European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 30, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Tuesday july 30, 1991 the stars and stripes b Page 25earnhardt grabs 51st Victory by Mike Harris Talladega Ala. A the spectators did no to even bother to sit Down during caution periods in sundays diehard 500. The race was so close from Start to finish that it seemed any of 15 or 20 Drivers in the 41-car Field could win it. \ % Dale Earnhardt would not be denied. However simply Earnhardt using most of the High banked 2.66-mile Talladega supers ced Way Oval late in the race managed to hold off challenges from Davey Allison and Bill Elliott to earn his 51 st career Victory. The Winner who took both races Here in 1990 and finished third in May was at or near the front throughout sundays 188-Lap race leading seven times for 101 laps. He held off Elliott by just one car length to become the career Victory Leader Here with five a including three in the Winston 500. A i worked the draft real Well got some. Breaks in the draft there at the end and we won the Earnhardt said. There were 32 Lead changes among 12 Drivers 15 cars finished on the Lead Lap and a Blanket could almost cover the huge Lead packs throughout the race. But at the end Earnhardt took control with 28 laps remaining. 1 Allison with drafting help from pole starter and fellow Ford thunderbird Driver Sterling Marlin made a run at Earnhardt a Chevrolet Lumina on Lap 185. Allison a two time Winner Here was Able to get alongside the Leader on the main Straightaway but get past. After that Allison faded into the pack but Elliott in another thunderbird was suddenly right on Earnhardt a rear bumper. He tried moving up the banked Oval then to the Low Side but Earnhardt was Able to Block every move and went on to his third win of the season and first in nine races. Asked to describe the last few laps Earnhardt said a a in a have to see a replay of it. There were just so Many Guys out there it was Tough to know exactly what was going on. A it was a Tough one sitting in front of those bad Fords a Earnhardt said. A i saw what they were trying to do. Elliott tried to Lay on the Backstretch and make a run at me on turn four but i had enough to beat him off on four. A in a race like that you be really got to figure strategy. You re looking behind pm i x x a n xxx xxx x xxx by vhf. X x by s n x x it y Xiii issus a Lascar Driver Rick masts car skids across the track on its roof at Talladega. He walked away from the crash uninjured. About As much As you re looking in front of you. It was a real strategy the Ford Drivers a were supposed to stay together a but the Battle plan got lost somewhere a Marlin said. Mark Martin wound up third Ricky Rudd fourth and Marlin fifth. Earnhardt the four time and defending Winston cup Champion added 10 Points to his margin Over Ricky Rudd in the season Point standings and leads 2,635 to 2,475 with 12 races left in the 29-event season. Earnhardt won $88,670 and averaged 147.383 Mph. A crowd estimated at More than 100,000 was on its feet most of the hot hazy Day. Seven Drivers led in the first 25 laps and 31 cars were still bunched in the Lead draft. As late As Lap 145 there were 21 cars in the Lead pack with 18 of them on the Lead Lap. At times the Lead draft was Lap Ping As fast As 196.5 Mph. There was almost no attrition in the Early going with Wally Dallenbach jr., who had a Flat tire and hit the second turn Wall on the third Lap the Only entry sidelined until Ken Schrader went behind the Wall with an engine problem on Lap 78. The second caution Flag did no to come out until Lap 92 a just two laps from Halfway a when Harry Gant who won the Winston 500 Here in May hit the Wall in turn 2 after his engine blew. A Multi car crash occur cd on Lap 105 in a big pack running just behind the leaders. Ernie Irvan who said he was bumped from behind and appeared to be hit by buddy Baker Slid sideways in the Middle of the group igniting a wild scramble that involved at least eight cars and sent several into the Wall. Others involved were Terry Labonte Rick Wilson Bobby Hamilton Ted mus grave Lake Speed and Jimmy Spencer. Irvan was Able to drive to the garage area but lost 30 laps while repairs were made. Wilson and Spencer s cars were eliminated. There were no injuries reported and everybody else was Able to continue although Hamilton and Speed went to the garage several laps later. Geoff Bodine and hut Stricklin tangled in the first turn on Lap 151, bringing out a caution Flag As the two Drivers stopped their cars up against the Wall while the big Lead pack whipped past just beneath them. Neither Driver was injured and the caution Flag allowed the leaders to make their final scheduled pit stops. The most spectacular crash of the Day came on Lap 166 when Rick Mast was bumped in the left rear by Baker. Mast s car skidded sideways to the Bottom of the banking became airborne and hipped onto its roof before slamming rear first into the Wall at the head of the main straight. The car still on its roof then Slid Down the banking and onto the grass. Safety workers got to the car quickly and helped the uninjured Mast up. Out of 100, Johnson May run Lead Lea of 400 relay Ben Johnson predicts hell strike Gold in Barcelona. Montreal up a sprinter Ben Johnson once the worlds fastest Man has been relegated to the relay. Johnson 29, failed to qualify for the individual 100-meters at next months world track and Field championships in Tokyo but he is expected to be named this week to the Canadian 400-meter relay team. Hell run the first leg. Johnson a new role however Hasni to humbled him. After finishing fourth saturday in the 100 meters at the Canadian championships he predicted head win the Gold medal at the 1992 olympics. A a in la be no. 1 in Barcelona a said Johnson who was no. 1 in Seoul until he failed his Post race drug test. Bruny Surin of Montreal who won the race in 10.03 seconds will Anchor the Canadian relay. Atlee Mahorn of Toronto was second followed by Peter Ogilvie of Burnaby b.c., who last year broke Johnson a High school 100-meter record. Johnson competing at his first National championships since returning from his two year suspension for drug use ran a wind aided 10.42 seconds. After the race he said he purposely shut Down in the last 10 metres to avoid injury. The illegal wind took away his last Chance to run the qualifying Standard of 10.30 seconds. Earlier when the wind was Legal the Toronto sprinter placed third in his semifinal in 10.47 seconds. Johnson predicted in february that he would win the Gold medal in Tokyo. He insisted however that he was pleased with his comeback season. A a in a not finished yet a said Johnson who was stripped of his world records and Gold medal after testing positive. A a in be just been away for so saturdays race was Johnson a ninth outdoors since 1988 and the first time he Hud raced three rounds since the Seoul olympics. Johnson said he would seek inspiration by studying a successful Model a himself. A i think i have to go to the old Ben and watch the tape a said Johnson who thought he could pick up pointers on running form and relaxation irom watching videos of his previous races. Johnson a new coach Clyde Duncan said the sprinter was laying a foundation that they hoped would carry him to the olympic year. A the needed this year a said Duncan. �?�1 know the super fastness is still there and this season is going to enhance Johnson a fastest time this year was 10.31 seconds which he ran earlier this month in Linz Austria. Before his fall in Seoul Johnson set a Short lived world record of 9.79 seconds
