THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, June 18, 1994 TAG: 9406180383
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940618 LENGTH: BROOKLYN, MICH.
There he was, hobbling through airports in Greensboro, Baltimore, Detroit and Indianapolis, with a stiff left side, a cast on his right arm protecting a broken wrist, and a manila envelope of X-rays in his hand.
{REST} And when Bown got into his Ford Thunderbird to practice here Friday, he soon found out that he was, in fact, too injured to drive.
After a few laps, he began having double vision. So Bown returned to the garage and took himself out of the car for the weekend.
ARCA driver Tim Steele took over and was 34th fastest in qualifying.
Steele was recruited while eating lunch in the ARCA garage.
``Chuck drove the car this morning, but said the walls kept moving all over the place,'' Steele said. ``Rather than try to be a hero, he played it smart and got out of the car for this weekend. I'm just glad to have the opportunity.''
Bown suffered his injuries, which included a concussion, in a hard crash at Pocono last Sunday. His side trip to Indianapolis Thursday was to see the renowned racing doctor Terry Trammell, who fitted him with a removable cast to help make it easier for him to race.
Bown said he did not find out his wrist was broken until Tuesday.
``They X-rayed all of the obvious things Sunday night'' at Lehigh Valley Medical Center in Allentown, Pa., Bown said. ``That was on my left side - my left elbow, left shoulder and left leg - but not the right wrist.
``The hand seemed so weak I went to the hospital Tuesday.''
Meanwhile, some drivers are still suffering from the Dover race two weeks ago. Harry Gant is still nursing what he believes is a cracked shoulder bone from his pair of wrecks at Dover two weekends ago. He doesn't know which crash broke his shoulder. Ted Musgrave's ribs are still sore after his Dover crash. And Bobby Dotter, recuperating from his own broken shoulder at Dover, will have road racer Scott Lagasse as his relief driver for the Grand National race at Watkins Glen next weekend.
BUCK STOPS IN RICHMOND: Former NASCAR champion Buck Baker brings his driving school to Richmond International Raceway three times this year. Baker will be at the 3/4-mile track July 27-29, Aug. 10-12 and Oct. 26-28, offering one-day and three-day schools for $795 and $2,000.
Baker, who also operates at Rockingham and Atlanta, has corporate packages for companies of any size, spokesman Rolfe Schnur said. Call (704) 596-8930 for more information.
PEMBERTON STILL LOOKING: Robin Pemberton, the former team manager for Kyle Petty's Pontiac team, rode his Harley-Davidson motorcycle here Thursday, but said he'll be gone by the time the race starts Sunday.
``It'll be awhile'' before he takes a new job, Pemberton said, because he wants to be sure he's making the right move.
``There are offers out there for different positions, but I'm opportunity shopping, not job shopping,'' he said. ``It's more along the lines of having a piece of equity in the company. It's not a good feeling to think you've been doing a good job for 2 1/2 years and all of a sudden end up with nothing.''
KRANEFUSS-HAAS DEBUT: The new Winston Cup team owned by former Ford motorsports czar Michael Kranefuss and Indy-car owner Carl Haas made its debut Friday with Indy-car driver Robby Gordon at the wheel.
Gordon hit the third-turn wall in practice, but qualified with the same car and was 35th fastest.
The team, with Tim Brewer as crew chief, plans to enter about seven more races this year with Gordon in the driver's seat.
by CNB