ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, April 13, 1997 TAG: 9704140150
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-8 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: AUTO RACING NOTES
DATELINE: BRISTOL, TENN.
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER THE ROANOKE TIMES
Victory Lane became a Gatorade bathtub Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway as Jeff Burton finally got to really celebrate a race victory.
Six days after winning the inaugural Interstate Batteries 500 at Texas Motor Speedway for his first Winston Cup victory, Burton captured the Moore's Snacks 250 Busch Grand National race.
This time, Burton took a few minutes to enjoy it as he and his crew doused each other with the drink.
``We're having a lot of fun here,'' he said. ``We didn't have as much fun in Victory Lane last week, but we're going to make sure we have fun this week.''
Burton led 139 of the 250 laps, including the final 38. The race ended under a yellow flag after pole-winner Hermie Sadler's car hit the frontstretch wall and stopped in flames on the backstretch. Sadler was unhurt.
``It's pretty amazing how things happen,'' Burton said after taking his fifth career Busch victory and his first since 1993. ``You work so hard to get things going, then you have two wins in a matter of a week.''
Mike McLaughlin was second, followed by Randy LaJoie, who took the Busch points lead by 32 points over Todd Bodine. Bodine was running in the top 10 when he was involved in a seven-car crash on the backstretch on lap 224. He finished 30th.
The race evolved into a dogfight among Burton, McLaughlin and LaJoie.
The best competition came just after lap 200. Burton battled to get past Mike Wallace with LaJoie and McLaughlin on his bumper. Wallace was on the tail end of the lead lap.
LaJoie managed to get on the outside of Burton and the two raced side by side for several laps as they tried to pass Wallace.
It appeared for a moment that LaJoie would pass Burton and Wallace on the outside, but Burton nudged Wallace coming through the fourth turn on lap 213 and got a nose under him to pass.
``I had to give Mike a little nudge to get by him,'' Burton said. ``I don't blame him for doing what he had to do, but we had to go.''
McLaughlin got past LaJoie 10 laps later.
The start of the race was delayed about two hours because of rain, and the race was slowed for nine caution periods. Eight cars crashed in turn 2 on lap 81. And a four-car crash in turn 3 on lap 104 took out Mark Martin, who has won four of the seven Busch races this season.
SECOND ROUND RAINED OUT: The second round of Winston Cup qualifying was rained out Saturday morning and a 43-car field was set for today's Food City 500 based on Friday's first-round speeds.
Provisional starting spots went to Michael Waltrip, Jack Sprague (driving for injured Ricky Craven), Morgan Shepherd, Dave Marcis and Darrell Waltrip, who took a champion's provisional.
Bobby Hillin, Billy Standridge, Mike Wallace and Greg Sacks failed to make the race.
Rusty Wallace won the pole Friday with a speed of 123.586 mph. It is his first pole position since June, 1994.
TO WIN AGAIN: After 16 years with at least a victory a year, veteran crew chief Tim Brewer is in the midst of a five-year winless slump.
``A win would cure a lot of things,'' Brewer said. ``I haven't forgotten how to win. It's just like Larry McReynolds and Dale Earnhardt. I know they didn't take stupid pills. Dale Earnhardt hasn't forgotten how to drive a race car, and Larry McReynolds hasn't forgotten how to set one up.
``Neither has Brewer. It's just one of those deals.''
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ASSOCIATED PRESS. Jeff Burton has time to celebrate inby CNBVictory Lane on Saturday after winning the Moore's Snacks 250.
Graphic: Chart: Food City 500.