NASCAR Winston Cup Series MBNA 400 Preview: #3, Dale Earnhardt
18 September 1997
#3 Dale Earnhardt, GM Goodwrench Service Plus Chevrolet Monte Carlo
NASCAR Winston Cup Series
MBNA 400 Advance
Dover Downs International Speedway
THE "INTIMIDATOR" IS LOOKING TO CAPTURE THE "MONSTER"
DOVER, DE - This weekend at Dover's Monster Mile, Dale Earnhardt and the GM
Goodwrench Service Plus team are looking to get back into the winner's
circle. Earnhardt had gone to victory lane three times at Dover, sweeping
both 500-mile events in 1989 and again taking the checkered flag in June of
1993.
- The GM Goodwrench Service Plus team's best string of finishes came between
September, 1994 and June, of 1996. In those four races they went home with a
2nd, 5th, 5th, and a 3rd-place finish.
- Earnhardt captured the pole at "the Monster" in only his second attempt to
qualify for a Winston Cup race there on September 16, 1979.
- In the past year, Earnhardt has gone well over his share of bad luck,
starting with the Daytona 500 slide on the roof, then a torn air hose at
Indy, ending up with losing consciousness at Darlington. With all of those
events, Earnhardt still has been able to continue his string of 539
consecutive starts and stay in the top-10 in points.
- Earnhardt's Dover Record - 37 races, 3 wins, 18 top-5's, 22 top-10's and 1
pole.
QUOTES:
"Going into Dover we're not looking at what we haven't done, but more so to
what we have to do. You have to make your luck and we haven't done that,"
said Earnhardt. "We have seven races to improve in the points and get back
into the top-five."
"They call it the 'Monster Mile' because it's a tough track. It's my job to
tame the Monster." -- Dale Earnhardt
"We haven't given up," said Larry McReynolds. "I know the results don't show
how hard this team works, but they work their tails off. They know what it
takes to win, we just haven't had anything go our way all year. We're headed
in the right direction and I'm confident winner's circle is in our future."
By Champion Sports Group
