ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, April 4, 1997 TAG: 9704040062
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: ROANOKE, TEXAS
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER
A top Ford racing official flatly accused NASCAR of manipulating its wind tunnel tests to justify its recent rule changes aimed at slowing the Ford Thunderbirds.
Preston Miller, Ford's Winston Cup manager, said NASCAR deliberately avoided taking Jeff Gordon's car to the wind tunnel tests after the Atlanta race even though it was clearly the best Chevrolet.
In response, NASCAR Winston Cup Director Gary Nelson angrily refuted Miller's contention, and Gordon's crew chief, Ray Evernham, issued a challenge.
Miller noted that Gordon's car was impounded by NASCAR inspectors after it dropped out of the Atlanta race early because of a blown engine, ``but then a discussion took place and the 5 car [driven by Terry Labonte] mysteriously was
chosen and went to the tunnel again,'' Miller said.
``I was told someone from the Hendrick organization [which owns both cars] refused to let NASCAR use the 24 car,'' he said. Labonte's car ``was planted, I think. They wanted that bad car to be used to get the rules changed.
``NASCAR doesn't want to know what the [aerodynamic] numbers are on the 24 car because Hendrick Motorsports doesn't want them to know. I've got no problem with how they did the test, but if you take the wrong car to start with, what damn good is the test?
``I may be screaming more than Ford Motor Company wants me to scream, but I'm doing it for myself and these teams in here that can't say it,'' Miller said.
Miller's tirade came in the wake of a NASCAR rule change for the Ford for the third race in a row. The change ordered for the inaugural race here in Texas removes a quarter-inch from the height of the Ford spoiler, which will decrease the Ford's downforce, making it a slower car through the turns.
``All I know is when comes time to level the playing field, the Ford teams pay for it,'' Miller said. ``Ten percent of our downforce went out the window because Jeff went three races without winning. If little Jeff has a bad race, we lose another quarter-inch'' off the height of the rear spoiler. By the time Jeff has a good run, Ford won't have any spoiler.''
``We took the fastest Chevy at the race track that day,'' Nelson said, which was Labonte's car. ``We impounded [Gordon's car] in reserve.''
Then Nelson got angry.
``Why do I even get into a discussion like this?'' he said, his face reddening. ``I'm not going to get into this. If Preston wants to complain, he can come to me.''
Nelson abruptly ended the interview and ordered several reporters out of the office in the NASCAR transporter.
Evernham scoffed when he heard Miller's accusation.
``If NASCAR had taken our car, they would have cut even more off the Ford spoiler,'' Evernham said. ``They can have the car. It's right here. We're using it as a backup car this week. If it's so good, why wouldn't we be using it?''
Evernham then issued his challenge: ``Take this car to the wind tunnel. But if the 5 car is better, let's take another quarter-inch off the Ford's spoiler.''
Miller said he and Ford aerodynamic engineer Louis Duncan could see the handwriting on the wall in the garage before the Atlanta race.
``It was pretty obvious just standing there looking at the 5 car that it wasn't as good,'' Miller said. ``The 5 car did not have all those little treatments that you do for better aerodynamics. The 24 car did. We knew right then that if they took the 24 car, it would be a fair test. But if they got the 5 car, we were screwed.''
``The test itself was run fairly. The numbers were fine. But it wasn't the right car. Frankly, I'm at the point where nothing they're doing now makes any sense.''
As it turned out, Ford driver Ricky Rudd was the fastest in Winston Cup practice Thursday with a lap of 186.974 mph.
BRUTON'S COUNTER OFFER: Speedway Motorsports Chairman Bruton Smith said he has made a counter offer to purchase a majority share of North Carolina Motor Speedway that is 60 percent better than an offer made by Roger Penske on Monday.
Penske Motorsports already owns two percent of the track's stock; Smith owns 24 percent.
Smith expects the track's board of directors, of which he is a member, will accept his offer.
Penske offered $14 a share. Smith is now offering $23 a share. Penske's offer reportedly totals $28 million. A 60 percent increase would make Smith's offer $44.8 million, although he told reporters it was around $50 million.
``The board would subject themselves to lawsuits if they took the lower price,'' Smith said. ``Who would want to vote against getting the most dollars?''
But Carrie B. DeWitt, who owns 65 percent of the stock, reportedly wants to sell her share to Penske, not Smith, whom she dislikes. Smith said when DeWitt learns of his offer, ``I know Mrs. DeWitt will love me again.''
LENGTH: Medium: 93 lines KEYWORDS: AUTO RACINGby CNB