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Mr. Popular stands aside for Earnhardt

By JOANNE KORTH

© St. Petersburg Times,
published August 14, 2001

It's over.

All good things must come to an end, and so, too, will Winston Cup driver Bill Elliott's reign as Most Popular Driver. He is stepping down, withdrawing his name, pulling out of the only race he has won the past seven years.

It is someone else's turn.

"Dale Earnhardt never won this award, and I think it would be a tremendous honor for the Earnhardt family to receive it this year," said Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Dodge. "I certainly don't want to stand in the way of his family receiving this award."

For years, Elliott fans stood in Earnhardt's way. Word has it, the Bill Elliott Fan Club's ability to manipulate the voting process has been truly awesome. Whether by paper ballot, phone or computer, when it came to voting for their favorite driver, Elliott fans made letter carriers look like quitters. He has won the award 15 times, and the past 10 in a row. Now, Elliott is the first driver to remove himself from the balloting in hopes that Earnhardt, killed Feb. 18 at the Daytona 500, can win posthumously.

"Bill's decision to step aside in the voting for the Most Popular Driver award demonstrates just why he has been such a popular driver for so many years," NASCAR president Mike Helton said.

JOB INSECURITY: Once was remarkable enough, but when veteran CART driver Max Papis ran into teammate and series points leader Kenny Brack on Sunday for the second time this season, owner Bobby Rahal couldn't believe it.

"I don't know what (Papis) was thinking," said Rahal, whose contracts with both drivers expire at the end of the season. "You would expect a different behavior from a veteran like Max. ... For a teammate to do it is inexcusable."

Attempting to pass on Lap 30 of the Miller Lite 200 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Papis crashed into the side of Brack, sending Brack's car spinning into a tire barrier. By the time safety workers restarted Brack's car, he was three laps behind.

In July, Brack and Papis were battling for the lead in the Michigan 500 when their cars touched, eliminating both.

The two might not be teammates much longer: ESPN.com reported that Brack has signed for Team Ganassi to run in CART and at the Indianapolis 500 next season, and that Papis was on the way out at Team Rahal even before Sunday's race.

IN RARE FORM: Jeff Burton's runner-up finish to Jeff Gordon in the Global Crossing at Watkins Glen was a rare highlight in a largely bleak season. One year after winning four races and contending for the championship, Burton has one victory (Charlotte) and is 13th in points.

"Coming into this year, I didn't know if we could win the championship," said Burton, who fought for the lead with Gordon on Lap 78 of 90 at Watkins Glen.

"Nobody ever knows if they'll win the championship, but I was pretty sure we'd lead a bunch of laps and have a chance to win a bunch of races and that hasn't really happened for us. This is a humbling way to make a living."

STILL RUNNING: Brett Bodine, driver of the No. 11 Ford, has been running at the end of 28 consecutive races, the longest active streak. Elliott and Bobby Hamilton are the only other drivers without a DNF this season.

FOLLOWING UP: Five Winston Cup drivers who won in 2000 have not won in 2001: Mark Martin, Ward Burton, Jeremy Mayfield, Matt Kenseth and Jerry Nadeau. Terry Labonte, Joe Nemechek and John Andretti have not won since 1999.

GRAND AGAIN: Miami will host an American Le Mans Series race April 5-7 on a street course bordering Biscayne Bay. City commissioners approved a 15-year deal.

The Miami Grand Prix was held on the city's downtown streets from 1983-95, drawing crowds of up to 90,000 people for sports car and open-wheel racing.

-- Information from other news organizations was used in this report.

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