MARK MARTIN TAKES ROUND 2 OF IROC

DARLINGTON, S.C. -- In Round Two of the True Value Dodge International
Race of Champions XIX Series, defending race and Series champion Mark
Martin won over a field of 10 other competitors in equally-prepared
Dodge Avengers at an average speed of 153.675 mph. NASCAR Winston Cup
Series Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jeff Gordon and Ken Schrader were
second and third, respectively.

Martin took the point lead, 33-31, from Dale Earnhardt. Scott Pruett is
third with 29. The Series next runs at Talladega Superspeedway on "Super
Saturday," April 29. Earnhardt was eliminated in a four-car accident
that was started he got together with Steve Millen while trying to pass
the defending IMSA Exxon GTS champion coming off turn two.

ROUND TWO, TRUE VALUE DODGE IROC XIX PRE-RACE NOTES

NOTE: In-car cameras for Round Two will be in the cars of Scott Pruett,
Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin.

NOTE: The race will be televised on ABC at 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 11.

NOTE: Al Unser Jr. will miss today's race due to a sprained ankle
sustained when he slipped and fell at his home in Albuquerque, N.M.,
after returning from the Australian IndyCar round last weekend. Unser
will be credited with a 12th place finish.

ROUND TWO, TRUE VALUE DODGE IROC XIX RACE NOTES

RUSTY WALLACE (#5 Purple - 10th) -- Dale (Earnhardt) tried to pass
Millen and I guess Millen thought he could bring her down, and there
just wasn't enough room for both of them to go through there. It was
just one of those deals where they were both trying to go for a hole
and they both ran out of room. I just got caught up. They spun and went
flying across the race track, and that was it.

STEVE MILLEN (#10 Salmon - 9th) -- (ON THE INCIDENT WITH DALE
EARNHARDT.) There wasn't much of a racing line out there. I was running
it and Dale was behind me. I wasn't going to hold him up intentionally,
but I wasn't just going to pull over either. Once you pull over, the
whole train goes past. We touched and we spun; it was racing. I really
hoped to get going again just to get in some more laps -- so I wasn't
last in points. Darlington is tough. I'm honored that I was selected for
IROC. I hope I get to do the series, and race Darlington, again.

DALE EARNHARDT (#1 Evans Orange - 8th) -- I just cut down under him
(Steve Millen) and I thought I could get through under him. He switched
lanes and we got together. We spun each other out or I spun HIM out,
more or less. (On his return to the race.) I just wanted to run a
lap and get ahead on the scoring of any other cars that had gone out
at that time. (Before accident.) I hadn't gotten all the way to the
front. We were just trying to sort things out. The track hasn't got but
one-and-a-half grooves yet, and it's a little edgy trying to get under
somebody, to get past 'em.

MARK MARTIN (#9 Aqua - 1st) -- I love this place, man. I just want to
thank the folks from Dodge, True Value, Goodyear and all the folks that
put these cars together. It's a tremendous boost for my confidence the
way we've been getting whipped up on by the Chevys at these other race
tracks -- then we jump in equal cars and it makes me feel a little
better. I had a good race, I hope we can have a good Busch race and then
a good race on Sunday. Things are right on schedule. We just need to get
our Cup car running a little better. This should help us a lot in the
(IROC) series points because we led all those laps and that'll move us
up. We're back in the hunt for this thing (Martin won at Darlington in
1994 and went on to win the IROC championship). It's a great series, and
I'm just happy to be in it. (On starting toward the back of the field in
Round Three on April 29 at Talladega Superspeedway.) It doesn't bother
me. We started in the back for every race last year. (On Gordon and
Schrader hooking up behind him late in the race) I didn't want them to,
but we were looking pretty strong.

HURLEY HAYWOOD (#12 Powder Blue - 6th) -- The car ran good once I
knocked the front end a bit. I got into turn one and the throttle hung
wide open. I got up into the marbles and figured I better get the car so
I could bounce off the wall. I did and got a big "Darlington Stripe."
Nothing on the car seemed to be hurt, so I cranked it up and ran a few
laps. The car actually handled better and I was able to have some fun.
I'll tell you, Darlington is a handful!

JEFF GORDON (#11 Silver - 2nd) -- I could run strong, but once I got
up on somebody the car got tight. When you would lose the air off the
front, when you got in a close draft, then the car got tight. I knew
Kenny (Schrader) was behind me, but I figured if I didn't see him
then he wasn't too close. Mark was smart. He got by me early and then
went and did his thing. Mark had a strong car. (To Ken Schrader...) I
thought you had me! You were in my blind spot! I kept looking up but I
figured, 'If I can't see him, he's not there!' That's the first time
I've actually had to block my (Hendrick Motorsports) 'teammate!' I
figured out here it was fair game.

TOM KENDALL (#7 Lime - 4th) -- I knew that my problems would come on the
restart because we road racers don't have much experience in those. I
had a problem in turn one and turn two. I coulldn't figure it out right
away. It seems my legs are so long that I wasn't getting out of the gas
like I needed to -- I couldn't get my leg back far enough. I solved it.
I could run the pace that Jeff (Gordon) and Ken Schrader were running.
Mark Martin could do what he wanted. Martin is 'bad' here, real 'bad.'

KEN SCHRADER (#3 Mustard - 3rd) -- The race car worked good, but when
you'd get right up under somebody you'd lose the air from the front of
your car and it'd get a little tight. I had the same problem Jeff had
when he'd get to Mark (Martin). You'd lose the air from the front of
the car and it didn't want to turn. Basically, it worked good. I tried
to get in his (Gordon) blind spot, but he's been around too long for
that! (On four-car incident in turn two.) I knew it was gonna happen
a couple laps before and that helped! I just didn't know where! I was
close enough that I could drive around the top. He (Millen) was just
getting turned when I went by.

SCOTT PRUETT (#2 Medium Blue - 5th) -- The biggest problem we had was
there was some sort of electrical short in the car. It would run fine
and then it would just cut out, intermittently. It was kind of coming
and going, so I'd get things going, get caught up, then all of a sudden
it would start doing it again and I'd fall back. That happened a couple
times. It never did clear up. It did it (misfire) on the parade lap,
before the green flag, so I just had to chase it all day. My comfort
level actually got a lot better. When you're out there for 60 laps
you've got to get a lot better.

STEVE KINSER (#8 Teal - 7th) -- I had a car that didn't seem to be
running very good, to me. It was a little ill-handling, but some of
it might've been me. You know, you get your mind set here (on the
Winston Cup car) and I've not been concentrating much on IROC. It was
a combination of everything -- just had a bad run is about all you can
say. It just so happens that I probably got me one (car) that was off a
little bit and I was off a little bit. That's what I mean when I say it
was a combination of things. Relatively they do a pretty good job and
it's tough to get 'em all equal. (Looking ahead to Talladega, where he
is defending race champion.) Let's hope we can run as good as we did
there last year!