THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, August 19, 1996 TAG: 9608190160
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BROOKLYN, MICH. LENGTH: 75 lines
Sunday's GM 400 at Michigan International Speedway may have been the race in which Dale Earnhardt's Talladega injuries finally caught up with him.
He did not lead a lap, spun out after colliding with Ken Schrader on lap 186 and finally finished 17th, exhausted and sore.
``I made it through the day, that's all I can say,'' Earnhardt said as he walked to his car for a quick exit from the track. ``It didn't suit me too good, but I stayed in there all day and run all day.''
After colliding with Schrader as they raced side-by-side down the frontstretch, Earnhardt made one complete spin and gathered it back up without hitting any walls.
``A lapped car on the outside caused that more than me and Schrader,'' Earnhardt said. ``I don't think it hurt our car much, but it cost us a decent finish.
``I'm hurting. My shoulder hurts more than it did last week, but everything's going to be all right.''
MORE CHEVY GRIEF: Though two of his Chevrolet Monte Carlos finished third (Terry Labonte) and fifth (Jeff Gordon) Sunday, car owner Rick Hendrick was decidedly unhappy after watching the Ford-dominated race.
``I can't believe (NASCAR) is not doing something with as much horsepower difference as there is,'' Hendrick said. ``They've got a 35 horsepower advantage, and we've got new engine parts we want to use and we can't run them. We've had a new cylinder head since October of last year, but they won't approve it.
``When Ford whines, they listen. When we have a problem, it's just wait until whenever.''
On another topic, Hendrick declined to say whether Ken Schrader would return to his No. 25 Chevy next year.
``Right now, it's just rumors'' that he won't return, Hendrick said.
TITLE CHASE: There was little change in the first six positions in the Winston Cup championship standings after Sunday's race.
Terry Labonte leads by 134 points over Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon, who are tied for second. Race winner Dale Jarrett is fourth, 137 points back.
MIXED BAG: Pole-winner Jeff Burton had a rough day but managed to salvage a ninth-place finish.
``We said all along that sitting on the pole did not guarantee success on Sunday,'' Burton said. ``We had a little carburetor problem. At one point we took a 35th-place car and we brought it into the top 10. Not that we're happy with it, but when you have a bad day and you finish in the top 10, I think that shows the strength of this team.''
WALLACE OUT EARLY: Rusty Wallace's up-and-down season hit a down note Sunday when his engine broke after only 77 laps.
``I think it broke a rod,'' Wallace said. ``It's either a broken piston or a rod or something like that. Points to me are not important right now. I want to win some more races.''
Wallace's poor finish dropped him from eighth to 10th in the Winston Cup championship race.
HAMILTON STAYING: Bobby Hamilton, who finished 13th Sunday, said he'll be returning to drive Richard Petty's No. 43 Pontiac Grand Prix next year.
``Richard and I have done our deal for next year and we just want to go after them now,'' Hamilton said after the race. ``Richard and I settled up Saturday night. We're happy with things and ready to win a race.''
ROBBY GORDON SIGNS: After finishing second in the IROC championship here Saturday, Indy-car driver Robby Gordon signed a contract to drive Felix Sabates' No. 42 Pontiac next year.
``I really enjoy Indy-car racing, but I have a good time racing and now I can race a lot more,'' Gordon said.
Sabates said Gordon has a three-year contract with a three-year option.
ELLIOTT WOES: If anyone deserved a break Sunday, it had to be Bill Elliott in his McDonald's Ford.
Elliott was running third, behind Mark Martin and Dale Jarrett, on lap 169 when he was forced to take an unscheduled pit stop for fuel.
``It was my fault,'' said Elliott, who finished fifth. ``We dropped a jack and I took off and we should have put more gas in the car. We can't make a break to save our lives.
``We had to stop for gas. We might have made it on gas with all the cautions, but we just screwed up. Yeah, we ran good, but dad-gummit, we just can't make a break.'' by CNB