European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 23, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes ports August 23,1994 r Page 32 Irvan still in critical condition Brooklyn Mich. A Ernie in Van s condition is improving although he remains hospitalized in critical condition and is on life support two Days after the Stock car Driver crashed during practice. Irvan one of the top Lascar Drivers hit the Wall at about 176 Mph during a practice session saturday at Michi Gan International Speedway after the right front tire on his Ford thunderbird appeared to be Cut. He crashed into the Wall in turn 2 and sustained severe headband Chest injuries. He remained unconscious in Crit Irvan ical but stable condition monday afternoon unchanged from his status of sunday Hospital officials said. His vital signs Over the past 24 hours have been stable and his blood pressure pulse and vital functions remain on life support which includes a ventilator Fortis breathing or. Errol Erlan Dedri trauma surgeon on. The medical Tea treating Irvan said sunday. The area of the injury to his lungs re Mains severe but improved. His oxygenation has improved Erlandson said sunday via a Telephone Hookup from St. Joseph mercy Hospital in Ypsilanti. Monday update a a a Are a. A f is. F. V Lascar racing fans show their support for injured Driver Ernie Irvan prior to Start of sunday s Good wrench 400. Bodine dominates Taiwan wins 4-1 Williamsport Paap Tai wan returned to the Little league world series for the first time since 1991 Mon Day and beat Glace Bay Nova Scotia,-4-1 in the tournament s opening game. See earlier Story on Page 27. By Mike Harris Brooklyn Mich. A Geoff Bodine reflecting the thoughts of the entire Winston cup Community called it a bittersweet Day. With series Star Ernie Irvan in critical condition and on life support 50 Miles away in an Ypsilanti Hospital Bodine crushed the rest of the Field to win Sun Day s pm Good wrench dealers 400 a Michigan International Speedway. Irvan who sustained severe head an Chest injuries in a crash saturday during practice was on nearly everybody s mind before during and after the 400-Milerace. This is truly a bittersweet Day said Bodine who won from the pole for the second time this season. It s a great Day but Evey Lap you saw the place on the Wall where Ernie hit. You d think about him every Lap. We dedicate the race to him naturally Bodine added. And we re going  the 45-year-old Bodine did t need any prayers on the 2-mile, High banked Oval sunday driving a faultless race As held 159 of the 200 laps including the final 50. No problems Bodine said. We had a Good solid engine Good set up i did t make any mistakes and we had those Hoosier tires on. I m not going to lie. Obviously the Hoosier tires were better today than the Goodyear tires Bodine s two wins this season his firsts an owner Driver Are the Only visits to Victory Circle by Hoosier in its first sea son battling established Goodyear with radial racing tires. Bodine said it was not an easy Victory. We led a lot of laps but it was a Tough race. It might have looked easy but twas really  Stahl Bodine admitted his Only real problem on the Racetrack sunday was skip in his engine at the Start. Before i got through the first Corner i was flicking switches Bodine said. Thank goodness we have backup distributor  the Victory was the 15th for Bodine who averaged 139.914 Mph As he beat Mark Martin one of Irvan s closes friends to the finish line by .91 seconds about seven car lengths. Martin whose first Victory of the sea son came the previous week at Watkins Glen was the defending race Winner Attis. Asked if he was hoping to win the race so he could dedicate it to Irvan Marti said i was hoping to win this thing for this team. Ernie s got his own Battle  Rick Mast the pole Winner earlier this month at Indianapolis and another Driver or hoosiers came on late to finish third followed by Rusty Wallace Bobby la Bonte and Kyle Petty. _ Irvan s Accident had a obvious effector Drivers. Many of them Hung their Heads and went about their work silently before the race. Unser wins As Fitti Halcli Loudon . A Emerson Fittipaldi bet on yellow and lost. Leading by More than 20 seconds sunday in the Slick 50 200, but without enough fuel to finish Fittipaldi gambled and stayed on the track until the last minute hoping for a yellow caution Flag. It never came. When he was forced to pull in for fuel with five Lap left teammate Al Unser or. Zoomed by and won his seventh race of the season. 0. I was saying no yellow no yellow " Unser said of the finals laps As he chased Fittipaldi knowing the Bra Zilian was running Low on fuel. Fittipaldi was very disappointed what  the Only Chance i had was to go yellow. I had no options he said. But he Cut it so close that by the time he came in head to coast into the pits with an empty fuel tank that Cost him valuable seconds. By the time he re entered Unser had zoomed by and won by 0.89 seconds Over another teammate fast closing Paul Tracy. Fittipaldi the pole Sitter wound up third 1 75 seconds Back on the one mile Oval at the new Hampshire International Speedway. Fittipaldi lost the Lead in the 47th Lap when he had to make an unscheduled Stop for a blistered right tire. He blamed the Stop for putting him out of sequence on pit stops that forced the final Stop. Fittipaldo pointed the Finger at Goodyear tires for trying new tires in the race without enough testing. But John Slikkerveer Goodyear Field manager of in Tycar racing discounted the idea. Car a ?tvi01isly Good for " percent of the cars he said. If i had to guess he probably started pushing too hard at the Start of the  the Victory was Unser s seventh in 12 races this season and increased his indy car series Lead with 173 Points. T the u3 fini5,h also was the fourth this season forthe powerhouse Penske team. 0"246850"000504