ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, August 25, 1996 TAG: 9608270032
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: BRISTOL, TENN.
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
Rusty Wallace transformed one of NASCAR's most exciting races into a snooze-fest Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway, leading 353 of the 500 laps of the Goody's 500 before winning by about seven car-lengths over Jeff Gordon.
``It was pretty easy for me,'' Wallace said. ``I was able to stay out of all the accidents. And the thing really handled perfect. The motor ran great and the chassis set-up is nothing like we've ever run here at Bristol.
``But boy, I'll tell you what, it really hugged the race track tonight. It worked perfect.''
Pole winner Mark Martin was third, followed by Dale Jarrett and Terry Labonte. Michael Waltrip was sixth, ahead of Jimmy Spencer, Ward Burton, Ricky Rudd and Bobby Hamilton, the only other drivers to finish on the lead lap.
Wallace dominated this race in the same fashion three years ago, but he lost to a sore neck and Martin with just 13 laps left. Wallace made sure that didn't happen Saturday night.
``Although many times I started second or third [on restarts], after about six or eight laps, I could pass the leaders and go to the front,'' Wallace said. ``You have to have a really good race car to do that. I was hugging the yellow line all night long.''
Wallace said he had his share of close calls, but ``we got away with all of them tonight.''
Said Gordon: ``He was so strong. When he had new tires on and they threw the green, he checked out.''
Wallace took the lead for the first time on lap 100. And he made the race-winning pass on lap 340, shooting past Gordon on the backstretch.
It was Wallace's fifth victory of the year and his 46th career victory.
As usual, the Bristol race was an exercise in seeing how much adversity drivers could take before blowing their stacks.
The most spectacular display of temper came late in the race when Bobby Labonte attempted to make an outside pass on a slower car on lap 409 and found the wrecked Ford of John Andretti blocking his path in turn three. Labonte nailed Andretti.
Labonte was furious, apparently because his spotter failed to give him adequate warning. He came out of his car and kicked his tire. Then he removed his helmet and hurled it through the driver's window.
Labonte at first declined interviews, but after cooling off for a few minutes, he said, ``The 37 car was dead sideways in the corner and I just nailed him. I couldn't do nothing.''
There were other moments, too.
``Did [Bobby Hamilton] give any explanation?'' Ricky Craven asked after getting spun out by Hamilton on lap 353. ``It wasn't like he just passed me. He just ran over me.''
And when Jimmy Spencer spun out on lap 19, he directed his wrath at Geoff Bodine. ``I can't believe that no-good, bald-headed [expletive],'' Spencer said.
Bodine himself took a ride down the frontstretch on lap 71 and told his crew: ``I got that from my [expletive] brother,'' referring to brother Brett.
With his fifth-place finish, Terry Labonte remained in the lead for the Winston Cup championship, leading Gordon by 114 points. Jarrett is third, 127 points back.
Meanwhile, Dale Earnhardt slipped to fourth, 198 points behind Labonte, after struggling to a 24th-place finish. Earnhardt smacked the backstretch wall on lap 211, making an already difficult night even tougher.
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshot) Wallaceby CNB
KEYWORDS: AUTO RACING