DICK BRINSTER
AP Sports Writer
DOVER, Del. (AP) -- The green flag Cal Ripken Jr. waves Sunday to start the race that bears his name will be one of just 140,000.
The rest of the crowd at Dover Downs International Speedway will wave the small American flags distributed by the track as part of its tribute to those dead and missing in the terrorist attacks of last week.
Tanya Tucker will sign ``God Bless America'' and the national anthem, and Lee Greenwood will perform ``God Bless the USA.'' The track plans to release 50 white doves after the national anthem.
The competitors will carry ``NASCAR loves NY'' bumper stickers, and virtually every cap, uniform and car will have American flag decals, many replacing sponsorship logos. Robert Pressley's Ford carries this message: ``Forever in Our Hearts.''
Northeastern Supply Co., a heating and air conditioning distributor and associate sponsor of Jason Keller's Busch series car has a suggestion about the terrorists. ``Flush'em,'' it says.
The easiest car to spot will be Ken Schrader's M&M's sponsored Pontiac, a Winston Cup car which looks as if a huge American flag was draped over it from bumper to bumper.
``I thought putting the flag on the car was pretty neat,'' Schrader said. ``They wanted to do a special tribute for all of the victims and their families to show their respect and support.''
And the race, the first since the terrorist attacks and following postponement of the event last week in Loudon, N.H., will raise considerable money for relief. Pfizer, the parent company of Viagra, which sponsors Mark Martin's Ford, already has donated $15 million to the recovery effort.
Even those with lack lucrative sponsorship are contributing.
Busch series owner-driver Stanton Barrett turned down small, one-time sponsorships for the race to carry Mercycorps.org and Firedonations.org on his Chevrolet in Saturday's MBNA.com 200. Barrett's close friend, Carolyn Beug, a former president of Disney Animations, is among the missing at the World Trade Center.
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PARK'S STATUS: There is no timetable for Steve Park's return to his Winston Cup ride, said Ty Norris, vice president of Dale Earnhardt Inc. Park was seriously injured in a crash earlier this month in Darlington, S.C.
But Norris said Park is improving.
``The bruise on his brain that has been the subject of most of the injury has healed a tremendous amount,'' Norris said. ``The biggest issue still remains to be the double vision.''
Crew chief Paul Andrews believes Park's crash during a Busch series race at Darlington Raceway was caused by the steering wheel coming off.
``The doctors can't tell when he'll return,'' Norris said of Park. ``It could be two weeks, three weeks, six weeks.
``But we're not going to force him back into the car anytime this year. He has to be ready.''
Norris says the 34-year-old Park walks gingerly because of the double vision, but has not suffered diminished mental capacity.
``They tested his intelligence with two other people in the room, and he was the only one who passed,'' Norris said.
The car is being driven for the third straight race by Kenny Wallace.
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TIGHT SECURITY: Coolers have been banned from the track this week as part a tightened security effort by Dover Downs Entertainment, which owns The Monster Mile.
International Speedway Corp., which owns Daytona and several other tracks, also is instituting a ban on coolers and other carry-on items. Also banned indefinitely will be backpacks and large camera bags.
ISC also said purses, scanners, small camera bags and containers for binoculars will be subject to security checks. Additionally, the tracks plan to use K-9 units in some areas.
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