ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, September 15, 1996 TAG: 9609170039
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-9 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: AUTO RACING NOTES
DATELINE: DOVER, DEL.
SOURCE: From Associated Press reports
Randy LaJoie cut deeply into David Green's lead in the Busch Grand National series with a convincing victory Saturday in the MBNA 200 at Dover Downs International Speedway.
By winning for the fifth time this year, including a sweep of two races at the Monster Mile, LaJoie reduced Green's lead from 128 to 57 points with three events remaining. Green, the 1994 series champion, finished 18th because of a mid-race tire problem.
``It was awesome right off the truck, and we were in great shape,'' LaJoie said. ``This car ran right on the bottom all day long.''
The driver from Norwalk, Conn., winless before this season, put to good use the experience he gained three months ago while winning the Goodwrench 200 at Dover.
``We made very few changes,'' he said. ``It was the same car and the same setup.''
And this time, he had a little good fortune in taking his Chevrolet from a 24th starting position. The major break concerned Green, who started third in the 40-car field.
``One or two tires equalized, and we had to come in under green,'' Green said. ``We lost our chance right there.''
LaJoie led 76 of the 200 laps, including the last 22 after passing the Ford of Dale Jarrett. In addition to moving closer to Green in the chase for a $200,000 series championship payoff, LaJoie earned $22,410 from a purse of $314,095.
LaJoie said he still was bothered by a slight lung infection.
``But we were able to keep the car cool,'' he said. ``I'll tell you, the way the car ran today, I could have held my breath for all 200 laps.''
Ricky Craven, like Jarrett tuning up for today's MBNA 500 Winston Cup race, dominated the first half of the 200. He led for 116 laps, eventually finishing fifth as part of a Chevy contingent that took six of the first seven positions.
LaJoie beat Jarrett by three car-lengths.
``Randy's car was awfully good today,'' Jarrett said. ``We just had a few little problems, but that's part of racing.''
Phil Parsons was third, and Winston Cup driver Terry Labonte fourth. Craven was followed by Mike McLaughlin and Elliott Sadler. Elton Sawyer's Ford was eighth, followed by the Pontiac of Chad Little.
Four cautions for 20 laps slowed the winning speed to 118.343 mph. There were five lead changes among four drivers.
The victory brought LaJoie's earnings for this year to $276,430. In parts of eight previous seasons, he had earned $289,430.
MIKE WALLACE TO DRIVE IN 1997: Mike Wallace, fired three months ago after two years of driving Fords for Junie Donlavey, will return to Winston Cup racing next season in a Chevrolet.
Pro-Tech Motorsports, co-owned by Ron Neal and Tom Hanley, announced Saturday that Wallace has signed a three-year contract. The primary sponsor of the car will be Spam, which had backed the Fords of Lake Speed.
``I'm very optimistic about next year. We plan to run up front,'' said Wallace, who added that no decision has been made on a crew chief.
Wallace had assumed the Donlavey ride from Bobby Hillin on March 8, 1994, and ran 59 races for the team. His best finish was fifth in a race in 1994. Dick Trickle replaced Wallace prior to the UAW-GM Teamwork 500 in June at Pocono.
Speed's cars, owned by Harry Melling, will carry the colors and logo of the University of Nebraska athletic teams under the auspices of the Trev Alberts Foundation. Alberts, now an NFL linebacker, was the nation's outstanding player at that position for the Cornhuskers.
EARNHARDT HIRES PARK: Dale Earnhardt Inc. announced the hiring of NASCAR Featherlite modified star Steve Park to drive its Busch Grand National cars. Park, who has 13 victories in 59 races over the past three years, will work under a multiyear contract.
Earnhardt, the seven-time Winston Cup champion, helps oversee the team owned by his wife Teresa.
DRIVER INJURED: Eric Smith, a 47-year-old from Akron, N.Y., was being held for observation Saturday at Kent General Hospital after crashing during a morning practice session at Dover Downs International Speedway.
Smith was reported alert, and apparently escaped serious injury in the crash. An infrequent competitor on the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit, Smith was preparing for a qualifying run for today's MBNA 500 at the time of the crash.
He had completed the long run down the frontstretch at the track when the car slid up the high-banked first turn, spun hard into the wall and made contact on the driver's side. It took track workers several minutes to free him from the car.
A spokesperson at the hospital said Smith sustained no fractures, but was undergoing a CAT scan.
LENGTH: Medium: 90 linesby CNB