THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 18, 1996 TAG: 9602180171
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. LENGTH: Medium: 96 lines
One is a two-time winner of the Daytona 500. Another won it once. The third has never won it.
But if the winner of NASCAR's biggest race is either Sterling Marlin, Ernie Irvan or Dale Earnhardt, racing history will be made today at Daytona International Speedway.
Marlin is shooting for his third straight victory in the 500 - something that has never been done.
Irvan, who won 1991 and was nearly killed in a 1994 crash, is trying to put the exclamation point on the most remarkable comeback in the history of stock-car racing.
And Dale Earnhardt, the most successful racer of the modern era, is trying to win the only significant NASCAR trophy that has eluded him.
There are 40 other drivers in the 38th annual running of the Daytona 500, but Marlin, Irvan and Earnhardt have been the fastest here this week and thus have been pegged as the favorites by most folks in the garage.
``Nobody has ever won three straight Daytona 500s, but it wouldn't surprise me if that 4 car (driven by Marlin) does it (today),'' Darrell Waltrip said Saturday. ``In order of preference, I'd say the 4, 28 (Irvan), 88 (Dale Jarrett), and 3 (Earnhardt) would be my picks.''
Waltrip has had one of the slowest cars here this week and, at the last minute, his team leased Marlin's qualifying engine.
``If we haven't been running well because of the engine . . . and (Marlin's) runs faster, we know where we've got to work,'' he said.
``If the car doesn't run any better with that engine, then we've got a real problem.''
Earnhardt won the pole eight days ago with a speed of 189.510 mph in his Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Irvan was second-fastest. Both of them also won their Twin 125 qualifying races.
No one has been talking much about the chances of Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon, who was sixth-fastest in qualifying. But Gordon thinks his car is one of the best.
``I know our car is driving good and I think we're going to be in good shape,'' he said. ``I think it's more competitive this year than it has ever been. There are more fast cars.''
``Right now, Sterling is real good. They have figured out something here at Daytona.''
The final Winston Cup practice didn't seem to give any clue of how the race might shake out today.
John Andretti went the fastest at 191.95 mph, followed by Mike Wallace (190.88), Bobby Hamilton (190.74), Ted Musgrave (190.64) and Brett Bodine (190.60).
No one, however, was thinking about speed. Just about everyone used the hourlong final practice to test handling and drafting. Otherwise, Marlin wouldn't have been 23rd-fastest and Earnhardt wouldn't have been dead last.
Earnhardt, in fact, only ran four laps. Everyone else ran at least seven. Musgrave ran 44 - the most of anyone.
One of the biggest stories during Speedweeks has been the performance of the new 1996 Pontiac Grand Prix. By week's end, the Pontiac drivers were still upbeat about the performance of their cars, but no one was talking as if he were a threat to win.
``I think the Pontiacs are OK,'' Ward Burton said. ``I just think we all have got to figure out what it needs. None of the Pontiac teams have gotten their cars to run too well at these particular tracks.''
Said Pontiac driver Johnny Benson, last year's Grand National champion: ``I'm not sure yet how it'll race. Just a good, smooth day is all I'm looking for. Me being a rookie, I've got a lot of things to learn.''
In the age-old Ford-Chevy battle, the Fords seem to have a better chance this year, although Ford teams are still complaining that the Thunderbird is inferior to the Monte Carlo.
``Obviously, the two makes got a lot closer, probably because the speeds came down'' due to a NASCAR rule change for engine manifolds, said Michael Kranefuss, owner of John Andretti's Ford.
Today's cool weather - the forecast is for sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-60s - may help further equalize the two makes, since a hot, slick track favors the better-handling Chevys.
``I don't think it will be as much of a factor with the weather like this,'' said Ford driver Wally Dallenbach. ``The key will be how the cars handle after 30 or 40 laps on a set of tires, especially late in the race.
``The guys who can handle it at that point are the guys who will be strong.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Seven-time champ Dale Earnhardt will try once again to win the big
one that has eluded him.
Graphic
AP
DAYTONA 500
Source: Daytona International Speedway; NASCAR
[For complete graphic, please see microfilm]
by CNB