The Anniston Star from Anniston, Alabama • Page 31

Sunday. Octohpr 15. 2000 Page 7D 113 White Knuckle Weekend 2000 Winn Dixio 300 results Fin. (Start) Driver Car David Keith Bobby Gerhart a jamas IP? Lyndon Amick Norm Benning Ford Kirk Shelmerdine Ford Chevy Pontiac Chevy I (5) 3 (1) ,4 Tiro (S) 7 (8) 8.T(22) 9 (33) 113 113 113 I 113 Bon Ccx Dwayne Leik Chevy 113 Chevy 112 4 Karp Frank Kimmel 1 Joa Pontiac 112 Christian Elder Ford 110 Jon Herb 109 Curt Piercy PA ritrt' Pontiac Ford 1031) II (25) 12 (2S) 13 (15) ,14 (17) 15 (30) 16 (28)' 17 (38) 1. (7) 19 (36) 20 (4b) 21 (18) 22 (39) 23 (37) 24 (13) 25 (11) 26 (4) 27 (23) 28 (32) 29 (29) 30 (14) 31 (12) 32 (35) 33 (2) 34 (24) 35 (19) 36 (34) 37 (16) 38 (21) 39 (10) DNS 106 101 97 81 Mark Stahl lAnJhony Chuck Weber Swcim Ryan Newman Mark Thompson Robert Burroughs Bob Rich Woodland Brad Baker 7,1 Brian Ross Mark Gibson Bob Strait Chevy Pcrtic Ford Pontiac Portias, Chevy "Portlac.

Chevy Chevy I Ford 58 58 58 r3': 57 4 ne Trent PennyThe Anniston Star Kirk Shelmerdine'8 crew gives his car service during a pit stop Saturday during the Winn-Dixie 300 at the Talladega Superspeedway. David Keith won the race. Yellow flag catches 'Bega rookie a Winn-Dixie 300 win Cavin Councilor. Chevy Randal Ritter Chevy Mike Harmon Chevy 37 Rick Markle I Chevy I'M Skip Smith Chevy 5 JRRobbs 'Chevy 77irV TTtt 118.923 mph; time of race: two hours, 30 minutes, margin of victory: under Hags: nine tor 56 laps; lead changes: 15 among rune drivers. By Bran Strickland Average caution; caution NASCAR Notebook The largest wreck of the day took out eight cars in Turn 4.

Three drivers involved in that accident, Randall Ritter, Cavin Councilor and Mark Gibson were all evacuated to Carraway Methodist Medical Center, Ritter and Councilor for possible chest injuries. All three were awake and alert at the time they were transported. Keith, who qualified fifth, raced near the front of the pack the entire race far away from many of the day's mishaps. "There were two or three of those cautions where I had no idea what happened," Keith said. "They were all behind me.

I didn't even see a single incident, and it's a pretty good day when that happens." Keith has had good luck on the superspeed-ways. He recorded his first victory of the season at Daytona and now has taken his second at Talladega. "(Talladega) is a lot like Daytona," Keith said. "Just hold them wide open and hope for the best. AH it's about is horsepower and body." NOTES: Locals didn't fair so well in Saturday's race.

Mike Harmon, who was being crew chiefed by Kevin Ray of Eastaboga, went out after 37 laps with a radiator problem. The highest finisher in the race from Alabama was Mark Brenner of Trussville last year's winner, Bob Strait, was involved in an accident and finished 33. Bran Strickland is a sports writer for The Star. He can be reached at 235-9247 or at bst rick-land annistonstar.com Star Sports Writer TALLADEGA A rookie to Talladega's tri-oval. His first time 3n a race at NASCAR's fastest track.

Those thoughts would conger up the deepest of fears in a driver's soul. I No problem though for David Keith. On the next to last caution with 12 laps to go, the driver of the Visual Bible Ford pulled away from the field in the Winn Dixie 300 Saturday afternoon, putting himself in perfect position for liis win as the race was finished under caution. It "was his third win second this season in eight career starts. "I would liked to have seen it never go (to) caution," he said.

"I would have liked to have seen it end under green without the caution, but once it did, it was a sigh of relief. "It would have got real hairy there if it'd went green-and-white checkered." Keith's win broke a series of four straight Traces where the Winn Dixie 300 was won from the poll. Tim Steele, who holds the record for most victories in the Winn Dixie 300 with four, including three since 1996, finished second. Pole sitter Kirk Shelmerdine finished third and Matt Hunter and Bobby Gerhart rounded out the top five. Shawna Robinson, the only woman in the field, moved up from her starting position of ninth to finish sixth.

Cautions weren't anything out of the usual for the race. Nine caution flags came out during the An eight-car wreck on lap 59 in turn four sent three ARCA drivers to the intensive-care unit at Carraway-Methodist Medical Center In Birmingham. Randal Ritter, driver of the No. 31 Chevrolet, was airlifted to Birmingham after the wreck. His was listed in stable condition and his Vital signs were good.

He was kept overnight for observation. He was diagnosed with a sternal hematoma. Cavin Councilor, driver of the No. 19 Chevrolet were airlifted to Birmingham, as well. Councilor underwent a CT Scan on his spleen, but was in stable condition.

Councilor was kept overnight for observation. Mark Gibson, who drives the No. 59 Chevrolet, was transported to Birmingham in an ambulance. He was awaiting a CT scan at press time, but he was in stable condition. After a late-race crash during the Winn-Dixie 300 on lap 108, Ed Curtis, driver of No.

73 Chevrolet, was Brian SchoenhalsThe Anniston Star Cavin Councilor, 19, rear ends Rich Woodland during the race. Councilor, Randall Ritter and Mark Gibson were hospitalized after the eight-car accident. race setting a new record that broke the old mark of seven set in 1986, '87 and '88. The caution flags took up 51 of the 113 laps, slowing the average speed to 1 1 8.923 miles per hour and the length of the race to more than 2 li hours. That speed was just more than 4 mph quicker than the 1987 race that was the slowest ever.

Out of the 44 drivers who started the race, only 22 finished only 1 1 of those on the lead lap. Four drivers were taken to the infield care center for examination for various incidents. standings, had to take a provisional to make the starting grid for the Winston 500. So did teammates Rusty Wallace and Jeremy Mayfield, last April's DieHard 500 polesitter. Darren Waltrip qualified for the Winston 500 on speed with a lap of 185.668 mph during Saturday morning's second-round qualifying session.

Waltrip got an engine from Doug -Yates, engine builder for Robert Yates Racing, and it was apparently enough to make the race. 1 can eat now because this morning I didn't eat my breakfast," Waltrip said. 1 hadn't had much to eat aH day because we were a little nervous about getting in the show, and once we got that done, well, that took a lot of pressure off everybody. Now we can enjoy ourselves a little Waltrip starts 34th. Bobby Hamilton, driver of the No.

4 Chevrolet, was inducted into the Talladega Walk of Fame on Friday evening. Hamilton has won three races in the NASCAR Winston Cup series and also competes hi the NASCAR Craftsman Truck series on a part-time basis. Bob Strait's kick didnl get better Saturday in the Winn-Dixie 300. He was involved in an early-race wreck that rendered his Roger Penkse-owned Ford undriveable. The car was ARCA driver Ryan Newman's backup car.

Newman was also involved in a multicar wreck on lap 96 that hampered his bid for victory. Mark Thompson, who qualified in Strait's back-up car, was also involved in the crash on lap 96. Nathan Solhelm taken to Regional Medical Center in Anniston with possible rib injuries. Wally Dallenbach, Alabama-native Hut Stricklin and Blaise Alexander went home Saturday after failing to qualify for the Winston 500. Jeff Gordon just couldn't stay out of trouble Saturday.

After driving over several pylons during eariy morning practice and causing marginal damage, Gordon cut a tire during Happy Hour and will have to start at the back of the pack for the Winston 500. Gordon will start in his backup No. 24 Chevrolet. Jeff Burton, currently second in the NASCAR Winston Cup points Keith MitchellThe Anniston Star Ryan Newman hits the wall in turn 4 during the race. Newman's wreck caused one of the nine cautions in the Winn-Dixie 300.

NASCAR truck series driver dies after Texas accident A -I. Roper 66 Monster results Final Results from the Professional Monster Truck tour event at Talladega Superspeedway. Finals Bigfoot (Dan Runte) 6.454 sec. beats Tonka (Eric Tack) 6.794 sec. Third Round Bigfoot beats Virginia Giant (Deil Wilson) Tonka beats Samson (Dan Patrick) Second Round Bigfoot beats Sudden Impact (John Seasock) Virginia Giant beats Executioner (Mark Hall) Samson beats Equalizer (David Morris) Tonka beats Pure Adrenaline (Gary Porter) ProMT series champion: Tonka (Eric Tack) then veered sharply to the right and slammed head-on into the wall along the frontstretch on the 32nd of 267 laps on the 1 -mile oval.

His mangled truck burst into flames and spun out of control. The accident was similar to one involving Geoffrey Bodine in the season-opening truck race at Daytona International Speedway. Bodine, a Winston Cup regular later fired from that ride, crashed after being pinched into the wall during the Daytona 200. His truck became a fireball and took out a large section of the catch fencing as it spewed parts into the grandstand. Nine spectators and another driver were injured as was missed 212 months with a concussion, and breaks of a wrist, ankle and vertebrae.

Polesitter Bryan Reffner won the truck race Friday night, passing Andy Houston with six laps to go for his first victory in 1 12 career starts. Greg Biffle claimed the points title, even though he completed just 81 laps and finished 25. was with him when he died. "We appreciate the show of support from the other drivers and teams who came here to be with us. last night and this morning," Roper said.

"We appreciate everybody who helped him along in racing, and all the friends he has made as a result. "He was a good little racer." It was the first fatal accident at Texas Motor Speedway, which opened in April of 1997. "We are all shaken by the death of Tony Roper," said Eddie Gossage, the track's general manager. "We join our fans in offering prayerful support to Tony Roper's family." NASCAR Busch series driver Adam Petty and Winston Cup competitor Kenny Irwin were killed earlier this year, They crashed eight weeks apart while practicing at New Hampshire International Speedway. "Our thoughts and prayers are certainly with Dean and Shirley, Tony's wife Michelle, and sister Kim," said Mike Helton, NASCAR's senior vice president and chief operating officer.

The only previous fatality in the truck series was in 1997, when John Nemechek died after a crash in Homestead, Fla. Roper's death was the eighth from on-track crashes in NASCAR in the last 10 years. Roper was one of two drivers to die Saturday from injuries in touring series events. Drag racer Wayne Bailey died hours after crashing during qualifying Friday night for the IHRA World Finals at Red River Raceway in Gilliam, La. Roper, from Fair Grove, was in just his fifth Craftsman Series race this season, but the of his career.

He never won in the series, his best finish being second in Clermont. in 1998. He. also had raced in the Busch series over the past two years. As a Busch rookie in 1999, he had three top-10s in his 19 races but finished no better than 24lh in three races on that circuit this year.

Roper began racing modifieds and late model cars in 1986. then moved to the ASA stock car circuit in 1992. He made his first start in the truck series during its debut season in 1995. The crash happened as Roper tried to move through a pack of traffic. He apparently bumped with another truck.

Roper is the third on-track fatality for racing organization By Stephen Hawkins Associated Press FORT WORTH, Texas Trucks series driver Tony Roper died Saturday, hours after a fiery crash in a race at Texas Motor Speedway, becoming the third on-track fatality this year in NASCAR. The 35-year-old driver had a severe neck injury which prevented blood from flowing to his brain, said Dr. John LaNoue, a trauma surgeon at Parkland Hospital. LaNoue said the injury Friday night left Roper without any brain function. Roper was unconscious and unresponsive when he was pulled out of his truck after the wreck during the O'Reilly 400, where he started 15lh in a field of 36.

Emergency crews had to cut the roof off his Ford to get him out. He had been placed on a ventilator at the hospital, here his father, former Midwest short track star Dean Roper, We're all shaken by the death of Tony Roper. Eddie Gossage, the track's general manager.