Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 7, 1992 TAG: 9202070104
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. LENGTH: Medium
BODINES ON FRONT ROW
No matter how much howling you hear from Ford or Chevrolet drivers in the next 10 days about equality at Daytona International Speedway, no one can protest how the Bodine brothers captured the front row for Saturday's Busch Clash.It was sheer luck.
Brett Bodine won the pole and older brother Geoff took second starting spot as they and 13 other NASCAR Winston Cup drivers literally picked rabbits (the stuffed toy variety) out of hats Thursday to determine the starting order for the race, which starts at 1 p.m.
The $290,000 Clash consists of two 10-lap races, with the field inverted before the second segment. The 14 drivers who won pole positions last year will compete, along with Chad Little, who was selected in a wild-card drawing.
Mark Martin, who usually draws high starting spots, picked the third starting spot. Bill Elliott picked fourth, and Ricky Rudd selected the No. 5 rabbit, also the number of his car.
Michael Waltrip will start sixth. Terry Labonte is seventh, alongside Harry Gant. Alan Kulwicki starts ninth, Sterling Marlin is 10th, Chad Little is 11th and Kyle Petty picked 12th. The final three starting spots went to Rusty Wallace, defending Daytona 500 champion Ernie Irvan and Davey Allison.
Allison, looking for something positive to say about starting last, quipped, "I'm the only one in a row by myself."
Actually, starting last has proved to be no particular problem. Earnhardt charged from last to first in two laps last year. Neil Bonnett and Allison's father, Bobby, also have won from the back.
If Allison's car is as strong as it was at Daytona last year, he has the opportunity for a unique double. He could battle from last to first and win the first segment, then, because the field for the second segment starts in inverted order from the first segment's finish, he could start last again and charge to the front to win again.
Thursday's drawing simply added to the good feeling Brett Bodine has been having about the new season.
In addition to being happy with the switch from Buick to Ford, Bodine said he is thrilled the team's performance in the off-season "free-agent draft." There's no such thing, but team owner Kenny Bernstein hired Ernie Elliott to build engines and Donnie Richeson to head the crew.
"Our pitching staff looks pretty good," Bodine said.
Bill Elliott is another driver adjusting to big changes. With the breakup of the Elliott brothers as a team, Bill left the famous No. 9 Ford to drive Junior Johnson's No. 11 Ford.
But Elliott said he has been having trouble with at least one aspect of the change.
"Every time I go out and sign my name, I still put the `9,' " he said.
\ Rain cut short Thursday's practice for cars entered in the Clash and postponed the opening round of qualifying for Saturday's Daytona ARCA 200.
The International Race of Champions cars, which will race on Feb. 14, and ARCA's Late Model Stocks got onto the 2 1/2-mile oval for several practice sessions before the rain began early in the afternoon. The NASCAR Winston Cup cars that will run in the Clash were getting ready when the wet weather began.
The revised schedule for today was not immediately announced, but speedway officials said they will have to find time for the Clash entries, the IROC cars, ARCA's rescheduled qualifying and the opening practice sessions for the cars entered in the Feb. 16 Daytona 500.
Some information for this story was provided by The Associated Press.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING