THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, May 18, 1996 TAG: 9605180460
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CONCORD, N.C. LENGTH: Medium: 51 lines
Friday night's IROC race at Charlotte Motor Speedway was a 67-lap, Mark Martin-led procession interrupted early by a crash that wiped out almost half the field.
Martin was never challenged as he led from flag to flag and won by 2.722 seconds over Johnny Benson. Scott Pruett was third, followed by Rusty Wallace and Jeff Gordon. They were the only drivers on the lead lap.
``It would have been a lot more fun if we'd had a lot more people to race with, but I'll take a win whenever I can get one,'' Martin said. ``We've had such a tough year with the Winston Cup car and the IROC car as well. We were involved in that big ol' wreck at Talladega. . . . We've had a lot more disappointments than successes.''
The crash occurred in turns 3 and 4 on lap eight. Jeff Gordon was trying to get under Steve Kinser. Kinser moved down in the turn and the two cars collided. Both spun, blocking the track.
Dale Earnhardt, coming through the turn behind the crashing cars, T-boned Kinser. Robby Gordon and Sterling Marlin also were knocked out of the race. Al Unser, Jr., Terry Labonte and Tommy Kendall also were involved.
``I was looking right at it,'' Earnhardt said. ``There was nothing I could do. Two cars got together and I was looking for a hole that wasn't there.''
Kinser was taken to Cabarrus Memorial Hospital in Concord and released after an examination.
As far as the race itself, there was not much to say. Martin started on the outside pole but got the jump on Wallace, the pole-sitter, as the green flag waved.
``We get around here real well,'' Martin said. ``And this chassis set-up fit my driving style to a tee.'' The drivers all used identically prepared Pontiac Firebirds.
Martin, who earned a five-point bonus for leading the most laps, is the 13th driver to lead from start to finish in the 20 years of IROC. Wallace was the last, in 1991 on the road course at Watkins Glen.
Martin gave NASCAR drivers their 43rd victory in 79 series start.
It was also Martin's third straight win at Charlotte, where he took both the Busch and Winston Cup races last October.
With one race left on the schedule, on Aug. 17 at Michigan International Speedway, Robby Gordon has the points lead with 42, followed by Unser at 38, Martin at 37 and Labonte and Earnhardt at 34.
Friday night's race will be televised at 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 3. by CNB