THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, July 20, 1995 TAG: 9507200536
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
The second Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway looms in two weeks, and the victory by Ford driver Dale Jarrett at Pocono last weekend has top Chevy drivers and car owners worried and angry.
``This was a Ford IROC race,'' Rick Hendrick, who fields three Chevrolets on the Winston Cup circuit, told Chevy's Ray Cooper after Sunday's Miller 500.
``This was the ultimate wind tunnel here. This was the fastest, slickest, flattest, hottest place.''
``We (Chevy) need some more spoiler. We definitely need a half-inch front and rear at Indy. There will be 300,000 people up there wanting to see a great race. If they're going to let us come, give us a chance.''
``I don't blame Rick for being a little nervous,'' Pontiac driver Michael Waltrip said after hearing of Hendrick's concerns. ``But Jeff (Gordon) didn't look too far off the pace Sunday.''
Gordon, who drives for Hendrick, finished second at Pocono.
MORE INDY WORRIES: Nine Chevrolet teams and four Pontiac teams tested Monday through Wednesday at Indy, and several others in the Chevy camp echoed Hendrick's concerns.
``We had one of the fastest cars here on Monday, but the Fords tested about a second faster than we did,'' Sterling Marlin told Cooper. ``We sure need something back.
``The Fords just drove away from us up there at Pocono. It's going to be the same at Indy and everywhere else just about if things don't change. Everything they've asked for, they've got.''
Added Ken Schrader, who also drives for Hendrick: ``It was a big deal last year when they won all those races (21). We didn't get nothing. We win this year and they've got concessions big time. They (NASCAR) just keep giving them to 'em. They did a better job of crying, that's for sure.''
The spoilers on the Fords and Pontiacs currently are 5/8 of an inch taller than the Chevy spoilers.
WALTRIP STAYING PUT: Michael Waltrip, one of the four Pontiac drivers to test at Indy, said he's all set to return to the No. 30 Grand Prix next year and assumes that's what car owner Chuck Rider wants, too.
``I've been planning on driving with this team in 1996,'' Waltrip said. ``As far as I know, I'm going to be with (sponsor) Pennzoil and I know I'm going to be with this team next year.''
Waltrip said he knows that Grand National phenom Johnny Benson Jr. has talked with Rider. But when Waltrip has had his own discussions with his car owner, ``Every time, it's been that I will be in the car again,'' he said.
TEXAS UPDATE: Bruton Smith, who owns the Charlotte and Atlanta tracks, half of North Wilkesboro and a quarter of Rockingham, said Tuesday that he expects to begin moving dirt today on the $100 million Texas Motor Speedway.
``I've built speedways, but times have changed,'' he said. ``I had no idea how difficult it is to build a speedway. That's why no one builds them.
``When I was building Charlotte (in 1959-60), you didn't have to run around and get approvals on anything. You didn't have to worry about zoning. You didn't have to worry about the economic impact on the area. You didn't have to worry about the environment. You just built it.
``As an example, we could burn anything we wanted to get rid of. Today, you can't do that.''
Smith said he expects to have the Texas track built within 12 months, with workers working two 10-hour shifts.
``We'll be moving dirt at night as well as everything else,'' he said.
And after it's finished sometime next summer, he expects to inaugurate it with a Winston Cup race, and nothing less.
When asked if he would seek a Grand National race first, he said, ``I don't think I would do that, not first. That would not be the proper way to do it. I think that monster needs to be opened properly. I think we need to let the world know we have arrived in the state of Texas.'' by CNB