Dale Jr. pulls out stunning Winston

Post-race bridge collapse mars triumphant night

Sunday, May 21, 2000

By Chris Dolack, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

CONCORD, N.C. -- Move over Bill Elliott, make room for Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Elliott, who began his career in the mid-1970s, won the first two 30-lap segments of The Winston, NASCAR Winston Cup's all-star event, at Lowe's Motor Speedway last night.

But with $500,000 going to the winner of the final 10-lap segment, all the drivers admitted it was only a matter of time before someone would wreck.

It happened with eight laps to go and set the stage for Earnhardt Jr. to become the first rookie to win The Winston.

Dale Jarrett edged ahead of Elliott with eight laps to go when Joe Nemechek and Steve Park banged door-to-door coming out of turn two and wrecked violently in turn three. The collision also took out Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon and shuffled Elliott back to fourth. Jarrett's team decided not to pit during the ensuing caution, but Earnhardt Jr. made a veteran call and stopped for tires. He restarted his Monte Carlo in 10th position.

Earnhardt Jr., who brushed the wall during the second segment and was forced to pit, picked off car after car. Once he got around his father, Dale, for second place, he set his sights on Jarrett. With two laps to go, Earnhardt Jr. went around the outside of Jarrett and pulled away to the checkered flag.

"We got lucky," said Earnhardt Jr., who collected $515,000 for his night's work. "We put on tires and I knew I didn't have a chance to beat them without those four tires. We didn't come here to run second or third. We came here to win and that was the only way we were going to do it. We won it outright."

The high of the victory, however, soon was tempered by an accident outside the speedway in which a 15-foot high pedestrian bridge over a four-lane highway collapsed as race fans left the track. About 30 feet of the walkway that led to a parking lot collapsed, folding in half and tumbling down onto the highway, according to The Associated Press.,

At least 10 people were transported to hospitals, two with life-threatening injuries. "It is way too early to tell," said Sherry Wilson of the Concord Fire and Life Safety department. "We can't even get into the scene good at this time."

Track president H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler said about 70 people were on the bridge when it collapsed. He was told there were many minor injuries with some severely hurt.

"All we can do right now is pray," Wheeler told a reporter with Winston-Salem radio station WRAX.

It marred what had been an outstanding night for Earnhardt Jr., who left the veteran drivers impressed.

"It wasn't much of a battle," defending Winston Cup champion Jarrett said.

"He came up there and blew me away. It just shows what a great competitor and what a good team they have.

"I would have to say that I'm probably in the majority saying I'm not surprised. I'm sure he's going to win a number of races throughout the rest of this year."

"You weren't gonna beat that car," said Elliott, who won the 1986 running of The Winston. "Even at the best I don't think we could have beat him. All in all, it was excellent. To come out with a race car that is still intact and me intact and win two legs and the pole, we did good."

Following Earnhardt Jr. and Jarrett were Earnhardt, Jerry Nadeau and Jeff Burton. Elliott finished eighth.

The night began with a dominant performance by Steve Park in the Winston Open. He drove off with the victory worth $35,000.

After Park took the checkered flag, all drivers still on the lead lap were eligible for the No Bull Sprint, a 16-lap dash for the final transfer spot to The Winston. Jerry Nadeau held off Kevin Lepage to gain the final spot in The Winston and collect $28,872.