ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, December 7, 1996 TAG: 9612090032
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: AUTO RACING
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER
The Roanoke Times' exclusive annual NASCAR crash roundup reveals that Winston Cup champion Terry Labonte not only was the most consistent driver, but was the least prone to crash during 1996.
There were 145 yellow flags for crashes and spins during the season and Labonte managed to avoid being involved in all but one of them.
At the other end of the spectrum, Robert Pressley led all drivers with 17 spins or crashes, far outdistancing Ernie Irvan, who was second with 13.
These statistics are not compiled by NASCAR, but are gleaned from NASCAR's official race reports. A spin or crash for a driver is counted every time his car number is listed as being involved in a spin or crash that brought out a yellow flag during a race.
The story of 1996 was not so much Pressley's futility as Labonte's near perfection.
In the six years of this survey, no other driver ever has had fewer than two crashes in a season - except Labonte. He led the 1992 survey with zero crashes.
It seems unimaginable that a driver could compete for an entire season without being involved in a yellow flag incident. In 1996, Labonte's only miscue was becoming involved in that 11-car pileup at Talladega Superspeedway in July that injured Dale Earnhardt.
Labonte's clean driving record also was reflected in another statistic - one NASCAR does keep. Labonte completed more miles during the season than any other driver. Of the 11,747.25 possible miles to run in the 31 races, Labonte completed all but 213.95 of them.
Labonte's most significant crash of the year didn't count in the standings. He broke his hand in a crash during practice at Phoenix International Raceway.
Of course, most drivers can't control their involvement in many of their accidents. But somehow Labonte does, year after year.
In the past six years, Labonte has the fewest accidents and spins of all the Winston Cup regulars who raced during that span. He's been involved in 23, two fewer than Bill Elliott. The driver with the most from 1991 through 1996 was Jimmy Spencer, with 66.
Spencer managed to make it into 1996's top five for most crashes, tying for fourth place with 11 incidents. But his most telling statistic of 1996 was one that NASCAR does keep. Spencer was in sixth place for number of miles completed during the season.
Pressley's total of 17 incidents would have been 18 (tying him with the high mark set by Richard Petty in 1991) except that he wasn't driving the car in the Coca-Cola 600. Greg Sacks, who was behind the wheel, was summoned to help after Pressley injured himself in a crash during practice May 17.
Pressley, however, did not have his greatest problems until the second half of the season. Pressley was involved in yellow flag incidents in eight of the 11 races from Talladega in July through Charlotte in October, including two incidents per race at Indy, Dover and Martinsville.
The annual average number of spins and crashes per driver dropped for the second straight year, falling from last year's 7.5 to 6.9. In 1994, the average was 8.2.
The one glaring inconsistency in the statistics shows up in the number of victories. Jeff Gordon, who finished second in points, had 10 victories to Labonte's two. But Gordon dropped out of five races, while Labonte finished all but one. In a points system that rewards consistency over winning, that was the difference.
``I was happy just being in the points race - being back in it,'' said Labonte, who failed to win a single race from 1990 through 1993.
``A guy who wins 10 races can win the championship if he doesn't fall out of six or seven races,'' said Gordon. ``It's all about consistency. I like the points. I'd like to maybe see some bonus points thrown in there, maybe a few more for winning or leading the most laps. Maybe some bonus points in there for qualifying. But we race the points system.''
Labonte took over the points lead at New Hampshire, gave it up at Talladega, took over again at Indy and led until a 21st-place finish at Dover in September put him back in second behind Gordon.
Gordon put himself on the verge of running away with it in September after winning three in a row at Dover, Martinsville and North Wilkesboro, N.C.
But Gordon had engine problems at Charlotte, Labonte won, and the momentum shifted. Labonte took over the lead for good at Rockingham, N.C.
Labonte's championship came in the same year that he became the circuit's Ironman. At North Wilkesboro and Martinsville in April, Labonte tied and then broke Richard Petty's record of 513 consecutive race starts. Labonte won the race from the pole at North Wilkesboro.
Bobby Hamilton was the only first-time winner in Winston Cup in 1996, taking the checkered flag at Phoenix. Michael Waltrip won the non-points The Winston Select for his first victory of any kind in the Cup series. The most significant non-winner was Mark Martin, who saw his seven-year victory streak broken while finishing fifth in the points.
LENGTH: Medium: 90 linesby CNB