Jarrett Ends Doubts With Late Charge

Dale Jarrett’s late charge on Sunday earned him a 26th trip to victory lane and prevented Johnny Benson from earning his first.

Jarrett overtook Benson with six laps remaining and won the Harrah’s 500 at Texas Motor Speedway at Fort Worth, becoming the first two-time winner on the Winston Cup circuit this season.

Jarrett, who led a race-high 122 laps, averaged 141.804 mph and had been racing at or near the front throughout the 334-lap event, but slipped from second to sixth during the final pit stops by the leaders when he took four tires while most put on two. The first few laps after the tire change, Jarrett wondered if the team had made the right choice.

“I knew my car usually took eight to 10 laps to come in,” Jarrett said. “I didn’t show much patience. There were only 18 [laps] to go and I was probably overdriving the car a little bit.”

In a wide-open race that featured several lead changes, Jarrett emerged from a six-car logjam in the final 25 laps. Driving his No. 88 Ford Taurus, he took the lead from Benson on turn two on lap 328 and never relinquished it.

Seeking his second Winston Cup championship in three years, Jarrett extended his lead atop the standings to 75 points over Jeff Gordon, who posted his best finish at Texas Motor Speedway by placing fifth in a Chevrolet Monte Carlo.

Steve Park, who led several times, fell short of a second win this season as he sneaked by Benson to finish second in a Chevrolet. Benson settled for his best finish of the year by placing third in a Pontiac Grand Prix.

Defending champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. started from the pole and led for 107 laps. But a poor pit stop late in the race caused him to fall from first to eighth.

Last year, Earnhardt Jr. had a joyous celebration, hugging his famous father after earning his first Winston Cup victory. This time, Earnhardt Jr. listened silently during a pre-race tribute to the elder Earnhardt, during which it was announced that a new interchange at the edge of the speedway will be named Dale Earnhardt Way.

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Michael Schumacher’s six-race winning streak ended when David Coulthard won the Brazilian Grand Prix at Sao Paulo to at least slow the Ferrari team’s momentum.

Schumacher was no threat to continue his run at Alberto Ascari’s Formula One record of nine consecutive victories. The three-time series champion was outrun and passed twice.

The second time, on the 49th of 70 laps, Coulthard got by him with a deft move around the Ferrari as they overtook the slow Minardi of Tarso Marques. Then Coulthard drove away in his McLaren to win by 16 seconds.

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Will Cottrell took the checkered flag in the 30-lap Super Stock main event Saturday night at Irwindale Speedway, but his win was taken away by track officials early Sunday morning after they discovered his car’s transmission did not have the required number of gears.

According to the Irwindale rule book, Super Stock Class cars are required to have four gears. Tommy Fry earned the win after finishing second.