Texas practice notebook: Pemberton stressed out

This year, the schedule has increased to 36 points races, plus two non-points races. At one point of the 2001 season, the Winston Cup races for 20 consecutive weekends.

Pemberton had a stress test prior to the race last week at Bristol, Tennessee. He returned to his family physician last Tuesday, where he underwent heart tests. Those tests did not reveal any artery blockages, but Pemberton went back to the physician on Friday for examination of his carotid artery.

"I was really feeling pretty normal as far as being run down and stressed out - just like about 400 other friends of mine feel like everyday - but my family doctor didn't like the way I was looking and he told me to come in for some tests," Pemberton said. "There was nothing closed up and they said my heart test was okay."

Pemberton considered a return to the race track as earlier as Saturday before deciding to play it safe. John Erickson, the general manager for Penske Racing South, said he would reshuffle the pit crew in Pemberton's absence.

"It's strictly between Robin and his doctor as to when he comes back," said Erickson. "My understanding at this point is that this may be the only race he misses, but that's between him and his doctor. We'll do whatever we've got to do to make sure he's healthy."



A new law to restrict access to autopsy photos passed by the Florida Legislature and signed into law by Florida Governor Jeb Bush has come under fire as several Florida newspapers have filed lawsuits.

Two newspapers, including the Orlando Sentinel are currently planning to sue. The case has taken on widespread interest because the push to keep the photos private was made by the widow of NASCAR racing great Dale Earnhardt, who died on February 18 in a final-lap crash at the Daytona 500.

The Orlando Sentinel had wanted a medical expert to review the photos to see if it could be determined what might have caused the driver's death, but the bid was headed off by Earnhardt's widow, Teresa.

Lawyers for the Sentinel and Earnhardt reached an agreement earlier this month that allows an independent expert to view the autopsy photos of the racing legend before they're permanently sealed.

The suit from the papers alleges that the new law violates the First Amendment of the US Constitution, as well as the open government provision of the Florida Constitution.

"The law tramples free speech guarantees, the equal protection doctrine, due process and Florida's constitutional right of access to public records," the suit said.

Attorneys for the Earnhardt family said the newspapers were going against the will of their readers and the people of the state.

Bush signed the bill on Thursday, only a few hours after it was passed unanimously in the Senate. It would be a third-degree felony to improperly release the records, with a maximum sentence of five years in jail and a US$5,000 fine.



Dodge driver Ward Burton wrecked in Saturday morning's Happy Hour, the final practice session for the Winston Cup teams before Sunday's Harrah's 500.

"The back end just came around," Burton said. "I saved it two or three times, but it finally got in the wall with the left rear. On the last two sets of tyres yesterday the car was extremely tight [understeering]. I guess we just freed it up this morning. It didn't have any grip in the rear. We'll fix it. We hadn't hit on anything yet, but we've got a long race tomorrow so maybe we can make some adjustments during the race."