BARBER: Laguna Seca preview

• Rick Roso <72230.271@CompuServe.COM>
• MNI - Motorsport News International
• Sun Sep 1 14:04:44 EDT 1996

For Immediate Release

FREDRIK LARSSON CAN CLINCH 1996 BARBER DODGE CHAMPIONSHIP
WITH WIN AT LAGUNA SECA
But what will he do once he's 'in the helmet'?

LAKEVILLE, Conn. (Aug. 29) - Depending upon where longshot title contenders 
Thomas Schie, Rino Mastronardi and Tim Moser finish, there are numerous 
scenarios under which the points leader, Sweden's Fredrik Larsson, can win the 
1996 Barber Dodge Pro Series championship and its near-$150,000 in bonuses 
next weekend in the Superior Performance Challenge at Laguna Seca Raceway. 
Larsson can even finish as low as fifth, as long as Schie, Mastronardi and 
Moser are no better than seventh, fourth and second, respectively.
     But there's one scenario that depends on no one other than Larsson 
himself-if he wins the race, he wins the championship.
     And that is as likely to happen as not, considering Larsson has won five 
of the past seven races, and has been the fastest qualifier in more than half 
of the year's races.
     Like most every runaway points leader has said since the dawn of time, 
Larsson insists he's not going to change his style: "My goal is always to win, 
but I have never been to Laguna Seca before, where many of the other guys 
have. I am sure it is a tough, good track. I just want to finish the best 
possible," Larsson says.
     Asked if was running a very close second place with just a lap or two 
remaining, would he go for the pass to try to clinch the championship right 
then and there? "Making a pass on the last lap to win everything is how you 
dream of winning a series. I plan on not taking any stupid chances,  but you 
never know what you will do when you are in the helmet."
     The Superior Performance Challenge is round 10 of the 12-race Barber 
Dodge championship. espn2 will broadcast the race four times, with the first 
telecast scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 15 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time.
      Barber Dodge round 11 is Sept. 22 at the Reno Trans-Am Grand Prix and 
the finale is at Lime Rock Park Oct. 11 as part of the Dodge NASCAR 200 Busch 
Grand National North season finale.  -Rick Roso (860) 435-4646