The Charlotte Observer from Charlotte, North Carolina • 12

THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER Tuesday February 27 1990 INSIDE MOTORSPORTS 'Smith Closes In On Atlanta Speedway Deal ton and Jerry have registered for rookie of the year competition in 1990 the fewest in years Could it be because Moroso 21 the Busch Series champion is such a heavy favorite? The Moroso story is well known Driving Olds-mobiles fielded by his father Dick Moroso and engineered by crew chief Steve Bird the Connecticut native won three Busch 300-milers at Charlotte Motor Speedway and a 200-miler at NC Motor Speed- way before he was old enough to sip the champagne in Victory Lane But what about Pennington and The thumbnails: Pennington 36 is from North Augusta SC and is best known for his exploits on short dirt tracks across the Southeast His Olds team is owned by Derick Close of Fort Mill SC and headed by crew chief Tony Furr 33 is from Auburn NY He began racing dragsters and moved to super modifieds driving an Olds for Alan Aroneck has two sons Gerry 8 and Brandon 7 The unique program developed by Susan Russo of Charlotte Motor special events department is designed to motivate students to study Scheduled to participate are drivers Kyle Petty Brett Bodine and Dale Jarrett Butch Mock coowner and crew chief on driver Rick team also will take part program can enable students to enjoy any number of subjects by using NASCAR racing as a said Russo "It can be applied to math art geography science and English Stan Barrett the former Hollywood stuntman who is seeking to establish an auto racing career has ended his relationship with the Arden-based team owned by Phil Barkdoll Sponsor Ultra-Slim Fast will stay with Barkdoll for four selected superspeedway races then join Barrett elsewhere in motorsports The Charlotte Observer has learned Barrett and movie buddy Paul Newman are negotiating with motorsports magnate Rick Hendrick to start a Trans-Am Series road racing team with the diet backing Three drivers Rob Moroso Jack Penning porarily to Atlanta during the next three weeks to help in staging the Motorcraft 500 The NASCAR Winston Cup Series race is March 1 8 Motorsports broadcasters Barney Hall and Jim Phillips were listed in stable condition Monday in the intensive care unit at Richmond Memorial Hospital The two were struck by a motorhome Sunday after the Pontiac 400 while crossing a street outside Richmond Raceway Hall of Elkin suffered three or four fractured ribs possibly other internal injuries and facial cuts Phillips of Newport Tenn suffered five broken ribs and a collapsed lung tell us that both Barney and Jim are going to be said John McMullin manager of Motor Racing Network for which the two veterans had worked the Pontiac 400 going to be painfully sore for awhile Tentatively expecting them to be released at midweek Barney already is talking about possibly coming to for this Goodwrench 200500 doubleheader Stock car racing goes to the classroom today at JT Williams Junior High in Charlotte By TOM HIGGINS SMI Rooorlt The wheeling and dealing has moved to Georgia as Charlotte businessman Bruton Smith draws closer to becoming owner of his second major race track Atlanta International Raceway Smith founded Charlotte Motor Speedway in the late 1950s with the late Curtis Tumor a flamboyant driver lost the track for awhile then regained control to make it the showplace of motorsports Negotiations opened in Charlotte Wednesday between Smith and LG DoWitl and Walt Nix majority owners of the 1522-mile Atlanta track actually located about 30 miles south of the city near suburban Hampton Ga DeWitt of Ellerbe is president of Atlanta Raceway and NC Motor Speedway at Rockingham Nix is the Atlanta track's gen- eral manager A source close to the deal told The Charlotte Observer Monday of the multimillion dollar purchase is set for Thursday but could come Members of the Charlotte Motor Speedway staff indicated privately they expect to be assigned tem IN BRIEF New England Fires Berry In Power Struggle SP0RTSTALK Martin And All Cheaters Should Lose Everything clouded the scheduled Monday night opening of the US Amateur Boxing Championships in Colorado Springs Colo Sean Lee 18 of Baton Rouge La suffered a heart attack while running Sunday He had known for years that arteries were abnormally attached to his heart Three days earlier Tyrone Smith of the US Navy suffered a fatal fall from a ring apron as he was having his gloves removed cannot emphasize enough that these two incidents represent the risks each of us face each said Dr Robert Voy chairman of the sports medicine committee HORSES: Killer For Hire Killing racehorses for the insurance money could have been quite lucrative for a Kentucky dentist who allegedly was a horse hitman according to the FBI Dr Joseph James Brown of Shelbyville Ky was arrested for wire fraud Feb 1 7 at Calder Race Course in Miami He was about to try to give a thoroughbred a lethal injection FBI spokesman Paul Miller said Monday MISC: Pitching Prospect Picks Texas Writer and broadcaster Will McDonough was in fair condition Monday night after suffering what was described as a mild heart attack by an official at a Boston hospital Martin High pitcher Todd Van Poppel (6-6 220) considered the top prospect in the spring amateur draft said he will sign a letter of intent to play baseball at Texas Julie Krone one of the top jockeys and winner of more than $26 million in lifetime purses will undergo a second operation next week to repair a broken arm which is not mending on its own Edited by Glenn Rollins ton A third person has died as a result of the shooting which took the life of former Phoenix Cardinals wide receiver and kick returner Darryl Usher Craig Gardner 31 who police believe shot his girlfriend and Usher before turning the gun on himself died late Sunday at Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix Police said they also were investigating the possibility there was an exchange of shots Two handguns were found apartment Authorities believe Gardner broke into the apartment through a window about noon Saturday to confront Usher 25 and Chiquita Burt 24 Each was hit by several bullets Former Dallas Cowboys owner HR Bright said he wanted to sack Tom Landry in 1987 but because general manager Tex Schramm said he have a replacement ready Patrick Hunter the Seattle right comerback was acquitted on all four assault and witness intimidation counts he faced after a dispute with two women at a suburban restaurant last fall The International League of American Football will open its inaugural season April 1 1 with Munich at home to Barcelona according to a revised schedule The 1LAF is not to be confused with the WLAF World League of American Football which opens in 1991 Charlotte is a candidate for a franchise in the WLAF Art McNally NFL supervisor of offi cials since 1973 will retire after the 1990 season Bob Martin voice of the Denver Broncos for 26 years and one of the Rocky Mountain best-known sportscasters has died of bone marrow cancer BOXING: 2 Dead In Training The deaths of two boxers while training Observer Newt Services Raymond Berry was fired Monday as coach of the New England Patriots in a power struggle with general manager Pat Sullivan Pittsburgh defensive coordinator Rod Rust is expected to be named today to succeed Berry The firing apparently centered on desire that Berry go outside the organization to name offensive and defensive coordinators while Berry wanted to fill those spots from his current staff BeiTy took the Patriots to their only Super Bowl appearance a 46-10 loss to the Chicago Bears in January 1 986 He was released one day before his 57th birthday and after 5 Vi seasons in which the Patriots were 48-39 If Rust 61 is hired it would be his first NFL head coaching job An assistant with four pro teams the past 14 years Rust was defensive coordinator for 3 'A seasons before filling that position with Kansas City in 1988 and the Steelers in 1989 It was a dispute over an assistant coach that got Berry the head job in the first place And that assistant was Rust Ron Meyer then the head coach fired Rust Oct 24 1 984 before informing Sullivan who was attending league meetings in New Orleans Sullivan rushed home hired Berry that night and told Meyer the next morning he was fired Rust regained his defensive position Moments before farewell news conference in the Crispus Attack room of a Boston hotel Berry gave a brief history lesson all aware of who Crispus Attucks he asked first casualty in the Bos NASCAR should do Martin the same way as the local boys that run on Saturday night If they cheat they get points or money or anything You go home with your nothing and wasted your money Ken Jones Taylorsville Petty won that way in Charlotte in 1983 (Miller 500) with illegal tires and engine They fined him but gave him his win Did they give it to Martin because they gave it to Petty? Larry Brewer Charlotte If they get by this way going to keep them from cheating next time? In other sports if you cheat out Raper Wilkinson Llncolnton By doing this telling children that if you do something illegal and win OK Margaret Eudy Concord like saying if you cheat and win just take some money and points and you can keep the I think you should win the old-fashioned way earn it Tim Lewis Hickory If it been for Richard Petty cheating (in Charlotte) they have done anything this time Kim Jolly Charlotte NASCAR is absolutely bush league over this They should have taken the win away Doc Taylor Charlotte Where were the inspectors (before the race)? I think more fault than Mildred Lall Casar If some of the big boys had done it nothing You ever see Mr Earnhardt or Rusty Wallace fined or one of Mr cars AM Mills Pageland SC They should have disqualified Martin from the race just like Ben Johnson was disqualified from the Olympics Bryan Stoeltzlng Linvllle I think they should have done anything until they knew whether it helped him Blake Roberts Charlotte I used to be one of the biggest race fans but I been to a race in a long time I think kind of like wrestling they take it seriously Vance Benton Monroe This Sports Talk question was whether NASCAR did the right thing by fining Mark Martin Sunday and not taking away his title Martin won the Pontiac 400 in Richmond but later was found to have used an illegal carburetor spacer on his Ford I feel like it sends a very bad mixed message especially to young people Racing is a family sport now and what kind of message are they sending out when an offender is just fined? Dale Caudell Mooresville When Richard Petty won the (1983 Miller) fall 500 in Charlotte they let him keep his win but said if anyone else was caught they would lose the victory and maybe be suspended for up to six months Rinnle Wishon Mooresville Get real If you cheat you lose Where did NASCAR get its rule book from the WWF (World Wrestling Federation)? Chuck Helms Morvin NASCAR seems to make up the rules as it goes along and been doing it for years Mallory Brizendine Charlotte They know if it helped (Martin) or hurt him Where they won the race was when they beat everybody out of the pits by changing only two tires Kim Hopper Shelby Where crew) messed up they should have told Mark to let somebody pass him because if you win going to inspect you They know to check when two tires walk off and leave four If going to cheat win just put on a good show Rondal Hamilton Indian Trail like to hear from crew chiefs how much advantage it was I think that much Rich Cole Charlotte I want to know why NASCAR catch it before the race? NASCAR should fine itself John Cardos Mooresville I think the world of Mark Martin and really wanted him to do well But not this way I was really disappointed Ann Plyler Charlotte Martin and his crew obviously knew about it they should have forfeited Ed Cavin Davidson CALENDAR BEST BET top South Carolina high school basketball games: a At North Central Bethune (22-4) goes for its third win this season over Lewisville (18-5) in the opening round of the I A boys playofTs a At Rock Hill the Bearcats girls (19-4) meet Region 2 4A rival Boiling Springs 1 9-7) in the first round of the 4A playoffs split two earlier games Motorsports NASCAR Live WRHI-AM (1340 Rock Hlll)7 pm College Basketball Liberty at Davidson WSOC-AM (930 Charlotte) WHIP-AM (1350 Mooresville) 7:15 pm COMING EVENTS College Basketball: March 9-11 ACC tournament Charlotte Davis Cup Tennis: March 30-April 1 World Group second round United States at Czechoslovakia Golf: April 5-8 The Masters Augusta Ga TELEVISION TODAY NBA Charlotte at Orlando 7:30 pm College Basketball Kansas at Oklahoma (ESPN) 7:30 pm NBA Dallas at New York (TNT) 8 pm NBA Milwaukee at Chicago (WGN) 8:30 pm College Basketball Louisiana St at Florida pm RADIO HIGHLIGHTS NBA Charlotte at Orlando WBT-AM (1110 Charlotte) WLON-AM (1050 Llncolnton) WDRV-AM (550 Statesville) 7 pm Martin Stunned At Severity manifold the more power and torque an engine generates not much but said one Martin admitted he is stunned at being hit with the biggest fine in NASCAR history like running a stop sign when coming but a policeman catches you and writes you said Martin named driver of the year in 1989 by the National Motorsports Press Association you get a ticket for it but you broke the law and you have to pay for it this is like getting the death penalty for Leaders of other Winston Cup teams also said they were surprised NASCAR hit the Roush outfit so harshly In addition to the fine the loss of the 46 points dropped Martin from fifth to 12th in the standings Rather than being 55 back of leader Earnhardt heading to Rockingham for time trials Thursday 101 behind The biggest previous penalty was the $35000 assessment against Richard Petty and the stripping of 100 points after a big engine and illegal tires were found on his winning Pontiac in the 1 983 Miller 500 Roush has 30 days to appeal to NASCAR vice president for competition Les Richter Williams said NASCAR heard from Roush have been no further developments at this said Williams who added NASCAR is holding up issuing the official point standings in fact the whole race report while paper work is being A source close to the Roush team said the owner had not decided whether to appeal but was leaning against it Continued From Preceding Page what was done on our car didn't given us an advantage over anybody The gain (in the carburetor being mounted higher) was two or three horsepower maximum won two of the last five races but right now I would just as soon not have won Sunday's race The way we can fix this is just to go win this Sunday at in the Goodwrench 500 at NC Motor Speedway Martin scored his first Winston Clip victory in October in the AC-Delco 500 at Rockingham Roush and team leaders Steve Hmiel and Robin Pemberton be reached directly Monday However Hmeil through a spokesman blamed the incident on an communications Rival engine builders who requested anonymity said the higher the carburetor above the intake IHElpOAtriTO SONATx aSfiai NEW MIDSIZE jCAR FftOM Moro Room! 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