NASCAR Winston Cup Series Mountain Dew 500 Preview: #3, Dale Earnhardt
28 August 1997
#3 Dale Earnhardt, GM Goodwrench Service Plus Chevrolet Monte Carlo NASCAR Winston Cup Series Mountain Dew Southern 500 Advance Darlington Raceway FLIP FLOP OF START/FINISH LINE TURNS DARLINGTON INTO 500 1/2-MILE EVENT DARLINGTON, SC - If you were looking for directions to victory lane at Darlington Raceway, Dale Earnhardt and the GM Goodwrench Service Plus team know how to get to you there. Combined, they have celebrated victory nine times. More than any other active driver in the series. Only legend David Pearson has won more races at the egg-shaped raceway, winning 10 events including the 1979 Southern 500, while filling in for an injured Earnhardt. - Earnhardt's first win at Darlington came in 1982, while driving for car owner Bud Moore. His best string of finishes came between 1986 and 1990, when he went on to win six out of ten events in that time span. The GM Goodwrench Service Plus team won three consecutive races starting with the 1989 Heinz 500 and sweeping the field in 1990 winning both the TranSouth and Heinz 500 races. - Earnhardt holds the race speed record at Darlington Raceway while driving his Chevrolet, 139.958 mph, in 3 hours, 33 minutes and 29 seconds on March 28, 1993. - In Earnhardt's nine wins, he has started from the pole position twice and as far back as 15th. Eight of his wins came when he started in one of the top-10 qualifying positions. - The GM Goodwrench Service Plus teams biggest payday was $205,350 on September 8, 1990. They collected a $100,000 bonus from Series sponsor Winston, for winning two of the Series' big four events (Daytona 500, Winston 500, Coca-Cola 600 and TranSouth 500). QUOTES "The only difference with the flip flop of the start/finish line is that the race should be called a 500 1/2-mile event. We'll race the same, but the first couple of laps, going into turn four/two everybody needs to hold their line. Once we get past that point, it will be the same old tough Darlington." "The crew did a great job last week," said Larry MCReynolds. "After getting caution in that crash we had to replace a radiator. We only lost three laps while replacing the radiator, removing the hood and checking the tow-in." Earnhardt on Gordon's shot at million dollars: "A million dollars is a lot of money, I'm sure they will be prepared for this weekend. The media will be putting pressure on them to win, let's see if they let the pressure get to them." "It's a great incentive that Winston has put up for all of us," remarked Richard Childress. "Only one driver has ever won the money and that was over ten years ago. It would be good for the sport if they won the money, but it would be great for us to be the spoiler and get the GM Goodwrench Service Plus team back into victory lane." By Champion Sports Group
