NASCAR—like a bowl of cherries, success measured by power of pits
by Paul Matson, reporter

    Approximately 211,000 members of the NASCAR nation descended on Texas Motor Speedway (TMS) recently for the Winston Cup Series and the Harrah’s 500.

    Race-day traffic delays were reported to be 2 1/2–3 hours.

    Dale Jarrett, in the number 88 UPS-sponsored Ford, took the lead from Dale Earnhardt Jr. with five laps remaining in the race, to win first place and a purse of $444,527.

    This was Jarrett’s 26th career victory and his second win of the year for total prize winnings of $1,426, 905.

    Jarrett is first in the Winston Cup standings with 1,056 points. It was his third top-five finish at TMS.

    Jarrett is 75 points ahead of second place Jeff Gordon, who finished fifth in the number 9 DuPont Automotive Chevrolet.

Earnhardt Jr.’s number 8 Budweiser Chevrolet started at the pole position and led the race for 107 laps.

    The first wreck of the day happened early in the race.

    On lap four, Michael Waltrip crashed into the wall. Four other cars were involved, but no one was hurt.

    Waltrip, who blamed himself for the wreck, limped his number 15 car to the garage area.

    With extensive damage to both the front and rear end of his NAPA Chevrolet, Waltrip did not return to the race until lap 88, eventually finishing 39th.

    While in the pits on lap 268, Rusty Wallace, car number 2, bumped Dave Blaney’s number 93 car. Wallace’s car then struck Daren Wolfe, a crew member for Sterling Marlin, number 40.

    Wolfe’s injury was not severe, and he remained in the pits for the duration of the race.

    Reminders of Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s fatal crash Feb. 18 at the Daytona 500 were everywhere.

    Flags bearing Dale Sr.’s number 3 were seen all around the track as were fans wearing t-shirts, hats and jackets embossed with Earnhardt’s colors.

    In the pit area of the track, a large banner with the number 3 was on display. Spectators were encouraged to write their thoughts and memories of Earnhardt Sr. on the banner.

    In a pre-race tribute to Dale Sr., Eddie Gossage, TMS’ executive vice president and general manager announced the creation of an exit ramp to a new interchange at the northeast corner of Interstate 35W and Texas Hwy 114.

    The interchange will be named Dale Earnhardt Way.

    Gossage asked fans to raise a three-finger salute throughout the third lap in honor of Earnhardt’s number 3 car.

    Original plans for the tribute were scaled back after Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the pole position.

    Dale Jr. told Gossage the pre-race ceremonies were causing him to lose some of his concentration, so Gossage backed down on his planned tributes.

    Texas’ own Bobby Labonte of Corpus Christi, driving the number 18 Interstate Batteries’ Pontiac, started the race in the number two position.

    After blowing an engine on the 149th lap, he retired his car and came in 42nd in a 43-car field, making this his worst finish of the season.

    Bobby’s brother, Terry Labonte, also of Corpus Christi, finished 13th after starting 42nd, in the number 5 Kellogg’s Chevrolet.

Top rookie honors went to Kurt Busch, who last year competed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

    NASCAR is the world’s fastest growing sport, but not everyone shares the excitement.

    “People only go to the races to see the cars crash,” Jim Stinson, manager of the Ernest Tubb Record Store in Fort Worth, said.

    “These would be the same people who would be at the colosseum waiting for the lions to eat the Christians,” he said.

    On Saturday, Kevin Harvick, in the number 2 AC Delco Chevrolet, came in first in the NASCAR Bush Series Jani-King 300.
Harvick came in 7th in Sunday’s Harrah’s 500 driving the number 29 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet.

    Jeff Burton came in second in the number 9 Gain Ford.