Long, Difficult NASCAR Season Getting Tougher

In the midst of 12 races in as many weeks, NASCAR teams are feeling the impact of a long, tough season.

This season, comprised of 34 points races and two non-points events, has been tough. Next year will be worse.

NASCAR announced the 2001 schedule Tuesday. With the addition of points races at new venues in Joliet, Ill., and Kansas City, Kan., the schedule has been expanded to 38 events.

The season kicks off with nine straight weekends and ends with 20 straight events beginning with the Pepsi 400 in July at Daytona International Speedway.

After the green flag falls for the Bud Shootout on Feb. 11, there will be only three weekends off until the season finale in Atlanta on Nov. 18.

“I’ve been looking to buy a home in Charlotte,” said Robbie Loomis, crew chief for Jeff Gordon. “Then I looked at next year’s schedule and that would be foolish because there won’t be enough time to spend at home. We won’t be there.”

Looking at the pressure the schedule is going to put on the Winston Cup teams, Loomis knows what needs to be done.

“We’re just going to have to work very hard to get things organized so we’re not killing people,” he said. “We’re just going to have to hire more people.

“At first, when we worked seven to nine weeks straight, everybody seemed to be able to keep up with it. Then we started working 12 or 13 weeks straight, seven days a week.”

Gary DeHart, Terry Labonte’s crew chief, said his team already is worn out after nine straight weeks on the road.

“I expect a few of them to fall out before the end of the season, and they probably won’t want to do it next year,” DeHart said. “We won’t have to look hard for replacements, but you’ve got to retrain people.”

DeHart said Rick Hendrick, who has a three-car team in Winston Cup this year and will add a fourth entry in 2001, has asked his crew chiefs to write down ideas on how to deal with the extended schedule.

“I really think another transporter and another driver will help,” DeHart said. “The road crew needs some time off. I think next year the road crew will get three days off and possibly four.

“We’re going to have to utilize everyone and not kill a handful of our guys.”

TITLE RACE

Time is running out for Dale Earnhardt in his quest for a record eighth Winston Cup title.

Heading into Sunday’s NAPA Auto Care 500 in Martinsville, Va., the 49-year-old Earnhardt is in second place, but trails leader Bobby Labonte by 249 points.

Still, The Intimidator isn’t ready to concede anything with seven races remaining. This is the 12th time he has battled to the end of the season for a title, and has finished second twice.

In 1995, Earnhardt trailed Jeff Gordon by 309 points with seven races remaining. He came up short, but lost by just 34 points.

“Anything can happen,” Earnhardt said. “We need to capitalize when the opportunities are presented. It can be done. We lost 175 in three races during the summer. Experience and opportunity are the two key things down the final stretch.”

Experience he has. Earnhardt has won a total of 24 races at six of the seven tracks remaining on the schedule. Homestead, Fla., which came on the schedule in 1999, is the only track at which he has not taken a checkered flag.

NO FUN

Tony Stewart, coming off a victory in Dover, Del., isn’t crazy about Martinsville Speedway, Winston Cup’s shortest and flattest oval. “The only reason I like going to Martinsville is the people,” he said. “But racing at Martinsville--it’s like racing around a parking lot with a curb around it.”

In three previous starts on the half-mile track, Stewart has finished 20th, 41st and sixth.