DATE: Friday, October 10, 1997              TAG: 9710100873

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C5   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BOB ZELLER

                                            LENGTH:  100 lines

NASCAR REPORT

Has Pontiac finally turned the corner? B. Labonte not sure

Does Bobby Labonte's outstanding run in the UAW-GM 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway last Sunday reflect the benefit of NASCAR's recent aerodynamic concessions to Pontiac?

Labonte, for one, is not sure.

``It's hard to say,'' he said during the weekly Winston Cup teleconference. ``I don't know how much it helped. Our engines are real strong now. Everything kinda came together. So I think it was a combination of a lot of things.''

Labonte ran away from the rest of the field during the first 100 laps of the race, lapping all but eight of the 42 other cars in the field in the first 150 miles. He led a total of 141 laps, the most of anyone, and finished second to Dale Jarrett.

On Sept. 9, NASCAR allowed the Pontiacs to increase the height of their spoilers by a quarter-inch and reduce the front air dam height by a quarter-inch. Both moves were designed to improve the car's downforce in the turns.

More evidence that Pontiacs derived some benefit from the change was that four Pontiac drivers finished in the top 10 for only the second time this season. Ward Burton was eighth, Kyle Petty ninth and Johnny Benson 10th.

Renovations boost Bristol's capacity to 131,000 seats

The old concrete seats overlooking the frontstretch at Bristol Motor Speedway are being demolished as part of the track's latest expansion.

The concrete seats will be replaced with a 39,000-seat grandstand by next March's Food City 500. By then, the seating capacity at the track will be about 131,000.

The track is already selling the new seats as part of a season-ticket package. The choicest seats - terrace-level seats with stadium-style chairs featuring armrests and cup holders - will go for $300 each. Standard aluminum seats will go for $200 per season ticket.

Seats to the individual Winston Cup races may be available after the season tickets are sold but will be marketed by lottery because of demand, track spokesman Wayne Estes said. For more information, call the track at 1-423-764-1161.

Gordon's marching orders easier said than done

With four races left in the 1997 Winston Cup season, Jeff Gordon need only average a fifth-place finish in each event to win the Winston Cup championship.

But that task sounds easier than it actually is.

Gordon has the best average in Winston Cup this season, but it's only 8.32. Dale Jarrett, who is third in Winston Cup points and has six victories, is averaging a 10th-place finish.

Meanwhile, only 78 points separate Jeremy Mayfield, who is in 10th place, and Ernie Irvan, who is 15th. Sandwiched between them are Johnny Benson, Ricky Rudd, Rusty Wallace and Ken Schrader.

Marlin hopes to go out a winner at Talladega

Just over a year ago, Talladega Superspeedway was Sterling Marlin's track. He returns more humbly for Sunday's DieHard 500, hoping to break out of a season-long slump in his final restrictor-plate race with Morgan-McClure Racing.

``I won the first speedway race (the 1994 Daytona 500) I drove for them, and this will be the last big speedway race in that car so, hopefully, I can go out a winner in it,'' said Marlin, who will join Felix Sabates next season.

Qualifying for the DieHard begins today, and Marlin could use a win at Talladega for more than just nostalgia's sake. With four races left this season, he is 26th in the standings.

He said two straight poor finishes at the track have not soured him on Talladega's 2.66-mile trioval, where he won two in a row in 1995 and '96.

``It's still definitely one of my favorite tracks,'' Marlin said. ``If we have good pit stops and nothing wrong happens, I feel like we'll be right there.''

Coca-Cola Classic named NASCAR's official soft drink

The Coca-Cola Co. has announced a new marketing partnership that will include designation of Coca-Cola Classic as NASCAR's official soft drink.

The five-year agreement, which begins Jan. 1, will include specially created advertising, in-store displays, packaging, promotions and licensed merchandise. Coke also plans a touring, interactive Coca-Cola NASCAR experience.

NASCAR also has ties with Pepsi, which sponsors two races each season.

Who's hot

Ward Burton, with two top 10s in a row, as well as three in the last five races. At Martinsville, Burton also won his first pole of the year. He was 25th in points just two races ago. Now he is 20th.

Who's not

Darrell Waltrip. The great champion failed to qualify for the race at Charlotte - a first in his long career. He hasn't had a top 10 since finishing seventh at Pocono in June and has dropped from 15th to 23rd in points in seven events.

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