THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, January 22, 1996 TAG: 9601220128
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. LENGTH: Short : 50 lines
Around this time, hard-core NASCAR fans feel that it's been a year since the last race.
The Winston Cup Preview was made for them.
Perhaps 15,000 racing fans from all over the country ran loose Saturday at the Lawrence Joel Memorial Coliseum and its two sister buildings during the seventh annual preview staged by series sponsor R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.
For a $10 admission - donated to charity - they had the chance to see and hear from the drivers, get a few autographs, see the new paint schemes and buy souvenirs.
``It puts you in the spirit for Daytona,'' said Monte Kiser of Germanton.
Geoff Bodine actually had some news to announce Saturday. On Friday night, he had signed a multiyear sponsorship deal with QVC. And he unveiled his car, with some freshly applied decals, at the preview.
Bodine certainly didn't plan on signing a sponsor this late, but from the rousing reception he received, the preview isn't a bad place at all for an unveiling. Fans lined up 10 to 15 deep around the car, with dozens more in the grandstands of the annex building, which is used as a hockey rink.
``This all happened very suddenly,'' Bodine said. `But not getting a sponsor wasn't an option.''
The preview also is a great place for putting one's finger on the pulse of trends among fans.
Sheet metal is hot. There was enough sold at Saturday's charity auction for a shop full of cars. But they would be expensive - a hood from Dale Earnhardt's No. 3 Chevrolet fetched $3,200.
Drivers' uniforms are hot. Jeff Gordon may be the Winston Cup champion, but nobody is hotter than Earnhardt, whose shops are just down U.S. Route 52 in Welcome. The final auction tally for driver's uniforms: Earnhardt $4,300, Gordon $3,600, Ernie Irvan $1,100.
Richard Petty is still hot. The roar when Petty was introduced was just as loud as the roar for Gordon. And that may be because Petty still has a better feel for the adoring masses than anyone currently driving. When it was his turn to sign, Petty declined the opportunity to sit behind a table and instead sat on the table, closer to the fans.
The folks at RJR were unsure of the total attendance, but they were hoping to top last year's net charitable receipts of $223,500, which went to Brenner Children's Hospital, AirCare and the Winston Cup Racing Wives Auxiliary. by CNB