ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, May 18, 1996 TAG: 9605200044
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: AUTO RACING NOTES
DATELINE: CONCORD, N.C.
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
The death of Indianapolis 500 pole-winner Scott Brayton in a crash during practice Friday at Indy cast a pall over the day's activities at Charlotte Motor Speedway, particularly in the IROC garage.
Two of Brayton's Indy-car colleagues, drivers Al Unser Jr. and Scott Pruett, quietly commented on the tragedy. Another Indy-car driver, Robbie Gordon, had not yet arrived at the track.
There was no mention of the war between the Indy Racing League (IRL) and the Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART), the series where Unser and Pruett compete, and the fact that Brayton had cast his lot with the rival IRL.
Brayton was, after all, one of the most experienced Indy-car drivers. And unlike many of the rookies at the Brickyard, Brayton's level of experience was not a source of concern.
``It's a dark day in motorsports when something like this happens,'' Pruett said. ``Scott was very talented. He was a good friend. I knew him quite well. It's a really difficult set of circumstances and there's just not much to say.''
Said Unser: ``From my understanding, he went quick, and that's the best situation. You don't want to lay in the hospital. He died doing what he loved.
``The Good Lord decides everybody's fate. He decided to take Scott. This is a part of racing we all accept. I didn't know him real well off the track, but he was a good man.''
PRESSLEY BREAKS RIB: Just as his season appeared to be turning around, Robert Pressley suffered a setback when he broke a rib in a crash during practice for The Winston Select at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Pressley lost control of his car and slammed into the turn 2 wall on the driver's side in a single-car crash.
He told doctors at the infield care center his ribs were ``very tender,'' and he was transported to Cabarrus Memorial Hospital for X-rays, which revealed a broken rib on the left side over the spleen. Doctors found no damage to the left lung or the spleen.
ARCA driver Andy Hillenburg was recruited to practice and qualify Pressley's backup car. No immediate decision was made about who would drive the car in tonight's race.
ALLISON'S NEW SPONSOR: Car owner Bobby Allison announced that Florida-based Badcock Home Furnishing Centers has become the primary sponsor of his Ford Thunderbird driven by Derrike Cope.
Badcock replaces Mane 'N Tail, which is staying with the team in a greatly diminished role as an associate sponsor.
``Mane 'N Tail has been awful good to us, but unfortunately tough times seemed to come in the picture,'' Allison said. ``Badcock said they'd come along with us on this, and I really, really feel good about it. One of these days we're going to have enough of the right stuff to get back out there where we want to be.''
ON-LINE NEWS: REV Speedway, a stock car racing service on America Online and the Internet, announced it has signed 15 current or former drivers for on-line chat sessions and other promotions.
The service, at the address www.revspeedway.com, has signed contracts for exclusive on-line access with John Andretti, Brett Bodine, Cope, Bobby Hamilton, Ernie Irvan, Dale Jarrett, Sterling Marlin, Jeremy Mayfield, Richard Petty, Jimmy Spencer, Kenny Wallace, Mike Wallace, Rusty Wallace, Michael Waltrip and Cale Yarborough.
Waltrip said a crewman on his former team introduced him to the Internet, and, ``I'm glad I've got this to go to, because where he was taking me was pretty wild.''
``I've got a question,'' said Petty, who is running for secretary of state in North Carolina. ``If I go on as a politician, do I have to give equal time?''
FAST SALE: NASCAR fans recently bought all 81,383 seats for the Miller 400 Winston Cup race on Sept.7 at Richmond International Raceway in 36 hours, the track announced.
WILSON TO SABCO: Longtime NASCAR engine-builder and crew chief Waddell Wilson has signed on as a consultant to Sabco Racing's Chevrolet Monte Carlo and driver Jim Sauter. The team has entered tonight's Winston Select Open.
LENGTH: Medium: 82 linesby CNB