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

DATE: TUESDAY, September 19, 1995                   TAG: 9509190063
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BRUCE STANTON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

HENSLEY BACK IN SUPERTRUCKS

Jimmy Hensley's on-again, off-again NASCAR driving career is back on again.

Less than a month after losing his Winston Cup ride to Ward Burton, Hensley has been signed to drive Grier Lackey's NASCAR SuperTruck for upcoming races at Martinsville and North Wilkesboro, N.C.

On Friday, Hensley, a resident of Horsepasture, will attempt to qualify for Saturday's Goody's 150 at Martinsville Speedway.

``Jimmy has experience at Martinsville, and we feel he is one of the best drivers to ever race at Martinsville,'' Lackey said Monday night from his shop in Taylorsville, N.C.

This will be Hensley's second appearance in Lackey's Dodge truck. Hensley started fourth in the Pizza Plus 150 at Bristol International Raceway on June 23 and led the first 45 laps in dominating fashion.

But a broken rocker arm forced him out of the race on the 46th lap, and he finished 25th in the 29-car field. It was a one-race SuperTruck deal for Hensley, as he had committed to finish the season in Bill Davis' MBNA Pontiac Grand Prix.

``We're out to impress people for sponsorships for next year, and we feel Jimmy can do us a good job,'' said Lackey, whose team is not sponsored this year. ``We should be stronger at Martinsville than we have been anywhere. We've got some new [parts and equipment] for this race, and it's all legal.''

Hensley will replace Dennis Setzer in Lackey's SuperTruck. Setzer, who had finished second in the July 1 truck race at Milwaukee, is concentrating on his Busch Grand National driving duties.

At Martinsville, Hensley and 46 other drivers will vie for a spot in the starting lineup, which is expected to include 40 trucks, said Owen Kearns, the SuperTrucks media coordinator.

Hensley has enjoyed some success at Martinsville Speedway. His best Winston Cup finish - a fifth-place showing in the 1972 Old Dominion 500 - came there.

As for Hensley's racing plans next year, Lackey said: ``We hope Jimmy is a part of our future.''

Tickets for the Goody's 150 SuperTruck race are $20 each.

Keywords:
AUTO RACING

by CNB