8B
Friday, February 14, 1997
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Multi-car teams ready for Daytona
New system saves money
The Associated Press
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — It wasn't all that long ago that most Winston Cup stars would sneer at the mere mention of a two-car team.
My. how times have changed.
In Sunday's season-opening Daytona 500, multi-car teams appear to be the generally accepted way to go in NASCAR's top stock car series.
Cutting costs and cutting corners on the rules are among the reasons for the change.
Leading the way is Hendrick Motorsports. It boasts 1995 Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon, Terry Labore — who beat his
teammate in a close race for the title last year — and former Rookie of the Year Ricky Craven, who came aboard this year.
Roush Racing also joined the three-car setup last season, adding Jeff Burton to holdovers Mark Martin and Ted Musgrave.
Robert Yates Racing went to a two-car team in 1996, putting Dale Jarrett and Ernie Ivan together. They combined for six victories, and both finished on the top 10 in points.
Now, Richard Childress Racing — for whom Dale Earnhardt has won six of his seven series titles in the last 13 years — is a two-car operation. Rookie Mike Skinner is the new man.
Skinner, the former NASCAR truck series champion, immediately rewarded Childress with his second straight Daytona 600 pole.
"I think what made up my mind to do the second team was the
Busch Clash here last year," Childress said. "We got shuffled around by so many team cars, I said, 'We've got to have some help here.'
"Hendrick proved you could do it, and we could see how successful the Yates teams were and how much we were losing ground to some of the other teams."
The buddy system in races, with one teammate helping another in the draft, is only one reason for the proliferation of multi-car teams.
There also is the sharing of data from testing — limited by NASCAR for each car — as well as the sharing of aerodynamic information from wind-tunnel testing.
The latter is particularly important because, for example, hundredths of an inch added to or taken away from a spoiler, quarter panel or front air dam can
make a major difference in speed and handling.
Because not all teams have big budgets or the ability to attract more sponsorship for second or third cars,alliances also have sprung up to give some teams the same type of information-sharing at a lower cost.
One such alliance has joined teams owned by Butch Mock, Ricky Rudd, Travis Carter and Michael Kranefuss — all campaigning Fords.
"The way the program got started was through Peter Guild, our motor guy," Mock explained. "We're all up against the Hendrick teams.
"In theory, they have input from three drivers and three crew chiefs. So Peter sat us down and said, 'Look, why don't our teams get together with the same concept and see if you can't share
some information. Not be a fourcar team, but share some information that is common among all the teams.'
"We're already sharing the same engine program. Whether it's going to actually work or not, the jury is still out."
Owner-driver Rudd liked the concept from the start.
"It basically just started as a cost-sharing measure," he said. "It's a way for us to cut down on some of the expense of racing."
Rudd, who left Hendrick after the 1993 season, has been labeled as an enemy of the multi-car team concept. He says that isn't quite true.
"The multi-car team is good if they work hard together and pull together," Rudd said. "When I was at the Hendrick organization, they weren't pulling together. It was sort of chaos."
Runner linked to war crimes
The Associated Press
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Mamo Wolde, an Olympic marathon gold medalist, and 5,197 other officials of the military regime deposed in 1991 have been charged with committing genocide, war crimes and murder during the 1970s.
Wolde, the 1968 Olympic marathon champion and 1972 third-place finisher, has been held in Addis Ababa's central prison since 1992. He is accused of involvement in the killings of some 2,000 political opponents of Col. Mengistu Haile Mariam from 1974 to 1978.
Wolde, who became the head of former Emperor Haile Selassie's imperial guard after his victory at Mexico City, says he is not guilty.
In 1991, rebels toppled Marian's government, which had been in power since a 1974 coup. Marian fled to Zimbabwe, but his name is on the list of 25 former top officials now being tried in absentia. Seventy others were standing trial before an Addis tribunal that convened in November 1996.
Special prosecutor Ghirma Wakjira said charges included the killing, torture and forced disappearance of 14,200 victims. He did not indicate specific charges against Wolde.
Swimmer back in pool
Time out for illness allows new outlook
The Associated Press
BUFFALO, N.Y. — If this were two years ago, the Phillips 66 National Swimming Championships would be just another big meet on Chad Carvin's journey to the Olympics.
But when the gun goes off today for the 200-meter freestyle, part of Carvin will be glad to simply get his hair wet again.
The championships, being held through Sunday in Buffalo, are Carvin's first nationals since coming back from heart disease.
While a touch of his speed may be gone, the desire to compete still is there. So is a greater appreciation for the chance just to be a swimmer.
"Before, I would take a lot of things for granted because everything would come pretty easy," Carvin said. "But now the things
that are important are messing around at practice and being with my teammates. That's the kind of stuff I probably overlooked before, but now that's what I like the most."
Carvin, 22, of Laguna Hills, Calif. won the 200-meter freestyle at the 1995 summer nationals and was a top contender at several other distance events. He seemed assured a berth on the U.S. Olympic team for the Atlanta Games.
Then came the fatigue. A senior at Arizona, Carvin led an active life outside the pool. He enjoyed biking, surfing and tennis. Suddenly, none of those activities seemed appealing, let alone swimming.
"I could barely finish workouts," he said. "I would want to be out and doing things, but when I'd start up, it would be as hard as anything I could ever remember."
A series of medical tests in December 1995 revealed a condition known as viral cardiomyopathy, which limits the amount of oxygen reaching the heart. In Carvin's case, he was receiving only about half the required amount.
Doctors feared Carvin might need a transplant and ordered him to stop all strenuous activity for 90 days. That included swimming. Instead of training for the Olympic trials, Carvin found himself parking in handicapped spaces and cutting down his course load at school.
"You know when you have a broken arm and you have to rest it completely? It was almost like I had a broken heart," Carvin said. "The spirits weren't too high."
Arizona swimming coach Frank Bush is more blunt.
"Watching the Olympics go down the tubes — to a kid who is 21 or 22 years old — they just see that as their life dissolving in front of them," Bush said. "That was devastating. That was more than devastating."
Fortunately, Carvin was able to fight off the virus, and doctors gave him the OK to get back in the pool in March. That was a shock, too. His muscles were in terrible shape.
Carvin has competed in a few regional meets since last summer, but he hasn't yet raced nationally.
TALKING BACK
The following are comments that the sports desk has received via e-mail. Anyone with comments or suggestions can send e-mail to sports@kansan.com and selected comments will be printed on Fridays.
The following is in response to John Erck's column that O.J. Simpson should be removed from the Hall of Fame:
If he had been found guilty of murder then perhaps he should be removed from the Pro-Football Hall of Fame. As it is, he has never been convicted of a felony.
O. J. Simpson was found not guilty of two counts of murder. The fact that he was found liable in a civil court is an interesting comment on our judicial system and possibly the politics of race in the courtroom.
Pete Rose should be in the Hall of Fame, regardless of whether or not he gambled on baseball. Any gambling he did certainly no damage to baseball. In fact, his exclusion from the Hall of Fame is petty and does the sport no good whatsoever.
Alomar, Van Exel, Gooden, Strawberry, Howe, McDowell, Rider, Phillips — whether they possess the ability ever to get into a Hall of Fame is questionable.
Should Jordan be excluded from the NBA Hall of Fame for gambling on golf? Are you out of your mind? Should Magic Johnson be excluded for promiscuity that got him HIV? Have you ever gambled? Had sex outside of marriage? Had alcohol or cigarettes while underage? Did you ever get into an R-rated movie before you were 17?
Should actors be given honors for their acting performances if their personal lives are not up to par?
Should the portraits of former U.S. presidents remain on the walls of the White House in spite of their tarnished personal lives? Kennedy? Insatiable sexual appetite. FDR? At least two mistresses.
Muhammad Ali — draft dodger. One of the greatest boxers of all time.
Send him an autograph request and he will sign it, as he continues to personally sign each and every one — in spite of Parkinson's.
Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, DiMaggio. If we only let those without off-the-field problems in, these would be excluded as well.
Heck, Martin Luther King Jr. may have been academically dishonest. Does he remain one of the truly courageous individuals in American history? Of course.
If there is a line to be drawn at all, it should be only with the most severe of crimes: rape, murder, etc.
Andrew Arnold
Today's Birthday (Feb. 14)
Get married in the latter part of May, and take your honeymoon in June. If you're already married, do it again.
You're always lucky in love, but this year even more so. Make a commitment right now. A potential accident in April is a lesson in disguise. Figure it out in March and avoid it.
Work hard in July so you can travel again in September. Help a friend kick a bad habit in December, and watch your own dreams come true in January.
Today is an 8.
Aries (March 21-April 19)
Today is an 8
Sort your money and figure out how it should be allocated. Gather in whatever you still have coming. Then go out and get rowdy with your friend. The good news is that you
should be ready to play well before the end of the regular workday.
HOROSCOPES
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
Today is a 7.
Figure out what you want to accomplish in the next few days. Also, compute roughly what all this is going to cost.
Later in the day, you'll get to go shopping. Be careful or you'll go over budget. You'll be in an impetuous mood.
Gemini (May 21-June 22)
Today is a 9.
To avoid getting into trouble, go through your mail. Write up those checks that ought to go out.
Don't worry, you will be well rewarded. Not only will you feel better about yourself, but also you'll have the opportunity to celebrate with your friends.
Cancer (June 22-July 22)
Today is a 6.
Get up early and go out for breakfast with your valentine. It'll be elegant, exciting and much less expensive than going out to dinner. There's no shortage of money out there. The trick is to get it to flow into your pockets.
Race around and get as much
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Make sure you're at work on time this morning. If you don't have a boss who's watching, the netting comes from inside your own head. You always strive for excellence, but every once in a while you lapse. You have permission to do that this afternoon.
Todav is an 8.
done as possible this morning.
Later in the day, you may get a new assignment. Somebody you respect, admire, or work for has come up with another way to keep you busy. "Oh, gooled," you're probably saying. Happy Valentine's Day!
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23)
Today is an 8
Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 21)
Today is a 6.
There's a grand trend in air signs for the next couple of days, beginning this afternoon. That's perfect for just about whatever you can imagine. Launch new projects, travel, fall in love or shop until you drop. You have the perfect excuse.
Stop pondering and make the decision first thing this morning. You have enough information. Besides, you're running out of time.
Later in the day, you'll need to get the funds. This afternoon will be good for talking to lending agencies.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Todav is an 8.
Get an early start this morning.
This afternoon, you could get an offer you can't refuse. You sure won't want to, anyway. A very attractive person wants to help you explore a foreign land. This person is closer to home than you realized.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan.19)
Today is a 7.
The most romantic time for you is early this morning. Later in the day, the work will start pouring in. Things never seem to come by drips and drops into your life.
it's a downpour or nothing. This afternoon, take along your
umbrella.
Today is an 8.
Aquarius (Dec. 22-Jan.19) Today is an 8.
A hassle at home threatens to make you late. If you have children or a puppy, you're used to this sort of thing. Schedule a dinner date with a fascinating person and leave the kids or puppy at Grandma's.
Plsces (Feb.19-March 20)
Today is a 7.
Someone you know is succeeding in where you're having trouble. What you find difficult is easy to this one. How does he or she do that? Figure out the answer, and you'll win a big prize. You're smart enough to do it.
NOTE: Horoscopes have no basis in scientific fact and should be read for entertainment only.
Regular Or Unleaded?
$10,000 PLUS
Student Loan Repayment Program $7,124.40 Education Assistance
190th Air Refueling Wing
Kansas Air National Guard (913) 861-4295 or 1-800-435-5149