The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia • 70

10-D tlftf atKnta journal and CONSTITUTION SUNDAY, OCT. 5, 1975 1 National 500 Race Hendrick Wins Charlotte-30Q Last for Howard? 11 7 11111 By GEORGE CUNNINGHAM Jounwl-CoMiMutlM Staff Wrlltr CHARLOTTE, N.C. Toothy Ray Hendrick, who looks like somebody you would see on Hee-Haw, gave a field of the nation's finest sportsman drivers a countrified type of beating here Saturday. Before a crowd of 25,000, liberally sprinkled with Boy Scouts who' were at Charlotte Motor Speedway on free passes, Hendrick motored to a close but convincing victory over Nell Bonnett in the $101,000 World Service Life 300-mile late' model sportsman prelim to Sunday's National 500-mile Grand National event' The Richmond, chauffeur claimed a whopping $20,300 prize for finishing a quarter of a second ahead of Hueytown, Ala.s Bonnett who was picking up his second $10,000 check within a week. Bonnett won a 300-mile sportsman event last Sunday at Altanta International Raceway.

Hendrick averaged 117.055 m.p.h. for a race that was slowed by eight caution flags out for 41 of the 200 laps at the 1.5-mile trick. The 46-year-old Hendrick, who has three grandchildren, admitted that Bonnett was that close to him at the end only because that was the way the winner wanted it Bonnett rode Hendricks' bumper the last 50 laps but could never pass as the winner had too much horsepower on the straigntways. "Bonnett ran me to death in the turns," said Hendrick. "But I had him beat a full car length on the straightaways.

,1 was just trying to stay in front of him. If I had overdriven, I might have messed up." But could have stretched out In the late going? 'I could have tried," he said. Then his mouth broke In a toothy grin as he added, "but I don't know; what would have happened." "ti The victory purse was double anything Hendrick had ever won in an illustrious 25-year-short track career during which he has been king in Virginia, But he remained charmingly country to the core as he answered a question about his celebration plans? for the evening. "I'll probably get pretty tight on some Budwelser and then go to bed," he said. As for what he planned to do with his winnings, he pointed to his pretty blond wife and said, "this thing on my right will take care of that" Mrs.

Hendrick Just beamed. What wife wouldn't after being informed her husband has just won 20 grand? favorites Richard Petty, Indy 500 winner Johnny Rutherford, NASCAR regulars like Cale Yarborough, Benny Parsons, Buddy Baker and Lennie Ford, not to mention pole winner Pearson. People aren't all that Interested in this particular race. They're interested in Richard Howard, Rumor has it Sunday's race could be Richard Howard's Swan Song at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The stories say Howard's happy face is fixing to be placed on the chopping block as the result of a political and economical struggle that has placed control of the speedway in other hands, namely those belonging to Bruton Smith.

He was one of the original investors in the track who faded into the background when those early financial problems prevailed. Nonetheless, Smith is back, with the blessing of many of those who knew him back in Charlotte Motor Speedway's formulative days. And the stories insist Howard is out following this race, another statistic for the file of old race track general managers who don't necessarily die but fade into other areas of breadwinning. It is one of those cases where people are Richard Howard is one helluva fella but I- guess that other guy has gotten stock control. Too bad because Richard Howard is as fine a guy I've ever met." Smith himself says he has asked Howard to stay on.

Howard, a man who knows the business inside out, says he'll be the president until a stockholders' meeting next January. But the rumors persist about obvious friction between the two. Through It all, Richard Howard has maintained a frankness and an attitude that is typical of the big man. 'We'll wait and see what happens when the stockholders meet in January. I'll announce my plans then," he says.

Sunday's race will very likely be Richard Howard's Swan Song. It is sad, indeed. But the race could be a good one. By JIM HUNTER Special la Th Atlanta Journal-Conilltution CHARLOTTE, N.C. He has pumped up the sport when It was down.

Way down. Richard Howard has stood up and hurled his huge frame in more behind-the-scenes stock car fights, of a political nature, than anyone could possibly imagine. They never came up with an issue Richard Howard tried to dodge. The 5-9, 340-pound tank of a man marched to the drumbeat of the Marine Corps years ago in the adolescent stage of his 50 years. Richard Howard learned how to be tough.

That training, along with a wheeler-dealer attitude, projected Howard into a full-scale blitz on the business world where he hurled his huge body into the furniture business some 25 ears ago. It was 12 years ago when Charlotte lotor Speedway, beset by financial problems that included an enormous indebtedness of more than $1 million dollars, cast Richard Howard's very welcome personality on the Grand National stock car scene. The Speedway hired Howard to run the show. a What he has done is history. Howard, a man who laughs, lives and loves at the grass-roots level of the sport along with the majority of drivers, mechanics and NASCAR officials, transformed the high-risk, high-banked, ltt-mile super speedway into a profitable piece of property for stockholders and drivers.

More than that, Howard set a precedent as far as promotion was concerned. He learned' and believed it didn't hurt to throw a little Hollywood into, action. If stock car fans needed a little something extra to stir them up, Richard Howard was willing to satisfy their taste. If Howard thought King Kong at the wheel of an Edsel would help sell some tickets to the World 600, or the National 500, he'd holler "Get King Kong on the phone for me!" Everyone has been talking about Richard Howard here this week. Forget the fact that David Pearson won the pole position for the 16th National 500 scheduled for 12:30 Sunday afternoon.

Forget the fact there is an outstanding field for the race that includes all-time -A 1 Umttd Praw Inltrrallonil RAY HENDRICK GETS VICTORY KISS SATURDAY Wife Janet, Pet Poodle Share In the Celebration USAC Sprints Run Sunday Bet His Life on Talent Nikj Lauda ROSSBURG, Ohio (AP) -Larry Dickson of Marietta, Ohio, can almost wrap up his third U.S. Auto Club sprint car driving crown Sunday at Eldora Speedway. With three stops remaining on the 1974 schedule, the 1968 and 1970 national sprint king had 673 points to 609 for run-nerup Rollie Beale of Toledo, Ohio, the 1973 champion. Dickson and Beale are among the 33 entries for the twin 50mile features over Eldora's high-banked dirt half-mile track. Previous winners this season at Eldora have been Tom Bige-low of Whitewater, third-place Billy Cassella of Win-tersville, Ohio, and Beale.

in a McLaren. Jody Scheck-ter's Tyrrell and the Penske of John Watson were next Lauda found the course more to his liking after switching to a backup car. His practice times in the original machine were eclipsed by Brambilla and Fittipaldi. "We are finding a little more speed each time we go out" Lauda explained. "We are making good progress, we feel" eventually so did the loan.

Now, at 26, Lauda has earned not only a good credit rating, but also a reputation as one of the most talented and fearless drivers In this deadly serious sport. The diminutive Austrian, as expected, dominated the first day of practice and qualifying here Friday for the Grand Prix of the United States, the final stop on the 14-race, worldwide circuit Lauda's sleek red Ferrari zipped around the 3.377-mile Watkins Glen road course at 118.70 miles an hour and claimed the provisional pole position for Sunday's 200-mile, $350,000 race. The race is scheduled for a 3:05 p.m. EDT start. American Mario Andretti, was the fourth fastest driver in Friday's session, behind two-time world champion Emerson Fittipaldi of Brazil I think I would be a good race driver.

"In fact, I'm willing to bet my life on it" By now the loan officer would probably be either laughing or crying, or both. But this unlikely story is actually how Niki Lauda, the new World Driving Champion, launched his career in Formula I racing three years ago. Lauda's pluck paid off-and ATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (AP) Imagine strolling into our friendly neighborhood ank and telling the loan offi-i cer, "Hello, I'd like to borrow $35,000 to finance my career i as a race driver." Your collateral? "Well, actually, none," you say. "I'm 23 years old, single, unemployed and have no money except that I come from a well-to-do family who disapprove of my racing.

But jAAAxAAAxAAAAAxf III I Hawkins Valuable As Talking Help MSTAUATIOltP? nrrvknnr mm 0 Men's Clothing HAS DECIDED TO CALL IT QUITS ocnviuc By DARRELL SIMMONS It's been duly noted that Connie Hawkins arrived on the Atlanta basketball scene, if with nothing else but his clutch free-throw shooting in the Hawks first exhibition game at Greenville, Friday night But there's more to it when yon assess the possible value of "The Hawk'rto Cotton Fitzsimmons and the Hawks. Friday, in THIS WEEK'S contlsring of our entire and compltte stock Every article in our store hi on lalal Every Futturt Mutt te Soldi AH Our Quality Mar-chcmditeMust Gol SPECIALS! ill iTJi-rm ii i i 'vs-c Yes, we install thi products ws sell! Prices good thru Oct. PU3UCK0TICE Fencing SIDNEY'S MEN'S WEAR be rouoiil Go. FOkAftg tsch a. rWmi h.

nui lanrli If mn Wir.lM mill Uivf VOU lllft OUTOt MNMU1! fttjtjtsjteatw nt)t OiKtift fit. 0if ler.unly and pnvicv you wnt ChooM tram vtnety lunctional tencirg maienait in Dock, including 48" thoin link and tf roil Imjcbv, teflt Oottwf. ans. Hswo3H daft Imw. Snan, Gm rook.

0 Ci. Cpoco, Doh, lo Powot ol tiwy Ml, tort Ml. fctt Mel, mm Ill I BASEO ON A in Comely $159 "That wouldn't be a bad deal, would it?" said Hudson. "Hello, Kareem. Hello, Spencer, and George and Big would be a nice situation to be in." BETTY GILLIAM gets some credit from her husband for helping his basketball game in the off-season.

Herm had injury problems last season, Betty is a karate student "I've been doing some of her karate exercises," he said. "And she has a scrap-book from college (at Purdue) plus some clippings from high school in Winston-Salem that my mother saved. I got that out one day and read through it A lot of people had some nice things to say about me, and I figure they couldn't all be wrong. I had some good games, and I think I can have some more. THE HAWKS BOOSTERS chartered a bus to the game against Milwaukee in Greenville Friday and is planning to do the same for the Oct 16 game against New Orleans in Chattanooga.

They are Inviting any fans to go along. The Hawks office can give details. WAYNE EMBRY, general manager of the Bucks, is one of the staunchest John Drew fans among the opposition. "He just won't quit on rebounds," says Embry, and It's not just quickness and leaping. He's strong as a bull." Drew did some of his best In-fighting Friday against a Milwaukee front that had 7-0 Elmore Smith, 8-9 Kevin Reitanl and 4-S rookie Dave Meyers battling him.

THE THREE referee system looks good la the exhibition trial. But still with three men, John Wetzel got away with a classic "Bogart" job in drawing some offensive fouls against the Bucks. Nobody can see everything. And the no-tlpoff except for the beginning of the game gives another dimension to the game. Everyone Is working on long passes and possible home runs for starting the la-bounds plays at the beginning of the second, third and fourth quarters.

tOO FT. MINIMUM FURTHER REDUCTIONS FROM 40 TO 70 OFF! tnctolorl un. ft. Uf GATES, ENDS TERMINALS EXTRA iiiii 11 SWEATERS SUITS SPORT COATS STORM Poryttfar, Woven, Texturixed, Double KnlH. beating the Milwaukee Bucks, 101-93, Fitzsimmons had one of his quietest games from the sideline in a long time, even when the Hawks blew leads a couple of times.

He had some talking help from Hawkins during timeouts. Fitzsimmons has often been accused of overcoaching games, shouting too much at players. One New York writer even insists on calling him nothing Any coach needs sideline help from a player or players of Hawkins' calibre. It means more sometimes when a teammate chews on you than a coach. Loo Hudson, as Hawks captain, Is a great do-as-I-do man.

That also helps, but Hudson is low-pressure in personality. Hawkins is more outgoing and doesn't mind being vocal with teammates who need some help that Way. The addition of Hawkins could very well be the difference in this season for the Hawks, combined with a healthy return of Hudson, who Is still having physical problems in preseason. Hawkins is willing to work for Fitzsimmons, his old boss during successful days at Phoenix. And he has regained concern for the game of basketball, a concern that seemed to disappear in his seasons with the Lakers.

"Hey, you're not going to San Antonio with us (for a Saturday night game in the deadline-killing Central Time Zone)?" Hawkins said to newspaper people Friday. "Well, put a little salary on me, and 111 phone you a story. You gotta have a story onus." And It would probably be a readable Jiece if Hawkins followed his own request i reporters: "Write whatever you want to about me, as long as it's controversial." TOE NEWS that Herm Gilliam had a request from Pete Maravlch to engineer a trade to New Orleans fascinated Lou Hudson. The Jan gave "The Pistol" a free hand to seek out some players he likes to play with. lrf.i1MI0WUMt1 inn IB Windows Doors Siv nrgy colli by putting tn and to haat-robbing draft.

Giva your noma tha. waathar-tight protection ol norm window and door from Wicket Wida variaty of atylat and tltat In wood or aluminum. MINIMUM 6 WINDOWS rUITRU IUUCI10NS 54 DRESS SHIRTS long Sleeve. iitiiamili FURTHER REDUCTIONS SQ95 Turtle Nadu, Cardigan, Pull-over. $12 FURTHER REDUCTIONS $Hni95 STANDARD STOCK SIZE ONLY ttlWIROWUMr fUlTBtl ILDUCI1CW Completely M4M 95 EA.

Installed. Polyetttr woven, tex-turiiid double kniti, gabardine. Regular Shorh-longi Roofing CASUAL Hava your weathar-wom roofing raplacad today. Wicket hat wide (election of roofing product. And, you can choot from variaty ol rooting color.

ItefeltaMtntfitMN IMC Hint LEISURE SPORT SUITS SHIRTS BELTS STAN LOVE explains his quick dip In a neighboring pool, sans even skivvies, after one practtce in savannan: guess tningi. Famout Make, high quality to be acrt iced at DRESS PARTS NOW $n)00 fitl Un Completely I Polyetttr, linen, I Blend. NOW NOW like that have given me a reputation as a flake. But I was hot and tired, there were bo showers, and I look at It as Just being a Installed Mtue ahead oi everybody else. Vi PRICE Hawks Beaten at Wire, 115-114 PSIIII MICOtOMSUUMIOtt ILM44UM.MF0.MMO.N.

tw-Jl III HFr. Inf. Itttfl Prietll' wk to mm. i- stmntowMFotuooM- tMUWClM U1QO. tMturinl Silas led the Spurs with 33.

III Htm.it SAN ANTONIO James lias sank a 15-foot jump shot Sack, Beh at greet tcMnft Atlanta Jumped off to an roMTMW Miwtui limnM uutcnm tf 6 M4m early 8-2 lead, but trailed, 36-31, at the end of the first seconds remaining In the nip-and-tuck contest The loss evened the Hawks' pre-season record at 1-1. John Drew was high scorer for Atlanta with 23 points. Connie Hawkins and Wilbur mat nwi wnawwaa BUFORD HIGHWAY, N.l. Plwl vndarwMr, BUFORD HIGHWAY. I ouarter.

The Sours led at half- wn two seconds leit to give the San Antonio Spurs a 115-114 exhibition basketball victory over the Atlanta Hawks Saturday night The Hawks had pulled ahead, 114-113, on a Herm Gilm free throw with HRVi M0N.4M. JO SAT. 00 time. 63-59. and maintained HI NUUK iiau hi ia a 1 1ft 3307 that margin for an 88-84 mar I3wj i I iAT.te.M.tr.M.

I Uft. 11 NOON M. (N.E. Plata Shopping Cantar) gin at the end oi tnree peri Holland each scored 14, while John Brown added 13. ods, it.