Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, August 2, 1993 TAG: 9308020013
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: CLERMONT, IND. LENGTH: Short
The victory was the first in 77 Grand National starts for Leslie.
"I can't say enough about the crew. They did it," Leslie said.
Todd Bodine and Robert Pressley were fighting for the lead on the 172nd lap when they came upon the slower Buick of Troy Beebe. Pressley's Chevrolet took the low side and Bodine's Chevy the high, and all three spun into the wall. Tommy Houston's Ford, running third at the time, also became involved, as did the Chevys of Larry Pearson and Steve Grissom. A red flag was shown to stop the field while track crews cleaned up the mess.
No drivers were hurt.
"It was nothing intentional and he thought it was," Bodine said of Pressley. "He hit me from behind and that was it."
Joe Nemechek, the 1992 race champion, and Ward Burton brought out a yellow flag on lap 181 when they tangled and went into the wall. Leslie inherited the lead on lap 182 and held it thereafter, slowing only when the yellow came out on lap 186 after Hermie Sadler and Tom Peck slid together into pit row.
There were 13 cautions for 61 laps, slowing the average speed on the .686-mile track to 69.792 mph.
Winston Cup veteran Terry Labonte came from three laps down to take third, with Burton finishing fourth.
Pole-sitter Ernie Irvan was the fastest car on the track much of the night, but his Chevy blew an engine on lap 151.
Keywords:
AUTO RACAING
by CNB