Earnhardt celebrates 49th birthday at racetrack

Mike Harris

Sunday, April 30, 2000 | 4:10 a.m.

FONTANA, Calif. - Dale Earnhardt believes in the adage that age and treachery will beat youth and enthusiasm just about every time.

Of course, that fact that "The Intimidator" turned 49 on Saturday might have something to do with that opinion.

"I feel good," he said after taking the 35th spot in Sunday's 43-car NAPA Auto Parts 500 at California Speedway. "I think 49 is a good age. You've got a lot of experience."

Earnhardt, who remains focused on chasing a record eighth Winston Cup championship, already has won a race this season and is fourth in the season points after the first nine events.

So what's different now about the man who has won 75 races in his illustrious career?

"I've mellowed as I've gone on, and got smarter," Earnhardt said. "I still drive the race car pretty good. Maybe the reflexes are off just a little bit, but what I give up in reflexes, I'm smarter about it, and my stamina is still there."

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RUMOR MILL: The Robert Yates Racing team decided to take the air out of some rampaging rumors on Saturday.

Dale Jarrett, the defending Winston Cup champion, crew chief Todd Parrott, engine builder Doug Yates and his father, team owner Robert Yates, emphatically said they will remain together in 2001 and beyond.

Jarrett had previously announced his contract with Yates now extends through 2004, but there was lots of talk around the garage area that Parrott was being courted by other teams and was considering leaving.

"I guess somebody saw me talking to (rival team owner) Felix Sabates right before the race at Talladega (two weeks ago)," Parrott said. "To Felix, thank you for the offer, but I'm not interested.

"This past week and last night I settled on a lifetime contract with Robert Yates Racing, so I'll be there for a long time."

Parrott shrugged off talk about conflicts within the championship team this season.

"There are a lot of different winners, so competition is tougher than it's ever been," he said. "I want to win, (Dale) wants to win. I get aggravated, he gets aggravated. That's part of life.

"I'm happy to be here and, hopefully, if this thing keeps going maybe someday when Robert retires, maybe Doug will own the (No.) 28 and maybe someday I could possibly get a chance at the 88 car. Or maybe (Dale) could buy it and I'll work for him the rest of my life."

Yates, asked if people were trying to cherry pick his team, said, "If there's some people who want us, you have to take the whole cherry tree."

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FALLING BACK: Jeff Gordon's record on California Speedway's 2-mile oval is impeccable.

The three-time series champion has started fifth, first and third and finished first, fourth and first in the three previous Winston Cup events on this track.

If he wins again Sunday, it will take a much tougher effort.

Gordon, coming off his first win of the season, two weeks ago in Talladega, will start 26th. He stood on his first-day lap in the second round of qualifying on Saturday.

It is only the ninth time in 225 Winston Cup races that he has failed to qualify in the first round of time trials. But it is also the second straight race in which it has happened. Gordon started 36th in Talladega.

"We're still being real patient with everything," said Gordon, who has a new crew chief and new race-day crew this season. "We still know we're not where we need to be to be championship caliber.

"That's when you're battling for wins every weekend. We want to get to that level. We're not quite there yet. But we know we can win."

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SPARK PLUGS: Longtime racing star and car-builder Dan Gurney has been named the first winner of the Shav Glick Award, named for the veteran motorsports writer of the Los Angeles Times. ... Mark Martin leads the season points and would collect a $90,000 bonus from series sponsors Winston if he wins on Sunday. ... Mike Skinner's pole victory here was the fourth of the season for Chevrolet. Ford has won the other six poles. Pontiac has yet to take the top qualifying spot this season. ... Ricky Rudd, who qualified third for Sunday's race, has never started better than 23rd in three previous Fontana races.