Park to be evaluated? UPDATE: DEI and NASCAR officials will likely take a look at #1-Steve Park before next week’s race at fast and dangerous Texas Motor Speedway. Park was sidelined six months after suffering a bruise at the base of his skull as a result of a crash during a Busch Series race at Darlington last September. The swelling in his head had given him double vision. Park returned on March 17 at that same South Carolina track. Some suggest his return is pre-mature. Park had two questionable incidents in his first race back, running into #90-Rick Mast and drifting high into the lapped car of #14-Stacy Compton. At Bristol, there were three more incidents: Park spun out running by himself between Turns 1 & 2 on lap 81 [actually got together with #44-Jones]; rear-ended #31-Robby Gordon on lap 342, and spun out again on lap 408. “The released him way too soon,” one spotter said.(Knoxville News)(3-25-2002) UPDATE: Despite rumors to the contrary, NASCAR spokeswoman Danielle Humphrey said the sanctioning body will not re-evaluate Steve Park prior to next week’s race at Texas Motor Speedway. Park returned to the Winston Cup Series two weeks ago after being out since September because of a head injury. There have been published reports stating that NASCAR likely would take another look at Park after he ran into Rick Mast and Stacy Compton while leading at Darlington and was involved in several incidents in last weekend’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Humphrey said Park’s doctors have cleared him to race, and no changes to his status are being considered.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(3-27-2002)
