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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 27, 1994                   TAG: 9408180032
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Staff report
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

QUALIFYING TURNED UPSIDE DOWN

NASCAR officials announced Tuesday that beginning with the Brickyard 400, the lineup for second-round qualifying will be reversed from the first-round order for all Winston Cup races.

The rule change comes amid growing concern among Winston Cup regulars that they may miss the historic Indy race Aug.6 if they draw a low number and make an early run in the first round of 400 qualifying. Drivers have suggested late qualifiers may enjoy an advantage of as much as a second per lap because they figure to be running on a cooler track.

The change will mean those who run early in the first round will get the late runs in the second. Some 80 cars are expected to try to qualify in the first round at 3 p.m. on Aug.4 and as many as 60 may run in the second round at 3 p.m. Aug.5.

``In the past, we never had an order for the second round,'' said Andy Hall, a NASCAR spokesman. ``You'd just get through inspection, get out there and go. From now on there's going to be an order and it will be the reverse of what the first round was.''

Keywords:
AUTO RACING

by CNB