LaJoie Stays on the Gas for Victory

Busch Grand National champion Randy LaJoie opened defense of his title Saturday by defeating a host of Winston Cup regulars in the 39th annual Gargoyles 300 at Daytona International Raceway.

LaJoie, who led 56 of the 120 laps, took the lead for keeps when old-timer Dick Trickle got caught in traffic while leading on Lap 94. From there to the finish it was a question of fuel consumption, but LaJoie gambled he could make it and it paid off when his Chevrolet held off the Pontiac of Todd Bodine and the Ford of Michael Waltrip.

LaJoie averaged 149.688 mph and earned $76,284 for finishing about three car-lengths in front of Bodine.

“It was a hell of a start [in defense of the championship], that’s for sure,” LaJoie, 35, said. “About 15 laps from the end, Birdie [team manager Steve Bird] told me to take it easy on the fuel, but I didn’t understand how I could take my foot out of the carburetor without someone passing me. I never knew a race car driver who would lift.

“Earlier, I saved a lot of fuel drafting Trickle for 15 laps or so, but when he got trapped behind some slower cars, I knew I had to take the lead, so I went for it. I learned some drafting strategy in the IROC yesterday. Today it helped.”

LaJoie, the first Busch Grand National champion invited to drive in the International Race of Champions, finished fourth in the all-star field of 12.

Three early-race accidents knocked Winston Cup drivers Dale Jarrett, Mark Martin, Jeff Burton and Jimmy Spencer out of the Gargoyles race, but none were injured and all will drive today in the Daytona 500.