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

DATE: THURSDAY, September 16, 1993                   TAG: 9309160155
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: MARTINSVILLE                                LENGTH: Short

MARTIN CRASHES AT MARTINSVILLE DURING PRACTICE

Mark Martin's Ford crashed into the wall during a practice session Wednesday at Martinsville Speedway, but the driver escaped serious injury, track officials said.

The car, however, was a total loss.

Martin complained of a sore neck and shoulder, said speedway spokesman Dick Thompson. He didn't seek medical attention, Thompson said.

Martin was testing in preparation for the Goody's 500 NASCAR Winston Cup race Sept. 26. He lost his brakes as he was coming down the backstretch on the .526-mile track, Thompson said.

"`That was some hard hit," said Darrell Waltrip, who also was testing Wednesday. "Mark was lucky it wasn't worse."

Martin and Waltrip reached 93.171 mph during the tests.

"The shame of it is the car was running so fast, I'm sure he would have used it in the race two weeks from now," Thompson said.

Martin is third in the NASCAR Winston Cup points standings behind Dale Earnhardt and Rusty Wallace.

Keywords:
AUTO RACING

by CNB