ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, October 16, 1996 TAG: 9610160013
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: ROCKBRIDGE BATHS
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK STAFF WRITER
A NEW WINSTON CUP TEAM and newborn twin daughters are keeping Rockbridge Baths driver Rick Mast busy.
In Rick Mast's life in the fast lane, the question these days isn't so much when to change two tires.
It's when to change two diapers.
The Winston Cup driver, trying to put into words what has happened to the calm in his hilltop home in this bucolic burg, pulls a description right out of a NASCAR garage.
``This is a big deal,'' he said.
It's a bigger deal than his recent change of address along pit road, leaving car owner Richard Jackson after six Winston Cup seasons. It's a bigger deal than the one he and a business partner made to purchase the historic baths in his hometown.
Mast's wife, Sharon, gave birth to twin girls two weeks ago tonight. Mast was there, at the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville, for the occasion - while Ron Barfield stepped in and drove Mast's No.1 Hooters Pontiac to the 18th spot in qualifying for the UAW-GM 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
``Twin girls,'' Mast said a few mornings ago at his home as the Winston Cup circuit took an opportune weekend off. ``They don't sleep, we don't sleep. They're awake more every day. Last night, I'd say that together they slept about two hours. That's one hour each. It's unbelievable.
``It's like racing in one way. You have to have a certain mindset to deal with this, or you won't be able to deal with it.''
Sarah, 6 pounds, 13 ounces, was born at 7:19 p.m. Kaitie, 6 pounds, 1 ounce, arrived two minutes later.
The births and the six weeks leading up to them have brought a new domestication to Mast. The couple's other child, Ricky, is 13.
``I guess I was 25 when Rick was born,'' said the driver. ``Here we are now, 39, and it's different. I think you think about the big picture more. You don't think so much about a child. Really, going through this makes you think about the wonders of childbirth.''
It also has reminded Mast that at home, Sharon definitely is the crew chief. She was confined to bed in late August, a time frame Mast recalls as ``the Bristol [Goody's 500] weekend.'' It also was that weekend that Mast and Butch Mock came to a handshake agreement that Mast would move to the No.75 Remington Arms Ford next season.
When the Masts learned Sharon was pregnant, they were told she was carrying triplets. After a few weeks, Rick said, one of the embryos ``was behind the others.'' When Sharon went for her sonigram at 10 weeks, the third heartbeat was gone. When she began to have complications in August, Sharon was told to stay in bed.
The Masts have gotten plenty of household help and babysitting from their son and their parents. Rick will go to Rockingham, N.C., on Thursday for Sunday's AC Delco 400, where at least he'll be familiar with the circles in which he's going.
``Let me tell you, this Mr. Mom stuff doesn't get it with me,'' Mast said. ``After Sharon had to stay in bed, washing the clothes and washing the dishes, I started doing those things. I hated it. I do have to admit that after taking care of the babies - or trying to - that clothes-washing is a piece of cake.''
Asked how her husband was faring with housework, Sharon Mast smiled and said, ``He's done pretty well.''
To which Rick Mast grinned and shook his head.
He said the couple was hoping the babies would arrive after the Charlotte race because of the break in the Winston Cup schedule. The twins wouldn't wait. So, Mast had to fly his own plane back from Charlotte to Charlottesville for the births. Then, he returned to the track and finished 18th in the race. He would have had a top-10 finish had he not overshot his pit on one stop and fallen a lap behind the leaders.
It has been a productive few months for Mast. The Hooters team had three consecutive top-10 finishes (sixth, fourth and sixth) in September, after he had agreed to change teams. Mast had been offered some bigger-name rides, but chose to go with Mock ``because of a gut feeling. And when I have a gut feeling, I've usually been right.''
Mast and Johnny Hayes, the retired vice president of U.S. Tobacco, paid $150,000 for the Rockbridge Baths, which most recently had been owned by Lynchburg College. Hayes, a Civil War enthusiast, and Mast became acquainted when U.S. Tobacco was the sponsor of Mast's Skoal car.
``I have no idea what we'll do with them,'' Mast said. ``As you can see, I really haven't had time to think about it. But this is my hometown. It's important to me.''
He somehow found time in September to play host to his annual golf tournament and autograph session that benefits the Rockbridge Area Free Clinic. The final figures aren't in yet, but this year's event is expected to produce about $45,000 for the clinic, bringing the three-year total to $115,000.
``It's a neat deal,'' he said.
Mast had offers from the Abingdon-based Larry McClure second team - ``I'm a fan of Larry's,'' Mast said - and from Hendrick Motorsports to take its third-team ride, the No.25 being vacated by Ken Schrader. He also had a couple of other ``big-time'' offers he said he couldn't discuss.
He went with Mock - Morgan Shepherd is leaving to form his own team - because, Mast said, Mock's situation reminded him a lot of his own, when he was struggling to run on the Grand National circuit.
``I didn't know Butch other than to say hello until this year,'' Mast said. ``His cars are reliable, and Butch never had a big-time sponsor in the past, but he was there, and it's been a real competitive deal. And when I talked to Butch about it, it was like a life-and-death deal to him that I drive for them. It's hard to put into words, but he really made me feel wanted.
``The hard part is to walk away from friends [on the Jackson team], but it's time. I could have done it two years ago, I guess, but there were commitments. I've been there long enough.
``Butch and I are still negotiating. He wants a solid, three-year deal. I'd like to talk some more.''
Mast also likes the fit with Remington Arms and the company's fishing line, Stren. Mast's Rockbridge County roots appeal to the sponsor, which hopes to reach more outdoors lovers through Winston Cup racing, as does Mast's decision to live where he always has, away from NASCAR's asphalt path.
With a new team, new ownership of a piece of hometown history and new daughters, about the only thing Mast could ask for is his first Winston Cup victory. Although he's won a career-best $770,592 this year and ranks what would be a career-best 17th in the points standings with three races left in 1996, Mast hasn't reached Victory Lane in 213 races.
``We've talked about that on the team,'' Mast said. ``Wouldn't it be great to get a win before we break up? That would be about as good as it could get.''
Well, maybe not. A sponsorship with a diaper company might be nicer.
LENGTH: Long : 127 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: STEPHANIE KLEIN-DAVIS/Staff. Sharon, Rick and Rickyby CNB(sitting left to right) welcomed Kaitie (left) and Sarah to the Mast
family Oct. 2. color. KEYWORDS: AUTO RACING