1985 Wrangler Sanfor-Set 400

here's bill Elliot coming off the fourth turn at Darlington Raceway Labor Day 1985 to take the checkered flag and win the richest single day prize in the history of auto racing 1 million dollars and this is the happiest Victory Lane perhaps of all time [Music] what are you going to do with all this money [Music] that was the 500 word Bill Elliott 101 million dollar bonus for winning three of the four biggest stock car races of the year but things are different here this is a short track of Richmond Virginia and Bill Elliott brought a brand new car here bill what's happened to you well we've had a numerous problems Friday whenever we got here Bonnie blue and ancient Iran it all hit the wall and we had to do a lot but the car get it fixed and other than that it's not too terribly bad how do you assess your chances here at Richmond well it all depends you know most the short price comes down to survival how much good luck you have and you know here it's no different anywhere else I feel like we're running good and spring you know one had some tire problem and hit the wall you know run over my evidently run over a piece of debris on the track hit the wall so you know you've got to take the good with the buy I didn't hope it all works out the main thing here just stay out of trouble keeping those clean trying to run all day gentlemen start your engines [Music] the Wrangler Sanford set 400 is a presentation of s CTN the special events television network [Music] the Wrangler sapper set 400 is brought to you by Goodyear makers of a high-performance radial tire the Eagle and by Hal you guard look for and buy brands containing the AL u guard premium quality and a freeze formula and by exon quality you can count on [Music] Richmond fairgrounds Raceway in Richmond Virginia a tight tough flat half-mile bull ring that'll challenge NASCAR's best in today's Wrangler sand for set 400 it is hot 95 degrees is the expected temperature this afternoon hello everyone I'm Mike joy with former Grand National Champion Benny Parsons I'm breaking out in a sweat just standing here it is so hot and I think that has got to be the story today the heat well it's no hotter here than the Winston Cup point race with Bill Elliott trying to win his first championship Darrell Waltrip is 3rd and Neil Bonnett ride to become champion for the first time we're into jr. Johnston's part of the season the short tracks the short tracks and this could turn things around Richmond could be the one that decides the championship if billy gets to the day in good shape Mike he probably win the championship but neither of Elliott's closest contenders are near the front of the field they're way back and we'll get to that story in a moment but right now dick Berggren standing by at the front of the starting grid with the pole-sitter it took Jeff bodean 21 races in the 1985 season to get himself on the pole but here he is he is winless so far in 1985 but he's generally regarded as a short track expert Jeff how you gonna play your day well thank you for that fine introduction I hope we're a short track that's expert today cars running good we're real happy with it we're happy to be on to pole it's taking us a long while to get there we just hope we can keep the Levi Garrett car up front the crews worked hard we've worked hard all week we just hope for a good safe race well Benny in a season where Bill Elliott has dominated on the super speedways as we reach the stretch drive of the season the pressure to win I don't think on many of these teams has ever been greater it has never been greater I've talked a lot of teams down in the pit area Billy Elliot has taken everything he's taken all the victories all the money all the prestige and if he wins a championship 1985 was a total wipeout for everyone except Bill Elliott well Elliot hasn't won quite all the races the man who's been to Victory Lane the next most often is on pit road with dick Berggren the toughest driver in the short tracks in 1985 has been Dale Earnhardt Dale it's awfully awfully hot out there today how will that affect your style not it or better Dale Earnhardt ready to go here in this 400 laughs of it we are ready for the start your engines command will be right back to the Richmond Fairgrounds right after these messages ad % 400 let's take a look at the starting lineup three of the first four cars or Chevrolet you met Geoff Bodine the pole sitter he shares the front row with hair again then it's Ricky Rudd's Ford in a Chevrolet for Terry Labonte in the third and fourth row we find three Buicks the only exception bill Elliott's Ford in Greg sacks Ron Bouchard and Bobby Allison Dale Earnhardt heads off row five in a Chevy with Kyle Petty Ford that's rusty Wallace's potty AK in a Chevrolet for Bobby Hillin in row 7 we find Lake speed alongside Phil Parsons Chevrolet in row eight Tim Richmond Pontiac and n Tommy Ellis Jimmie means as a Pontiac and row nine along with Ken Schrader's Ford then it's Richard Petty's potty ack and Buddy Baker's Oldsmobile in 11 we find Morgan Shepherd alongside him Darrell Waltrip starting way back becomes Neil Bonnett and Dave Marcus making his first Grand National start Alan Kulwicki in a four along with Trevor boy Chevrolet being driven by Lenny pond buddy Arrington and Clark Dwyer in Fords and the last railroad 1580 bushwell and JD big deaf people there's a nice breeze up here but I think we better give Harold kinder back his starters to him well he can that it got this air-conditioned the booth where we're going right now we're on the way and we'll be back with a start and just a volumic 95 degrees to outside today but the stairs are completely jammed with race fans 34 35,000 people out at the State Fairgrounds here in Richmond to watch NASCAR's finest get at it for 400 laps and we can see the half mile race track 95 degrees on this track is a problem because there is no place to relax Mike at Daytona to 1/8 mile racetrack you can kind of relax down the straightaway at Richmond it's work all the way short straightaways and flat turns don't give the drivers much of a break as the light is out atop to Pontiac trans-am safety car and you see Jeff Bodine and Harry Gant both din Chevrolet's on the front row inside a row to that red and white Ford of Ricky Rudd alongside the blue and white Chevrolet for Terry Labonte Bill Elliott qualified 5th good qualifying run for the fellow who's known as a super speedway expert or there is some optimism in that Kent because they feel like they have the best car at Richmond they've ever had and their short track program this year that course Ford on the big tracks has been so dominant but their short track program has led a lot left a lot to be desired way back in the field our teammates Darrell Waltrip and Neil Bonnett starting 22nd and 23rd neither had a chance to qualify on the first day of Busch pole qualifying so they're starting way back and we'll have to try and claw their way to the front off the fourth turn looking for the green flag and it's out we're racing at Richmond Geoff Bodine will win the drag raced out of turn number one now Harrigan is going to have to try to tuck in line quickly the groove is on the inside of the racetrack Harry needs to get inside he did not get a good a good start Ricky Rudd got by but coming off the second floor he was able to get inside Phil Parsons bounced off the wall and spin that's Greg sacks fun up at third Greg sacks the Firecracker 400 winner and there is Lenny Pond getting into the side of Daryl Walter Morgan Shepherd takes to the infield to avoid him and we don't get a caution we're going to stay in the green a sax pulls away milk gosh if I gets a tough break for John Walton Neil Bonnett so the fast cars they're starting to back meet it an early caution flag good pass for five cars they did not get it that little bump and banging is typical of short track action you rarely see a one car spin on a track like this no because the cars are so close together that once the car gets in trouble someone else is always there to share them the answer with its Chevrolet Ford to Chevrolet's and another for as Jeff bodean takes them off the corner ricky rudd his second here's Harry Gant on the inside and third Terry Labonte and Bill Elliott he is the fifth place car Ron Bouchard has the sixth spot he started seven hey did not get a good start but it looks like right now that he has one of the fastest cars after he keeps looking inside ricky rudd showing off the corners like he has aspirations of passing 8th is Bobby Allison and Dale Earnhardt who spoke to us briefly at the top of the show is running in the ninth position from nine have a bit of a gap on the field maybe three or four car lengths but in short track racing that can be like three or four seconds on a Super Speedway you're exactly right just a few car legs is a big lead at Richmond everybody keeping the cars way down on the inside in the early going Rusty Wallace has the tenth spot lake speed is 11 and neither the Waltrip nor bonnet can break away from that pack of cars in about 18th to 20th position fast is so tough at Richmond particularly in the early going when all the cars are running equal we can see the cars there the first eight or 10 cars bumper to bumper very very close everybody is right down on the inside of the racetrack that is the fast way around the people here at the fairgrounds Raceway having put a sealer on the racetrack this summer and they feel like this one reason the cars are sticking much better on the inside a long lens off our turn for camera but you can see just how short the straightaway is here why those very flat turns are little spark from the bottom of Kyle Petty's cars he bottoms the chassis just a bit and Neil Bonnett back in the pack fighting for running room alongside Richard Petty here's a bid for second spot Harry Gant has a look inside of Ricky Rudd but rugs car is working well right on the bottom of the racetrack as is the leader Geoff Bodine and car number five Ricky Rudd's car runs Wilier for some reason that Ford gets around this racetrack very very well he won the race year last year in the same car rut is in number 15 the but more owned and prepared motor craft port Thunderbird riding in second cop ate it was getting inside leg speed going in turn one to take that position away that pile will move up a notch in the top 10 there's the front eight cards at the back of that back Earnhardt's beginning to ramble just a bit Dara's kyle petty ahead of Lake speed and right behind Rusty Wallace in the alley guard Pontiac number seven the 7-eleven for he's in tenth position Lake speed in 75 is 11 back up front here's mo Tyne Rudd and Gant they've got about three car lengths on Terry Labonte the defending Winston Cup champion he had number 44 the Piedmont Airlines Chevrolet he's the fourth-place car and Bill Elliott is right on Carroll upon his bumper exceptionally trouble on Harry Gant he's pulled right off to the inside as if maybe missed a shift or something car popped out of gear but no you'll get back in line behind Earnhardt that will drop Gantt to eighth place I can imagine what happened he's still running the car doesn't appear quite to be up to speed we're back up front with the leaders boat ein and Ruud Afghan was running third Labonte will take over third position but Gant's abrupt drop off the pace will give these two cars quite a lead there's the body at the top of your screen Elliott will move up to fourth it's very fortunate that Harry Gant had a little bit of a lead on Terry Labonte because when he had that problem Labonte did not hit him in the back Ron Bouchard will now become the fifth place car there in 47 there's 22 Bobby Allison six Earnhardt moves up to seventh and Gant is holding his own in eighth position moves up to lap the Rumpel furniture Pontiac of JD McDuffie and these cars are going to look a little Rumble by the time this day is over they have to because right now they're just kind of feeling the racetrack outfit each other out but it is going to get tough and visible for this days over - why'd the traffic ahead of race leader Jeff Conine yes on the inside again and Gant has slowed once again well whatever the problem I don't believe Travis Carter could afford to leave him out there no because the car is just too slow when he has his problem whatever it is the car is just too slow they both Earnhardt gets a car almost spins coming off the fourth corner Earnhardt's in seven spot car number three Kyle Petty has pulled right up on his back bumper harden six Bobby Allison pips Ron Bouchard fourth third isla body and here's the front to bow tied in number five and Ruud in 15 we'll live on the pit road far as if it's not getting fuel or not gettin spark'd or just kind of sputtering the law you know Mike it may be so hot that the car has vapor loss he's fueled in full he's pitted way at the far end of pit road and that'll be a disadvantage in a situation like this leaders lap by Eddie bear small area stall his garbage is sitting on pit road there can't imagine what's wrong unless it is paper he's got it moving again and he goes past Phil Parsons pip has to put right side tires and Bobby Hill ins cars a crew man diving in and the car catches right away I wonder if that crewman I think the crewman reached in and changed the ignition they these cars run a dual ignition and I there's a little box in there that that runs ignition I think that he reached in unplugged one box and plugged another one in where those black boxes work fine when they work but they've become so occasionally but most of the teams have mounted two of them on the dashboard unfortunately where the Skoll team puts them is out of hairy gas reach so crew man had to jump in the car and apparently switch the wire from one to the other it looks like that because the car certainly took off after that he's back up to speed but the report from NASCAR scoring is Harry Gant is two laps behind there's a course mortgage Hibbert has hit the wall very very hard dirt one oh he hit it a ton and that steel barrier is not terribly forgiving the Shepherd coasts off around turn two he can still steer the car get it up out of harm's way and the rest of the field I don't believe they've got the caution flag yet they'll come around to take the caution it will be the first one of the day Morgan Shepherd driving the Helen ray special you'll see Shepard in the top of your screen we can see the tire blowing and the car going down and Morgan has no control over the automobile Mike it just goes straight ahead there's another D can do except hold on and hope that he doesn't hit too hard there the car comes off the wall and back into it again the right front tire is completely gone we can see that it's not the tire completely off the right front position Shepard a short track specialist standout at the label sportsman division of NASCAR the end of the wall he had a good qualifying run was the past a second day qualifier with a speed that would have put him knifed in the field if he'd done it on the first day of qualifying Morgan is really really good on a short race track caution is out we'll be right back Morgan Shepherd accident and Kyle Petty's the race leader we're getting set to go back to green flag racing first let's go to the pits and dick Berggren this is what happens to a $45,000 piece of equipment when the right front tire let's go before the race today this car was brand spanking new they took it from the chassis shop right straight to the racetrack right now it's really torn up we're back under dream Kyle Petty takes the field off turn number four brake Sachs trying to get back on the lead lap and has little success doing it Tim Richmond is there and so is Richard Petty now petit yesterday afternoon crashed in practice Mike the last practice session for the grand national cars he and Dale Earnhardt got together he crashed that car that is leading the race so Leonard would and all the crew worked on it last night this is the first time that car has been on the racetrack since he wrecked yesterday it looks like they did a pretty good job of it together he isn't it funny how sometimes you'll bend up a race car and the thing will run as good or better than it did before you know I was thinking pool in contact there Richard Petty and Greg sacks excuse me Richard just kind of moved him up out of the way and said come on I need to get up to where the front Richard Petty we haven't seen him lead many races this year a good looking day for Richard Petty today now Richards the second place car here's Harry Gant trying to get one of his two laps back then he lost due to that ignition problem he gets ahead of Kyle and then comes right down the racetrack and cuts him off so Gant is now one lap plus all the way around the track down to Kyle Petty a caution flag a slowdown period the caution flag should be waved in the car slow down did NASCAR will put out a face card and that face doe will pick up the leader which in this case is Kyle Petty that allows Harry Gant to go all the way around the racetrack and make up a half mile over lead card or an entire left neither Kyle nor Richard pitted during the caution flag for Morgan Shepherd so there at the front of the field the drivers that led the race in the early going all made pit stops and they are further back in line we'll pick up positions for you as we get along here but it's Kyle Petty looking for his first grand national victory in car number seven and Richard Petty in 43 looking for his 200 first grand national victory and yes they are related yeah the car in front is the serve the STP Pontiac it back is the father and grandfatherly who want a couple of grand national championships on his own is off playing golf I burned the right rear driver just a bit getting off turn four garlic to be a little bit loose we're trying to spin out getting off the corner so here again is now just one lap down the 7-eleven car of Kyle Petty is the race leader and the number 43 of Richard Petty runs in the second spot I wondered about these cars that did not fit Thailand Richard chose not to bid on the cost of blackbeard with Morgan hit the fist down in turn one and I wondered about the strategy because this racetrack Mike you need good tires on the racecar but it looks as though that strategy is working out for them because they seem to be able to run as fast any cars on the racetrack right now Neil Bonnett has moved up into the third spot there's Barnett at car number 12 passing Tim Richmond who's for Terry Labonte he is the fifth place car Lilly is going strong he's passed out Richard and is put in a few car lengths on this car you know I don't think he can make up two laps ride them but if he can stay out there and the caution come out he's got chance this plays not over hurricane yet there's Gantt in the Travis Carter prepared Burt Reynolds and Hal Needham machine the Scholl bandit Chevrolet and he is moving away from Kyle and Richard Petty but look at how the Petty's are moving away from the rest of the field as they come off turn number two or turn four rather down the front straightaway that bonnet and labonte battle now for third spot with Tim Richmond is almost a straightaway behind the two race leader's they're the lead cars tiles forward and Richards Pontiac and way at the other end of the straightaway come Neil Bonnett Terry Labonte and Tim Richmond it's a long way back to the sixth place car of Jeff go die there's the battle for third so turn the bunny spared the rich are just a bit getting off turn four Richard Petty's car today he looks he looks so comfortable going around the racetrack monk it looks like the car it doesn't slip it doesn't slide looks like he's having a nice leisurely Drive Kyle Petty's career highlights include a second-place finish at Dover Downs and second in the Winston 500 at Talladega this year and as Benny remarked this car was wrecked in the last practice session yesterday in a collision with Dale Earnhardt let's go to Kyle Petty's pit given how damaged your race car was yesterday afternoon in the last practice session also indicate there's still more speed they talked about mike is is what they do to make these cars adhere through the turns and these cars are going down the straightaway probably at 115 20 miles an hour and when they go into these flat quarters they've got to have something to hold the car to keep them spinning out and the term that the racers used is way look Richard is inside cow and passes if you're off turn four like father like son Richard Peddie goes to the front of the field the first time Richard Petty won a race against his father he lost it to appeal but his father appeal is scored if I'm not mistaken somebody said why did you do that to Richard and Lise said let him win it on his own or let him deserve to win or something well he did that not but a couple of weeks later so Richard Petty's in front stock car racing winningest driver of all time 200 grand national victories and a car very much like the number 43 that you see here now sits on display in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington for all to see Richard seems to be comfortable on the racetrack but I still wonder if possibly it was a mistake not to Pierre [Music] [Music] have a good time in the SDP today well you run as wellness Richard is today and that'll happen yes you can have a good time when you're running this field there he's up on the back of Neil Bonnett Neil is that an unscheduled stop and Richard is right behind - laughing the last time Richard Peddie ran this well on a short track was April 1981 the Virginia 500 at Martinsville that he was out front and pulling away from the field a car spun in front of him and Richard stopped to avoid him Joel Milliken plowed into the back of the STP car and put the rear bumper up older the axle housing and knock Richard out for the day remember I was in that race that day and I remember it well and since then all of Richard's victories have come on the super speedways and I think many of the 35,000 people here today are perhaps surprised to see this car out in front and pulling away Petie has the lead in the Wrangler Sanford set 400 in the STP Pontiac tried to win his 200 first career Winston Cup grand national stock car race and there you see graphic example of just how tight this track is coming off the fourth corner laughing bass teddybear swallow and about to pull up on Dave Marcus Richard Richard today Mike is just dominating this race he is driving away from the field haven't seen Richard this down as you mission since 1981 nettie about to fill up on Dave Marcus who won a race here rich the fairgrounds not too long ago and here's Kyle Petty making his scheduled pit stop that fella leaving inside the rear that the rear window him the forward he was adjusting the wedge that Leonard Wood was talking about a moment ago there was a boat that sits on top of the rear spring he was turning that boat to put some wedge in the car and here's Richard in the pits he in causal pit stops they did not stop on the caution flag period right side tires for Richard no chassis adjustment Richard mic beam the crew chief first-year crew chief and he is a comer I really think that he has just a tremendous future in this for what he's been able to accomplish and working under the shadow of stock car racing 'he's most successful driver they've not won a race this season but they've been in contention they have what right now is the fastest car in this race and I think he's done a terrific job working over I think he does have a future in his court there's a late race leader right now here in the Bonnie he's about to pull up in lap a fellow who has a lot of success in sports Maga petition on this track former sportsman champion Tommy Ellis the bonney's in 44 white and blue Chevrolet leather you know the lap on JD McDuffie and here's Ricky Rudd now the second place car on the left side of your screen in the but more Ford we haven't had a caution flag in a long long time Mike and as hot as it is outside today at the top of the show we told you fast it was 95 degrees it is very very warm inside those race cars it's probably 30 degrees warmer than it is outside [Music] I don't think it's no problem to me bright man flying day linman levanti's crew chief was Richard Petty's crew chief for 180 of those 200 victories their cousins and it was announced here at the track yesterday that henman would rejoin richard as crew chief for the 1986 season and here Terry Labonte is laughing million-dollar bill billion who last week a girl won a million dollars had high hopes for today's race and started very well rim awfully well the first few last with Terry Labonte right now he's put in a lap old bill weld as Elliott said when he came here Friday winning a million dollars is one thing we've come to a short track like Richmond will make you humble again he in a hurry let's go down to dick Berggren Ricky Rudd's pit stop tires fresh loaded fuel and the left side tires on roads cars [Music] well it's a contact sport when you go around a half-mile track like this an average 90 miles an hour you just can't avoid it look here's Darryl walk if we haven't talked about Darryl today we did mentioned it at the top of the show he started way back I think about 22nd today but here he is battling for the lead Walter did not get to qualify on the first day he drew third qualifying position but was about 12th or 14th in line to go through inspection in the scales and he did not make weight and thus could not get on the line in time to qualify he is passing the race leader on the outside I think that's the first time that we've seen anybody pass on the outside today and he's trying the body on the outside the lead and looks like he has it and that cars handling it came off the corner didn't bobble a bit then fishtail get the least bit sideways and here off the tight turn number four Waltrip goes past to take the lead green flag racing their heads the body tries didn't bite well Terry's car works way low at the bottom of the racetrack but Darrell's car has a little bit of power and Eddy beer swells car looks like he just lost about with the wall on the left front tire suffered the most looks like the tire the wheel is fixing to fly off the tires fishing to come off the wheeler so here's well the rookie contender from San Antonio driving the decal Rick Karr we can see where he made contact with a guardrail on the right side of that car where it bent up the sheet metal all the way down the right side of the vehicle and I've got to lift the car up just to get it on the jack tough break for the youngster from Texas and with the caution out Terry Labonte Bill Elliott Darrell Waltrip take this occasion come on to pit road for service there's jr. Johnson and white behind the car and here's waltrip teammate neil bonnett Jeff bodean at the hood up for repairs that car has not been handling very well in this report of some Benton broken pieces underneath Crewe's away and so is mode I'm dick Berggren is making his way to the boudin pit we'll get a report on that extended stop as a track crew member goes out to pick up some debris just what you don't want to have happen this is the Reich we used to run to shock absorbers on each wheel when they were hydraulic but that is a new gas shock absorber and these cars only run one per wheel and when one breaks you have no shot that's why they had to change that shock absorber sharp move on the restart by Ricky rod Rudd you'll remember just made his pit stop a few laps ago under the green and would have been a lap down so he lined up to the inside but he beat race leader Waltrip on the green flag so now Rudd in car number 15 the Ford is running right on the tail end of the lead lap Waltrip in 11 is your race leader Ron Bouchard there in 47 the Buick is one lap off the Paves rod made a terrific restart and you don't catch Darryl napping that often no you really don't ricky rudd must have really been primed and stopped ready to go when that green flag drop and I might add that Harry again because but early to show he had the problem he lost two left on this last caution apply for debrief Harry got one of his laps back so he's now he's only one lap down you see Rikki rod in car number 15 as Walter gets way loose trying to catch him going into the corner and here's Richard Petty along with Terry Labonte they both made pit stops and have to come from the back of the pack they are racing not cale yarborough if you recognize that orange and white Hardy's paint scheme flag is out my but Alan Kulwicki and the caution is for debris on the racetrack from some of the beatin bang man you'll see coole wikkeez car number 32 left side of your screen the party's Thunderbird campaigned out of Greenville South Carolina he's the aasa' champion out of Wisconsin making his first Winston Cup start ctn's exclusive coverage of the wrangler sam forcep 400 of richmond fairgrounds raceway on the last caution flag ricky rudd took the caution ahead of race leader Darrell Walter so the pace car picked up Waltrip as the leader and Rudd came around to the tail end of the field when the rest of the field made pit stops there was Rudd out in front when they took the green flag for the restart so he goes from being almost to lap down to being the race leader I think that's incredible Mike to think that someone could can do that because he had pitted under the green flag did not need to make a pit stop and his crew felt like he did not need to make a pit stop he stayed out and is the race leader Walter kiss by Tommie Ellis Tommy is a lap down he's trying to get a lap back Walter gets by him he's got his eyes set on Ricky Rudd right now and Terry Labonte in the 44 car comes into play he's the 3rd place machine here is Richard Petty who earlier led a good portion of this race along with Dale Earnhardt he to the surprise of most people here has not yet led the race because they learn art has been the dominant part on the short tracks this year as three victories all coming on short tracks Ricky rod in 15 the Ford against Waltrip number 11 Chevrolet they hustle off the corner at Fair Grounds Raceway waltrip now ride on the back bumper of the motor craft for takes a bit of a look inside as Ron Bouchard and Tommy Ellis roughed each other up a bit down in the corner Walter has another life walseth change tires as we mentioned a moment ago he pitted he changed tires Ruud did not that really ought to give Beryl just a bit of an advantage in the first few left while Ruud while his before his tires get out he should have a little bit of advantage with the cooler tires the body is just barely closing in on the front - Bill Elliott is right there with him and their levanti's car at the top of the screen got just a bit loose coming off the corner that fourth turn really tightens up on unary it sure does those cars are still sticking on a modular racetrack very very well normally in Richmond these cars have attempted to go up the racetrack this late in the race but today they're staying on the bottom very well trouble as Neil Bonnett catches a piece of the wall and does a bit of damage to the left side of his Chevrolet for two teams that are fielded out of the same race shop jr. Johnson the cars of Darrell Waltrip number 11 and Neil Bonnett number 12 all season long have performed very very differently yes they have if some races when bought it was a dominant car did not seem to run has been before does not seem to runway one at Rockingham early in the season and beat Waltrip at North Wilkesboro Junior Johnson's home racetrack those have been the bright spots in his season he's third in the Winston Cup point chase while the man in car number 11 Darrell Waltrip dr. Racing's fifth all-time winner since the runner-up to Bill Elliott in Winston Cup point chicks Victor here today if he's going to do anything in the Wooster gun for instance he needs a Victor today because Bill Elliott he is the fourth car in the shot that we just saw but he is a lap down Waltrip is trying to win the race if Darrell can win the bill finish about six or seven it could be a big big swing but Darrell Waltrip today here's Richard and Kyle Petty bracketing Dale Earnhardt on the number three car the regular machine trying to fight their way back toward the front of the pack they're running 4th 5th and 6th well to the surprise of many Bill Elliott did not fade from the front of the field at the last short track race of Bristol Tennessee but finished a very credible fifth ernhardt one it over richmond bonnet and walter but Daryl gained only five points for the position and five points for leading the race at Bristol Bristol was really a walked out there like that Daryl came away from Bristol very very discouraged with his points battle but today could be a different story and of course one week ago at Darlington South Carolina you saw at the top of the show Elliott was in victory lane for the tenth time this season winning his million dollars [Music] adding his Winston Cup point lead as well a million dollars for you in a race to get him dear Darrell tries rub down on the inside he has position on Ricky gotta turn one he's going to make it work because Bloods car you can see is not working that well getting into the corner what he has to run the outside drew they are side by side through 3 & 4 but Daryl coming off 4 the Bible racetrack uses that to advantage both those cars are working very well on the inside of the racetrack but when Rudd got caught up by and aroldo of underneath him in the corner it was just a matter of time before he popped out of the turn with the leave terry labonte continues to run in the third position there you see Labonte blue and white Chevrolet about eight to ten car lengths behind the race leaders there's Kyle Petty number seven having passed Dale Eric low edge and then on the front straightaway and into the wall goes Bobby Allison Ron Bouchard and Jeff Burton's car ends up in the infield as well Allisyn scarce it's stuffed into the guardrail there's what I'm pulling away and bouchard's car freshly painted at the beginning of the day looks like it spent about ten years in taxi service in Detroit Bobby's car really is damaged we saw rod Bouchard hit the right rear of rusty Wallace's car is rusty went by and the right rear on Rusty's car is flat so he was also involved in the accident and there's a somebody's bumper laying on the racetrack bumper might be from Allison's car was involved in that straighten this car out there's Lake speed on pit road as well here's Jeff bodean with a flat right rear getting serviced from Harry Hyde and Levi Garrett crew more problems there's Bobby he is walking who's lucky fields looks like he's okay he took a pretty hard shot on the first turn while himself much the same spot where Morgan Shepherd went in to bring out the first caution not much left of that right rear off Bodines car Bobby did hit the fence extremely hard before comes of wheel oh speaking of tires there goes one Jimmy means this is a right rear you don't snug up those lug nuts and that'll happen the wheel just simply fell off that's right well the crewmen didn't that tire weighs about 80 pounds that thinking he can't kick it over looks like he's finally wrestled it to the ground healed it yep caution is out there's Bobby Allison he's okay and we'll be right back his mom fell broke her hip and wrist and just recuperating from surgery in the hospital fortunately Bobbi's okay and he's with dick well Bobbie it looked like a very hard hit well unfortunately it was Thanks are you alright damn alright what caused the accident Bobby I lost the motor coming down the front straightaway and I slid my own oil you could sure use a brake couldn't you sure could could use a little sunshine in our lives Bobby Allison has been a champion at this track before and for sure he will be back to championship form again short end of a tough day for Bobby Allison tires are perhaps the one biggest single factor in the handling equation on these racetracks earlier dick filed this when race drivers are talking about going fast ordinarily this is what they're talking about the little patch of rubber that separates the race car from the Speedway the majority of chassis adjustments suspension manipulations are right here to make this piece of rubber meet the race track in the best possible way because tires are so critical it takes a lot of them to service an automobile race generally in fact for a short track race like this they'll bring as many as 800 to a thousand tires this trailer truck will go home empty at the end of this event the racers aren't going to wear out these styles and tires but they're basically going to do is heat them up real good on the race car and pretty much harden them up as a result of the heating the tires are taken off and replaced with brand new ones for Speed sake don't have to worry about that on the highway but on the race track a higher fire the fast way around changing all those tires is enough to keep six men working full-time for days every weekend the race cars run they put them on take them off work them around so the teams will have exactly the right combination of tires that they want they all look the same at least there's a separate compound a softer tire that's used on the left side of the car than the right side of the car in fact the circumference of the tires is different between the right side and the left side so as to help the car run through the corners better each tire is carefully balanced in addition to being blown up to the proper temperature pliers in fact are so important the mechanics measure just about every characteristic of them this is the right rear tire from car 44 just to make sure there's no mistaking they even paint the number of the car right here on the wheel mechanics have run a tape measure around this tire to measure its circumference it is 87 and 1/4 inches that matches with another rear tire and that tire is going to be inset for set one two three and that means it's set for this tire because it's a right-side tire is a D 1116 compound that determines whether the tire is hard or soft or what gradation it has indeed tires are extremely critical in the handling of any race car what does all this racing have to do with the American highway plenty race tire engineers say that what they learn on the Speedway on Sunday helps them develop a better tire for the highway on Monday in fact putting a tire to the ultimate test is certainly a very good way to develop the best there can be now let's rejoin dick live with blood more and Ricky Rudd's picked but more it seems as if every time your team comes to Richmond Speedway you're right up front are you happy with the way the car is running now well the card run it real well right now we got on 40 degrees more crew chief for Ricky Rudd who's currently leading we're getting set to go back under the green flag here at Richmond fairgrounds Raceway on the outside lane ricky rudd the race leader Terry Labonte and second Darrell Waltrip and third Dale Earnhardt in fourth on the inside Harry Gant who is a lap down is going to try to get that lap back on the restart to no avail Harry did not get a good jump on Ricky Rudd but Maher has been running well he's only a lap down he's going to put forth every everybody can to get by Rudd and the caution does come out make up that other left and be in the same lap as the leader Kyle Petty car number seven was up on the inside of the second place car Terry Labonte in 44 then Waltrip and Earnhardt shuffle back to the third spot way back in the back is Richard Petty who made a late pit stop just prior to the drop of the green flag I think that Richard went in to top off the fuel thing Mikey felt like that that if he would have put some gas in the car he could go all the way without stopping again he cases race where to go green play yes Harry is inside Ricky and he is I'm right now if he could just stay there he'll be back in the same lap in Philly Harry Gant takes him down at turn number three and Kyle Petty gets loose and just hangs on to it right in front of Walter that lets Labonte underneath Walter to try and hang on the second spot wow that was close I thought pallet lost Edgard in turn three and as it happened Harry Gant got a round Ricky Rudd on the inside and for the second time today when ruts car has been forced to the outside of the racetrack it has not worked all that well just on the bottom does he get around the racetrack very well there's Kyle Petty just ahead of Terry of the body the body's third place car and Kyle is a lap down and gab begins to pull away from Ricki rod GAMP reeled off for second place finishes in a row in midseason he's been the perennial bridesmaid of NASCAR Winston Cup racing when he drove the victory lane at Martinsville earlier in the season here's Earnhardt Tim Richmond and Lake speed doing a little bump and run or prama and bam and his Earnhardt likes to call it but he's not involved in it right now it's the two Pontiacs of Richmond on the inside and lake speed on the outside which like Richmond has the position yes he gets by late and sets his eyes on day learn our back at the front of the field Gant maintains a one-car like the bandage on the race leader Ricky Rudd it's a shame that Harry Gant could not shame he had that problem early on in the race because the way that car has been running today he could have learned many many laps of this race Gant's car worked well as it did a week ago with Darlington South Carolina only to end up in the garage now finished over the phone rug he's not driving away I thought maybe the Ricky would get away from the powers gained on now ruts car is not performing as well now as it did early in the race this is his home racetrack he and his wife Linda both natives of Chesapeake Virginia as we take a look at Harry Gant's car and there's Richard Petty trying to move past Greg sacks who is a lapper more down Buddy Baker is right there with Richard and Buddy is two laps off the face and Richard just sticks the nose underneath during sacks over a bit so far it hasn't worked Richard game a little shot going to the third corn say look I need to get by because you're holding up a whole line of cars which it looks like Greg sex is holding up the line Sachs has already lost most to the nose of his car Richard may take a bite out of the tail as well rough them up a little more and then finally gets to the inside Baker follows suit there's Phil Parsons and Neil Bonnett and Richard breaks free of lap traffic at the Richmond fairgrounds ricky rudd is the race leader number 15 the four right behind him here comes Darrell Waltrip up the inside and the number 11 Chevrolet we're some trafficking firm that's Phil Parsons my younger brother in front he probably won't get girl trapped Ricky's bullcrap barrel in behind him I don't know if he's gonna be able to or not know weekend bill pulls way to the inside and that gives Walter ball the room he needs see if rut can hold him off but Ricky's cars just not worked that well at the top of the racetrack works well on the bottom but you're right Michael he gets owned tough he's got big problems and Waltrip will take the lead Darrell who started back in 22nd position puts his car up front there's this crew chief Jeff Hammond with Darrell Andrews look a little happier than that any fierce walk catches the turn one wall right where Bobby Allison and Morgan Shepherd got it before him and he took a chunk out of it well he really hit that fence part didn't he looks like the right front tire ran over pitch debris and credit or something it went straight in the wall that is a sinking feeling Mike when you see the wall coming there's nothing he can do about four or five years ago I broke a water pump going in turn one but the car turn around and backed in the wall and I think that's the hardest I really think that for sure I hit it backwards so I had the seat behind me to help support me Katie had nothing but the seat belts hold him in the car but as we can see that seat belts did their job they held him in the car very well and the right front of the car took the brunt of the damage under caution [Music] you'll he take Sun now should take him all the way their choice fire [Music] last night here in the fairgrounds virtually all the Winston Cup drivers participated in a benefit fundraiser for former sportsman champion butch Lindley injured in a racing crash down to Florida in April and as Eddie bear Schwab walks away from his race car Charlie Harville filed a report in a very warm Commonwealth building last evening what is your reason for being here today like all the other drivers Charlotte trying to help as much as we can butch Lynn who was such a great competitor in the sport of auto racing and had the unfortunate situation of being in that accident and today he's been a great loss to the sport the fact that he hasn't been around and we all hope and pray that someday that he'll snap out of it and be back with us on the racetrack which Lilly was a type guy that had the Prince and race in there when the time is needed for some help that they all come out like this Tim Richmond is here also doing his part to help butch eliminate him it's nice of you to be here I you know unfortunately we're here because of why we're here but it's for a good cause unfortunately it didn't have to happen and we're just here it in now all the prayers got the butch and we just hope this helps him recover a taste for Spain Tommy Ellis is a man who raced against butch Lindley on many occasions and Tommy I know that's one of the reasons you're here absolutely we're trying to raise money for butch Lindley his family and to help him through this this trouble time and they're going through and we'll do anything that we can you know to can help his family and Butch Lindley probably was my the greatest friend racing friend that I've ever had that I competed against Richard Petty it's a five gesture on your part to be here to help work lending well you know it's a situation that you know butchers of bad shape and you know it is they do the same thing for us that's the situation and you know we're just glad that the people turned out to to be able to make something out of it you know we didn't want to come here and be by ourselves but the people have turned out and really donated there's gonna be a super good operation for this evening for butch Lindley was a project which was first visualized by car builder Emanuel's Rebecca's who bill the cars in which book Lindley raced over the years Emanuel and his wife they got together with Paul and Billy Sawyer a Richmond fairground Raceway and this is the result thousands of fans turning out to help one of NASCAR's own which meant they raised thousands of dollars in donations and an auction of racing items but funds are still urgently needed if you'd like to participate here's the address and the phone number we encourage your support back under the green flag at Richmond fairgrounds Raceway and this time the man putting the pressure on Daryl Walter for the lead now this looks more like the short recreation we've been seeing all year trying to pass somebody for the lead he's alongside their welcome coming off therefore that's been the way to pass today get on the inside of the race leader force him up into the high groove where it's a little slick snatch the lead away and look earn arches going away from Daryl right now [Music] they laugh past JD McDuffie levanti's third place car rut is fourth and Richard Petty has climbed back up into the pack into fifth spot Gary gets recovered to take six the night Betty coming off the second corner right in front of the leaders James Hilton comes all the way around in the McCord gasket Chevrolet he's in relief of Lenny pond one of two drivers to climb out of a car in this event Clark Dwyer the Colorado driver got out of his machine earlier and Morgan Shepherd who brought up the first caution with his crash climbed in to replace him here's the leaders on pit road Jr Johnson that's jr. in the white uniform he's leaving inside Darryl's car he is adjusting the chassis on the car changing the right-side tires there's probably nobody better in stock car racing than this team making a car work in the late stages of the race oops almost caught a crew man between Waltrip and bonnets cars as Darrell had to back up to get out of his pit stall Oh Harrigan almost fun buddy ayrton with a almost in the wall but it takes evasive action as the rush is to get off pit road and back in line behind the caution car Walter's pit stop a moment ago there's Jeff Hammond the crew chief and the jack man has Waltrip had to back up bump in a Neil Bonnett scar to get out of his pit stall and since the crew members flying I've heard of getting knocked out of bounds but I don't know if Darrell hit him where the fellow just jumped out of the way no I don't think he hit him but might've had he not headed for the guardrail headfirst well he he dove out of the way and the lights out atop the pace car we're set to go back to racing and this may be the last pit stop of the day Tim Richmond's lined up on the inside he's a couple of laps down Terry Labonte is the race leader he's got Harry Gant Darrell Waltrip Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt in tow Ricky Rudd's the sixth place car out of turn two up the back straightaway and again the field quickly gets single-file as they lapped past Ken Schrader's car robbing for home towner juni Don living there isn't much time to go in the bunting got a good jump on the field here comes Gann under Richmond working against the lap car Gant Waltrip go to the inside Eddie and Earnhardt to follow arrogant in 33 darrell waltrip and 11 and Tim Richmond hung out to dry on the outside Waltrip came up and almost got a bite out against rear quarter-panel almost did random car is sticking on the part of the racetrack so very well he just passed Harry get going through turn one with ease three wide going into the corner something's gotta give and it will be earnhardt nice move by ricky rudd to get underneath earnhardt as earnhardt lapped underneath Tim Richmond that was a good move a very chancy move but it worked for Ricky Rudd that today so the Ford is now fourth in line behind two Chevrolet is in the Pontiac and to Chevrolet's trailering of the six cars on the lead lap arrogant starting to burn that right rear tire just a little bit of smoke coming off of it that's usually a bad sign that scrambling for second spot is given terry labonte a lead of almost half a straightaway here's Waltrip and second then Gant petty rod and Earnhardt [Music] Richard Peddie was extremely strong early in the race we didn't hear too much from him in the middle of the race but now we're just a few laps to go he is in position to win this thing daddy looks to the inside on Harry Gant nothing that time bye and petty drops the nose of his Carlo under the bumper of Harry Ganz the body just continues to extend his lead Monti has a good lead their open kitchen or not Tara's embodies about three seconds ahead of Walter here's third-place on back Gant Petty Rudd and Earnhardt something's going to break loose in this group before it's over you can count on it [Music] Richard Petty's car is sticking on the model racetrack he is I think probably has a faster car than air again but being able to outrun it and get past it is two different things and Earnhardt his way at the back of the back sixth place last car on the lead lap here's petting to the inside of Gant again and Harry will shut him off Rudd comes up the outside Richard took a look and look like Earnhardt got a little piece of Ricky Rudd here comes petty slices his way up alongside Harry Gant and Earnhardt gets under Rudd at the same time third fourth fifth and six spots all scrambling and when they straighten out single-file Petty's taking third Gant drops back to fourth and Earnhardt moves up to fifth with Ricky Rudd six honey lead Darryl Waltrip livadas three second lead has all but been erased in Walter it's almost like he can smell the checkered flag penny and he is there his car is Hammond well he's on the farmer race we can almost feel the desire that he has to win my Walter has been a victory and only once this season in the coca-cola world 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway my body won the next week at Riverside California and in a season dominated by Bill Elliot's 10 super speedway wins hard to believe that these two have just two victories between them but that could change today with less than ten laps to go Walter's bagging on the door and he wants five Lambada uses Ron Bouchard scars a pick on the outside and Waltrip has to fall in line single file Walter had a vision of getting by I thought he was going by the Sharks car was out there I think that there was just a little bit afraid that he would run the backhoe maybe proud too if he pushed the bonny up anyhow Richard Petty's the third place car Dale Earnhardt now sits in fourth and Ricky rod seven laps to go as they flash by the start/finish [Music] this animation that Daryl was able to catch the bunny because he had such a lead on only a couple of last words probably 20 laps to go when he saved life in such a short period before there's no one better than jr. Johnson when it comes to getting the car set up for a late race run to the checkered flag now here's Dave Marcus and Labonte has to hesitate trying to figure out how to get past Marcus and looked like Walter Brooke them both up just a little as he squeezes past yes three abreast will in turn three you don't do that here no you don't do that and Labonte had no choice with back off and let barrel have the position unfortunate that was for the lead and there's only five laps to go [Music] all up and down both sides of Waltrip Chevrolet body showing the scars of the scuffle as well is now the second-place car he's got less than a handful of laughs on Waltrip and retake the lead go ahead and win this race he's going to cut a pretty healthy margin off Billy Elliot's point lead today it has not had a good day early part of the race he did not run that badly but as the race wore on he has drifted back he's now two or three laps off the face here's a guy has had a great race today Richard Petty the best he's run on a short track in five years four years rather and a third place car and he is running right now as fast as Darrell Waltrip and Terry Labonte if Richard could get there he could confess these bills for the victory today there's Freddie's car moving up on Dave Marcus he's in third Earnhardt is for two laps to go Walter picks it inside of bloody Baker's bullfrog MIT's Oldsmobile Labonte is there he's right on the back bumper but as he pulls up side Waltrip is right there to come up and cover the high groove he saw the bunny back there it is whoops I better get up and close this hole because he may try to go by white flag one lap to go well body is now a car link back of Walter whose car is glued to the bottom of the racetrack like the race traffic started up ahead of Darrell it never deflate before you get the checkered flag off turn four for the final time Darrell Waltrip comes down the front straightaway Harold kinder drops the checkered flag and Walter scores his second victory of the season lomani finishes second pettiest third Earnhardt is four and it's amazing to think that we get all the way to September before darrell waltrip gets his first short tracked win for the lead a moment ago with Darrell used a Parkinson slower car to get inside turn the body down he'd turn one and two and Labonte had no choice he just could not go into third quarter three abridge but he had to lift the throttle therefore marques it looked like Marcus was coming up the groove and that momentary lapse well Mike one thing for sure I think the fans got their money's worth today didn't they well that's what short track racing is all about Benny dick Berggren will greet our winner in victory lane in victory lane started all the way back in 22nd to victory what did you do to this race car to get so much speed out of it today Darrell well when you start back like that you work hard and you know the Lord smiles on you in a lot of ways and I guess we started on the pole here last several times and had won that much so I think it was just a deal where we started way back we knew we had our work cut out for us we worked hard and it paid off now did you ever think that it would be mid-september 1985 before the short track specialty team of junior Johnson would be in a short track victory lane well there's only been four so that's not too bad you know without Nashville on the schedule it cuts down on the races that we run on short track so we've got some bad luck and we will come back we're worse we're tough the hotter and the slicker gets the better we get Darrell Waltrip happy tired in Victory Lane here in the Wrangler 400 Benny it so often happens on a short track traffic running in traffic is often the key to winning or losing and it was again in the closing laps today exactly right here we're seeing it one more time Terry Labonte goes into turn one he has to move up the racetrack to lap Dave Marcus Marcus gets a good jump down on the inside wall uses that advantage to pull up alongside limbani when they get to the back straightaway Dave Marcus says he should pulls over and gives Darrell Waltrip Racing Group he's able to pass the bottom three wide down that straightaway and watch I've made a hole where there wasn't one dick Berggren is with the second place finisher Terry Labonte Terry Labonte seconds not bad I know he would rather run first but still it was a good strong finish the first in a while it was you know I guess it's the first race we finished instead of the race from Riverside back in June without something going wrong so we're real pleased to run as good as we did and you know the Piedmont Airlines crew just did a fantastic job and the car ran super all day and I think we're kind of looking forward to the rest of shorter tracks now well you look very cool you look calm and relaxed after that very hard race was it a physical event not really you know this racetrack is really not a very tiring racetrack it was awful hot in their cars but other than it wasn't too bad seven races remain in the chase for the Winston Cup in 1985 and Darrell Waltrip winner Richmond here today will certainly boost his chances to catch Bill Elliott yes I think he Bobby's going to gain somewhere around 5060 points and that's going to put him within striking distance of Elliott so it's on to Martinsville Virginia for SC TN that will be our next race the goodies 500 check your local listings for time and stations as for Charlie Harvell dick Berggren and Benny Parsons this is Mike joy congratulating Darrell Waltrip on his Wrangler Santos at 400 victory the Wrangler sappers at 400 has been brought to you by Goodyear makers of the high-performance radio the Eagle and by Al you guard look for and buy brands containing the AL you guard premium quality and a freeze formula and by exon quality you can count on special ground transportation for SC TN provided by two to customs incorporated the executive producer of SC TN is Jim wiglesworth operations director john r Lewis [Music]

Channel: SMIFF TV

Views: 12,084

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Id: 3-Np078mV_E

Length: 68min 12sec (4092 seconds)

Published: Tue Feb 26 2019