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Nascar briefs

By Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published October 6, 2000

Earnhardt son Kerry crashes

CONCORD, N.C. -- With a bang into the wall, hopes for a three-Earnhardt race ended Thursday at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Kerry Earnhardt was trying to join his father, seven-time Winston Cup champion Dale, and younger brother, Dale Jr., in the UAW-GM Quality 500 on Sunday.

But just like in his first foray into Winston Cup, he wrecked his car.

Driving a Chevrolet owned by Marcis Auto Racing but set up by his father at Dale Earnhardt Inc., Kerry Earnhardt spun out and hit the wall in the fourth turn in Thursday's practice session.

"It was a brand new car, and I never got to test it, never had it on this track before, and I just got loose and hit the wall," Kerry said. "I guess I was just trying to do too much too soon."

As Kerry looked over the damage, Dale stomped over and summoned him into the hauler. The two came back out less than a minute later, and Dale left the track without commenting.

The team had to go to a backup car, which was designed by Marcis' team, so owner Dave Marcis drove it. Marcis failed to make the field in the evening's second-round qualifying session.

Kerry Earnhardt made the August race at Michigan but after six laps hit the wall and wrecked his car.

MAYFIELD SEEKS CONSISTENCY: Jeremy Mayfield is the only driver to win two 500-mile races this season, at Pocono in June and California in April. And he was leading the July Pocono race when he cut a tire on the final lap.

Even with two victories and seven other top-10 finishes, plus three poles, Mayfield is 25th on the points list.

"Our whole year has been kind of up and down," Mayfield said. "There are times where you think, "Man, we couldn't get any better.' We're winning races and poles, and then, all of a sudden, we'd have a bad race.

"The last six races have definitely been something that we can't shake and can't figure out what's going on."

Mayfield's results for the past six races: 35th, 41st, 39th, 40th, 35th, 38th.

"We've nicknamed our season "The Cyclone,' like the roller-coaster ride. We've been up, and we've been down."

Mayfield qualified 10th for Sunday's race.

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