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

DATE: SUNDAY, August 8, 1993                   TAG: 9308090229
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: E11   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WATKINS GLEN, N.Y.                                LENGTH: Medium

IT'S ANYONE'S GUESS WHO WILL WIN TODAY

"The field is really tight now, and there's no such thing as finding a `road racer' who can come in and show these Winston Cup guys how to do this," said Wally Dallenbach, Jr.

In fact, all the road racers who found rides for this race failed to make it into the top 20 for the 90-lap contest.

Dorsey Schroeder, who starts 21st in the Ford Thunderbird normally driven by Greg Sacks, was the quickest of the road racers. Scott Lagasse starts 28th, while Tom Kendall is 33rd on the grid in the late Alan Kulwicki's Ford Thunderbird. And Scott Gaylord took the 38th and last starting spot.

Among the Winston Cup regulars, there are more drivers than ever who are a threat to win on a road course.

A couple of years ago, the hands-down favorites were Rusty Wallace and Ricky Rudd. Although Wallace is still the favorite for today's race, the list of challengers is longer.

Ernie Irvan, Kyle Petty and Geoff Bodine have won road races in the past two years. Bill Elliott won the Grand National race here in June.

Pole winner Mark Martin is a threat, of course, as is Dale Earnhardt, even though neither has won on a road course. Terry Labonte has never received the recognition he deserves as a road racer. And Lake Speed, replacing the late Davey Allison, has more years in road racing than he does in stock car racing.

"The drivers are getting better, but the equipment is probably the key," Bodine said. "People took short-track cars and made them into road-race cars. That's not good enough. They had to build cars just for road courses. Then, since they have better equipment, the drivers take it more seriously."

\ ROUND 2: Jimmy Spencer, recovering from a spin during first-round qualifying Friday for today's race, led eight drivers Saturday in the second round of time trials.

Spencer's lap at 114.638 mph was good enough for 32nd on the grid.

Grand National regular Todd Bodine also spun in qualifying Friday, but kept his Ford Thunderbird on the 2.45- mile course Saturday to win the 34th starting spot.

"It's hard enough to learn how to drive these cars and get used to the extra weight in these cars without having to come to a place where you have to sling the tail around," Bodine said. "But we're all right. We're not junk by any means."

Bodine replaced Dick Trickle in the Rahmoc Ford and will complete the Winston Cup season in the car. He also plans to run in all 12 remaining races in the Grand National series, where he is 12th in points.

Dave Marcis was the most prominent of the four drivers who failed to make it into the 38-car field.

\ SCCA TRANS-AM RESULTS: Pole winner Scott Sharp led from flag to flag Saturday to win the SCCA Trans-Am Tour race at Watkins Glen International by 1.727 seconds over Ron Fellows.

The Trans-Am race was the main support race for this weekend's Bud at the Glen.

Reigning series champion Jack Baldwin charged from 33rd to third. He had qualified second, but had to start near the rear of the field when the front end of his Chevrolet Camaro was found to be too low during post-qualifying inspection.

Former NFL running back Walter Payton finished 11th.

\ PULLING THE PLUG: Dirt Devil brand vacuums, which sponsors Kenny Wallace's Pontiac Grand Prix, will withdraw from the sport at the end of the season.

The company that makes Dirt Devils, Royal Appliance Manufacturing Co., lost $25 million in the last quarter and $5 million in the quarter before, car owner Felix Sabates said.

"This didn't come as a shock to me," Sabates said. "We're looking for a new sponsor and hope to announce something in the next 30 days."

\ MAYBE NEXT TIME: Sports car driver Davy Jones had hoped to make his Winston Cup debut here today, but the team couldn't get the car prepared in time.

The car owner is Bill Stroppe, a Ford Motor Company associate who was active in NASCAR racing in the 1950s and 1960s, but has not entered a Winston Cup race in 25 years.

"We just didn't have enough time to be prepared for the race," Jones said. Among other problems, the team's transporter was delayed by the flooding in Missouri.

The team plans to enter next weekend's race in Michigan.

Keywords:
AUTO RACING