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

DATE: SUNDAY, May 28, 1995                   TAG: 9505310026
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: C7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CONCORD, N.C.                                LENGTH: Medium

LITTLE REGISTERS BIG VICTORY IN GRAND NATIONAL RACE

Erasing the bad memories of the broken bones he suffered here a year ago, Chad Little played a waiting game before taking the lead with 18 laps to go Saturday to win the Red Dog 300 Grand National race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

This year's bad luck went to reigning series champion David Green, who broke his right shoulder in a single-car crash against the turn-4 wall on lap 44 of the 200-lap event.

Little, who broke his right shoulder and his right leg in a hard crash on the frontstretch last year, beat Jeff Green by about a car length in a race that was filled with action from start to finish.

Tracy Leslie was third, followed by Mark Martin and Ken Schrader.

Little, who was a bust in the Winston Cup series, is rejuvenating his career driving Grand National races for NFL quarterback and car owner Mark Rypien. He has four victories this year, including the 300-mile race at Daytona in February.

``When that wreck happened last year, I'd never been hurt before in a race car,'' Little said. ``The team was starting to come together and it set us back a little bit. But I think what it did was it brought the team closer together and I think it helped me refocus and maybe become a little more aggressive and at the same time a smarter driver.''

Little certainly drove a smart race Saturday. He started seventh and led a few laps during the first half of the race, but dropped back while other drivers battled furiously at the front of the pack.

Nine drivers led the race and most of those were after they passed the leader on the race track under the green flag. There were several delightful side-by-side, multi-lap duels during the first half, and a few crashes as well.

The biggest accident involved five cars on the frontstretch on lap 28 when Johnny Benson was tapped by Rick Wilson and lost control. Benson finished 30th, but retained a 124-point lead in the championship over Little.

Little took the lead for good on lap 183 and had to hold off a stiff challenge from Jeff Green as they weaved through lapped traffic in the final laps.

``I was just trying not to make any mistakes and hold a good, consistent groove,'' Little said.

Keywords:
AUTO RACING

by CNB