Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 10, 1993 TAG: 9302100086
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. LENGTH: Medium
SCHRADER HAS DRIVE TO IMPROVE IN 1993
After a year to forget in 1992, Ken Schrader hopes his Goody's 300 pole-winning qualifying run here Tuesday will mark the end of his slump.`Yeah, this is a pretty good way to start the year out," the 37-year-old Missouri native said after winning the Grand National pole with a speed of 186.513 mph in his Chevrolet Lumina.
"We qualified fifth for the 500, qualified first for the Saturday [Grand National] race and ran second in the Clash," he said. "But it's a long way to go yet. We've got 30 races to go to see how much better our year is going to be. It's gotten off to a lot better start than it did last year.
"When you finish 17th [in the Winston Cup championship], your guys tend to work really hard so they all keep their jobs."
Schrader was hampered in 1992 by a herniated disc in his neck that required surgery. He also changed his crew chief early in the season.
"It just wasn't much fun," he said. "And then, when we'd get going, I'd hit something."
Schrader drives for car owner Rick Hendrick in the Cup series but owns his own Grand National car. This was his second career GN pole, but the first in his own car.
"I came in [the press room] thinking, `How did I get the pole?' " he said. "Then I got to thinking about 60,000 reasons why. [The car cost about $60,000]. My wife has reminded me about that all winter. She said, `That car better run good.' "
Actually, Schrader's pole had little to do with money and everything to do with the ocean breeze that often blows straight at the drivers as they speed down the backstretch of the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway.
"There was no direct wind down the backstretch, so that helped a bunch," he said. "I think the wind just gave us a little break there."
Jeff Burton qualified second in a Ford Thunderbird at 185.808 mph, followed by 1992 Grand National champion Joe Nemechek in a Chevy at 185.628 mph, Michael Waltrip in a Pontiac Grand Prix at 185.353 mph and Dale Earnhardt in a Chevy at 185.250 mph
"We came in here and tested real well over the winter," Burton said. But the team began experimenting when it arrived here Monday and lost speed. "We only really went back to running well again right here in qualifying," he said. "We did it when it was important."
Fifty one GN drivers made qualifying runs Tuesday. The field will be pared to 40 cars (with the possibility of two additional provisional starters) after a second round of qualifying at 1 p.m. today.
In the session's only incident, Scott Herberg lost control coming off turn 4 and slammed the inside wall, cutting his chin. "I'm fine - just a little sore and a couple of stitches under my chin," he said.
\ TIME TRIALS: Jimmy Means led the final round of time trials Tuesday for the Daytona 500 with a speed of 187.559 mph in his Ford Thunderbird.
After the session, NASCAR officials set the fields for Thursday's Twin 125 qualifying races, the first of which starts at 12:30 p.m. Both races will have 27 cars.
\ QUOTE UPDATED: Lee Farthing won the pole for Friday's Florida 200 Daytona Dash race with a speed of 161.658 mph in his four-cylinder Dodge Daytona, and then uttered Tuesday's best quote during his press room interview.
"Do you make a living doing this?" a reporter asked.
"No, sir," the 35-year-old Myrtle Beach, S.C. driver replied. "I've got four children - three months, five, seven and nine - and the Daytona Dash just doesn't pay the bills."
Farthing's car is sponsored by Thee Doll House, a chain of adult night clubs.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING