Davey Allison drove the entire Champion 400 without relief Sunday, the first time since incurring multiple fractures to his right arm at Pocono on July 19.
He was competitive all the way and ran as high as second place late in the race. Although he appeared to grimace when he climbed out of his car he told friends that ”physically I feel great.”
However, noting a group of writers surrounding his car, Allison revealed his still shaky emotional state when he said, ”I hope you understand, but I`m going to my truck and then I`m going home.”
Allison`s brother Clifford, killed Thursday in an accident while practicing for Saturday`s Detroit Grand National race, will be buried Monday in Hueytown, Ala.
– Fellow driver Darrell Waltrip gave a moving eulogy to Clifford Allison before the race. In a brief, but eloquent prayer, Waltrip compared the 28-year-old driver to the young stars who competed in Saturday`s race.
”Clifford`s star looks down on us from the sky,” he observed. All of the drivers carried Clifford Allison`s No. 9 on the pillars of their cars, except for Davey Allison and Hut Stricklin. Their cars carried: ”In Memory of Clifford Allison.”
– Richard Petty, starting a race here for the final time, paced the field for the first lap. Petty is still being coy about who will replace him in the STP Pontiac next year. ”The race (Daytona) isn`t until February,” he reminded.
”Whoever the driver is, he`ll have to change his ways for our people. We`ll hold a tryout camp so to speak. When I get ready to tell you, I will.” – Indy car driver Al Unser Jr., who competed in the IROC race Saturday, says his chances of driving in Formula One next year are less than 50-50. ”If I told you 50-50 that would be good,” he acknowledged.