Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, August 27, 1994 TAG: 9408310028
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BRISTOL, TENN. LENGTH: Medium
``When I left, I felt I had been the one who had been helped,'' Martin said Friday during a break between practice sessions for tonight's Goody's 500 at Bristol International Raceway.
Irvan remained in critical but stable condition, but ``continues to show improvement'' Friday at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor, Mich., a hospital statement said.
``Dale and I went up together in his jet, and I was real glad Dale went, too,'' Martin said. ``The doctor knew we were coming and already had him awake. I don't think he could see us because they had this stuff like Vasoline over his eyes to keep them from drying out.
``Dale walked up to him and said, `Hey, this is Earnhardt,' and Ernie immediately got real excited. Dale grabbed his hand, and Ernie squeezed his hand. Ernie was looking right at him, trying to focus his eyes on him. You could tell Ernie was real excited,'' Martin said.
``I went to his other side and I said, `Ernie, it's Mark.' And he lifted his head up and his shoulders up. He was really moving around. He was reaching around for me. He was so excited, I wanted to calm him down. You didn't have to tell him twice who was there.
``You know, I talked to him Sunday night and there wasn't any response. And to see him Wednesday night and see how much he had improved meant everything in the world to me.''
Said Earnhardt, ``The response I got from him when we walked in really let me know he was inside that head. His features looked good. It really gave me a good feeling. I feel like it won't be long before he'll be right back here with us.''
Martin said when he told Irvan he would be driving Irvan's Grand National car at Bristol, Irvan gripped his hand hard for several seconds.
``Shortly after that, he wound back down,'' Martin said. ``He was tired. We had worn him out. And he went off back to sleep.
``But I really, really believe he's doing good. He has a long, tough road ahead of him, but we feel real good about how he's doing.''
NEW RUDD DUE: Shortly after 3 p.m. Friday, Ricky Rudd bolted out of his hauler and sprinted through the garage as if he was being chased by a swarm of killer bees.
The long-awaited word had finally come. His wife Linda had gone into labor with the couple's first child.
``I'm just sitting here by the phone,'' he said a few hours earlier. ``I think it will be almost any time.''
Rudd was talking about days, not hours, but he had still made preparations.
``I've got my escape route laid out, and we've got Larry Pearson lined up to qualify the car if it happens today,'' he said. ``I don't want to be here if she's having the baby, but I can't afford not to race.''
In his rookie year as a car owner/driver, Rudd has won one race and is currently sixth in points for the Winston Cup championship.
While Linda Rudd was being driven from the Rudds' home on Lake Norman near Charlotte, N.C., to Forsyth Memorial Hospital in Winston-Salem, N.C., Rudd was headed to a nearby airport to meet a private plane for the short flight to North Carolina.
At about 5:30 p.m., team spokesman Kirby Boone said, ``He made it. She's there [at the hospital]. And she hasn't delivered.''
At 7 p.m., Boone said Rudd told him the delivery wasn't expected for several more hours.
``He asked what time practice was Saturday morning,'' Boone said. ``I told him 10 a.m. and he said, `I'll be there.' ''
In qualifying, Pearson was 38th fastest (out of 42 cars) in Rudd's Ford Thunderbird.
WRIGHT JOINS WALTRIP: NASCAR crew chief Pete Wright, a native of Rocky Mount, Va., has joined Darrell Waltrip's team as a mechanic.
Wright said he was released by car owner Travis Carter as Hut Stricklin's crew chief.
``He thought we were headed in different directions and said there were communication problems between me and Hut.''
But Wright said he thinks the firing was probably a blessing in disguise.
``I'd like to thank Darrell for giving me this opportunity,'' he said. ``I've actually laughed and carried on today. And that hasn't happened in a year or so.''
Stricklin, meanwhile, will not drive Carter's No.23 Ford Thunderbird in 1995, the team announced this week.
TIRE TALK: The No.40 Pontiac Grand Prix driven by Bobby Hamilton and owned by Felix Sabates and Dick Brooks is using Hoosier tires here this weekend and may continue with Hoosiers in future races.
Meanwhile, in the wake of Hoosier's second victory last weekend at Michigan with Geoff Bodine, Goodyear announced that it has reorganized its racing program by creating ``a broadened, self-contained racing group that will have its own general manager and other key marketing and technical personnel.''
by CNB