Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, February 26, 1994 TAG: 9402260081
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ROCKINGHAM, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
Thirteen other drivers also broke the previous track record of 149.926 mph on the 1.017-mile speedway known as "The Rock."
"This was a total surprise, believe me," said the 44-year-old driver, after winning the top starting spot for Sunday's race. "This really is special because this really is the first good thing we've had happen since taking over this team."
Bodine, who bought the team last year after the death of its previous owner, Alan Kulwicki, said the Ford he drove Friday "is the only car we have left that Alan drove."
Mark Martin, running immediately after Bodine, took the outside pole in his Goodyear-shod Ford with a speed of 151.609 mph. Jeff Gordon was third in a Chevy at 151.377 mph, followed by Brett Bodine (151.065 mph) and Ted Musgrave (150.946), both in Fords.
Also in the top 10 were Ernie Irvan in a Ford at 150.679 mph, Kyle Petty (150.580) in the fastest Pontiac Grand Prix, Bill Elliott (150.438) in a Ford, Darrell Waltrip (150.148) on Hoosiers in a Chevy and Bobby Hamilton (150.055) in a Pontiac.
Others who broke the track record were Morgan Shepherd at 150.031 mph, rookie Steve Grissom (150.012 mph) and Ken Schrader and Todd Bodine (both at 149.932 mph). Rusty Wallace was 15th at 149.804 mph.
When qualifying started at 2:30 p.m. Friday, Bodine had no designs on the pole.
"We'd run pretty good here in practice, but not like Mark [Martin] and Brett [Bodine] and a couple of those other guys," he said.
Geoff Bodine was even more certain he'd had a mediocre run when his Thunderbird pushed into the upper groove of turn 4 during his lap.
On his cool-down lap, he was cursing in the driver's seat, wishing for another shot at the final corner.
"I was kicking myself in the butt when I came off the track," he said. "I was really kind of depressed. I was a lane high going through that corner. The front end was pushing. I figured that had killed too much speed."
Then he saw his crew jumping up and down and holding up their index fingers.
"Lord knows how much faster it would have been if I'd gotten through that corner," he said.
It was the second consecutive pole for Hoosier. And unlike at Daytona, where the Hoosier qualified well but was almost undriveable after a few laps on the track, Bodine and Hoosier president Bob Newton believe this tire will race well, too.
"The Hoosier tire is a little narrower [about a half-inch narrower than the Goodyear], so that's another reason we didn't think we could get the pole," Bodine said. "But we're pretty confident that the Hoosier is going to race good. Bob has a real good compound . . . and a real good construction for this race track."
Said Newton: "I was as surprised as everybody. I guess we really didn't expect to do this well here because we didn't get a chance to get a wide tire ready. That will be ready next week. I knew we were under-tired here. If anything I expect it to be better in the race."
Added Bodine, "This kind of redeems them and us, I guess. But this is only qualifying. If I'm still smiling down there at the end of the garage after practice tomorrow, you'll know I'm in good shape."
Forty-nine drivers made qualifying runs Friday. With Sunday's field limited to 40 cars (with up to three provisional starters), a handful of teams will be going home early.
Drivers who failed to make the top 40 in the first round of time trials, in order from 41st to 49th, were Dale Jarrett (who already has used one provisional at Daytona), Dave Marcis, Lake Speed, Ward Burton, T.W. Taylor, Rick Carelli, Danny Sullivan, Jerry Hill and James Hylton.
Every driver who finished out of the top 20 will get another opportunity to improve his time during a second round of time trials at 11:30 a.m. today.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB