ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, October 23, 1996 TAG: 9610230069
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: DARLINGTON, S.C.
SOURCE: Associated Press
Darlington Raceway will go ahead with its long-discussed change of moving the start-finish line to the backstretch of NASCAR's oldest superspeedway, track President Jim Hunter says.
The construction of a new grandstand, control tower, Victory Lane, and several infield buildings, will be completed by the Southern 500 next Labor Day weekend, Hunter said Tuesday.
He said the track had planned for the change the past few years and needed it to upgrade the overall facility.
The switch also means Winston Cup teams will use what had been the Busch Grand National series garage and Busch teams will occupy what has been the Winston Cup garage.
Hunter said the track won't alter it's egg-shaped layout, first constructed by Harold Brasington in 1950 to avoid a lake on a neighbor's property.
Drivers have always had to fight to maintain a line coming out of turn 4, which cuts off quicker than a similar corner in turn 2. The switch will make racers deal with that precarious corner right after the green flag drops.
``It's going to be interesting to see the full field go into the new turn one side-by-side,'' NASCAR driver Ricky Craven said.
``Heck, it's exciting for us drivers to go into that turn by ourselves.''
The plans include a new 7,000-seat tower grandstand in the current second turn.
LENGTH: Short : 37 lines KEYWORDS: AUTO RACINGby CNB