Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 11, 1995 TAG: 9506120084
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LONG POND, PA. LENGTH: Medium
It was too wet for second-round qualifying, but it made little difference, since the only driver who failed to make the 42-car field was newcomer Doug French, who didn't appear to be fast enough anyway.
And it was too wet to run the ARCA race, which was scheduled for 1 p.m.
In the garage, it was a day for chatting and waiting and fiddling with cars. Not only was it too wet to race, it was too foggy.
The fog prompted Bill Ingle, Ricky Rudd's crew chief, to tape a pair of flashlights to the front hood of Rudd's Ford.
PETTY SPEAKS ON HEALTH: Kyle Petty has battled bronchitis and other health problems this year, but he wants it known he does not have AIDS.
That rumor has been floating around for some months now, but it was only a rumor. Petty, however, was asked about it on a radio show last week and answered the question.
``No, I'm not HIV-positive and I don't have AIDS,'' he said here Saturday.
Petty said he thinks the rumors made the rounds because ``my hair is not short and I'm not the typical-looking driver.''
FOWLER WINS SPORTSMAN RACE: Wally Fowler beat Marty Ward by about a car-length in Friday afternoon's Sportman 150 here. The race was slowed by six spins or crashes, but no one was hurt.
UAW-GM CONTRO-VERSY: Today's race is called the UAW-GM 500, but neither the United Auto Workers union nor General Motors has been financing or actively participating in the race.
A controversy has developed over the sponsorship, and even as the race goes forward under the UAW-GM banner, track officials have filed suit against the union, the company and others seeking $2 million in damages.
Dr. Joseph Mattioli, the track's owner, said Saturday that UAW and GM told him in February that they were not sponsoring the race, even though they had signed a three-year contract last year.
``We are continuing to keep everything exactly as per the contract,'' Mattioli said Saturday during a news conference.
Mattioli said the suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Scranton, Pa., asks for $400,000 in unpaid obligations from last year's race, as well as $1.6 million for the 1995 and 1996 races.
``Last year, they participated in everything with us, including a suite and everything,'' he said. ``But this year, we've heard nothing from them. There still is a suite up there for them to use, if they want to, but we've had no requests from them for anything.''
Mattioli noted, however, that someone not affiliated with the track put UAW-GM garbage-can liners in all the garbage cans Friday.
Mattioli negotiated the sponsorship agreement with UAW-GM through two outside contractors, and the dispute is centered on their involvement and their handling of sponsorship money paid them by the union and the company.
``From what I understand, GM paid [the contractors] everything they were owed, but [the contractors] didn't pay us,'' he said.
CHARITY WORK: MBNA America Bank, which sponsors the Bill Davis-owned Ford Thunderbird driven by Randy LaJoie, presented a check for $37,450 to the National Head Injury Foundation and another check for $31,450 to the Winston Cup Racing Wives Auxiliary at a news conference Saturday.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB