Teams back on the road

Thursday, Feb. 27, 2003 | 10:14 a.m.

NASCAR Winston Cup and Busch Series transporters were on the move again Wednesday after warmer temperatures in Arkansas and Texas helped melt icy roadways that left many of the trucks stranded Tuesday evening.

Johnny Mims, transporter driver for the No. 01 Winston Cup car driven by Jerry Nadeau, reported that much of the ice had begun melting on the roads in and around the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Mims said the haulers had resumed their trek to Las Vegas for this weekend's races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Mims said he was stuck outside of Dallas for seven hours Tuesday night and was able to travel only 32 miles in 10 hours Wednesday morning before the ice began to turn to mush, making the roads passable. Mims said he expected to be in Las Vegas sometime tonight -- well ahead of Friday's 5:45 a.m. check-in time at the speedway.

Although the Winston Cup transporters are not permitted to enter the LVMS garage area until 5:45 a.m. Friday, the Busch Series haulers were scheduled to begin entering the facility at 11 this morning.

"This is the worst (weather) I have ever seen," Mims said.

Wallace and Hmiel exchanged words after the two were involved in a wreck but a nearby camera crew picked up only Wallace's comments. NASCAR fined Wallace for "actions detrimental to stock car racing."