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NASCAR News Winston Cup: Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500, pre-race coverage 12:30 p.m. EST Sunday on Fox. Busch: Darlingtonraceway j com 200,12:30 pan. EST March * 15 on FX. i Craftsman Truck: Craftsman 200,4 p.m. EST March 14 on SPEED Channel. Mistake helps Nemechek claim victory in Busch race Cox News Service Joe Nemechek benefited from Todd Bodine’s mistake to inherit the lead, then hung on to win the Busch series race Saturday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway aoQine was leading witn a laps to go in the Sam’s Town 300 and racing Nemechek side-by side through Turn 4 when he spun out and went sliding through the frontstretch grass. Nemechek sailed by for the lead in his Chevrolet and held on for his 13th career Busch vie NEMECHEK loiy. “I don’t know what was going on there," Nemechek said. “He was underneath me and went up high and I tried to crowd him. I don’t know if he lost a tire or what, but he got loose there.” It was Nemechek's first Busch race of the season. He sat on the pole at the season-opener in Daytona, but was too ill on race day to drive. Fellow Winston Cup driver Kevin Harvick was second. 0.603 seconds back, and was followed by Mike Bliss. Winston Cup driver Steve Park and Jason Keller. David Green was sixth, followed by Michael Waltrip, Stanton Barrett. Ron Hornady and Scott Wimmer. Bodine ended up 19th. Bad luck for McMurray Jamie McMurray, winner of the R6ckingham 200 two weeks ago, wrecked his primary car in an acci dent Friday night in practice. He came back Saturday a little sore and in a backup car covered with thousands of signatures because it has lately been used as a show car at appearances. But he had moved it up from the back of the field into second place after the rain delay only to see his day ruined on the restart when it had either an igni tion problem or a battery problem. More bad weather Saturday's Sam's Town 300 was delayed 58 min utes by rain, a recurring theme so far this season. The Busch race at North Carolina Speedway was delayed two days due to rain. THEY SAID IT “Ihaven’t come anywhere near figur ing that place out. It took me 10 races just to get in the top 10 there, hut that wasn't jor Lack oj trying. _ Tony Stewart, defending champion of the spring race in Atlanta, on competing at Adanta Motor Speedway March 16 — Carolina Dodge Dealers 400, Darlington Raceway March 23 — Food City 500, Bristol Motor Speedway March 30 — Samsung/Radio Shack 500, Texas Motor Speedway April 6 — Aaron’s 499, Talladega Motor, Speedway April 13 — Virginia 500, . Martinsville Speedway WINSTON CUP Race: Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 Where: Atlanta Motor Speedway When: Sunday, 1 p.m. EST Race distance: 500.5 miles, 325 laps Track layout; 1.54-mile oval Defending champion: Tony Stewart Race record: Dale Earnhardt, 163.633 mph, Nov. 12,1995. ^ Qualifying record: Geoffrey Bodine, 197.478 mph, Nov. 15,1997. Storyline: Atlanta Motor Speedway, which hosts two Winston Cup races each season, is one of the fastest tracks on the circuit. BUSCH SERIES Race: Darlingtonraceway.com 200 Where: Darlington Raceway, Darlington, S.C. Track: 1.366-mile oval When: March 15,12:30 p.m. EST Defending champ: Jeff Burton Rgce record: Michael Waltrip, 138.140 mph, Sept. 5, 1992 Qualifying record: Ryan Newman, 170.301 mph, March 16, 2001. Storyline: After taking a week off, the Busch Series resumes at Darlington Raceway, a historic track which was part of the first season of the Busch Series in 1982. Lucky at Vegas Matt Kenseth gives owner Roush his 4th victory at Las Vegas Cox News Service FT1 he lucky streak at Las JL Roush Racing Sunday as Matt Kenseth put his Roush-owned No. 17 Ford in Victory Lane in the UAW DaimlerChrysler 400. It was the fourth time in the track’s six-year Winston Cup history that a Roush driver has won at the track. A car owned by Jack Roush was favored all weekend to win on the 1.5-mile oval, but the oddsmakers believed Kurt Busch, a native of Las Vegas, would take the check ered flag. Instead, the victory went to Kenseth, who won a Winston Cup-best five races last sea son. A jubilant Kenseth gave credit for the win to his crew, which has won the annual pit crew challenge the past two seasons. “We had some turnover this winter,"but these guys are still the world champi ons,” Kenseth said. “The guys worked really hand to get me out of the pits and it was key to be out front.” Indeed, Kenseth received a major boost in the pits. His crew gave his Ford four tires in 13 seconds on the final stop to jump out to a huge lead. Kenseth beat runner-up Dale Earnhardt Jr. to the finish line by 9.104 seconds. Since the Winston Cup * Series began racing in Las Vegas in 1998, Roush drivers Mark Martin, Jeff Burton Vegas continued for JOHNNY CRAWFORD / Cox News Service Chevrolet took six of the top 10 spots in Sunday’s UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 at Las Vegas, but Matt Kenseth (above) claimed victory in a Ford. and Kenseth have all made it to Victory Lane. Burton did,it back-to-back in 1999 and 2000. This year, however, the remainder of the Roush team didn’t fare so well. Martin fin ished last, Busch was in a wreck ana finished 38th, and rookie Greg Bifile didn’t even make the race. Meanwhile, Daytona 500 winner Michael Waltrip fin ished third in the No. 15 Chevrolet, assuming the lead in the Winston Cup points * standings. He was followed by Joe Gibbs Racing team mates Bobby Labonte and Tony Stewart Burton was sixth, while Ryan Newman came back from falling two laps down early in the race to finish sev enth. Defending race winner, Sterling Marlin, Joe Nemechek and Steve Park rounded out the top 10. Marlin’s move costs Johnson several spots With Matt Kenseth comfort ably in the lead, contact between Sterling Marlin and Jimmie Johnson generated most of the excitement in the closing lap of Sunday’s UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400. on the track and past the finish line. Johnson wound up 11th, the last car on the lead lap. “I hope it wasn’t intentional," Johnson said of Marlin's move. “I raced clean with everybody all day long and don’t put a tire marie on anvone. and then I eet The two drivers were running g|Bg|a>; turned coming to the checkers and lose side-by-side competing for the sixth three spots. That kind of bums me out.” and seventh spots when Marlin rose JOHNSON After Johnson crossed the finish line, just a bit coming out of Turn 4 and the Fox telecast aired an audio clip of tapped Johnson, sending him spinning through Johnson’s crew chief, Chad Knaus, advising the the infield grass. driver to “stay cool; NASCAR’s watching.” After several valuable seconds passed, ' Johnson remains third in the points stand Johnson maneuvered his No. 48 Chevrolet back ings, 14 points behind leader Michael Waltrip. CRAFTSMAN TRUCK Race: Craftsman 200 Where: Darlington Raceway Track length: 1.366-mile oval When: March 14,4 p.m. EST Defending champion: Ted Musgrave Race record: Jack Sprague, 130.801 mph, Nov. 8,1998. Qualifying record: Jack Sprague, 161.803 mph, Oct. 13, 2001. Storyline: Following the Florida Dodge Dealers 250 at Daytona, the truck series is in the midst of a four-week break before resuming March 14 at Darlington Raceway. Skinner blames self for multiple-car wreck Cox News Service Mike Skinner accepted blame for Sunday’s big crash in the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400, which took out f6ur cars, including Winston Cup points leader Kurt Busch. “I think I just got a little bit loose and hit Rusty (Wallace),” Skinner said. “I really apologize. I hate it. I hate it for all the other contenders who got caught up in it.” '_ following tne crasn, an angry Busch sat inside his car while his crew tried to make enough repairs to get him back on the track. They didn’t and he finished 38th, dropping to six in the points. “We were just trying to sal vage the best finish we could out ot it (alter hitting the ckimmfd wall), and unfortunately we oMNNtH got the car loose and got back in the pack like that,” Busch said. “It was just a tough day We didn’t expect it to end like this, that’s for sure.” Along with Busch and Skinner, the wreck also sent Jeff Gordon to the garage and damaged Todd Bodine’s car. An aerodynamic advantage? Jack Roush, whose car won the race Sunday, still says Fords are at an aerodynamic disadvan tage, even though they lead the manufacturer’s points standings. Michael Waltrip, who took over the Winston Cup drivers’ points lead, isn’t buying it. He fin ished third in a Chevrolet behind winner Matt Kenseth and Chevy teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. “The cars are alike. The cars are even and we can just drive the heck out of them,” he said. Biffle loses ground in rookie contest Jamie McMurray gained some ground in his run for Winston Cup’s rookie of the year honors when Greg Biffle failed to qualify for Sunday’s race. “He’s got to feel horrible having to go home,” McMurray said. Stewart wins bidding war Tony Stewart outdrew Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon in a charity auction. A fan bid $6,400 for the opportunity to ride around the track with Stewart during Sunday’s pre-race activities. The winning bid for Earnhardt was $6,250. Gordon and Kyle Petty tied at $5,500 and Bill Elliott commanded $3,500. The Las Vegas chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities NASCAR driver auction raised $145,720 for the children of southern Nevada. Rudd gets tour of Raptor Driver Ricky Rudd and car owners Eddie and Len Wood came to Las Vegas a day early to visit Nellis Air Force Base and tour the F/A-22 Raptor aircraft housed there. Rudd, who has partial sponsorship on the No. 21 Ford from the Air Force, was particularly interested in the Raptor. An aviation buff, Rudd has had a pilot’s license since 1983. CH79I1 ALBEMARLE MOTOR COMPANY Serving You Since 1945 “Big City Selection And Hometown Deals’* SALES A SERVICE • LEASING • AUTO RENTING • BODY SHOP WRECKER SERVICE • COMPLETE PASTS DEPARTMENT • CAR QUEST (252) 482-2144 Highway S North, Edeiton • Just ftst 17 6]^Pas$ Kew ^302 M;<teis»Pre-Owcd Cars«Pregran) Cars Stop by our showroom today and talk with Bruce Jones, Cecil Winslow, Jim Smith. 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The Chowan Herald (Edenton, N.C.)
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March 5, 2003, edition 1
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