The TACH Report: NASCAR Goes Hollywood, IROC Standings, NHRA Results, Cal 500 Pit Chatter
4 May 1998
While the NASCAR Winston contingent was invading California, it seemed like this might be a good time for the stock car gang to pat themselves on the back (again) for their 50th anniversary. As they were going to be in La-La land and have lots of sponsors who like to party, why not go Hollywood? So, after the Winston Cup happy hour on Saturday, the NASCAR movers and shakers left Fontana and went to the Wiltern theater on Wilshire blvd near Beverly Hills to be greeted by Jay Leno, Craig T. Nelson, Martin Sheen, Oliver Stone, Tim Allen, Robert Wuhl, and a bunch of rock stars with the attendant weird names . . . Destroyers, Sledge, Tap Dogs, et al. Tributes from the stage were paid to Richard Petty for lifetime achievement; Paul Sawyer, head of Richmond, VA Raceway, for the Founders award; Dave Marcis got a standing ovation and the "underdog" award for perservering; Dale Earnhardt won Driver of the 1990s; Darrel ("they wouldn't let me give a speech") is Driver of the 1980s; Cale Yarborough is Driver of the 1970s; and Journalist Chris Econamaki won the Lifetime Media Tribute. After Saturday's IROC race, number two in the $760,000 series, the top five drivers are: Mark Martin 45 Jeff Gordon 38 Jeff Burton 30 Al Unser Jr 26 Terry Labonte 20 Except for Little Al, the open wheel racers are bringing up the rear. Tony Stewart, Arie Luyendyk, and Jimmy Vasser are way down on points. At the Castrol Lone Star NHRA Nationals, Dallas, Tx the winners last Sunday were: TOP FUEL Joe Amato 4.935 ET 313.58 MPH Doug Kalitta 4.686 312.02 FUNNY CAR Ron Capps 4.960 292 John Force 6.483 146 PRO STOCK Mike Edwards 7.024 Kurt Johnson 7.018 196.89 NHRA points leaders are Cory McLenathan, Top Fuel; John Force, Funny Car; Warren Johnson, Pro Stock. In SCCA Pro Rally action last week, Hyundai--a company going through sales turmoil--never-the-less pulled off a one-two sweep of the Wild West Pro Rally in Olympia, Washington: national champion Paul Choinere, Tiburon, beat his father-in-law John Buffim, Hyundai Elantra, in the FIA open class. The gap between the two cars was less than one minute. Saturday, May 16-17 will see the running of Steve Earl's Wine Country Classic vintage car race at Sears Point Raceway, Sonoma, CA. As a side dish, present and vintage NASCAR racers will be on display. The King, Richard Petty will sign autographs. For tickets, call 916 362 3400 and ask for Barry. More racing innovations coming up. Ya know about Budweiser media star "Louie the Lizard," leading reptile in the current off-the-wall Bud spots. He will now appear on the side/top of Kenny Bernstein's Top Fuel dragster. Bud is the king of beers, and Louie wants to be king of the swamp. What's next? Louie the Lizard T-shirts . . . honest! Louie is in for a fast ride on KB's dragster, and I can hear his Frog friend Frank saying . . . "let it go Louie, let it go." It's 4;30 a.m., do you know where your race freak friends are? If you are anywhere near Newport Beach, CA and your friends dig F-1 racing, you'll find them at the Speedway Restaurant and Bistro watching the start of the Italian Grand Prix. At 4:30 in the morning yet. Unreal. 50 speed freaks doing breakfast and watching the action. Race is over and the restaurant calms down, but an hour later the NASCAR contingent moves in for the Talledega race. It's the in place for the motorsports crowd. Next Sunday it's the Spanish GP on the big screen, plus 82 smaller screens at the pub. Back to NASCAR we see that injured Steve Park, still recuperating from a crash at Atlanta, says he will be ready for the Brickyard 400 on August 1. In the meantime the "mouth of the South" Darrell Waltrip is giving the Pennzoil Monte Carlo a pretty good ride, with a 5th place finish at the Cal 500 last Sunday. If you don't understand drafting NASCAR style, then you were bored with Saturdays International Race of Champions. But if you dig drafting, you loved watching Mark Martin hold off CART star Al Unser, Jr. for 38 laps as he twisted and turned, went high and low keeping Little Al at bay. After the race Mark said, "My car was good through the corners, but he (Al) would get runs at me on the straightaway. I just made sure I was in his way. He did a great job and made it a heckuva race. If I had been behind him, I could never have passed him . . . I didn't think I could hold him off." Bill Maloney -- The Auto Channel