THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, February 17, 1997 TAG: 9702170179
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. LENGTH: 67 lines
Two spectators were injured Sunday in the closing laps of the Daytona 500 when the hood from Ernie Irvan's car flew into the backstretch grandstands.
The incident occurred during the crash in which Dale Earnhardt overturned after hitting the outside wall coming out of turn 2.
When Earnhardt's Chevy flipped on its roof, Irvan was just behind him and drove under the car. But the upside-down trunk and spoiler of Earnhardt's car tore the hood from Irvan's car and sent it sailing into the air.
The hood flew over the restraining fence separating the track from the grandstands and dropped into the lower rows of the Tiny Lund Grandstand, where it hit at least two spectators.
Edward W. Suders, 42, of Chambersburg, Pa., stuck his right arm up to deflect the hood and suffered a broken bone - specifically a superficial non-displaced fracture - in his arm.
George Ray Anderson, 44, of Chase City, Va., suffered a badly bruised knee.
Both men were treated at the infield care center and released. But before they were turned loose, they had several visitors.
Irvan, Dale Jarrett, car owner Robert Yates and his son, Doug, all went to the care center and spent several minutes checking on the injured fans and chatting with them.
TWO DRIVERS TO HALIFAX: Two Winston Cup drivers, Robert Pressley and Johnny Benson, made trips to Halifax Medical Center on Sunday. But both were released after examination, track officials said.
Pressley was involved in the race's first wreck, and it was almost as spectacular, and certainly earned higher style points, than Earnhardt's.
Pressley was bumped out of the pack entering the backstretch on the ninth lap, and his car spun and flipped into the air. It did a perfect pirouette and slammed back down on its wheels heading straight ahead.
The takeoff was smooth but the landing was rough. Pressley got out of the car complaining of pain in his tailbone. He was X-rayed at Halifax, but no broken bones were discovered.
Benson was involved in the sixth and final wreck of the day - a 12-car crash in turn 4 with four laps to go.
It started when Benson's Pontiac came together with Bobby Hamilton's Pontiac. Benson was turned head-on into the outside wall as cars crashed and scattered behind him.
Benson was given a CAT scan before being released, track officials said.
FINES ANNOUNCED: Winston Cup spokesman Kevin Triplett announced Sunday morning that two teams had been fined for using side-door roll bars that were too thin.
Triplett said Winston Cup director Gary Nelson fined Paul Andrews, crew chief on Jeremy Mayfield's car, $5,000 for using several bars on both doors of the car that were too thin.
Nelson also fined Doug Hewitt, crew chief on Johnny Benson's car, $2,500 for using several bars on the left side of Benson's car that were fractionally too thin, Triplett said.
The violations were discovered last week and neither car was allowed on the track until the bars were strengthened. The fines were not announced until Sunday because NASCAR wanted to make sure they would not have to check any new backup cars that would have entered the field if a driver crashed his primary car late in the week during practice. ILLUSTRATION: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Spectators point to the hood of Ernie Irvan's Ford as it soars into
the grandstands. The hood was sheared off after Irvan's car, center,
and Dale Earnhardt's Chevy, on its side at right, came together. Two
fans were injured.