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

DATE: THURSDAY, May 27, 1993                   TAG: 9305270151
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CONCORD, N.C.                                LENGTH: Medium

KEN SCHRADER BEATS FLU, FIELD FOR 600 POLE

When Ken Schrader wheeled onto the track at Charlotte Motor Speedway shortly before sundown Wednesday and turned a lap at 177.352 mph in his No. 25 Chevrolet Lumina, no one expected him to win the pole for Sunday's Coca-Cola 600.

It was the fastest lap up to then, but 30 drivers still were waiting to go. And with the sun quickly setting, the track would be cooler for the heavyweights at the end of the lineup, including Geoff and Brett Bodine, Rusty Wallace, Ernie Irvan and Ricky Rudd.

On top of that, Schrader is battling a case of the flu.

But Schrader kept his illness and all other drivers at bay to capture the top starting spot in NASCAR's longest race.

"I wasn't surprised at the time we ran, because I thought I could do that," Schrader said. "But I was surprised somebody else didn't go faster. I did not think it would hold up.

"Brett got real close. But Ernie had a problem and Rusty didn't adjust enough."

Brett Bodine was second fastest at 177.130 mph in a Ford Thunderbird, followed by Mark Martin at 176.829 mph, Rick Mast at 176.482 mph and Geoff Bodine at 176.148 mph, all also driving Fords.

Many top drivers failed to make the top 20, including Jeff Gordon (21st), Davey Allison (23rd), Harry Gant (25th), Bill Elliott (30th), Darrell Waltrip (31st), Dale Jarrett (32nd) and Kyle Petty (35th).

They can try to improve their position within the bottom 20 during a second round of time trials today at 2:30 p.m.

Schrader's speed was well short of the late Alan Kulwicki's blistering lap of 179.027 mph last October, which set the track record.

Schrader said he took a nap Wednesday afternoon to fight the effects of his illness, and when his crew woke him up, there was only about 15 minutes to go before his run.

"I just started feeling terrible yesterday," he said. "I just don't feel good, but this helps a little bit."

Mast, who won the pole for the Hooter's 500 last November in Atlanta, said his Ford was quick enough for the pole Wednesday.

"Well, we just messed up," he said. "We were just a little bit tight in turns 1 and 2. But in Winston Cup racing, you've got to be dead on ten tenths to win a pole."

Meanwhile, Coca-Cola and its Mello-Yello brand announced a new six-year contract with Sabco Racing and Kyle Petty's No. 42 Pontiac Grand Prix team to sponsor the team up to the year 2000.

It is one of the longest, most lucrative contracts in NASCAR Winston Cup history. Sources said the deal is worth $31 million, which means the team will get more than $5 million a year. Top Winston Cup sponsorships now range from about $4 million to $5 million a year.

Sabco owner Felix Sabates would not confirm the amount, but he did say earlier this year that he spent more than $5 million on the team in 1992.

Keywords:
AUTO RACING

by CNB