DATE: Monday, September 1, 1997             TAG: 9709010216

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: DARLINGTON, S.C.                  LENGTH:   85 lines

GORDON WINS DARLINGTON, $1 MILLION BONUS CHECK HE'S ONLY THE SECOND DRIVER TO COLLECT THE ``WINSTON MILLION''

A last-lap shootout at Darlington Raceway is about as rare as a driver winning the Winston Million, but both happened Sunday at Darlington Raceway as Jeff Gordon pasted another big gold star on his NASCAR report card.

Gordon won his third Southern 500 in a row and became only the second driver to capture the million dollar bonus offered by the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. for winning three of the season's top races.

To do it, he had to bump and block Jeff Burton, who had a chance to make one bold charge on Gordon as both cars sped under the white flag to begin the last lap.

Burton had the fastest car at the end of the race, but a fouled pit stop sent him back in the field before the last restart and by the time he got back to Gordon, only two laps remained.

And after he failed to get by Gordon at the white flag, Burton simply ran out of time to regain momentum and make another run at the season's biggest winner.

``If I hadn't been out front, I don't think I could have won,'' Gordon said. ``This is just an incredible, unbelievable day. I don't think anyone could win this Winston Million again, let alone three Southern 500s in a row. I can't believe it.''

Burton finished second, a couple of car lengths (.144 of a second) behind Gordon. Dale Jarrett finished third, followed by Bill Elliott and Chesapeake native Ricky Rudd.

For Gordon, there was yet another bonus. He regained the points lead for the Winston Cup championship from Mark Martin, who finished eighth. Gordon now has a 25-point lead with nine races remaining.

With eight victories under his belt this year even before Sunday's green flag flew, Gordon and his team had become somewhat matter-of-fact about winning. But victory No. 9 was different.

``We did it! Holy cow!'' Gordon shouted on his radio.

A couple of seconds later, Gordon's ailing car owner, leukemia-stricken Rick Hendrick, offered his congratulations from his home in Charlotte. Hendrick told his driver: ``Tell 'em to give $100,000 to the bone marrow drive.''

Gordon was excited as much by the way he won as by what he won.

``It's one thing to win a race like this if you've got a great car and you dominate the day,'' he said. ``But to finish first and to have a great battle with a car that really wasn't capable of winning, that was really something else.''

The key to Gordon's victory on this hot August day came rolling along in the sky shortly before 4 p.m., more than 200 laps into the 367-lap event.

A thunderstorm rolled past just to the east of this 1.366-mile raceway. It didn't hit the track (although there was a short yellow flag for a brief time, however), but it dragged some clouds over the track, cooled temperatures and changed driving conditions.

``When the sun was out, we were junk,'' said crew chief Ray Evernham said. ``When the sun was out, there was not enough grip for the Chevys and they were loose.''

Bill Elliott dominated the race, leading 181 laps, but slipped back under the clouds. Jarrett led 38 laps, but lost the lead during a round of yellow flag pit stops on lap 296 and could never get back around Gordon because his Ford began pushing.

Burton charged up to challenge Jarrett and Gordon for the lead as the race rolled past lap 300. But during the final round of pit stops under a yellow flag on lap 335, Burton slipped from third to seventh when a lug nut fell off a wheel during a tire change.

After the race restarted, Burton was caught for a time amongst lapped cars. With 18 laps remaining, he was about three seconds behind Jarrett, who wasn't doing anything with Gordon even while remaining only a car length or two behind him. With three laps to go, Burton pulled up behind the leaders and then got around Jarrett. That set up the final duel, which started as Gordon and Burton came off turn four.

``The car was so tight, I was just trying to stay out of the wall,'' Gordon said. ``But I had no choice. The car just drifted up and up and I almost had to use the wall to turn. I saw him coming, so I turned left and as I moved down, he plowed into the back of me. "

Burton said he tried to wreck Gordon and missed.

``I'll be honest, I tried to knock the (expletive) out of him when he hit me,'' Burton said. ``I tried to put him in the wall, and I just missed him.'' ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]

Jeff Gordon...

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jeff Gordon won the Southern 500 on Sunday for the third time in a

row to take the Winston Cup points lead away from Mark Martin.

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