NASCAR Winston Cup Series Dura-Lube 500 Preview: #3, Dale Earnhardt

29 October 1997
 
 #3 Dale Earnhardt, GM Goodwrench Service Plus Chevrolet Monte Carlo
 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
 Dura-Lube 500 Presented by Kmart Advance
 Phoenix International Raceway
 
     EARNHARDT PLANS ON BRINGING THE CHECKERED FLAG HOME FROM ARIZONA

PHOENIX, AZ - Entering the Dura-Lube 500, the GM Goodwrench Service Plus team 
is on a record-setting streak of consecutive Winston Cup finishes. Going back 
to the 1996 Watkins Glen Winston Cup race, Dale Earnhardt and the GM 
Goodwrench Service Plus team have finished 43 consecutive races making it a 
new NASCAR record. 

 - With only two races remaining on the 1997 schedule, Dale Earnhardt is 
looking to extend his record to 16 consecutive seasons with a NASCAR Winston 
Cup win. His last win came in March of 1996, in the Purolator 500 in Atlanta 
Motor Speedway. 

 - Crew chief Larry McReynolds has made two trips to the Phoenix 
International Raceway winner's circle. While Dale Earnhardt and the RCR/GM 
Goodwrench Service Plus team have one win at the one-mile oval in 1990. 
McReynold's wins came back-to-back with Davey Allison in 1991 & 1992. 

 - With an eighth-place finish in the ACDelco 400 last weened at Rockingham, 
N.C., Dale Earnhardt has finished in the top-10 in five of the last six 
races. Those races were Loudon (8), Dover (2), Martinsville (2), Charlotte 
(3), Talladega (29), and Rockingham (8). 

QUOTES:

"We know we can win," said Earnhardt. "We've finished second four times this 
year and now it's just a matter of time. I'd like to bring the checkered flag 
home from Arizona. "The crew has done a tremendous job getting the cars ready 
to race. Their work in the pits has been outstanding."

"The racing schedule keeps us pretty busy," said Larry McReynolds, "so when 
you have a situation like last weekend with the rain out, it can get hectic 
getting ready for the next weekend. This is the third time this year we've 
had to wait an extra day to go racing. I'm just glad we didn't have to come 
back on another weekend and were able to run the full race on Monday.

"The Phoenix track is similar to Loudon when it comes to structure," remarked 
McReynolds. "They're both flat mile ovals with little banking. We ran good at 
Loudon both times, and I'm looking for a win at Phoenix."

"We've come to Phoenix racing for the championship and left with solid 
finishes," stated Earnhardt. "In 1990 we were in a tight battle and needed 
every point. We left Phoenix with the win, and went to Atlanta to clinch the 
championship.

"With the schedules as busy as they are today, I don't get many chances to 
see Hornaday and the truck team race that much," remarked Earnhardt. "I enjoy 
watching him race and I'm looking forward to watching the GM Goodwrench/Delco 
200."

          DALE EARNHARDT PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY RECORD

   Date       Event                   S   F     Laps        Money Won
   11/6/88    Checker 500            13  11    311/312      $ 15,100
   11/5/89    Auto Works 500          7   6    312/312        16,995
   11/4/90    Checker 500             3   1    312/312        51,980
   11/3/91    Pyroil 500             12   9    312/312        18,200
   11/1/92    Pyroil 500             19  10    312/312        21,370
   10/31/93   Pyroil 500             11   4    312/312        29,980
   10/30/94   Slick 50 500            8  40     90/312        19,575
   10/29/95   Dura-Lube 500           2   3    312/312        49,105
   10/27/96   Dura-Lube 500          24  12    312/312        29,055


By Champion Sports Group