Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 20, 1994 TAG: 9402210098
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. LENGTH: Medium
But Dale Earnhardt, who has lost the 500 in nearly every conceivable way and has won everything else at Daytona International Speedway, seems to be ready to put his stock in the supernatural powers of banana splits.
Relaxed and confident, Earnhardt was leaving the infield media center Saturday after yet another Goody's 300 winner's interview when he casually announced that he was headed to his yacht to have a banana split.
"I had a banana split the night before every race this week," he said. "I don't know, but it works. I'm not going to change. Would you?"
So, with three Speedweeks victories and four banana splits under his belt, the 42-year-old, six-time Winston Cup champion will try to end his personal jinx with NASCAR's biggest race today in his 16th 500 start.
Earnhardt, as usual, is the favorite to win the February classic. He also, as usual, won most of his other Speedweeks races: his fifth straight Twin 125 qualifying race, his fifth straight Goody's 300 Grand National race and his second International Race of Champions.
If Earnhardt can cap it off with his first Daytona 500 trophy, the victory will end his frustration and serve as his personal tribute to his late friend Neil Bonnett, who was killed in a crash while practicing at the track on Feb. 11.
"If we win that race, you can bet we're going to dedicate everything in the world to him," Earnhardt said. "Hey, I've had some great weeks down here in Daytona in the past. And this is doing as well.
"Yeah, I'm optimistic. We saved a little luck from last week we didn't use in the Busch Clash [he finished third], so maybe I'll be able to use it."
Along with Earnhardt's Chevrolet, which starts on the outside pole, the fast cars throughout the week have been the Ford Thunderbirds of 1991 winner Ernie Irvan, Mark Martin and Rusty Wallace. Irvan starts third, Martin seventh and Wallace fifth.
Wallace, who flipped down the backstretch last year, said, "I've been boasting around, telling people I can win the Daytona 500, and I'm still that confident."
Irvan said, "It's like it always is here at Daytona: Whoever handles the best is going to be the guy to beat."
Said Earnhardt: "You've gotta work on getting the car comfortable in the draft. If you don't do that, you're not going to be there at the end."
Loy Allen Jr. became the first rookie to win the Daytona 500 pole a week ago Saturday with a speed of 190.158 mph. That was on Hoosier tires, which were fast in qualifying but proved to be uncompetitive in the Twin 125s.
Now that all the Hoosier drivers have switched to Goodyears and the first round of the tire war between Hoosier and Goodyear is over, Allen most likely will be just another rookie looking for experience and a decent finish.
"I think staying in the lead draft would be a great success," he said. "My best Winston Cup finish is 24th, so anything better than that would be a success."
Of the two other rookies in the race, John Andretti may have the best chance for a decent performance. Andretti, in Billy Hagan's Chevy, which still lacks a sponsor for the season, finished seventh in his Twin 125 race and will start today's race from 15th.
"I'd like to do 500 miles like we did 125 miles," Andretti said Saturday. "And afterwards, I'd like to be upset because we didn't finish a position or two higher."
One driver who has struggled is last year's winner, Dale Jarrett. He was 31st-fastest in overall qualifying and failed to finish his Twin 125. He starts 41st today after being forced to take a provisional starting position.
"The main thing is we're starting," Jarrett said. "You either have a fast race car or you don't. We worked and worked and never really made the car fast. It's going to be kind of hit and miss for us."
Ricky Rudd, who makes his debut today with his own team, is another driver who is guessing, although he is in better shape than Jarrett. Rudd starts 20th.
"I put a big question mark by it," Rudd said. "A lot of guys were off in the 125s when the track got a little greasier. We had a problem with a push. But we changed the car around quite a bit, and I think we've got it to where it's not going to push. It should be a good race. A lot of guys have been running good."
But even as the teams prepared for the biggest race of the year, they also had to think about the upcoming races. Rockingham comes next weekend. Richmond is the week after that.
Richmond International Raceway officials announced Saturday that in the interest of safety and competition - and likely tire testing - the three-quarter-mile speedway will have open practices Tuesday and Wednesday for any Winston Cup team that wants to participate.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB