Talladega pre-race notes

>From NASCAR Public Relations

TURNING TO TALLADEGA And the Winston Select 500

*** Earnhardt is the all-time NASCAR Winston Cup win leader at Talladega Superspeedway with seven. He has seven top five finished in the Winston Select 500 through the last 10 years.

*** Mark Martin won this event a year ago, but odds aren't in his favor. No driver has won back-to-back Winston Select 500s since Buddy Baker did so in 1975 and '76.

*** Speaking of Baker he did extensive testing with Wallace in Talladega last week. Wallace, whose finishes at the restrictor-plate has been less shall he has hoped for in recent years. Speaking after his win Sunday, Wallace said the test with Baker went well and lie is looking forward to going to Talladega a for time first time in years.

*** Baker is tied with Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip for second-place on the Talladega win list with four.

*** Eleven active drivers {in order): Earnhardt, Waltrip, Bill Elliott, Ernie Irvan, Dave Marcus, Bobby Hillin, Ken Schrader, Terry Labonte, Jimmy Spencer, Martin, and Sterling Marlin, all have wins at Talladega,

*** It pays to be up front. In the last 10 years, the lowest starting position any driver has come from to win at Talladega is 16th. That was Ernie lrvan in the Morgan-McClure, Kodak Chevrolet in this race in 1993.

*** The average starting position for the winner at Talladega over the last 10 years is 9.4.

*** Ford and Chevrolet have split the last four race at Talladega with two wins each.

*** Dale Earnhardt was the last driver to win both races at Talladega in a season. Doing so in 1990.

Jack Durbin indy500@freenet.tlh.fl.us Motorsport News International jackd@motorsport.com (Moderators for "rec.autos.sport.info") Homepage http://www.freenet.tlh.fl.us/users/indy500/index.html