ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, July 7, 1996 TAG: 9607080148
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-7 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: AUTO RACING NOTES
DATELINE: DAYTONA BEACH, FLA.
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
While all the attention in Saturday's Pepsi 400 centered on yet another dominating victory by Sterling Marlin at Daytona International Speedway, the Winston Cup points race became even tighter.
Dale Earnhardt, who came into this race with a 15-point lead over Terry Labonte, departed only five points ahead. Earnhardt finished fourth, but Labonte was second. Neither driver led a lap, so they didn't get any bonus points.
Jeff Gordon remained in third, 37 points behind Earnhardt. Dale Jarrett is in fourth, 237 points behind.
``We had a fourth or fifth-place car really,'' Earnhardt said. ``We were just sitting there watching what was going on and trying to hold our own.''
Labonte said, ``We got another top-five finish and didn't lose any points.''
The next three months stand to be the most critical and most grueling stretch in the 1996 season. Next weekend's Slick 50 300 in Loudon, N.H., marks the halfway point in the season - the 16th of 31 races.
But Saturday's race was the first of 14 in a row, running through Oct.13. That's the longest uninterrupted stretch on the schedule in a number of years. In the past few seasons, the summer stretch was no more than 10 races in a row.
IT USUALLY DOESN'T WORK: Terry Labonte said when he saw Marlin slow on lap 66, ``I thought he had blown up again.'' Marlin blew an engine in the last Daytona 500.
``Usually the ignition doesn't fix your car when you go out like that,'' Labonte said. ``When you switch the boxes, it's just wishful thinking. But every now and then, it is really the ignition.''
ONE CRASH: There were three yellow flags in Saturday's race, but only one crash. It involved four cars and left John Andretti steamed at Dale Jarrett.
The accident happened in turn one when Andretti pinned Dick Trickle to the outside wall. Trickle maintained control, but had to slow and was rear-ended by Robert Pressley.
Trickle then collided with Greg Sacks, whose car hit those of Kenny Wallace and Jeremy Mayfield.
No one was hurt, but Andretti had some choice comments about Jarrett.
``You'd think a two-time Daytona 500 winner would know better, or at least wouldn't make a four-foot mistake,'' Andretti said. ``He made us three-wide in the trioval and then pulled up on me and slammed into me. He shoved me into Dick Trickle, and then drove off.
``So he finishes sixth, our day is ruined, Dick Trickle's day is ruined, Kenny Wallace's day is ruined and Greg Sacks' day is ended. It's a shame, a real shame.''
Jarrett had no comment except to say that he was ``just making a pass.''
MORE POWER: Car owner Robert Yates, whose powerful engine carried Jarrett to victory here in February's Daytona 500, said Saturday the Fords lacked the power.
``We've just got to have some more power,'' he said. ``I think we're down about eight or 10 horsepower based on the way the Chevrolet can run now. Whether it's in the body or the car or what, we just can't do much with 'em.''
ANOTHER WIND TUNNEL TEST: Following Saturday's race, NASCAR impounded three more cars for more wind tunnel tests.
The cars were Gordon's Chevrolet Monte Carlo, which finished third; Ernie Irvan's fifth-place Ford Thunderbird and the Pontiac Grand Prix of Johnny Benson, who finished 25th.
IRVAN'S CONSISTENCY: After a miserable start, Irvan has found a measure of consistency.
His fifth-place finish Saturday was his third top-five finish in the past four races and his seventh top-10 in the past nine.
ELLIOTT TAKES RELIEF: After overheating his engine, Bill Elliott decided he didn't need to overdo it Saturday. He was relieved by Derrike Cope on lap 102 during the third caution period. Cope later dropped out with a blown engine.
``We really didn't have anything to lose and I would have a lot to lose if something were to happen,'' Elliott said. ``I didn't have anything I could prove by keeping going.''
``It's a pretty hot day,'' said Elliott. ``I didn't have anything I could prove by keeping going.''
Elliott, recovering from a broken left thigh, started 28th and fell farther back when his car overheated. His return a month earlier than expected left him pleased with the way he felt after the race.
``At least I was running,'' he said. ``I was making laps, not sitting home watching it on TV.''
Cope finished 37th in Elliott's car after completing 109 of the 117 laps.
MAST PROBLEMS: Rockbridge Bath's Rick Mast, who finished 20th, said handling again was the problem with his car.
``We were off, but each time we stopped we adjusted it and we kept getting better and better,'' he said. ``We just ran down the lead draft pack when the rain came.''
LENGTH: Medium: 95 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. Dick Trickle (90) spins toward the infield as Jeffby CNBPurvis (44) takes the high road to avoid getting caught up in the
mess.