THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, May 18, 1996 TAG: 9605180459
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CONCORD, N.C. LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
The death of Indy 500 pole-winner Scott Brayton in an accident during practice at Indianapolis on Friday cast a pall over the day's activities at Charlotte Motor Speedway, particularly in the IROC garage.
There, two of Brayton's former IndyCar colleagues, CART drivers Al Unser Jr. and Scott Pruett, quietly talked about the tragedy.
There was no mention of the war between the Indy Racing League and CART, or of Brayton's having cast his lot with the IRL.
``It's a dark day in motorsports when something like this happens,'' Pruett said. ``Scott was very talented. He was a good friend. I knew him quite well. It's a really difficult set of circumstances, and there's just not much to say.''
Said Unser: ``From my understanding he went quick, and that's the best situation. You don't want to lay in the hospital. He died doing what he loved. The Good Lord decides everybody's fate. He decided to take Scott. This is a part of racing we all accept.''
Pruett and Unser will vie for positions in the U.S. 500, which CART will hold on May 26, the same day as the IRL's Indy 500.
PRESSLEY BREAKS RIB: Just as his season was beginning to turn around, Robert Pressley suffered a setback Friday when he broke a rib in a crash during practice for The Winston Select at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Pressley lost control and slammed the wall in turn 2 driver's-side-first in a single-car crash.
He told doctors at the infield care center that his ribs were ``very tender.'' He was transported to Cabarrus Memorial Hospital for X-rays, which revealed a broken rib on the left side.
ARCA driver Andy Hillenburg was recruited to practice and qualify Pressley's backup car. No decision was made immediately as to who would run the car in tonight's race.
ALLISON'S NEW SPONSOR: Car owner Bobby Allison announced Friday that the Florida-based Badcock Home Furnishing Centers has become the primary sponsor of his No. 12 Ford Thunderbird, driven by Derrike Cope.
Badcock replaces Mane 'N Tail, which is staying with the team in a diminished role as an associate sponsor.
``Mane 'N Tail has been awful good to us but, unfortunately, tough times seem to come in the picture,'' Allison said.
``Badcock said they'd come along with us on this, and I really, really feel good about it. One of these days, we're going to have enough of the right stuff to get back out there where we want to be.''
ON-LINE NEWS: REV Speedway, a stock-car racing site on the Internet, announced Friday that it has signed 15 drivers and ex-drivers for on-line chat sessions and other promotions.
The service, which is at http://www.revspeedway.com, has signed contracts for exclusive on-line access with John Andretti, Brett Bodine, Derrike Cope, Bobby Hamilton, Ernie Irvan, Dale Jarrett, Sterling Marlin, Jeremy Mayfield, Richard Petty, Jimmy Spencer, Kenny Wallace, Mike Wallace, Rusty Wallace, Michael Waltrip and Cale Yarborough.
Waltrip said a crewman on his former team had introduced him to the Internet, and ``I'm glad I've got this to go to, because where he was taking me was pretty wild.''
``I got a question,'' said Petty, who is running for North Carolina secretary of state. ``If I go on, as a politician, do I have to give equal time?''
FAST SALE: NASCAR fans recently bought all 81,383 seats for the Sept. 7 Miller 400 at Richmond International Raceway in a day and a half, the track reported.
WILSON TO SABCO: Veteran NASCAR engine builder and crew chief Waddell Wilson has signed on as a team consultant to Sabco Racing's No. 40 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, driven by Jim Sauter. The team has entered tonight's Winston Select Open. by CNB