 All Winston
Cup drivers are required to attend the pre-race drivers' meeting - or they
start at the back of the pack. Sometimes the drivers bring guests, such
as Citgo Ford driver Michael Waltrip, who carried his infant daughter to
the meeting at the Atlanta Motor Speedway on Nov. 16, 1997. |
 Sometimes the
drivers have a little fun, such as Miller Lite Ford driver Rusty Wallace,
who once won a Winston Cup championship at Atlanta.. |
 But as race
time approaches, the drivers undergo a change. You can see Dale Earnhardt,
driver of the GM Goodwrench Service Chevrolet, getting into his race mood
as crew chief Larry McReynolds tries to keep a good mood. |
 The change
also shows on the face of Dale Jarrett, Ford Credit Thunderbird driver
and Winston Cup championship contender. A few minutes before this image
was captured, Jarrett was joking and smiling - but it's race time now and
the second-generation driver is serious and intense. |
 Even during
his American Speed Association championship days, Mark Martin (right) was
focused on his racing. With a Winston Cup championship on the line at Atlanta,
Martin looked as if he was carrying his personal intensity to a new level.
Words can't describe the look on the face of Ward Burton (left), driver
of the MBNA America Pontiac. |
 Hendrick Racing
teammates Ricky Craven (left), driver of the Budwesier Monte Carlo, and
Winston Cup point leader Jeff Gordon, driver of the DuPont Refinishes Chevrolet,
seemed to inhale every word from the NASCAR race director during the drivers
meeting. Gordon had to start the race from 38th place when he first damaged
his primary car in a strange, low-speed pit road wreck, then blew oil over
his tires during time trials and nearly crashed. |
Back to the index page |
Over to AWA day 1 |
Look at day 2 |
Ahead to "day 3" |