Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 23, 1995 TAG: 9503230078
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
But he hasn't won yet.
Last season, Earnhardt broke into the winner's circle at Darlington with a 7.4-second romp over Mark Martin. But it may be harder for him this year.
If it is true that Earnhardt is the best driver because he can operate an ill-handling car and manage adverse racing conditions better than anyone else, then the new Monte Carlos at repaved Darlington will make it tougher for Earnhardt to win.
Give his competitors great cars and a freshly paved track, and Earnhardt's edge disappears.
The Monte Carlo is so good, Atlanta winner Jeff Gordon said, ``it just kinda opened our eyes up on how badly we were getting beat last year with the Lumina.''
Pole qualifying for Sunday's race will follow Grand National qualifying, which begins at 2:30 p.m. Friday.
FORD VS. CHEVY: It's clear that the Fords are outmatched against the Monte Carlos, at least at the larger NASCAR tracks. But one statistic shows that the advantage Chevy has this year is no greater than the one Ford had last year.
Going into Darlington this year, the Monte Carlos have led 1,145 of 1,420 total laps run. At the same time last year, the Fords had led 1,218 laps.
But the Chevys are undefeated this year. Last year, Ford was 3-1, having lost the Daytona 500 to Chevy driver Sterling Marlin.
ADIOS ORANGE COUNTY: The 1995 Grand National season shrunk by one race last weekend when NASCAR removed from the schedule the April 29 event at Orange County Speedway in Rougemont, N.C.
There are now 26 races in the 1995 Busch schedule, with a gap of almost a full month between the April 15 Sundrop 400 at Hickory and the May 13 Chevy 250 in New Hampshire.
NASCAR dropped the Orange County event when owner Mason Day recently sold the track. ``We make our deals with the people who own the tracks,'' NASCAR spokesman Kevin Triplett said. The event will not be replaced on this season's schedule, he said.
IRVAN'S TEST: It seems fair to say that Ernie Irvan was more excited about testing at Darlington last week than anything since his last race victory at Sears Point in May, 1994.
``Darlington is always exciting, but it was really exciting today,'' Irvan said after taking a few laps on March 14. ``I probably didn't sleep much last night just because I was anxious to go. When the alarm went off at 5 o'clock this morning, [wife] Kim didn't have to say, `Ernie, you've got to get up.' I was up. I was ready.''
Irvan said he drove his own hauler to the test.
``I drove it down with two of the guys and we loaded out just like we were going short-track racing down at Timmonsville Speedway. We just loaded up and everything was really exciting - the whole morning.''
by CNB