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By JOANNE KORTH
© St. Petersburg Times, published September 2, 2001
Five to keep an eye on in the Southern 500 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway with car, today's starting position and best career finish in the race:
JEFF GORDON
CAR: No. 24 Chevrolet.
STARTING POSITION: Second.
BEST FINISH: First (1995, '96, '97, '98).
NOTES: Gordon won at Darlington five times in a seven-race span from 1995-98, including four consecutive victories in the prestigious Southern 500. He is back to his old form this season, consistently in the top 10 and headed for a fourth Winston Cup championship.
DALE JARRETT
CAR: No. 88 Ford.
STARTING POSITION: 27th.
BEST FINISH: Third (1997, '98).
NOTES: Though Jarrett has won the spring race at Darlington three times, including this season, he has not won the Southern 500. His starting spot does not bode well since passing is tough, but Jarrett always finds his way to the front, finishing in the top five in eight of the past nine Darlington races.
RUSTY WALLACE
CAR: No. 2 Ford.
STARTING POSITION: Fourth.
BEST FINISH: Second (1987, '88).
NOTES: Wallace and retired patriarch Lee Petty have the dubious distinction of being the only drivers with more than 50 career victories not to win at Darlington. Wallace isn't terribly patient, which works against him here, but he is good on short runs.
BILL ELLIOTT
CAR: No. 9 Ford.
STARTING POSITION: Ninth.
BEST FINISH: First (1985, '88, '94).
NOTES: Elliott has a history with the Southern 500. This is where he claimed the sport's first $1-million bonus in 1985, the year he won a single-season record 11 superspeedway races, and where he last won a race in 1994. How fitting would it be for Elliott to end the drought in a Dodge at Darlington?
KEVIN HARVICK
CAR: No. 29.
STARTING POSITION: Fifth.
BEST FINISH: First appearance.
NOTES: Rookies are usually a bad bet at Darlington, but Harvick has proven he is not typical. He finished 13th here in the spring, just his fourth Winston Cup race. Plus, Dale Earnhardt won nine times at Darlington, so Harvick's crew knows how to set up the car.