THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, February 17, 1996 TAG: 9602160690
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C8 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: A Guide to Nascar '96
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
The champion has left for new and greater challenges, but there are plenty of talented drivers ready to take Johnny Benson Jr.'s place in the $8 million Busch Grand National series in 1996.
More than 50 teams are prepared to run some or all of the 26 races, and several drivers who have been paying their Grand National dues the last few years appear ready to step up into championship contention.
``For the championship, I think you're probably going to have to look at Mike McLaughlin or Jason Keller,'' Grand National car owner Fred Turner said. ``Keller has come on strong. And Randy LaJoie in Benson's old car is a possibility, as well as Dennis Setzer and Chad Little.''
Other title contenders include brothers Jeff Green, driving for Dale Earnhardt, and David Green, who takes over Buz McCall's Chevy. Hermie Sadler of Emporia, Va., also is expected to have a strong team.
The schedule is essentially the same as in 1995, but major changes are on the horizon.
``It has been a long-standing thing that the series never went west of the Mississippi,'' said Stan Creekmore, who covers Grand National racing for National Speed Sport News. ``But next year, it looks as if they will open some new markets in Texas and Las Vegas and Topeka (Kan.).''
Winston Cup driver Bobby Labonte is returning to the Busch series in 1996 for a limited schedule, joining the usual Winston Cup regulars, such as older brother Terry Labonte, Mark Martin, Dale Jarrett, Michael Waltrip (with a new team), Ken Schrader and others.
And Mike Dillon, son-in-law of Richard Childress, will make his debut and run for rookie of the year in Ron Parker's Detroit Gaskets Chevrolet, as will Michael Ritch, driving for veteran crew chief Ken Wilson.
There was concern last year that the Grand National series might be left in the dust by the new NASCAR SuperTruck series, but that concern wasn't borne out in attendance figures.
Although NASCAR tracks have no turnstiles and attendance figures are always estimates, Goodyear reports that Grand National crowds last year increased a whopping 23 percent over 1994.
A portion of that increase was due to the new race in Homestead, Fla., which featured a sellout crowd of around 60,000.
The SuperTruck series, meanwhile, ``exceeded everybody's wildest expectations,'' said NASCAR's Owen Kearns.
An estimated 551,000 fans attended 20 truck races during the inaugural season last year. The series features 24 races in 1996, including events at Homestead, Watkins Glen, New Hampshire, Las Vegas and Nashville, Tenn. Total purses will jump from $1.2 million to more than $4 million.
Series champion Mike Skinner will be back, as will Joe Ruttman (with a new team) and Ron Hornaday Jr. Others with a legitimate shot at the SuperTruck title include Rick Carelli, Mike Bliss (with veteran Winston Cup crew chief Barry Dodson) and Butch Miller. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
Grand National Races
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