The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 30

3 www.lennessean.com THE TENNESSEAN Friday, August 25, 2000 5C SPOKIS: BASEBALL. MOTORSPORTS Motorola de i i teek on tract j-TZ Av 7' iu il li 7 The Yankees' Glenallen Hill, right, slaps hands with David Justice (28), who scored on Hill's two-run homer. Hill homers again to power Yankees Weekend race schedule All times CDT WINSTON CUP goracing.com 500 Site: Bristol, Tenn. Schedule: Today, first-round qualifying, 4 p.m.; Tomorrow, second-round qualifying, 12:45 p.m.; race (ESPN, 6:30 p.m.) Trade Bristol Motor Speedway (oval, .533 mites, 36 degrees banking in turns). Race distance: 266.5 miles, 500 laps.

Last year's winner Dale Earnhardt. Next race: Southern 500, Sept. 3, Darlington, S.C BUSCH GRAND NATIONAL Food City 250 Site: Bristol, Tenn. Schedule: Tonight, qualifying, 2:30 p.m.; race (ESPN, 6 p.m.) Trade Bristol Motor Speedway. Race distance: 133.25 mites, 250 laps.

Last year's winner: Matt Kenseth. Next race: Dura Lube 200, Sept. 2, Darlington, S.C CRAFTSMAN TRUCKS Sears Craftsman 175 Site: Cicero, III. Schedule: Tomorrow, qualifying, 2 p.nv, Sunday, race (ESPN, 11:30 a.m.) Trade Chicago Motor Speedway (oval, 1 mile). Race distance: 175 miles, 175 laps.

Last year's winner: This is an inaugural event Next race: Richmond 200, Sept. 7 Richmond, Va. 1NDY RACING LEAGUE Belterra Resort Indy 300 Site: Sparta, Ky. Schedule: Tomorrow, qualifying, 1:30 p.m. (ESPN2, 4 p.m., tape); Sunday, race (ESPN, 1:30 p.m.) Track: Kentucky Speedway (tri-ovaJ, 1.5 mites, 14 degrees banking in turns).

Race distance: 300 miles, miles, 200 laps. Last year's winner: This is an inaugural event Next race: Mall.com 500, Oct. 15, Fort Wforth, Texas. FORMULA ONE Belgian Grand Prix Site: Spa Francorchamps. Schedule: Tomorrow, qualifying (Speedvision, 6 am); Sunday, race (Speedvision, 6:30 a.m.) ItoclcSpa Frarrcorchamps (road course, 4.329 miles).

Race distance: 190.476 miles, 44 laps. Last year's winner David Coutthard. Next race: Italian Grand Prix, Sept. 10, Monza. ASSOCIATED PRESS AL wild-card race Pet.

GB Boston 67 57 .540 Cleveland 66 57 .537 12 Oakland 67 59 .532 1 Toronto 66 61 .520 212 Anaheim 65 61 .516 3 Going racing nowadays without a sponsor is like going bowling without a ball. You're just going through the motions. That missing piece fell into place for Casey Atwood's Winston Cup debut when Motorola this week signed on as his sponsor. Motorola will sponsor Ray Evernham Motorsports with At-wood in three Winston Cup Series races this season, starting with the Sept. 9 race at Richmond, Va.

The Nashville racer also will dri ve the No. 19 Ford at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway. Monetary terms were not revealed, which is standard with NASCAR ATW00D sponsorships. There is no word yet on whether Motorola's involvement will carry over into next season when At-wood runs the full schedule and contends for Winston Cup Rookie of the Year. Atwood, who turns 20 today, will pilot a Ford Taurus.

The new Winston Cup Dodges that Atwood, teammate Bill Elliott, and several others will drive next season won't be approved by NASCAR for competition until the Daytona 500 in February 2001. Evernham wanted to get his young driver some "seat time" before then. Atwood had indicated he would run the Richmond race with or without a sponsor, but having a sponsor to help foot the bills obviously makes it easier. "Their sponsorship enables our team to get valuable on-track experience," Evernham said, "which will help accelerate our growth as a team and Casey as a driver." The three races will be crucial for Evernham's team. A Winston Cup car is a faster and heavier version of Atwood's current NASCAR Busch Series ride.

Evernham will play an active role developing and analyzing race strategy, working closely with Atwood. Since he will have no provisional points, there is a risk Atwood may not make one of the three races this year, although this seems unlikely given Evernham's success with rookie drivers in the past. "Don't worry," Atwood said. "We'll make it." Atwood, who has broken NASCAR records for the youngest Busch Series pole winner (age 17) FY rfr More fireworks: Bristol is one of NASCAR's most physical tracks, and some wonder if tomorrow's goracing.com 500 will spark a flare-up of the simmering Jeff GordonTony Stewart feud. Stewart, who swapped angry words with Gordon after a crash at Watkins Glen, said, "What happened at Watkins Glen stayed at Watkins Glen.

"People who wasted their time and spend all their energy worrying about holding grudges from week to week are guys who aren't concentrating on their jobs," he said. Collie race: Plans are under way for the eighth annual Mark Collie Celebrity Race for Diabetes Cure, Oct. 11 at Nashville Speedway. The races have generated more than $2.5 million for diabetes research. This year's lineup has not been completed.

Past drivers included Faith Hill, Paul Newman, Anita Cochran, Tim McGraw. Billy Ray-Cyrus, Mindy McCready, Brooks Dunn, T. Graham Brown, Heath Shuler, Rick Sutcliffe and other celebrities from sports and country music. Stretch run: Only three points races remain at Nashville Speedway this season, starting with tomorrow night's double-points events. Labonte tests cure: Imagine the sight: Terry Labonte, a two-time Winston Cup champion, a winner of 21 major races and one of the steadiest drivers in NASCAR, running from ride to ride at an amusement park, taking the worst roller-coaster designers have to offer.

This experience led to him returning to his car in the Winston Cup series last Sunday at Michigan Speedway. The roller coaster rides, taken at Paramount's Kings Dominion near Williamsburg, Va, were the final proving ground for Labonte after he had missed two races because of dizziness. "I rode every roller coaster they had there," he said. "I didn't have any problems with dizziness there at all." Results request Area tracks are asked to fax their Saturday night results to The Tennessean sports department (615-259-8826) by noon Sunday so they can be compiled to run in Monday's editions.B Larry Woody writes daily about NASCAR at Oi www.tennessean.com. He can I be reached at 259-8019 or lwcodytennessean.corn.

Information from wire services and other sources was included in this report. and you'll understand. 130 LUXURY SEDAN Bose LD urn. Alloy Wheels per mo. ITIO 39 mo.

leas 2001 QX4 045 i Jt iam WnnHv mm tAV ,1 Commentar' and race winner (18) said, "I'm hoping these races will allow us to put everything into place for next season." Atwood will test the Motorola car at Richmond on Monday and Tuesday in preparation for his first official laps in NASCAR Winston Cup Series competition next month. Dlkrtt injured: Bill Elliott broke his kneecap in a fall at his home Tuesday and may not race tomorrow night at Bristol. David Green will practice and qualify Elliott's car today, and drive it in the race if necessary. Elliott, 44, underwent surgery Tuesday night in Birmingham. Three steel pins and a steel wire were inserted in his leg.

Small tracks lose out If not for coming-next-year Nashville Super-speedway, Nashville would eventually have suffered the same fate as tracks in Hickory, N.C., and Myrtle Beach, S.C. the loss of NASCAR Busch races. Hickory dropped out last year and this week Myrtle Beach announced it will do the same after this season. Like run-down, outdated Nashville Speedway, the historical old tracks have limited seating capacity. That limits their revenue and prohibits them from being able to keep up with the soaring Busch purses.

A Myrtle Beach track spokesman said this year's Busch purse was $813,000. He said the track had to pay $260,000 more for this year's Busch race than it did last year's with the same amount of ticket revenue. The same situation has been festering at Nashville Speedway. A track that size cannot keep up with such escalating purses. That won't be a concern in the future.

Starting next season, Nashville's Busch race will be run at the superpspeedway. The new track in Wilson County is arriving in the nick of time. Otherwise Nashville, like Hickory and Myrtle Beach, would soon become just another racing relic, left behind in the dust of NASCAR's growth. I I I I. Own 2000 Leather plus Tag, Tax and License.

5rl O0593 -w -J mvm anW 42 one Associated Press NEW YORK Glenallen Hill isn't just hitting home runs, he's crushing the ball with Mark McGwire-like proficiency. Just weeks after joining the New York Yankees, he's become their biggest attraction, no easy feat on a team that's won three of the last four World Series. "Everybody's looking at his at-bats. They don't want to miss them." catcher Jorge Posada said after Hil homered for the 12th time in 68 at-bats since joining the Yankees, a two-run drive that helped New York beat the Texas Rangers 8-7 yesterday. With 10 homers in August, Hill leads the American League.

With 10 homers in August, Hill leads the American League. Not bad for a guy who got just 233 at-bats with the Chicago Cubs before the July 20 trade that sent him to the Yankees. "He's incredible. It doesn't matter if it's a fastball, changeup or whatever," said Andy I'ettitte, who won his seventh straight start. "He's making this ballpark look like Enron Field with the Astros, or Coors Field." Red Sox 9, Royals 7 KANSAS OTY, Mo.

Rico Brogna singled home the go-ahead run in the 10th inning as the Boston Red Sox survived a rare, shaky start by Pedro Martinez to beat the Kansas City Royals. Martinez allowed five runs and six hits in the first inning, his worst opening inning since 15. Athletics 11, Indians 7 CLEVELAND Terrence Ixmg's first grand slam and career-high six RBI helped the Oakland Athletics avoid a sweep and salvage the final game of a rough road trip with a win over the Cleveland Indians. Long, who has tormented the In- Scunds tonight At Memphis: 7:05 p.m. RHP Fred Rath (5-7 4.85 ERA) will start for Nashville against RPH Luther Hackman (6-8, Radio: 560-AM.

First inning grand slam sinks Sounds A ssociated Press MEMPHIS A first-inning grand slam by Eduardo Perez helped Memphis to a 12-2 victory over Nashville in a Pacific Coast League game last night. Perez had been sent down by the St. Ixwis Cardinals on rehab. The slugfest continued with Luis Garcia adding two homers for Memphis, and one each from Mark Little and Pablo Martinez. One of Nashville's runs came on a solo shot by John Wchner.

Winning pitcher David Wain-house worked six innings, giving up just three hits and Wehner's home run. Wainhouse allowed no walks in advancing to 4-3. Losing pitcher Sam McConnell fell to 1-4. Wilson hits 30th homer Craig Wilson hit 30th home run, moving four away from Sounds' single season record. Wilson has hit four home runs in the last three games.

"I am definitely making more contact this week," said Wilson, who had gone three weeks without a home run before the series. dians the past week, went 3-for-6. Orioles 8, White Sox 5 CHICAGO Ken Hill lasted only 2 13 innings in his White Sox debut and Brook Fordyce drove in three runs against his former team as the Baltimore Orioles beat Chicago. Hill (5-8), released earlier this month by the Anaheim Angels, was signed to a minor league contract by the White Sox. Hill was added to Chicago's roster before the game to give the team's beleaguered starting rotation a biH)st.

Tigers 10, Mariners 3 DETROrr Juan Encarnacion and Dean Palmer homered and Deivi Cruz drove in three runs as the Detroit Tigers, who started out 9-23, reached the .500 mark by beating the Seattle Mariners. There was no recurrence of the insect swarms that plagued fans and players atComerica Park the night before. Though a few of the flying ants were visible, there were no interruptions and the 36,885 fans could concentrate on watching the Tigers win for the 11th time in their last 14 games.H American Conference Central Division I Pet. GB .598 .515 II .450 19Vi .394 27 .591 .489 I31; .469 16 .431 21 Albuquerque Dodders) 79 Col. Springs (Rockies) 67 63 Omaho (Royals) 59 72 lowo(Cubs) 52 80 Eastern Division Memphis (Cardinals) 78 54 OWanoma (Rangers) 64 67 New Orleans (Astros) 61 69 Nashville (Pirates) 56 74 Pacific Conference Southern Division Sacramento (Athletics) 82 50 las Vegas (Podres) 69 63 Tucson (Diamondbacks) 62 68 Fresno (Giants) 51 79 Northern Division Salt Lake (Twins) 84 49 Tacoma (Mariners) 71 59 Edmonton (Angels) 60 72 Calgary (Marlins) 54 77 Thursday's results Albuquerque at Colorado Springs Edmonton at Calgary Iowa at New Orleans las Vegas at Sacramento Nashville at Memphis Oklahoma at Tucson Salt lake 10, Omaha 3 Tacoma at Fresno Today's games Albuquerque at Colorado Spnngs Edmonton at Calgary Iowa at New Orleans las Vegas at Sacramento Nashville at Memphis Oklahoma at Tucson Salt Lake at Omaha Tacoma at Fresno Pet.

GB .621 .523 13 .477 19 .392 30 .632 .550 ll'i .455 23'! .412 29 Redbirds 12, Sounds 2 NASHVIliE MfcMf rtu Qb cm ab bi 4232 5000 3100 3210 3224 1 000 4333 4113 3010 3000 0000 0100 0000 Redman rf Nunez ss Hernandez lb Wilson Wehner 2b Montgomery Hermansen cf Wood 3b McConnell Baptist Brede ph vlllanop Figueroa ph 40 10 little cf 4 000 Bieser rf 40 10 Lucca 3b 4 111 Young If 4111 Perez lb 3010 Munozlb 2 0 0 0 Garcia ss 3 0 0 0 Martinez 2b 10 00 Wilkmsc 0000 Wainhouse 1000 Eversgerd 0 0 0 0 Ctopp ph 10 0 0 Brunette Ayersp Totals Nashville Memphis nnno 31 7 i 7 Totals 11 11 11 000 010 100 2 400 140 12x 12 28 little 2. HR Wilson (30), Wehner (15), UthVjM), Perez, Garcia 2 (1 1), Martinez (1). SB Young. CS Keaman. Nashville McConnell 1-4 Baptist Vilkmo Ayers Memphis Wainhouse 4-3 Eversgerd 2 4 4 2 I 1 3 5 5 1 I 2 ip i 4 2 0 1 3 3 5 0 3 2 2 1 bb so 3 1 1 I 1 Brunette 1 I 0 HBP Hermonsen (by Wainhouse).

Sunroof. n-t idr Slk KJ 1 46 '1 ,641 .52 Total Due Inception S.n.l.r ft'W? Ml 2000 Q45 "Anniversary Edition Wallace seeks 2nd pole in row AsMK'iated Press BRISTOL, Tenn. Rusty Wallace, trying to become the first driver with consecutive victories this season, probably couldn't be in a better place than Bristol Motor Speedway. In March, he won at Bristol for the eighth time. And, considering his Wiaston Cup-best seven poles this year, he figures to earn a good starting position for tomorrow night's goracing.com 500.

But Wallace won't be driving "Bristol," the name he gave his winning car after taking the Food City 500 five months ago. He'll seek his sixth Bristol pole today in a new Ford. "A lot of people might ask why don't you just bring the car you won the spring race with?" said Wallace, who got his 52nd career victory Sunday in Michigan. "Our answer is that this sport mandates that you keep getting better and better." The 44-year-old driver has been doing just that, with five poles in his last 12 races. And a win Saturday night would make him the first this season with four.

But nothing would mean more to him than winning again at Bristol, which he considers his "most favorite race track of them all." Bristol's high-banked, concrete layout, is a replica of the short tracks Wallace spent his Saturday nights on in the early part of his career. To him, racing on a Saturday night at Bristol is like deja vu. "It's really a throwback to where I came from and what we did in the early days in the sport when we ran all the half-mile bullrings around the country on Saturday nights," he said. "Here we're running a half-mile short track on a Saturday night, tixi." Demo Models Anniversary Editions 2 To Choose Great Selection msrp $50,247 msrp $52,437 savings 8649 savings 6783 $41,598 45,654 Stk Q021 1 iMmmmt 1 THEY ARE HERE! RE-DESIGNED WITH MORE POWER AND STYLE! mm wmm isiMiirststfRl immm T-J 24. A I4.84J.