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

DATE: SUNDAY, September 25, 1994                   TAG: 9409270052
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: C10   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MARTINSVILLE                                 LENGTH: Medium

DESPITE COOLER WEATHER, 2ND-DAY SPEEDS SLOWER

Saturday brought cool weather and overcast skies to Martinsville Speedway, but not one of the nine drivers who ran in the second round of time trials for today's Goody's 500 was able to go faster than they did in Friday's first round.

Todd Bodine was the fastest of the slow Saturday, moving from the 34th to the 33rd starting position after falling from 91.985 mph to 91.025 mph.

How does one move up by going slower? Have someone in front of you do even worse.

In this case, it was Rick Mast, who tumbled from 33rd to 39th and had to use a provisional starting spot to make the field. Mast would have been in the field had he stood on his Friday speed of 92.043 mph. But with the cooler weather, he elected to go again, and slowed down to 89.765 mph.

The other provisional starting spot went to Mike Wallace.

Those who failed to make the race were Dave Marcis, Bobby Hillin, Loy Allen, Tim Fedewa and Jeremy Mayfield.

For Allen, winner of three poles this year, it was the 11th race for which he failed to qualify.

SCHRADER STUFF: When racing maniac Ken Schrader was asked about his failure to win a Winston Cup race this year, he had a quick retort.

``Hey, I've won seven races this year,'' he said. ``I won at Podunk, W.Va., Bumble, Ark., and someplace in Egypt. I won a Busch race. I won an ARCA race. We've had eight top-five finishes, so it's been good.

``Yeah, I get frustrated,'' said Schrader, who has nonetheless run consistently and is fifth in Winston Cup points. ``But I haven't been as frustrated as I was a year ago or two years ago. Last year, we ran good one week and bad the next. Two years ago, I hurt my neck and I never ran good.''

MARTINSVILLE OFFER: Martinsville fans who purchase advance tickets to the Oct.16 Advance Auto Parts 500 doubleheader by Oct. 7 will receive a free limited-edition, embossed T-shirt issued by the speedway.

The twin bill features a 300-lap Grand National race and a 200-lap late model stock car race.

For more information, call (703) 956-3151.

In other Martinsville notes, the speedway has signed a new multi-year agreement with ESPN for racing telecasts.

GANT'S DAY: Taylorsville, N.C., will celebrate ``Harry Gant Day'' for the hometown stock car hero on Oct. 3.

Drivers Rick Mast, Morgan Shepherd, Jimmy Spencer, Michael Waltrip and Dale Jarrett have agreed to participate in the day's activities, which include a parade at 5 p.m. and a ``family celebration'' at 6 p.m. at the city's National Guard Armory.

Keywords:
AUTO RACING

by CNB