The Charlotte Observer from Charlotte, North Carolina • 44

VI I 'ff 'yi'T't Vffp'wiff1 'e ff i('i(mnfyi it1 sts rnr Til 41 THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER Mondav September 1 1986 1 1 yqiAWyMAijy -y- -v T'W" 4 1 'f 1vv -tXXv sA -I Richmond Victory A High For Hyde 4 4 By TOM HIGGINS Staff Writer tr yellow flag period between laps 331-334 Bodine ran out of fuel while leading on lap 354 was aware that No 5 (Bodine) pit for said Richmond came on the radio and said got her made DARLINGTON SC Until Sunday the Darlington Raceway memory that lingered most vividly lor Harry Hyde was a negative one i After almost 40 decades in stock car racing Hyde had just watched one of his cars a Chevrolet driven by Tim Richmond win at Darlington and in the Southern 500 of all races which dates to 1950 think Balmer spraying that gas into the old open press box is what led to this one being said Hyde be up here as the result of winning this race is a great high have the vocabulary to say how great it Richmond 31 sitting alongside his crew chief smiled wasn't aware this was first win he said that makes it my best win too In fact probably as good as I'll ever get not only is Harry my crew chief he has become my best Although Richmond and his Chevrolet performed well he needed some good fortune to win One pivotal development was the decision of nominal teammate Geoff crew to disdain a pit stop for gas during a final mkn y': J'-- happened in 1967 said the oldest crew chief in NASCAR Winston Cup Series competition saw my car get sawed in half whn it got atop the rail in Turn 1 It sprayed gas into the press That was the infamous wreck of driver Earl Balmer who was not hurt The accident led to the media facility being nicknamed where Hyde 61 was perched as he talked Sunday savoring a far more positive sure Bill Elliott was still in front of us and looked strong I knew though that Bill had changed only right-side tires during the last caution while Harry had called for a change of all four on our car I saw Bill who was about six or eight car lengths ahead drive into Turn 1 pretty hard I said to myself he makes this one all over for So I saw it coming before it happened and it got him sure was tag of the concrete wall a lick just hard enough to slightly damage the toe-in on his Ford Richmond then took the lead assuring Harry Hyde of a new foremost memory of Darlington yfw Staff Photo By DIEDRA LAIRD Jim Sauter hit the wall in the homestretch All three drivers were able to continue after the mishap in Darlington Going Around: Phil Parsons (66) and Mike Waltrip spun on lap 67 Sunday in the Southern 500 while taking evasive action after Richmond Rules Southern 500 Rainy-Day Gamble Backfired On Bodine By TOM HIGGINS Staff Wrtttr Southern 500 Notes Bodine ran out of gas 14 laps from the finish had to stop under green and wound up eighth in a car that led 162 laps Bobby Allison made a strong late run toward the victory that would have given him a tie with Cale Yarborough for the most Southern 500 triumphs (five) and the $100000 bonus Buick ran well and I felt my position was pretty good for a late charge But the maniacs in the slower cars kept trying to race said Allison it matter I have enough to catch Richmond at the end Second in the Southern 500 too DARLINGTON SC The sporadic showers that swept across Darlington Raceway throughout Sunday afternoon led to repeated strategy sessions in the pits And these in turn led to high-stakes gambling as crew chiefs played weathermen guessing whether the rain might bring the Southern 500 to a premature finish The biggest gambler and most disappointed loser was the Hendrick Motorsports team of Chevrolet driver Geoff Bodine Crew chief Gary Nelson one of stock car sharpest young minds chose to leave his Chevrolet-driving leader on the track during a short caution period starting on the 331st of the 367 laps He made the decision even though Bodine had last taken on fuel almost 60 laps earlier told Geoff there surely would be another caution if it Nelson said all the way around The longest dry spell and lack of caution flags for wrecks we had all day followed We blew Confirming speculation officials of Ranier Lundy Racing said Sunday that Davey Allison 24 has been named the driver for 1987 succeed Yarborough who is forming his own operation for next year Young deal reportedly is for three years Continued From Page IB challenged from there He flashed across the finish line at 7:25 pm Richmond a Lake Norman resident finished 23 seconds ahead of the Buick of Bobby Allison another contender for the $100000 bonus available to a driver winning two of the NASCAR Big Four races Taking positions 3-8 all in the lead lap were Elliott Morgan Shepherd Darrell Waltrip Ricky Rudd Bobby Hillin and Bodine Completing the top 10 were Dale Earnhardt and Cate Yarborough both a lap down was nerve-wracking all said Richmond of the race that began at 1 pm and was red-flagged for a stop because of rain for two hours 15 minutes after only 14 laps had been completed persevere and at the end that is what won it for us was looking strong but he got a Darlington strike (a scratch along the side of his car) when he hit the fence If that happened probably would have won got some smart calls in the pits from Harry Hyde my crew Richmond added owe this to him and my team owner Rick Hendrick of Charlotte who provides such good equipment this victory is special This race is the granddaddy of them all the one I always wanted have wanted it so bad in fact that to win it right now feels more a relief than a Richmond is the third straight driver to win the Southern 500 from the pole Harry Gant did it in 1984 and Elliott last year car just got loose up in the first said Elliott track is so tough that going to bite you soon or later and today it did it to Elliott wasthe driver who got the late breaks last year when his victory was worth $1 million from Winston for winning three of the Big Four races Richmond led five times for 168 laps Bodine was ahead four times for 162 as the Hendrick cars dominated the front spot The biggest margin either ever had was a nine-second Bodine edge midway through the race Most of the time though a pack of strong cars was challenging the Hendrick pair Especially strong was the Chevrolet of Dale Earnhardt who led three times for 17 laps A blistered tire on the 320nd lap foiled chances at the $100000 bonus He was running second at the time but came out of the pits a lap behind The outcome enabled both Waltrip and Richmond to cut into Winston Cup point lead DUezy llmwMW 4 VIST's sT-ic? fi rs 11 00 Waltrip picked up 20 points to trail by 109 Richmond picked up 42 to pull within 123 Richmond averaged 121068 mph as the pace was slowed 12 times for a whopping 79 laps The Gatorade 200 NASCAR grand national race which was suspended because of rain on lap 71 Saturday has been rescheduled for 1 1 am today at Darlington The 147-lap event was red-flagged at 4:49 pm on Saturday with Darrell Waltrip leading Larry Pearson was second followed by Davey Allison Jack Ingram and Bobby Allison Rounding out the top 10 were Mike Alexander Brett Bodine Brad Teague Morgan Shepard and Richmond who started on the pole Seventeen cars were on the lead lap when the red flag was displayed i ClV was the iafpesi-aaehdad Vxjofik: THe Blazer 'XI all over America 11 spectators came to see one of the most spectacular events in motorsports Today Charlotte Motor Speedway announces another first for Winston Cup racing The first week in October Winston Cup warriors return for a new Racing's Greatest Doubleheader AlARTlftOM THe Crowd Saturday Oct 4 Wfoeire ssO The All Pro Auto Parts 300 will be the richest Grand National event of the year Then Sunday Ocf 5 You can sit in the high panoramic seats (C) the high-speed action seats (A) or in between (B) If you want to watch roar through turns 3 and 4 where lots of try the Chrysler Grandstand If interested in pit try the Ford and General Motors sectiona The Oakwood Homes 500 will be the richest most prestigious race of the Winston Cup second half Call our Ticket Office for up-to-date availabilities Let our ticket agents help you select from the best remaining seats Act now and reserve the ones you like best Be part of motorsports history at Greatest The All Pro Auto Parts 300 and The Oakwood Homes 500 October 4 5 CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY 7044552121 select group of winners will earn the right to wear a Speedway Club blazer To enter the Speedway Club you must either Win a Winston Cup race at Charlotte Motor Speedway or Win a NASCAR Winston Cup national championship or Qualify for a Charter Lifetime Membership Members who earn the right to belong will enjoy personalized service rich surroundings and fine dining that are the standard at The Speedway Club plus reserved Clubhouse Seating for all events held at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Charter Lifetime Memberships are now available for qualified individuals and corporations For a personal appointment to tour Charlotte Motor Speedway and learn how you can wear the blazer that sets you apart call The Speedway Club at (704) 455-2155 WHERE WINNERS COME TOGETHER.