Oldsmobile

ROCKINGHAM, N.C. -- Ward Burton raced past Davey Allison 22 laps from the end and pulled away to win yesterday's crash-filled Goodwrench 200, the first Busch Grand National victory for the South Boston, Va., driver in 54 tries.The 197-lap race at North Carolina Motor speedway was interrupted a record 13 times, for 66 laps, by caution flags, most of them brought out by spins and crashes. However, no injuries were reported.The longest stretch of green-flag racing all day was the last 25 laps, giving Burton a chance to drive his Buick Regal to the front and away from the competition.

Trammel pulls away, wins ARCA 500KHAMPTON, Ga. -- Greg Trammel overcame a botched pit stoand took advantage of Charlie Glotzbach's engine failure to win the ARCA 500K yesterday at Atlanta Motor Speedway.It was his first super-speedway victory.Trammel, a member of the Bill Elliott racing team in Dawsonville, Ga., inherited the lead when Glotzbach's ignition failed while he had a two-lap cushion with only 36 to go on the 1.522-mile oval.Trammel, the fastest qualifier, drove a Ford to pull away from Ken Ragan, in a Buick, in the final laps and win by 22 seconds.

KFAR SHMARIYAHU, Israel -- General Motors recently decided to commit what it considers euthanasia upon the Oldsmobile. Others might call it murder. Reporting GM's decision to close down its Oldsmobile division, the New York Times called the car "dowdy." Wall Street, it said, had been hankering for its abolition for some time and has applauded the decision by tacking 19 cents onto the stock. Selling a whole factory in Lansing, Mich., down the river for 19 cents? Dignified, I say, not dowdy.

Gertrude Mitchell and Thelma Turner were the best of friends. They lived in the same retirement home in Northeast Baltimore. And for decades, they both attended services across town at the Providence Baptist Church. Sometimes they drove together. About 5:45 Sunday afternoon, after participating in a fundraising function at the church in West Baltimore, the two women and Turner's 12-year-old foster son climbed into Turner's Chevrolet Lumina and headed home. Moments after they pulled onto Brunt Street, police said, a speeding Oldsmobile driven by a 20-year-old Baltimore man slammed into their car at Mosher Street.

County police have charged two men Wednesday with auto break-ins at a Davidsonville park-and-ride lot, and said they also are suspects in Northern Virginia and Washington thefts.William Taylor, 35, of the 7900 block of 18th Ave. in Adelphi and Anthony Malone, 21, of the 2300 block of 11th St. in Washington were charged with felony theft, misdemeanor theft and being "rogues and vagabonds." Mr. Malone also was charged with possession of crack cocaine.Each was held at the county Detention Center in lieu of $2,500 bail.

State police are searching for the driver of an auto who caused about $16,000 damage to two fuel pumps at Piper's Wine & Spirit Barn near Manchester on Tuesday night."

Two women were at the Maryland Shock Trauma Center in serious and stable condition last night after a head-on collision on Route 32 in Sykesville about 2:40 p.m. Monday.Fire and rescue crews worked for nearly 90 minutes to before they could extricate the driver of a Ford Taurus from the vehicle. Her legs were trapped under the steering column and instrument panel when the left front section of the car was pushed back into her lap, fire officials said.Rescue workers cut the top and both front doors off the Ford before they could get the driver, Carol Campher, 52, of Montgomery County out of the crumpled auto, which was knocked off the road and into a ditch.

* North Laurel: 9700 block of Washington Blvd.: Someone broke into a 1984 Ford van between 7 p.m. Monday and 7 a.m. Tuesday and stole a $300 demo-hammer.* Savage: 8700 block of Bollman Place: A black 1989 Volkswagen Jetta was stolen between 5:45 p.m. Tuesday and 3 a.m. Wednesday.* Scaggsville: Route 216 at Route 29: Someone slashed the front tire on a 1987 Oldsmobile at a Park and Ride about 7:05 a.m. Wednesday.

POLICE LOG* Long Reach: 8500 block of Winter Pasture Way: A burglar entered a house through an unlocked door or window while residents slept and took a VCR, CD player, cassette player, phone and cable box early Wednesday morning. Police said officers found most of the property under a white plastic bag at a nearby playground.8700 block of Hayshed Lane: Someone tried to steal a 1986 Oldsmobile by tampering with the ignition Wednesday, police said.* Owen Brown: 6400 block of Dobbin Road: Police said someone smashed a window at a Herman's sporting goods store in a robbery attempt early yesterday, but was scared off by an alarm.

Police logHarper's Choice: 5600 block of Freshaire Lane: Someone tried to steal a black 1985 Pontiac Grand-Am with Maryland tags WMF-546 Oct. 30.Harper's Choice: 5200 block of Winding Star Circle: A white 1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass Cierra with Washington, D.C., tags 585828 was reported stolen Tuesday.Harper's Choice: 5600 block of Harper's Farm Road: A man grabbed an elderly woman's purse from her hand as she walked to a mailbox in her condominium complex Wednesday. Police said he may have fled with three other men.