ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, August 7, 1996 TAG: 9608070041
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: AUTO RACING NOTES
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
Never underestimate the power of sibling rivalries.
One day after Dale Jarrett won the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, he watched his broadcaster brother Glenn slam-dunk a 4-iron on the 205-yard, par-3 17th hole at Catawba (N.C.) Country Club for a hole-in-one.
``That's his third,'' Jarrett said Tuesday. ``And I've been with him on the last two.''
The Sunday round of golf for the Jarrett brothers was followed by Dale's Monday visit to the Robert Yates Racing shop, where he and teammate Ernie Irvan jointly took their crews out to lunch.
``It was good,'' Jarrett said. ``Ernie congratulated me. He was as happy as he could be for a guy finishing second. That's difficult. But we were extremely excited about racing each other for the win. We talked about how I got by him.''
Jarrett said he now is inclined to believe that Irvan's car slipped on some fluid dropped by Kenny Wallace's blown engine, allowing him to make the race-winning pass.
``You almost have to believe there was something as Ernie went into that corner and obviously he hit it first,'' Jarrett said. ``His car hadn't been acting like that at any time. He'd started to push some more, but nothing like how the car reacted there.''
Jarrett's victory moved him to within 63 points of Winston Cup points leader Terry Labonte.
``We feel like even though we're a first-year team, we do have a legitimate shot of winning the championship,'' Jarrett said. ``I think there's seven, eight, maybe even nine drivers who still have a shot at it.''
This weekend's event is the road race at Watkins Glen International in New York.
Jarrett is not known as a great road racer, but he said the way he's feeling these days, he can conquer anything. ``I feel like I'm a pretty good road racer, I just haven't had a lot of luck there,'' he said. His best finish is fifth in 1991.
In other auto racing news:
EARNHARDT APPEARS: Injured Dale Earnhardt rested on his farm outside Mooresville, N.C., Monday and Tuesday, but he's on the road today and tomorrow with public appearances before heading to Watkins Glen.
Earnhardt has a press conference to attend at noon today at Atlanta Motor Speedway, then heads to Bristol Motor Speedway for an afternoon appearance. On Thursday, he'll be signing autographs at a Chevrolet dealership in Red Hook, N.Y., before heading to the Glen, said team spokesman John Rhodes.
Earnhardt has lined up Grand National driver David Green as his relief driver for Sunday's Bud at the Glen.
``During practice Friday, he'll take a lap and see how he does,'' Rhodes said. ``We'll have David in there as well during practice. We're just going to let him go out real slow and if he's not up to qualifying, we'll let David do it.''
Meanwhile, Kyle Petty, who was battered and bruised in a four-hit crash at the Brickyard on Saturday, has been resting at his home in Charleston, S.C., but plans to run the full race at Watkins Glen.
``He's bruised up some. He has bruises on his back and left leg,'' said Pontiac spokesman Brian Hoagland. ``But he should be fine for the race.''
LENGTH: Medium: 64 linesby CNB