Quick Stop Helps Earnhardt

An extremely fast pit stop separated Dale Earnhardt from Terry Labonte, and Earnhardt rode it to victory in the Purolator 500 at Hampton, Ga.

The seven-time Winston Cup champion trailed Labonte by about 1 second prior to the final green-flag stop in the 328-lap event on the 1.522-mile Atlanta Motor Speedway. Earnhardt drove his Richard Childress Chevrolet onto pit road at the end of lap 291 and took on four tires and two cans of gas in 19.72 seconds. Labonte, also driving a Chevy, came in the next time around and took 21.81 seconds.

By the time both were back on the track and up to speed, Earnhardt was well ahead.

Earnhardt, who set a track record of 163.633 mph with the same car in November, broke his own race record by averaging a 161.298. He now has eight Atlanta victories, breaking a tie with retired Cale Yarborough for career wins at the track.

Labonte wound up a half-straightaway behind. Jeff Gordon was third, followed by Ernie Irvan, Jeremy Mayfield and Ken Schrader.

Damon Hill won the Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne and matched the 14 Formula One victories recorded by his late father, the legendary Graham Hill. xxxx