Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 7, 1992 TAG: 9203070054
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
Life is simpler for Elliott as Junior Johnson's new driver in 1992. He doesn't have to work on his car, as he did during all those successful but stressful years racing with his family.
"I didn't realize racing could be like this," Elliott said. "It's been the best time I've ever had."
These days, all Elliott has to do is drive Johnson's No. 11 Ford.
And drive it he did Friday at Richmond International Raceway.
Both laps of Elliott's two-lap qualifying run were good enough to win the top starting position for Sunday's race. Elliott's second lap of 121.337 mph was the one that counted.
But his first lap of 120.849 mph also did the job.
Davey Allison was second fastest at 120.568 mph. "We ran as good a lap as we could possibly run, but [Elliott] is faster than us."
Kyle Petty was third at 120.198 mph, followed by Sterling Marlin at 120.144 mph and Alan Kulwicki at 120.128 mph.
The Fords again dominated, winning four of the first five starting positions as time trials proceeded through a gray, misty afternoon at this 3/4-mile oval at the Virginia State Fairgrounds. Petty's Pontiac was the only non-Ford in the top five.
Harry Gant qualified sixth in his Oldsmobile at 119.989 mph. Michael Waltrip's Pontiac was seventh at 119.840 mph, followed by Hut Stricklin's Chevrolet (119.750 mph), Brett Bodine's Ford (119.745 mph) and Ernie Irvan's Chevrolet (119.729 mph).
Chevy's top 1991 drivers - Winston Cup champion Dale Earnhardt and Ricky Rudd - continue to struggle in 1992. Both failed to crack the top 20 in time trials.
Rudd was 27th with a lap of 118.105 mph and Earnhardt was 29th at 117.627 mph.
Their reactions were as brief as their laps were slow.
"There's not much to say when you qualify like this," Rudd said.
"We just didn't go fast enough," said Earnhardt as he retreated to the lounge in the front of his team's hauler.
Rudd and Earnhardt can try again during a second round of time trials today at 11 a.m., but the first 20 positions were set Friday.
While the Chevy drivers continued to fret over their lack of speed, Elliott's concerns were limited to things like the weather.
"Fifteen minutes before qualifying [at 3 p.m.], it started raining," Elliott said. "I knew we were decent and I hated to give up at that point."
He didn't have to. The heavy drizzle disappeared minutes after it started, and qualifying went forward without delay.
After winning his first race of the year last weekend at Rockingham in only his second race for Johnson, Elliott now has his first pole of 1992. He qualified second at Daytona and Rockingham.
"Man, he's got some good stuff," Elliott said of Johnson's cars. "I can't believe I raced against his stuff. I don't know the circumstances before I joined the team, but what they've put under me thus far this year" is great.
"It's made it easy on me," Elliott said. "One thing that's taken the burden off is not having to worry about a lot of the little knick-knack stuff on the car from day to day."
Elliott has 35 career victories, but all of them except last week's Rockingham victory involved more than just driving the car.
Even though Elliott was phenomenally successful with his family team, including 11 wins and the Winston Million in 1985, "we worked ourselves to death," he said.
He spent many a night working instead of sleeping, "and by the time I came to the track, I didn't want to talk with anybody."
Elliott, of course, is more relaxed this year.
And one person who hasn't been bending his ear is his new boss.
Johnson is a man of few words, and "I bet I haven't sat and talked to Junior a total of three hours since I signed this contract," Elliott said.
There probably won't be much need for talks with the boss in the future, either, as long as Elliott continues winning poles and races.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB