after their son's funeral, Bobby and Judy Allison got in their motorhome and took off for parts unknown.
"They just said they were driving," McReynolds said.
Since Talladega was the home track for the Allisons, and it was where Davey's life ended, it was tough for anyone close to the family to return here so soon after the tragedy.
"It certainly steps up the feelings about the place," McReynolds said.
But he was able to avoid at least one ordeal. McReynolds never found out exactly where Allison crashed, so he has never seen the spot. And he didn't see it Friday. Speedway officials had the fence damage repaired and made sure there was nothing there to remind anyone of what happened.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB