Sears Point Race Notes, Lap 25

05/04/97

SONOMA, CA - While we gone..... Marlin brought the 4 car in to get his
shifter linkage worked on.... everything was fixed and he didn't lose
a lap.

At lap 8 it's Martin, Gordon, T Labonte, Wallace and G Bodine.

G Bodine slows...... he is off the pace and starts dropping back
through the field.... he's a smoker at this point folks.... looks like
a motor and in the pits he goes.

Martin has built himself up a nice lead over Gordon who leads Terry
Labonte, Rusty Wallace and Dallenbach.

G Bodine has retired from the show.

The top 10 @ lap 13 are Martin, Gordon, T Labonte, Wallace,
Dallenbach, B Bodine, Jarrett, M Waltrip, Rudd, and Kyle.

Jarrett gets the spot from Bodine....

Irvan spins after he hits Schrader in turn 11..... he's back on the
track and in the 29th position.... Hard-Luck Schrader cuts a tire from
the contact with Irvan and slows....

Martin stretches his lead over Gordon to 7/10 of a second.

@ lap 16 it's Martin, Gordon, T Labonte, Wallace and Dale Jarrett.

The 8 car is in the pits.... lap 17.

The top 5 are strung out by about 10 car lengths among the top 4 then
it's a looooong way back to Jarrett.

Schrader lost a lap to the tire problem.

Martin looks like he was gunna 'beat himself' yet again after he got
loose in the turn.. but he jazzes the gas and puts the Valvoline Ford
back under him.

Dallenbach in the pits.... what a disaster of a stop.... a crew member
dives in the car but can't get back out.... he's a lap down now.

Now it's Farmer Petty into the weeds in turn 4... he continues.... Now
Skinner tries a short cut through the dirt.... didn't work for him
either.. Now R Gordon tries the dirt... he's back on his way.

Earnhardt and R Gordon in the pits.... R Gordon takes it to the garage.

Petty in for gas 'n tires.

@ lap 22 It's Martin, Wallace, T Labonte, Gordon and Jarrett.

J Gordon is in for service. J Burton is in as well.

Martin's lead over Wallace is a HEALTHY 4 seconds over Wallace.

LEADER IS IN!! on lap 23..... Wallace comes along as well as Terry
Labonte.  Jarrett stays out to get the 5 points for leading a lap.

D Waltrip is in... Bobby L is in... Hamilton, Skinner... Cope and
Irvan all in for tires and fuel.

Jarrett now brings it in for his service on lap 24.

After the cycle of green flag stops the top 5 are Martin, Wallace, T
Labonte, J Gordon and Dale Jarrett on lap 25.

Mike Snow -- The Auto Channel