
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, March 19, 1995                   TAG: 9503210062
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: C2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: NASHVILLE, TENN.                                 LENGTH: Short

PORTER LEADS QUALIFYING FOR GRAND NATIONAL RACE

Randy Porter of Greenville, S.C., used a different approach to lead second- round qualifying Saturday for today's Opryland USA 320 Busch Grand National stock car race at Nashville Speedway.

Porter, driving a Ford powered by a V-6 engine, turned the .596-mile track at 106.349 mph, the second-fastest speed in the field, but good enough only for the 26th starting position. The top 25 spots in the 40-car field were determined Friday, and Porter spun on his attempt in the first round.

``It barely grazed the wall when I spun out on Friday,'' Porter said. ``We got it back together and gave it another shot. We should have been starting up front because this is a fast car.''

All but four cars in the field are powered by V-8 engines under new rules for the Grand National Series this season, but Porter and several other drivers opted to use V-6 engines, which are still legal.

``The V-6 might help us on tire wear, because we expect that to be a factor in the race,'' Porter said.

Winston Cup driver Darrell Waltrip will start on the pole for today's 320-lap race, the first Grand National race at the track since 1989.

Keywords:
AUTO RACING

by CNB