DATE: Thursday, September 4, 1997           TAG: 9709040635

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C4   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: FROM STAFF, WIRE REPORTS 

                                            LENGTH:  124 lines

DECISION ON EARNHARDT'S STATUS FOR RICHMOND EXPECTED TODAY

There was still no word Wednesday on whether Dale Earnhardt will be able to compete in Saturday's Exide 400 at Richmond International Raceway.

A statement from Earnhardt said his blackout in Sunday's Southern 500 ``still has doctors baffled.''

The further testing he underwent Tuesday included a series of circulatory respiratory, body chemical and neurological examinations similar to those performed Sunday at McLeod Regional Medical Center in Florence, S.C.

The Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla. is analyzing the latest tests in conjunction with the Bowman-Gray School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C. and Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte.

Meanwhile, David Green, who is recovering from a broken shoulder blade suffered in a crash at Bristol, will make his return at Richmond.

``I feel like I'll be okay,'' Green said. ``Todd Bodine will be at Richmond for the Busch race, so we'll probably have him practice the car for a few laps on Friday.'' Bodine drove for Green at Darlington.

``I drove our motor home back from Darlington after the race on Sunday, and that was good therapy, but it's not like being on the track in a race car,'' Green said. ``Still, it was a good workout.''

Should Earnhardt, Green or any other team need help, there will be plenty of choices for relief drivers, since all three of NASCAR's top divisions will race on what has become one of the most competitive and entertaining race weekends of the year.

The track will feature the NASCAR truck series Thursday night in the Virginia 200, the Busch Grand National series Friday night in the Autolite 250 and the Winston Cup series Saturday night in the Exide 400.

Richmond does not have the mayhem of Bristol, but the racing is more refined. There are two grooves in the turns of the D-shaped track and more room to race overall.

``That short track atmosphere is there, but you get up some pretty good speed, too,'' Geoff Bodine said. ``It's kind of in between a short track and a speedway and it's a lot of fun to race on. It's a little forgiving. There's a couple of grooves there.''

The track has been treated with a new sealer, which always causes a certain amount of concern.

The concern, of course, is ``that there's grip out there,'' Geoff Bodine said. ``When they seal a track or do something to it, it's really hard to know how it's going to be until you get out there. Hopefully the grip will be there when we get out there with the cars.''

There was still no word Wednesday on whether Dale Earnhardt will be able to compete in Saturday's Exide 400 at Richmond International Raceway.

A statement from Earnhardt said his blackout in Sunday's Southern 500 ``still has doctors baffled.''

The further testing he underwent Tuesday included a series of circulatory respiratory, body chemical and neurological examinations similar to those performed Sunday at McLeod Regional Medical Center in Florence, S.C.

The Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla. is analyzing the latest tests in conjunction with the Bowman-Gray School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C. and Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte.

Meanwhile, David Green, who is recovering from a broken shoulder blade suffered in a crash at Bristol, will make his return at Richmond.

``I feel like I'll be okay,'' Green said. ``Todd Bodine will be at Richmond for the Busch race, so we'll probably have him practice the car for a few laps on Friday.'' Bodine drove for Green at Darlington.

``I drove our motor home back from Darlington after the race on Sunday, and that was good therapy, but it's not like being on the track in a race car,'' Green said. ``Still, it was a good workout.''

Should Earnhardt, Green or any other team need help, there will be plenty of choices for relief drivers, since all three of NASCAR's top divisions will race on what has become one of the most competitive and entertaining race weekends of the year.

The track will feature the NASCAR truck series Thursday night in the Virginia 200, the Busch Grand National series Friday night in the Autolite 250 and the Winston Cup series Saturday night in the Exide 400.

Richmond does not have the mayhem of Bristol, but the racing is more refined. There are two grooves in the turns of the D-shaped track and more room to race overall.

``That short track atmosphere is there, but you get up some pretty good speed, too,'' Geoff Bodine said. ``It's kind of in between a short track and a speedway and it's a lot of fun to race on. It's a little forgiving. There's a couple of grooves there.''

The track has been treated with a new sealer, which always causes a certain amount of concern.

The concern, of course, is ``that there's grip out there,'' Geoff Bodine said. ``When they seal a track or do something to it, it's really hard to know how it's going to be until you get out there. Hopefully the grip will be there when we get out there with the cars.''

Word is expected today on whether Dale Earnhardt will be able to compete in Saturday's Exide 400 at Richmond International Raceway.

Doctors at two hospitals examined Earnhardt over a four-day period that ended Wednesday morning with a final battery of tests, race team spokesman David Allen said. The information was shared with doctors at two other hospitals, giving the driver opinions from specialists at four institutions.

``All of our indications are nothing was found and that he's fine,'' Allen said.

The medical reports were forwarded to NASCAR headquarters in Daytona Beach, Fla., where officials of the sanctioning body for stock car racing were reviewing them. A decision is expected this afternoon.

Allen said Earnhardt, who twice nodded off at the wheel before Sunday's race and then wrecked on the first lap and had trouble finding the pits, was anxious to get back on the track.

``He's as ornery as he's ever been,'' Allen said. ``He wants to race.''

Earnhardt, 46, has started 537 consecutive races, the second-longest streak on NASCAR's Winston Cup circuit behind Terry Labonte's 560. Practice and qualifying for the Excide 400 is scheduled for Friday, with the 400-lap race set for Saturday night.

The Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla. is analyzing the latest tests in conjunction with the Bowman-Gray School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C. and Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte.

Meanwhile, David Green, who is recovering from a broken shoulder blade suffered in a crash at Bristol, will make his return at Richmond.

``I feel like I'll be okay,'' Green said. ``Todd Bodine will be at Richmond for the Busch race, so we'll probably have him practice the car for a few laps on Friday.'' Bodine drove for Green at Darlington.

Should Earnhardt, Green or any other team need help, there will be plenty of choices for relief drivers, since all three of NASCAR's top divisions will race on what has become one of the most competitive and entertaining race weekends of the year.

The track will feature the NASCAR truck series Thursday night in the Virginia 200, the Busch Grand National series Friday night in the Autolite 250 and the Winston Cup series Saturday night in the Exide 400.

Richmond does not have the mayhem of Bristol, but the racing is more refined. There are two grooves in the turns of the D-shaped track and more room to race overall. MEMO: Staff writer Bob Zeller contributed to this report.

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