ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, September 7, 1996 TAG: 9609090128
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
The rain from Hurricane Fran had stopped falling at Richmond International Raceway by mid-afternoon Friday, but the power was still out and the wind was still howling.
So NASCAR and raceway officials canceled all on-track activities and opted to try again today and Sunday. However, the weekend's big event, the Miller 400, is scheduled to run on time tonight at 7:40.
Track president Paul Sawyer said NASCAR decided to postpone Friday's scheduled Autolite Platinum 250 Busch Grand National race at about 12:30 p.m. and he concurred. The Busch race was rescheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday.
``The power went out at 5 a.m., and Vepco [Virginia Power Company] said it was going to be 12 to 24 hours before they got it back on,'' Sawyer said Friday while sitting outside his office at the near-deserted track. ``And we didn't want people in the grandstands with the winds as gusty as they have been.''
Winston Cup qualifying, the other major event scheduled for Friday, was postponed until noon today, when there will be a single session to fill all 36 regular starting spots for tonight's race.
Fran was a tropical storm by the time it marched into Richmond at about 10 p.m. Thursday, but powerful winds blew down many trees and knocked out power to thousands of area homes and businesses.
The grandstand gates open at 9 a.m. today and Winston Cup practice begins at 10.
Tickets for Sunday's race are $30 each. Children 12 and younger are admitted free with a paying adult. All tickets are general admission.
Here is the revised weekend schedule at RIR:
Today
6 a.m. - Parking lots open.
9 a.m. - Grandstand gates open.
10 a.m. - Winston Cup practice.
Noon - Winston Cup qualifying, positions 1-36.
After qualifying - 30 minutes of Grand National practice.
2 p.m. - Final Winston Cup practice.
7:40 p.m. - Start of Miller 400.
Sunday
8 a.m. - Parking lots open.
9 a.m. - Grandstand gates open.
1 p.m. - Start of Autolite Platinum 250.
LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines KEYWORDS: AUTO RACING Type first letter of feature OR type help for list of commands FIND S-DB DB OPT SS WRD QUIT QUIT Save options? YES NO GROUP YOU'VE SELECTED: QUIT YES login: cby CNB