Park, Craven crash at head of field

DARLINGTON, S.C. -- - While running first and second in the Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 at Darlington Raceway, Steve Park and pole-sitter Ricky Craven crashed on lap 38.

			Steve Park waves to the crowd after climbing from his car.

While leading and navigating through lap traffic, the No. 1 Pennzoil Chevrolet of Park was tapped in the right-rear quarter panel by Stacey Compton in the No. 14 Conseco Pontiac.

As Park went into the Turn 4 wall, Craven plowed Park from behind.

Park slid down the track but was not hit by oncoming traffic. Both drivers were not injured, but their cars were towed into the garage with heavy damage.

Park, making his first return to action since suffering an injury here that sidelined him for about six months, climbed from the car on his own and went to the infield medical center for routine observation.

"Lap traffic," Park said when asked what caused the wreck. "I mean, everyone saw what happened and that's a shame because the Pennzoil Chevrolet was running good. I felt good, too.

			Ricky Craven

"All day long, in the first part of the race lap traffic was a hassle for all of us. The lap traffic has to give the leaders a break. I mean, the leader is the one who gives lap traffic a break to get their laps back and we've seen that before.

"I'm disappointed because I wanted to the car to make it to the end. It ran good and it was capable of winning the race."

"Steve got together with the lap car (Compton) who didn't give him any consideration, really," Craven said while sitting in his car as the crew made repairs. "He raced him in the corner, I thought. Of course they got together and there was no way I could miss it.

"I tore up the Tide Ford."