The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 35

www.tennessean.oom THE TENNESSEAN Sunday, July 2, 2000 9C SPORTS: AUTO RACING NASCAR has no plans to bring race to new Nashville speedway By LARRY WOODY Winston Cup race probably is to acquire an existing event, and that seems unlikely. Dover Downs Entertainment, which is building Nashville Superspeedway, hosts two Winston Cup races a year at Dover Downs Speedway, but track President Denis McGlynn has said repeatedly that he will not move one of the events to Nashville. The L3-mile superspeedway is scheduled to open in April with 50,000 seats. Two to three times that number of seats would be required to host a Winston Cup race. "We are sponsor-drivea which is what made the Midwest so attractive," said Helton, referring to new tracks at Kansas City and Chicago that have been awarded Winston Cup races next season million Wilson County track fits into NASCAR's plans.

"We don't intend to add any more Cup races anytime in the immediate future," Helton said. "When and if we do expand, we will look toward areas of the country that would open new markets to our sponsors." That rules out Nashville, which is surrounded by NASCAR Win- ston Cup tracks at Indianapolis, Atlanta, Bristol and Talladega While Helton said NASCAR "always keeps an open mind," he made it clear that Nashville Super-speedway's NASCAR involvement almost certainly will be limited to such second-tier events as Busch Series and Craftsman Truck races. The track has also received an Indy League Racing event for next July. With the schedule expanding to 36 points races and two special events next year, Helton said there is not room for much more expan-sioa If more races are added, they are expected to be in the Northwest, the Denver area or the New York area A track in New Orleans is also being developed, and will likely bid for a race. Nashville's only chance to get a Sports Writer DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.

New Nashville Superspeedway won't be hosting a Winston Cup race in the near future and probably never. That was made clear by NASCAR Senior Vice President Mike Helton yesterday when asked where the yet-to-be-opened $125 fill i IiTiT i Busch becomes youngest truck series winner ever ana nam "There weren't any signs of any failures of any sort: NASCAR Senior Vice President Mike Helton told the Union Leader newspaper. Petty crashed into the turn-four wall at full speed. Crew chiefs said his throttle may have stuck, but Helton said there was no evidence to support that theory. "It's hard to piece together what might have Helton said.

"Once the impact has occurred, a tot of the parts and pieces are Racetrack politics: Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush was the honorary starter of last night's race, amid a political controversy. Bush's brother Jeb, the governor of Florida, on Friday announced plans to build a state-financed $2 million pedestrian overpass to the track. Florida Democratic Party chairman Bob Poe charged that the walkway is a "payoff" to the track for the national publicity Jeb Bush's brother is getting at the race. A spokeswoman for Jeb Bush said the overpass is a show of support for the track, which has an annual $1.8 billion impact on Central Florida.

Haniton update: Nashville's Bobby Hamilton was involved in a crash with Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth and Kevin Lepage during their final practice session Friday night but his car was not seriously damaged. Only Kenseth's car was damaged enough to force the use of a backup. Hamilton had to use a provisional start to make the race, as his team continues to struggle with its engines. Despite the frustrations, Hamilton said he expects to remain with the Morgan-McClure team next season. Bodhe bade Geoffrey Bodine, who escaped one of the worst-appearing crashes in NASCAR history here in a February truck race, said he had no qualms about climbing back into a race car.

"The Good Lord was looking after me that said Bodine, who started last night's Pepsi 400 in 43rd position. "Physically and mentally I'm ready to race. That was just a rare, freak accident and hopefully it'll never happen Bodine's truck shattered into several pieces and burst into flames and it tumbled down the frontstretch, the bounced up on the retaining wall and ripped down a section of fence. Several fans in the grandstands were injured by fire and debris. Bodine plans to donate the charred remains of his truck to a racing museum.

"People come by to look at it and are amazedr he said. "They can't believe anyone could survive a wreck like that. All I can tell them is that God took care of me that day. That's the only way to explain STAFF; WIRE REPORTS Waftrip Dayton farewet Darnell Waltrip bid farewell to Daytona last night Waltrip ran his 27th and final race at Daytona International Speedway, starting 33rd in the Pepsi 400. "This has been a good track for mer said the 53-year-old Franklin driver who will retire at the end of the season.

Waltrip, who won the 1989 Daytona 500, said last night's race was even more sentimental than the premier February event. "in February it wasn't that hard because I knew Iti be Waltrip said, "But now that I know I wont be back, It's a lot harder. I've got a lot of great memories. I'm going to miss racing here: Waltrip finished 27th in last night's race and even took the lead at one point by staying out as the leaders headed for the pits. Waltrip will return to Daytona next February as a color commentator for Fox.

Starting next year, Fox, NBC and Turner Sports will take over all NASCAR telecasts. Fox will carry the season-opening Daytona 500. Petty" car oWt tit NASCAR officials found no sign of mechanical failure in the car Adam Petty was driving when he crashed and was killed in May. The 19-year-old, fourth-generation member of the Petty racing family died when he struck a wall at the New Hampshire International Speedway while practicing for the Busch 200. Associated Press WEST ALUS, Wis.

Kurt Busch held off Randy Tolsma on two late restarts yesterday to win the Sears DieHard 200 and become the youngest driver to capture a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event Busch, 21 led 156 of the race's 200 laps including the final 56 but wasn't able to shake the persistent Tolsma on The Milwaukee Mile. Busch, however, was able to power away from Tolsma when the seventh caution ended after lap 195 and carried a 0.564-second cushion to the checkered flag. The victory, worth $49335, bettered four second-place finishes that Busch recorded over the tour's first 13 races. He became just the fifth rookie driver to win on the circuit and youngest since Kenny Irwin, now a NASCAR Winston Cup Series regular, won at age 27 in 1997 in Homestead, Fla. Busch, who drives a Ford out of the Roush Racing stable, is the first rookie driver to win since 1998 and the seventh different winner of the current season.

'To finally pick up a win without AP lion: Jarrett unable to make late pass Kurt Busch celebrates his win in the Sears Diehard 200. running into anybody and keeping four tires on it really feels great," said Busch, who was involved an a major accident two races ago at Kentucky Speedway and slapped the wall with eight laps to go in Fort Worth, Texas, while chasing leader and driving partner Greg Biffle. Green claims DieHard 250 pole pitted after a Scott Pruett crash, but Waltrip, who has 14 career wins at the track, remained on the track to be posted as the official race leader. It was the first time Waltrip had lead at Daytona since 1997 and only his fifth lead here in the 1990s. Waltrip finished 27th.

Bill Elliott who had one of the dominant cars, was tagged and sent spinning by Mike Skinner on lap 113. The crash also took out Stacy Compton and Columbia's Sterling Marlia Marlin, who started 39th, had worked his way up to 19th when he crashed. He finished 25th. The normally mild-mannered Elliott pushed away a rescue worker and gestured angrily at Skinner as he came back around the track. A three-car crash took out former Nashville Speedway driver Jeremy Mayfield, a two-time winner this season Terry Labonte and Michael Waltrip crashed on lap 82, collecting the trailing Mayfield.

Mayfield suffered a bruised shoulder. Labonte was momentarily knocked unconscious and taken to an area hospital for observatioa It was a rough week for Nashville's Bobby Hamiltoa He got caught up in a crash in Friday's final practice, started next-to-last and brushed the wall early in the race, cutting a tire and forcing a pit stop that put him a lap dowa Hamilton finished 36th Wally Dallenbach, driving for Murfreesboro's Darwin Oordt, turned a 35th-place start into a respectable 21st-place finish. vers criticized NASCAR after that race because of new shock absorber rules that hampered the driver's ability to maneuver on the track, A caution bunched up the field with four laps to go. Dale Earnhardt was the big loser on the restart, getting shuffled from third back to eighth. The caution was brought out when Jimmy Spencer and Dave Blaney crashed with six laps to go.

After two yellow-flag laps the starting flag fell and the scramble began. Points leader Bobby Labonte came in 12th and nurses a 52-point lead over seven-time Winston Cup champion Earnhardt Franklin driver Darrell Waltrip, making his final Daytona run, led lap 107 under cautioa The leaders two of the best in the business. I was worried about it" Burton has eight victories over the past two seasons, more than any driver except Jeff Gordon over the same spaa "I was trying to be patient in a hurry," Jarrett said of his final-lap charge. "Jeff did a good job of blocking me. He had a great car and did a good job of driving it" Rusty Wallace, who made his 500th consecutive start, claimed third, followed by Mark Martin, Ricky Rudd a five-Ford flush then Pontiac drivers Tony Stewart and Ward Burton There were 10 lead changes in the race, one more than in the Daytona 500.

Many dri Associated Press WEST ALUS, WIS. NASCAR Busch Series leader Jeff Green took his fifth pole position of the year yesterday, turning a lap at 121.572 mph in qualifying for today's Sears DieHard 250. Green, driving a Chevrolet, broke The Milwaukee Mile qualifying record of 121.421 mph set last year by race winner and Nashville native Casey Atwood. "It was a great run for us," said Green, a three-time winner this year. "We've been very successful sitting on poles and winning races.

I know everybody's getting tired of it but we're not." Clarksville's Jeff Purvis qualified second at 121.163, followed by Hank Parker Jr. (120.692), Todd Bodine (120.438), Kevin Grubb (120.192), Jimmie Johnson (120.076), Ron Hornaday (120.068), Nashville's Bobby Hamilton Jr. (120.036) and Derrick Gilchrist (120.008). LPS mm sl Tennessee's newest most prestigious lake community 7 rvi fi io)r)rfTr o) rov? rn LfU ZXi LAI LS KC Lru MM 't 1 mm? GOING ON RIGHT NOW at spectacular CENTER HILL LAECE Own RARE lake view land on the widest part of Center Hill Lake! Adjoins Edgar Evins State Park. tm A air i H'WHS'MWII 1 111111 I Bring This Ad IS" 1 I I I I Plus, Pay MO Closing Costs! Includes underground utilities, paved roads, COUNTY WATER sewer.

Excellent financing is available. uuimaii 'r A tor ffltiini Ari ith MM! niflii "tt.