THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, February 11, 1995 TAG: 9502100652
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SERIES: NASCAR '95: Season Preview
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 46 lines
With all the clamor about the NASCAR SuperTruck series, which debuted last Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway, it's a wonder NASCAR didn't start it earlier.
Race fans love trucks. Most come to the track in the truck. And the race truck actually looks a little more like a street truck than a stock car looks like a street car.
``It's an exciting series,'' said Winston Cup champion Dale Earnhardt, owner of the truck driven in the series by Ron Hornaday. ``It's opened up some new doors for Chevrolet and all the manufacturers involved in the truck series.
``NASCAR is really excited about it, and I can see why because all the manufacturers are getting involved.''
It also opens up a door for drivers who were looking for somewhere to go with their careers.
Rick Carelli bombed out in Winston Cup last year. But with his victory in a winter heat last November in Tucson, Ariz., Carelli has established himself as a leader in the truck series.
Same thing for P.J. Jones, who won the other heat race in December.
For Hornaday, a leading Winston West driver, the call from Earnhardt was ``probably the biggest thing that's ever happened to me. I really had nothing going. I couldn't get a plane ticket (to North Carolina) fast enough.''
The trucks will race in 20 events this year. They'll remain in the West for six races before coming east, reaching Louisville, Ky., on June 3 and Bristol International Raceway on June 23.
They'll provide the support race for the Grand National cars on July 1 in Milwaukee and Aug. 3 at Indianapolis Raceway Park. In September, they'll team up with the Winston Cup series at Richmond (Sept. 7), Martinsville (Sept. 23) and North Wilkesboro (Sept. 30). The SuperTruck series concludes at Phoenix on Oct. 27.
``I think the opportunity is there for this series to grow and for their own superstars to grow out of it,'' Earnhardt said. ``It's a good proving ground to move up in the ranks.'' by CNB