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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 8, 1995                   TAG: 9502080083
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

DAYTONA SEES GOLD IN ARCHES

Could it be the McDonald's Daytona 500 in 1996? Or the Daytona 500 by McDonald's? Or, gulp, perhaps just the McDonald's 500?

There's a rumor afloat that McDonald's and Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway have agreed to a deal for sponsorship of the NASCAR Winston Cup race in 1996.

The principals deny it, but they don't deny they have been talking.

``I don't know that we've actually got a deal yet, but we've been talking to them,'' said the speedway's Larry Balewski. ``It's not a done deal yet. That's what I've been told.''

``We have had conversations with Daytona,'' said David Paro, a McDonald's spokesman. ``We can't rule out that [sponsorship of the Daytona 500] would be something of interest. We had some very brief conversations about 1995, but quite literally haven't talked about 1996.

``But it will be something we'll probably keep alive if the right opportunity is there.''

Keywords:
AUTO RACING

by CNB