>From NASCAR Public Relations 


FOR Immediate RELEASE
April 15, 1996


Turning to Martinsville

... and the Goody's Headache Powders 500:

*** Wallace has won four of the last six spring races at 
the .526-mile speedway in the Blue Ridge Mountains, including the 
last three in a row.

*** Only two active drivers have more wins at Martinsville 
than Wallace s five: Darrell Waltrip (11) and Earnhardt (six).

*** Wallace's name is the first to come to mind when 
discussing dominance, at least recent dominance at Martinsville. In 
the last 10 years, Wallace has posted top-five finishes in half of 
those spring races, but, as we've said, the last three have been 
wins. Earnhardt also comes to mind, posting five consecutive top-
five finishes from 1987-91, three of which were wins. But he has 
not had a top-five finish in the spring at Martinsville since.

*** Who has been the king of Martinsville through the last 
10 years? Darrell Waltrip has not finished outside the top five in 
the spring at Martinsville since 1988. That's eight straight for 
those keeping score at home.

*** Who has had the toughest luck at Martinsville this time 
of year over the last few seasons? Well, there are several 
candidates, but Ricky Rudd probably gets the nod. Since Winning the 
April race in 1986, Rudd has not posted a top-five finish in the 
spring at Martinsville.

*** Follow numerology? Then put your money on Sterling 
Marlin to have a good run this weekend. In 1988, Marlin finished 
second in the spring race driven; an Oldsmobile. Four years later, 
in 1992, Marlin finished second driving a Ford. Now, four years 
later, Marlin is driving a Chevrolet and is heading into 
Martinsville after one of his best runs of the season last week at 
North Wilkesboro. But you can bet he'd like to take it one step 
further.



STAT OF THE WEEK
*** In the last six races at Martinsville, Rusty Wallace 
has won four. He has led 1,387 of 2,816 laps (this race last year was 
called after 356 laps because of weather) or 48.56 percent for 
those of you still scoring. Three of those six times he has led 
more than 300 laps, and once, in the Spring of 1993, he led 409.


Jack Durbin                                   indy500@freenet.tlh.fl.us
Motorsport News International                      jackd@motorsport.com
(Moderators for "rec.autos.sport.info")
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