THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 25, 1994 TAG: 9408250739
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
Ernie Irvan was traveling at about 170 mph Saturday morning when his car blew a tire and hit the second-turn wall at Michigan, suffering critical head and lung injuries.
``He could have wrecked 20 mph slower and it probably wouldn't have changed one thing,'' Ricky Rudd said. ``This was not particularly a speed-related wreck.''
Nonetheless, Irvan and his car owner, Robert Yates, have said that speeds should be slowed at some tracks, if only to improve the racing.
Irvan expounded on that topic after winning the pole position at North Wilkesboro in April.
``What's happened is the tires have gotten so good, it's taken away from the competition,'' he said. ``There's no outside groove on many of the racetracks we go to because you go so fast on the bottom. . . .
``It wasn't like it was three or four years ago. If you make it where the cars don't handle as good, that's when we have good racing. We're here to put on a heck of a show for the fans. That's what we work for.
``What I think we need to have is a tire about 10 inches wide (as opposed to 12 inches now) and have us slip and slide a little bit, and then everybody will find out who the drivers are.''
PARSONS LANDS RIDE: Phil Parsons, whose drive last Sunday in the Melling Racing Ford ended when he was involved in an eight-car crash on the first lap at Michigan, will have another one-race arrangement this weekend.
Parsons will drive the No. 14 Chevrolet Lumina owned by Billy Hagan, who had to cut back to a limited schedule because of lack of sponsorship.
DALE JR. WINS: Dale Earnhardt Jr. won his first NASCAR Late Model Stock Car race Saturday night when he led all but one lap in the second of two 50-lap features at Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Speedway.
According to auto-racing historian Greg Fielden, this makes three generations of Earnhardts to win at Myrtle Beach. The family's late patriarch, Ralph Earnhardt, triumphed there, as has Dale Sr.
FRIDAY AT BRISTOL: Alan Kulwicki's presence is still felt at Bristol International Raceway, where he remains the fastest driver ever to turn a lap.
In April 1992, a year before his death in a plane crash en route to the track, Kulwicki set the one-lap record at the 0.533-mile, high-banked oval at 122.474 mph.
Drivers will try to top that speed in pole qualifying at 5 p.m. Friday for Saturday night's Goody's 500.
The weekend schedule calls for Grand National qualifying at 5 p.m. and the start of the Food City 250 only 75 minutes later, at 6:15.
The Goody's 500 begins at 7:40 p.m. Saturday.
Both races will be televised live on ESPN. by CNB