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Earnhardt memorial planned

DAYTONA BEACH -- A memorial to racing legend Dale Earnhardt at the track where he died in a last-lap crash will be unveiled next month.

The memorial is being constructed at Daytona International Speedway and will be revealed during Speed Weeks, which begin Feb. 2, said Glyn Johnston, director of communication at the Speedway.

Johnston would not describe the statue but said it is designed by John Lajba, the sculptor who cast the 1994 bronze statues of Bill and Anne France in front of Daytona USA.

The sculpture is valued at $60,000, according to a building permit from the city.

Earnhardt died Feb. 18, 2001, when he crashed on the last lap of the Daytona 500.

SPOILER DEBATE: The quarter-inch concession NASCAR gave Ford on Tuesday either is an insult or a big advantage, depending on which manufacturer is talking.

The stock car sanctioning organization cut the quarter-inch from the rear spoilers of the Winston Cup Tauruses for the season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 17.

The spoilers will be 61/4 inches tall by 57 inches wide, same as the Chevrolets. The Dodges and Pontiacs measure 61/2 by 57.

"I think it's kind of insulting," said Mark Martin, who drives a Taurus. "It's really not even half of what we needed."

The biggest howls came from General Motors, whose Chevrolets had the fastest speeds during six days of winter testing in Daytona that ended Jan. 17.

"There is no question we're disappointed about this latest rules adjustment," said Doug Duchardt, NASCAR group manager for GM Racing. "The rules package for this year's Daytona 500 becomes virtually identical to the package the series utilized during the 2000 season. With those rules in place, Ford teams swept the top five finishing positions in both races held at Daytona that year."

FORMULA ONE TESTING: McLaren test driver Alex Wurz led the three-car session in Barcelona, outpacing teammate David Coulthard and Sauber's Nick Heidfeld.

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