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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 29, 1995                   TAG: 9511290047
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

RUDD LEADS LEGAL RACE

A North Carolina judge Monday agreed to issue a preliminary injunction to prevent Ricky Rudd's former team engineer from working for rival NASCAR Winston Cup owner Felix Sabates in 1996, Rudd's attorney said.

But the engineer, David Charpentier, said there still is a question about how broad the injunction will be. Charpentier said his attorneys are trying to prevent the injunction from including all forms of racing work.

Rudd sued Charpentier and Sabates when Charpentier made plans to leave Rudd and join Sabates and driver Kyle Petty, despite reaching an agreement on a contract to work for Rudd in 1996.

Iredell County Superior Court Judge Douglas Albright ``indicated the order he wanted enjoined [Charpentier] from providing engineering support or data acquisition services to any Winston Cup team or any person in 1996,'' said Jim Walsh, one of Rudd's Richmond-based attorneys. A trial date has not been set, Walsh said.

The case has generated interest because it is almost unheard of for NASCAR racers and owners to take their disputes to court. But Rudd said he became fed up with what he perceived to be rampant team-raiding among Winston Cup operations.

Keywords:
AUTO RACING

by CNB