| | Associated Press
DARLINGTON, S.C. -- Winston Cup points leader Bobby Labonte said a stuck throttle led to a dangerous practice crash Friday at Darlington Raceway.
Labonte's Pontiac hit the wall in Turn 3. He left the infield care center with a sore back, but said he'll be able to drive in Sunday's Southern 500.
"It was just a freak deal," Labonte said. "We can't find out why, don't know why, probably never know why. It did this time. It won't do it again."
Labonte's car had two throttle kill switches, "but I didn't have time to hit either one," he said.
Stuck throttles were believed to be causes of practice crashes that took the lives of drivers Adam Petty and Kenny Irwin. Both accidents occurred at New Hampshire International Speedway.
"I can tell you, it scares the heck out of you when your throttle hangs like that," Labonte said. "I'm glad I'm standing here right now. It definitely could have been a lot worse."
Labonte had to go with his backup car in qualifying, where finished 38th at a speed of 165.615 mph.
"We're still OK," he said. "We've still got a car we can run."
Meeting his main competition
Dale Earnhardt loves the drivers' meetings at Darlington Raceway. That's when he finds out his true competition.
Earnhardt, who has won nine times at "The Track Too Tough To Tame," says when the racers gather a few hours before a Winston Cup event such as Sunday's Southern 500, he hears several complain about the tricky track or hot, humid weather.
"I know I got those guys beat already," said the Intimidator, smiling. "I love this old place."
And it shows. Earnhardt spent part of Thursday entertaining media and guests at the track's golf tournament. He said he was hopeful of tying the record of 10 victories, held by David Pearson, "but I'm not too concerned about passing him."
Pearson, who won the 1979 Southern 500 as Earnhardt's replacement driver, didn't give an inch. "If he gets me, I'm going to come back and race him again," the "Silver Fox" said.
Earnhardt's last victory at the 1.366-mile superspeedway came in the spring TranSouth 400 six years ago. He thinks he can end that string.
"We're running good, third in the points," said Earnhardt, sixth on the starting grid after qualifying. "We're ready."
Double duty for Ward
Ward Burton will double his work load at Darlington weekend, filling in for Mike McLaughlin in the Busch series Dura Lube 200.
McLaughlin's father has been ill and car owner George deBidart
said the racer needed to be home.
"It is a difficult time for Mike and hopefully with Ward
filling in for him, he'll have one less thing to worry about,"
deBidart said.
Burton does pretty well at Darlington Raceway. He was second in
last year's Southern 500 and won the Mall.com 400 this past March.
Burton said once he got the OK from Bill Davis, the owner of his
Winston Cup car, he was happy to help his friend, deBidart.
"George has always been there for me in time of need, this was my
opportunity to reciprocate," said Burton, who qualified 22nd.
Elliott still MIA
It will be at least another week of recovery for Winston Cup star Bill Elliott, who fractured his left kneecap at home in Blairsville, Ga., on Aug. 22.
Busch series regular David Green, who drove for Elliott at Bristol last week, will sit in again for Sunday's Southern 500. Green was 41st in qualifying.
Elliott is undergoing therapy at a rehabilitation center near his home at the HEALTHSOUTH Medical Center in Birmingham, Ala.
It is uncertain when Elliott will return to his No. 94 Ford.
Darlington has been a landmark track for Elliott. He earned the nickname "Million Dollar Bill" when he won the 1985 Winston Million bonus by winning three of the circuit's four biggest races. His last victory came here in the 1994 Southern 500.
Pit stops
Stacy Compton hit the wall in practice and went to a backup car. Then during qualifying, he wrecked that machine when he hit the wall and spun in Turn 4.
Goodyear introduced two new radial tires at Darlington. The company said it expects to see less tire wear in Sunday's Southern 500. "We will see teams elect not to pit at every caution flag to gain valuable track position,"
Goodyear engineer Tony Freund said.
The No. 98 team, which MacPherson Motorsports purchased from Cale Yarborough Motorsports in June, will return to Winston Cup fulltime next year with driver Jeff Fuller.
The late Kenny Irwin was to be inducted into the Darlington Record Club on Friday night for winning the pole at the 1999 Southern 500. | |
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