MOTOR SPORTS NOTEBOOK: WULFF EDGES FRY FOR WIN.

Byline: Daily News Staff and Wire Services

Nathan Wulff made a vow to challenge for Irwindale Speedway's NASCAR Super Late Model Rookie of the Year award.

But the 24-year-old, who had never raced a stock car before this year, is after more than rookie honors. Saturday night's victory in the Miller Lite 75 before 5,257 gave him the series point lead. In two series.

The Escondido resident easily led the first 73 laps, deftly dodging through traffic to build a lead as big as 3.36 seconds. But at the finish, Tommy Fry of Simi Valley, who won last week with Wulff second, dove inside at the restart.

They went side-by-side for a full lap with Wulff winning by 0.033 seconds, about the distance between the front fender and the front tire. Fry appeared to have the lead coming off turn 4, but Wulff's momentum allowed him to barely win.

Wulff and Fry are now tied for the series lead, but Wulff leads the special 10-race Miller Lite Big 10 Challenge.

In a flag-filled 40-lap Super Stock main event, Will Cotrell of Palmdale finally won his first Irwindale event.

--Try it on: The first Head And Neck Safety device made it to Irwindale Speedway on Saturday.

NASCAR Super Late Model driver Nick DeFazio, the son of track general manager Bob DeFazio, received his HANS late this week and wore it for the first time during qualifying and Saturday night's race.

``It's hurting my collar, but it fits pretty good,'' the Newport Beach resident said. ``I can move my head pretty good.''

- Keith Lair

--Teamwork: Kevin Harvick, already with a Winston Cup win since taking over for the late Dale Earnhardt, turned a favor from his Busch teammate into a victory in the Jani-King 300 at Texas Motor Speedway.

When Mike Skinner first let Harvick by for the lead at the end of lap 66, the plan was to get Harvick the points for leading before letting his fellow Richard Childress Racing driver back in front.

But Skinner, subbing for the injured Mike Dillon, quickly dropped back to fourth, and Harvick stayed in the lead for 51 laps. He lost the lead only because of two pit stops, and came out of a restart to show the way for the final 40 laps and finish .246 seconds ahead of Jeff Burton.

``Mike was just trying to help us out and give us five extra points, and then we were going to let him go back by,'' Harvick said. ``I just think he made a little bit of a mistake, or somebody got by.''

Skinner finished ninth.

He led 114 of the 200 laps on the 1 1/2-mile oval, winning with an average speed of 126.212 mph.

It was the fourth Busch victory for Harvick, who won three times last year as a rookie. He has finished in the top 10, including two runner-up finishes, in six of seven Busch races this season.

Shawna Robinson, preparing for her Winston Cup debut, was knocked out of her first Busch race in seven years when Shane Hall slid down and they made contact on lap 45.

``We thought we were clear,'' Hall said. ``The spotter said we were clear. We weren't clear.''

Robinson made 52 Busch starts from 1991-94 and then took time off to have children. She was running the first of three races for car owner and Winston Cup driver Michael Waltrip.

Robinson will become the first woman in 12 years to drive in a Winston Cup race should she make the field April 29 at California Speedway in Fontana.

TODAY'S NASCAR RACE

Event: Harrah's 500 from Texas Motor Speedway

TV: Ch. 11

Time: 10 a.m.

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