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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 25, 1994                   TAG: 9405250041
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: C-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: By BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: GREENSBORO, N.C.                                LENGTH: Medium

BACKUP DRIVERS ON ALERT FOR WALTRIP IN CHARLOTTE

Waltrip, who fractured his right shoulder Saturday night in The Winston Select in an 11-car crash, will have Kenny Wallace standing by for possible relief duties in the 600.

And Waltrip is going to try to qualify and race in the Champion 300 Grand National Race as well. He'll have Jeff Green standing by for that one.

The scene of Waltrip crawling out of his wrecked Pontiac Grand Prix and collapsing on the track was one of the most graphic scenes of the all-star race, but he was released from Cabarrus Memorial Hospital in Concord that night.

And although he is still quite sore, Waltrip visited the team's race shop in Mooresville both Monday and Tuesday.

Loy Allen, who was also knocked around in the same accident, had chest soreness, but no broken bones and will return to action today.

Meanwhile, Geoff Bodine, the Select winner, dove rig ht back into a hectic schedule after celebrating well past midnight after his victory late Saturday night - his first with the late Alan Kulwicki's team, which he purchased after the 1992 Wins ton Cup champion's death in a plane crash last April.

Bodine stayed overnight at the track in his bus and was in Chapel Hill at 10 a.m. Sunday to spend several hours giving rides in his race car to children who are recovering from burns.

On Monday, he was at New Hampshire International Raceway for a Hoosier tire test. He's also got a tire test scheduled in Michigan on Friday, when there is no Winston Cup activity at Charlotte.

Bodine still can't get over how fast time flew in those final 10 laps of the Select, when he was passed by Ken Schrader and Sterling Marlin before passing them back to take the lead with le ss than two laps to go.

``I think those last 10 laps were the fastest 10 laps I've ever run,'' he said.

His chance to repeat his trip to Charlotte's victory lane in the 600 is bolstered by his confidence in his Hoosier tires, which have been quicker than the Goodyears at Charlotte.

And Bodine says they'll be even better in the long green flag runs during NASCAR's longest race .

Qualifying begins at 7 p.m.

Keywords:
AUTO RACING