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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 26, 1994                   TAG: 9401260197
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: From Associated Press reports
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

ALA. LEGISLATURE HONORS ALLISON

The Alabama Legislature honored the late NASCAR driver Davey Allison with a joint session Tuesday attended by his widow and parents.

During the ceremony, Texaco, Allison's sponsor, presented a portrait of him to Gov. Jim Folsom for the state's use. Press secretary Barbara Thomas said no decision had been made on where to hang the portrait of Allison in his racing uniform.

Allison won 19 Winston Cup races during five years of competition before dying last July as a result of injuries suffered when a helicopter he was piloting crashed at the Talladega Superspeedway.

Folsom told Allison's parents, Bobby and Judy Allison, and his widow, Liz, that the state appreciate the driver from Hueytown "for the banner he carried for all of us Alabamians."

Bobby Allison said his son's first words were mimicking the sounds of a racing engine, and he always enjoyed the sport and his fans. "He was so natural and so at ease, and he made people feel at ease around him."

The senior Allison said his son was helping his parents get over the death of their other son, Clifford, in a racing accident in 1992. "He was such a help to me," the father said after pausing to regain his composure.

The joint legislative session was more solemn and better attended than most, with legislators standing throughout the ceremony.

In other auto racing news:

Ted Musgrave led Thunderbird drivers in the second day of Ford's final January test session at Daytona International Speedway Tuesday with a lap of 189.753 mph.

Bill Elliott was next fastest among the 23 drivers practicing for the Feb. 20 Daytona 500 with a lap of 189.354 mph, followed by Greg Sacks and Lake Speed at 188.996 mph and P.J. Jones at 188.679 mph. Other drivers included Rusty Wallace, 14th at 186.528 mph and Jimmy Hensley, 20th at 185.109 mph.

The Fords wrap up January testing with a final day today, but with the weather becoming warmer, no one is expected to top the fastest January lap of 191.042 mph by Ernie Irvan on Jan. 11.

by CNB