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

DATE: SATURDAY, July 22, 1995                   TAG: 9507240057
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: TALLADEGA, ALA.                                LENGTH: Medium

DAVEY ALLISON'S WIFE WRITES FINAL CHAPTER ON HIS CAREER

``It's really hard for me to believe that it's been two years since I stood out on that podium and thanked all the race fans,'' she said. ``My life has been quite a journey since then.''

Davey was fatally injured in a helicopter crash at the track on July 12, 1993.

Liz Allison said the book, ``Davey Allison - A Celebration of Life,'' will be filled with personal photos and remembrances. It is for the fans, for Davey and for his children, Christa and Robbie, she said.

``They lost their daddy at a very young age,'' said Liz, who lives with her children in Nashville, Tenn. ``I hope through these pages that they will create an image in their mind of who their daddy was. And this was kind of my personal tribute to my husband. I poured my heart out in the introduction.''

Larry McReynolds, Allison's crew chief, appeared at the news conference and said, ``Davey would be so happy today, not because of the book, but because it's Talladega and it's a thousand degrees out there.''

The book, published by Howell Press, will be released in September.

BUSCH FIELD SET: A 42-car field was set Friday for today's Humminbird 500K Grand National race, with six drivers forced to the second round of time trials after they missed the first round.

As Jeff Purvis won the pole Thursday with a speed of 189.921 mph in a Chevy, others were scrambling just to get their cars to the qualifying line.

Michael Waltrip, Greg Sacks, Rick Wilson, Tim Fedewa and Jeremy Mayfield failed to get through inspection in time and missed the five-minute deadline to get to the qualifying line. Tracy Leslie, meanwhile, flunked inspection because his car was too light and also missed the first round.

Leslie had the second round's fastest lap, at 186.195 mph, in a Chevy. Waltrip qualified 27th, while Fedewa was 28th and Wilson was 40th. Sacks and Mayfield didn't make the race.

During inspection Friday, NASCAR officials took the deck lids off seven cars, including David and Jeff Green's cars, after determining they had been improperly altered in an effort to lower the spoiler.

A LONG WAY TO GO: Pontiac car owner Felix Sabates said Friday the 1996 Pontiac Grand Prix is nowhere near as fast as the Chevrolet Monte Carlo, at least not yet.

``We've gone to the wind tunnel with it and what I see is that it's a little bit better than what we've got, but it's not nearly as good as the Monte Carlo,'' he said.

``We still have a lot of work to do on it, though,'' Sabates said. ``The Chevy had four different nose and tail sections before it was approved. I think eventually we'll be close to as good as they are.''

GREAT MILEAGE: Although he still hasn't won in his career, Michael Waltrip has found consistency this year in the Winston Cup series. He has completed more miles in 1995 than any other driver.

Waltrip has run 6,510 of the 6,807 miles raced this season, failing to complete only three laps in the past 10 races. That's why he is eighth in points, even though his best finish is a third in the Coca-Cola 600.