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Park Tests Again

Elwood

By Elwood
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Elwood Senior Enthusiast

Elwood

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Park tests at Atlanta

By JENNA FRYER

AP Sports Writer

February 25, 2002

 

 

Injured NASCAR driver Steve Park had another successful test session Monday, then promptly said he's tired of being asked when he'll race again.

 

``It seems like that's all people ask anymore and I just don't know how to answer,'' Park said after turning some laps around Atlanta Motor Speedway.

 

Park was injured last September in a wreck during a Busch race at Darlington Raceway. He sustained a brain injury that has led to slurred speech and double vision.

 

He's started wearing eye glasses to improve his sight, but is bothered by how his speech sounds and is often discouraged by it.

 

``It's easier when you break your arm or leg,'' he said. ``With a brain injury, it might take the same amount of time to heal, but it's not obvious when it's better.

 

``I can't talk right, that's just part of the injury. But you don't talk much behind the wheel of a race car, and I can drive the heck out of a race car.''

 

Park ran a fast lap Monday of 176.560 mph, almost 10 seconds off the identical speed of 185.418 that Kenny Wallace and Shawna Robinson posted when they went on the track.

 

The test session came a week after he turned laps at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., with his Dale Earnhardt Inc. teammates and under the watchful eye of NASCAR officials. Park must successfully prove his reflexes and skills are good enough before he'll be cleared to race again.

 

He said the session with his teammates made him think his return is near, although he wouldn't give a date.

 

``We were wide open, and our lap times showed we weren't holding anything back,'' Park said. ``I know I can race now. I just want to make sure when I come back I can be in a position to win.''

 

Wallace, the fill-in driver for Park at DEI, indicated last weekend that Park could be back in a race next month when the Winston Cup series travels to Darlington.

 

``Steve thinks that would be quite a comeback,'' Wallace said.

ekonk Enthusiast

ekonk

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I'd love to see Park out there, but hate to see Kenny Wallace lose his ride.

 

Maybe buckshot will get fired next race he's the first one to get in a wreck....(no offence to Buckshot or any fans, but seriously...)

sincityZ71 Senior Enthusiast

sincityZ71

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Yeah I hope Kenny gets something worked out when Park returns.  He has been a great fill in and has proved that when given a good ride, he can excel.

Elwood Senior Enthusiast

Elwood

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Last I heard on that was that they might do that for the rest of this year if Steve makes it back, but that was it.  Just the one year.  It would be cool if they could field 4 teams though.  Maybe they could foeld one team in conjuction with RCR so it wouldn't be too straining financially on either team.

ekonk Enthusiast

ekonk

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Seems Park is still getting better:

Article on Nascar.com

Says he was only .14 seconds off the fastest time of the day, but also that his vision's not yet at 100%.  Seems fairly likely to me that he'll be back at Darlington.

Elwood Senior Enthusiast

Elwood

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I saw an interview with Kenny last night.  DEI is still keeping him under contract for a while in case Steve needs relief.  He seemed real happy with the situation.  And why not?  He'll concentrate on his Busch ride more and still be getting a pay check from both.  He said he's happy to be in the position he's in.  Maybe next year he can get into a good ride like this one full-time.

General Lee 01 Senior Enthusiast

General Lee 01

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I hear on Jayski's  that a deal may be in the works for Kenny to drive the #57 CLR team (IMO that's a step down) once Park is back.

 

edit- I spoke too soon, just read that Ron Hornaday will attempt to pilot the #57 at it's next race and maybe beyond. (I think they're gonna attempt the atlanta race this week)

Kansas Kid Senior Enthusiast

Kansas Kid

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Look for an announcement on Friday from Atlanta Motor Speedway concerning Parks return, atleast thats what they are saying at Jaskis and nascar.com.  They are also saying he will return at Darlington.

 

I don't know if any of you guys saw him on RPM2Night, but they had a 5 minute section about his tests at Darlington.  He looked much better then in the last interview I saw with him, and Jeff Burton who was also at the test said Park looked like he was ready to get back in a car now, and that he would have no problems racing beside him.

 

Pretty damn good news for a Park fan like myself.  :D

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