By MIKE HARRIS
AP Motorsports Writer
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) - When Sterling Marlin tried a little repair job on his car, he handed Ward Burton the victory in Sunday's Daytona 500.
Following a late red flag, Burton won a three-lap dash to the finish line for his fourth career win in 251 starts.
Marlin, who received hate mail and death threats from people who blamed him for the crash that killed Dale Earnhardt at last year's Daytona 500, appeared to have his third victory in ''The Great American Race'' in hand.
With six laps to go, Marlin had spun out Jeff Gordon as a pack of cars crashed behind them, then beat Burton back to the yellow flag by less than half a car-length.
NASCAR stopped the bizarre, crash-marred race to give the remaining leaders a chance to race for the win. With the cars halted on the backstretch, Marlin got out of his car to check for damage on the right front fender.
He started to pull the bent sheet metal away from the tire, but an official warned him to get back in his Dodge. That little attempt to fix the damage was enough for NASCAR to penalize him, sending his car back to the rear of the lead pack after the cars restarted.
''I tried to get it pulled off, but NASCAR didn't like it, and they sent me to the rear,'' Marlin said.
Burton called the last three laps ''nerve-racking.''
''I didn't even look at the flag,'' he said. ''I wasn't going to stop. When the other guys backed off, I backed off.''
Following the restart, all the contenders behind Burton began to race two-by-two and even three-wide, letting the leader pull away. He crossed the finish line about three car-lengths ahead of Elliott Sadler's Ford.
Former Daytona winner Geoff Bodine, making a comeback at 52, was a surprising third, followed by Kurt Busch, 2000 race winner Michael Waltrip, Mark Martin and rookie Ryan Newman.
''A lot of what happens here is atmosphere and luck. We had some luck today,'' Burton said.
The 44th Daytona 500 began with some unknowns, with NASCAR giving both Ford and Dodge a quarter-inch reduction of their rear spoilers on Friday with little practice time to see how they would work in the draft.
Chevrolet and Pontiac were considered the big favorites, but the race turned into a 200-lap brawl, with lots of side-by-side action and two big crashes, one of them involving 18 cars.
Gordon, the defending Winston Cup champion who has won the Daytona 500 twice, helped ignite the big one when Kevin Harvick, last year's top rookie, tried to block him on lap 149 as the two battled for second place.
Gordon tagged Harvick's rear bumper and sent him spinning up the banking into the wall. Harvick's car then slid back down the track right in front of a pack of cars racing at close to 190 mph.
Kenny Wallace's car erupted in flames in the middle of the melee, but nobody was injured in the first big test of a NASCAR safety initiative that was accelerated after Earnhardt's death in a last-lap crash here last February.
Several drivers blamed the new aerodynamic rules for the crashing and banging in Sunday's race, saying they were forced to block continuously or lose positions in bunches.
''There's no give, just take, take, take,'' said Todd Bodine, who was caught up in the 18-car crash. ''When you have something like that all day, something like this is bound to happen.''
Seventeen cars were still left on the lead lap after that crash and the hard racing continued.
It appeared Gordon had everybody right where he wanted them when, with Marlin pushing his Chevy from behind, he passed Busch for the lead on lap 177. Marlin followed into second.
It stayed that way until after another flag for a crash by Robby Gordon on lap 191. On the restart on lap 195, with cars crashing well behind them on the main straightaway, Marlin tried to pass Jeff Gordon on the low side.
Gordon slid over to block and the two came together, with Gordon sliding sideways and skidding into the infield grass, ending his shot at another Daytona win. He continued but wound up ninth.
''I probably should have given it up once he got beside me,'' Gordon said. ''That was my own fault. ... He had a run on me and I blocked him and got myself turned.
''It was a wild and crazy race. I went from the back to the front and the front to the back,'' Gordon said.
Burton, who led only the last four laps, averaged 142.971 mph to give Dodge its first Daytona 500 victory since 1974. Although NASCAR's new aerodynamic rules were intended to put a premium on passing, there were 20 lead changes among 12 drivers and plenty of excitement for the 190,000 spectators at Daytona International Speedway and the big national television audience.
Two of the top contenders were eliminated from contention early, with the engine in Tony Stewart's Pontiac blowing on the third lap, and two flat tires and an accident relegating Dale Earnhardt Jr. to 29th.
Two of the most watched drivers in the race also had their problems. Shawna Robinson, the second woman ever to race here and the first since 1980, finished 24th in only her second Winston Cup start, and 60-year-old Dave Marcis ended his long career with a 42nd-place finish in his record 33rd Daytona 500 start.
''At one point, we ran out of fuel. That didn't help us any,'' said Robinson. ''It was kind of survival. I think my head is still spinning a little.
''We accomplished something, but I want to be competitive,'' she said.
Marcis, the oldest driver ever in this race, went out with an overheated engine.
''We didn't want it to end like this,'' he said.

After 14 years as executive director of the Industrial Development Authority, Bill Confroy is stepping down.
He was the first chairman of the IDA board in 1972 and has served on the board almost continuously.
"I wanted to retire earlier but we had a number of projects in place - Riverstone Park is one - and I wanted to make sure they came to fruition," Confroy said yesterday.
Word of Confroy's retirement came as no surprise to many in industrial development circles. He had privately confided his intentions to a few, but waited until meeting with his seven-member IDA board to publicly announce his retirement, which is effective July 1.
The IDA, created by the board of supervisors, is a political subdivision of the commonwealth, but all of its funding, about $100,000 (annually), comes through the county.
"I think that the community has gotten a great return," Confroy said. "With investments, taxes, utilities, tool taxes and fees (from business and industry)."
IDA's mission is providing jobs and expanding the tax base, and Confroy is proud of the board's accomplishments.
"One thing is constant, that's change," said the IDA director.
Over a 30-year period, Confroy thinks Halifax County positioned itself well since change also includes business and industrial casualties. Craddock-Terry, Daystrom and Tultex were the early casualties.
"Huber, Annin, Presto, ABB, Lasco, O'Sullivan, Dollar General and Clover Yarns picked up the slack," said Confroy.
"We have done well. If we had not attracted those industries, where would we be with the recent 3,000 jobs - Burlington, JPS and Russell Stover in Clarksville - we have lost?" asked Confroy.
"The thing I am proudest of is that we have been able to survive. That is not the case for some communities."
Halifax County, the model for the state's certification program for economic development, has drawn new firms as others fell victim to U.S. trade policies and global competition.
The Clover Power Station, Dollar General and Huber represent significant investments as well as jobs.
"One of the biggest was the Clover power station," said the IDA chief. "That in itself was about a $1.25 billion investment. About $100 million for Huber and around $60 to $70 million at Dollar General," said Confroy.
"Our industrial base is also diversified," said Confroy, naming Bohler-Uddeholm Specialty Metals, an Austrian firm; BHK of America, German; ABB, Swiss; and AXA Berry Hill, a worldwide organization with headquarters in France."
"VIR (Virginia International Raceway) is going to bring a lot of attention to us. What they are doing there is fantastic and a tremendous asset to Halifax County," said Confroy.
He also noted the addition of the new Carlbrook School. "It is positive having a first-class boarding school here."
The Southern Virginia Higher Education Center, the South Boston/Halifax County Museum and The Prizery are also important in drawing new residents to the area.
"Quality of life has a one word definition, choice," emphasized Confroy.
With Burlington Industries, JPS Apparel and Russell Stover recently announcing they would close their plants, Confroy said the closings were hard for a rural community.
But he is confident this community will rally.
"The most important thing is its people. So long as they stay involved and committed, it will be successful. Leadership is the key."
Confroy is particularly proud of the IDA team. "The IDA board, the men who have served on that board quietly and very productively over the last 30 years. And the cooperation we have had from the board of supervisors. It is only by that type of support that any community can accomplish the great things we have here," said the IDA director.
Although Confroy is leaving IDA, he already has his tomorrows planned.
He and his wife, Jane Carlton, are planning a vineyard at their Halifax farm. "It is an avocation I've always wanted to pursue."
The Confroys hope to have two to four acres of red grapes, with full production in 2008-2010.
"I want to enjoy my family, my wife, children and grandchildren and work at the farm."

The Rev. Bob Fox, pastor of the First Baptist Church in South Boston announced his resignation to the congregation during services yesterday.
"His resignation was regretfully accepted," said Coleman Speece, chairman of the board of deacons.
Speece said that Fox's services would be greatly missed by both the congregation and the community at large.
"He has done a great job nurturing and developing the church and the congregation," he added.
Fox has been the pastor of the church for nearly five years, and will be returning to Kentucky, where his wife has accepted a position.
"The board of deacons met with him this morning," Deacon Ted Bennett said yesterday.
Bennett said that Fox's wife, Janet, had been with the Halifax Education Foundation here in Halifax, but had been recruited for a position in Kentucky.
"They are from Kentucky and both have older parents there," Bennett added.
Fox graduated with honors from Centre College in Danville, Ky., in 1984, and received a preaching award and academic scholarship to the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky.
"He was awarded a Master of Divinity Degree from Southern Baptist," said Barbara Speece.
She added that Fox has finished the coursework for a Ph.D. in New Testament from Vanderbilt University, in Nashville, Tenn.
Fox began his ministry as a youth minister for Lexington Avenue Baptist Church in Danville, Ky., and then was called to pastor West Point Baptist Church in Centertown, Ky.
"He was pastor of West Point for eight years," Speece said.
In addition to pastoring First Baptist Church, Fox serves on the board of directors for Halifax United Way.
"He said that he will stay until June 30, but he has a clause that says that with a 30 day notice he could leave prior to then," Speece said.
"They are leaving with regret, but people need to do what's best for them," concluded Bennett.

Laurietta Faulkner has announced her resignation as executive director from the Mentor/Role Model Program, effective at the end of the school year.
"It has been after much thought and prayer that I have made what I consider to be one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make," Faulkner said Friday. "I still love what I do, and believe 200 percent in the effort.
"But there needs to be some new blood in the program," she said.
"I've done about all I know to do, and I don't want the program to suffer," she added.
The program is currently serving 187 Halifax County children.
Faulkner, who has steered the program for the past five years, said that she has been blessed with a wonderful opportunity to change the lives of area youth.
"The opportunity... has been one of the highlights of my life, as our community has come together to invest in the lives of our youth, children of promise," Faulkner continued.
The Mentor/Role Model program in Halifax County is recognized as being the only one-on-one mentoring effort this side of Richmond, said Faulkner.
"It is one of the greatest things available for the youth of Halifax County," she said.
Faulkner credits the activities available for the children in the program with its success.
"We do more than mentoring, I think that's why we've been successful," she said.
Faulkner said that the vision of the program extends beyond the children to the family unit and ultimately the community at large.
"We have to look beyond just the children, to look at the families and get them involved," she said.
The mentoring program is a local program, she notes.
"We are not a state or national organization," Faulkner said.
"Community support has been critical to the program," she said. "We would not be where we are today without that support."
The program has been so successful that many other communities are interested in starting their own programs using Faulkner's structure as a template.
"We currently have programs where business and industry adopt individual schools and form a partnership with that school," she said.
The business will then recruit mentors out of their workforce to provide guidance for the students in the school.
Faulkner said that the program also strives to provide positive reinforcement to its members.
"We try to applaud the children that have made academic and social progress through awards banquets," she said.
"The program tries to get the children to recognize that they have the means within themselves to succeed," she maintains.
Even as Faulkner is departing, she sings the praises of the Mentor/Role Model program.
Anyone interested in participating can call 575-3011 for more information.

Halifax County High School coach Garrett Dillard isn't real big on moral victories.
Neither he nor his players were eager to accept one after the Comets challenged GW all the way to the final buzzer Friday night before falling to the Silver Eagles 81-76 in the regular season finale in Danville.
"We don't go for moral victories because we don't feel that there a whole lot of teams better than us," Dillard said after the loss that left his team with a 16-4 overall record and a 7-3 mark in Western Valley District play.
"I'll commend the guys for finding the energy to come back and play. We have to find the positives out of it and use it and come out Wednesday ready to play."
The loss to GW, (19-2 overall,10-0 district) the state's third-ranked team, left the Comets in a tie for second place in the Western Valley District standings with Cave Spring.
However, Halifax County won a coin toss yesterday and will have the home floor when it faces Cave Spring Wednesday night in the semifinals of the Western Valley District Tournament. (See Related Story).
The Comets had four players in double figures with Sterling Williams leading the way for the Comets with 21 points that came with the help of four three-pointers.
Anthony Owen had 16 points, all but two of which came in the first half, Shamoni Faulkner scored 14 points and Lymon Gregory chipped in a dozen points.
Andrew Witko scored nine points, six of them in the third quarter.
Gregory had eight of the Comets' 22 rebounds in the contest with Witko claiming five boards.
Despite those numbers and defensive effort that forced GW into making 24 turnovers, GW still had the edge.
GW's defense, its rebounding edge and a 37-point night from its star player, Antonio Fitzgerald, were too much for Halifax County on this night.
"He was 'Johnny On The Spot,'" said GW coach Bobby Martin.
"He (Fitzgerald) hit a couple of big threes. They'd make a run and he'd hit a couple of "threes" to break it. Thank God he hit them."
GW's fast-paced up-tempo game also took its toll on the Comets at times.
"These guys (GW) run a little better," said Dillard.
"They play a few more guys than we do. But we stuck right there in it.
"Tempo-wise we didn't want the score to get up into the 80s like it did," Dillard added.
"If we could have kept it down around 65 (points) or 70 (points) it probably would have looked a little better for us."
The Comets had two shaky points that played a role in the outcome.
One came when officials tagged the Comets with a technical foul with four tenths of a second left in the third quarter for having six players on the floor at one time.
Williams was standing at the edge of the floor talking to Dillard when an official spotted that Williams was standing over the boundary line.
That gave GW two free throws, both of which Fitzgerald canned, and lifted GW from a four-point lead at the end of the third quarter to a six-point 59-53 lead to start the fourth quarter.
The Comets cut the GW lead to three points twice after that, once with a three-pointer from Williams and again with a basket from Faulkner.
After that, GW went on a 13-3 run over the next three minutes that gave them a 74-61 lead with 2:42 to play.
" I thought that was a critical point," Dillard said.
"I don't know whether it was fatigue or what. They (GW) got up by seven or eight and the guys were like, for a minute, just long enough for them to get up by 10, kind of faded out a little.
"We didn't go after the ball like we had been," he added.
"We didn't go after the rebounds like we had been. We didn't shoot with the same desire that we had been shooting with. We didn't handle the ball well. I think for a brief moment the guys felt like it was probably over."
But, it wasn't.
The Comets fought back from the brink of disaster to make things tight at the end with a 12-5 run in the final 1:24 of the game.
That run, which included a trio of three-point baskets, one each from Williams, Jamar Irving and Faulkner and a combined 3-4 effort at the charity stripe, allowed the Comets to cut a 12-point deficit to 4 points at one point before GW ended the contest with a five-point edge.
Friday night's game was everything that the capacity crowd of 1,200 fans that jammed its way into the small GW gym expected it to be.
It was much like the first meeting of the two teams here in December, when they slugged their way through a virtual deadlock until GW put together a 20-2 run over the final nine and a half minutes to secure the win.
This time, though, there was no late run by the Eagles to blow the game open.
"They gave us one of our better games the first time they played us," said Martin.
"I'm not shocked or surprised. It was a heck of a game at Halifax."
Despite being outrebounded 17-9 and missing 17 shots in the first half, the Comets trailed by only five points, 40-35 at intermission.
There were four lead changes and three ties in the first half which was marked by series of runs.
GW broke on top 4-0 but Halifax County went on an 11-0 spurt in a span of a minute and 19 seconds to take an 11-4 lead.
Witko started the run, Owen connected for five points, three of them from the charity stripe and Gregory hit two layoffs, both off of backcourt steals, to secure the lead.
GW bounced back to take a four-point lead but a layup and two free throws by Williams in the final 35 seconds allowed the Comets to tie the game at the end of the quarter.
Triggered by a three-pointer by Fitzgerald, GW sped off to a 7-0 run in the first 57 seconds of the second quarter.
But the Comets didn't falter as they embarked on a 12-4 run that included a pair of three-pointers from Williams to regain the lead at 29-28 with 3:56 left before intermission.
The Comets fell behind by a point and then tied the game again with a free throw from Williams.
A three-pointer by Fitzgerald was answered by a three-pointer by Owen which tied the game yet another time.
Another three-pointer by Fitzgerald put the Silver Eagles up by three. They expanded their edge to five points at the end of the quarter.
"Once two teams get to feel each other out, it's like a boxing match," said Martin.
"That's what it was in the second half."

Elgie Cortez Boyd

Elgie Cortez Boyd, 15, of Clover entered died suddenly Wednesday, February 13 in Halifax County.
Mr. Boyd was born in Prince George County, Md. April 14, 1986. He was a tenth grade student at Halifax County High School and attended Harpers Temple Apostolic Church in Clarksville.
He is survived by his parents, Ernest and Joyce Corbin of Suitland, Md.; five sisters, Catrice Boyd and Sharon Walker of Red Oak, Karen Walker of Newbern, N.C., Lakita Boyd of Suitland and Nancy Walker of Red Oak; two brothers, Timothy and Tremain Walker, both of Red Oak; his grandparents, Annie M. Walker of Maryland, Elgie and Phyllis Boyd of Suitland; six aunts, Carmalita Escoto, Juanita Lee, Barbara Ann Goings, Rose Boyd, and Daisy Boyd; two uncles, Nathaniel Boyd and Elgie Boyd, Jr.; three great aunts, Patsy Bush, Creiola Carden and Ida Walker; one great uncle, George Walker; and his godmother, Judy Cook.
Funeral services for Mr. Boyd were held yesterday at Salem Baptist Church in Red Oak with the Rev. Harry L. Williams officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends at the home of Nancy Walker, Hwy. 632, Red Oak, or condolences may be e-mailed to harrisfh@kerrlake.com.

Kenuleatha Walker

Miss Kenuleatha Walker, 46, of Clover died suddenly Wednesday, February 13 in Halifax County.
Miss Walker was born in Charlotte County November 1, 1955 to the late Lonnie Skipper and Nancy Walker. She was a member of Harper's Temple Apostolic Church in Clarksville.
She is survived by five children, Sharon Walker of Red Oak, Karen Walker of Newbern, N.C., Timothy, Tremain and Nancy L. Walker of Clover; one grandson, Kevin Jamal McCargo, Jr.; her mother, Nancy Walker of Red Oak; five sisters, Barbara Ann Going of Virginia Beach, Juanita Lee of Richmond, Carmalita Escoto of Keysville, Audrey Pleasant and Eldine Dailey of Wylliesburg; one brother, Nathaniel Boyd of Chase City; three uncles, Robert Walker of Seat Pleasant, Md., Mack Skippers of Wylliesburg and Earl Skipper of Clover; four aunts, Alma Staten of Wylliesburg, Josephine Skippers of Newark, N.J., Creola Palmer of Bronx, N.Y. and Patsy Bush of Washington, D.C.; and two brothers-in-law, Chris Goings and Willie Lee.
Funeral services for Miss Walker were held yesterday at Salem Baptist Church in Red Oak with the Rev. Harry L. Williams officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends at the home of Nancy Walker, Hwy. 632, Red Oak, or condolences may be e-mailed to harrisfh@kerrlake.com.

Riley Lee Ratliff

Riley Lee Ratliff of 2039 East Hyco Road, South Boston died Friday, February 15 at his home. He was born in Halifax County March 17, 1940 and was 61 years old.
He was the son of Charles Stewart Ratliff, Sr. and Kate Kinsler Ratliff and was married to Pamela Burton Ratliff.
Mr. Ratliff was a member of Second Baptist Church.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Ratliff is survived by one sister, Alice R. Crenshaw of South Boston; two brothers, Milton M. Ratliff of South Boston and G. Durwood Ratliff of Spartanburg, S.C.; and his mother-in-law, Margaret Burton of South Boston. He was preceded in death by one brother, Charles S. Ratliff Jr. and two sisters, Peggy R. Whitt and Ann R. Chappell.
Services will be held today, February 18 at 2:00 p.m. at Powell Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. John Wilder conducting. Burial will take place in Halifax Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends at the home of the deceased.

G. D. Barbour, Jr.

George Dudley Barbour, Jr. of 745 Ringgold Church Road, Ringgold, died Saturday, February 16 at Danville Regional Medical Center. He was 74 years old.
Born January 28, 1928 in Brights, Va., he was the son of the late George D. Barbour, Sr. and Emma Jackson Barbour. He was married to Marjorie Covington Barbour.
Mr. Barbour was a member of Kentuck Baptist Church and served in the United States Army in Germany.
He is survived by his wife, Marjorie Covington Barbour of the home; two daughters and their husbands, Denise B. and D. Wayne Dodd of Richmond, and Deana B. and Jerry W. Lacks of Vernon Hill; one son, Dudley Ray Barbour of Ringgold; two granddaughters, Carrie Lacks and Crissie Lacks of Vernon Hill; two brothers, Frank Donald Barbour of Danville and Charles Garland Barbour of St. Petersburg, Fla.; four sisters, Clara B. Adkins and Shirley B. Rogers of Danville, and Virginia B. Hayden and Alice B. Barksdale of Lynchburg. He was preceded in death by a brother, W. Kyle Barbour, and a sister, Zada B. Matthews.
Funeral services will be held today, February 18 at 2:00 p.m. at Wrenn-Yeatts Westover Chapel with the Rev. A.C. Smith officiating. Burial will take place at Highland Burial Park.
The family will receive friends at the home of the deceased.