Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, September 4, 1993 TAG: 9309040115
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DARLINGTON, S.C. LENGTH: Medium
"We haven't won crap all year, so we've got to win something," Schrader told reporters after driving his Chevrolet Lumina to the top starting spot for Sunday's Southern 500 with a speed of 161.259 mph.
"You can only be so bad a team and be where we're at [seventh in championship points], so yeah, nothing's owed to you. But we've got a shot at 'em."
Schrader has had a dozen top-10 finishes this year, including a pair of seconds. But his last win was at Dover in the spring of 1991.
Schrader said his pole-winning effort Friday "was a typical qualifying run - I scared the hell out of myself."
"I've learned how to hold my breath for 30 seconds," he said. "Now I need to learn how to hold it for five hours so I can win a race."
Harry Gant, who has struggled this year, won the outside pole in a Chevy with a speed of 160.995 mph. Gant's previous best starting position in 1993 was seventh for the Pepsi 400 at Daytona.
Rookie Bobby Labonte also had his best qualifying effort of the year. After starting fourth last Saturday night at Bristol, Labonte was better here, qualifying third in a Ford Thunderbird at 160.303 mph.
"That lap was the best we had run [Friday], definitely," he said.
Mark Martin, going for his fourth Winston Cup victory in a row, was fourth fastest in a Ford at 160.292 mph, followed by Derrike Cope in a Ford at 159.922 mph.
Also in the top 10 were Dale Earnhardt in a Chevy at 159.912 mph and Ford drivers Bill Elliott (159.751), Rick Mast (159.305), Sterling Marlin (159.007) and Ernie Irvan (158.996).
Among those who failed to qualify in the top 20 were Jeff Purvis in Irvan's old car (22nd); Darrell Waltrip (24th); Jimmy Hensley (26th); slumping Dale Jarrett (27th); slumping Kyle Petty (28th); and Geoff Bodine (29th). Drivers who failed to qualify will try again today.
All of the Winston Cup regulars appeared certain to make the 40-car field as the slowest of them, Rick Wilson, was still 35th fastest. But there still may be stiff competition in second-round qualifying at 11:30 a.m., because those who qualify 21st, 22nd and 23rd get the distinct advantage of pitting on the frontstretch with the other top 20 starters.
In other qualifying news:
\ CRAVEN ON GN POLE: Sophomore Grand National driver Ricky Craven won the pole for today's Gatorade 200 in a Chevy with a speed of 157.909 mph. Ward Burton took the outside pole at 157.879 mph. Also in the top five were Mark Martin (Ford, 157.509 mph), Bill Elliott (Ford, 157.484) and Joe Nemechek (Chevy, 157.434).
It was Craven's fifth Grand National pole, but his first at Darlington.
Craven said retired legend David Pearson, considered the all-time master of Darlington, "has been a tremendous help at this particular race track."
Last year, Craven said, Pearson "took me in his van around the race track and told me what to do and where to do it. His method of getting around Darlington was a lot different from what I had interpreted it to be from a lot of other drivers. . . . I'd say his help definitely helped me win the pole here."
The race, which starts at 1 p.m., will be televised live by ESPN.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB