Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, November 12, 1994 TAG: 9411170034
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: HAMPTON, GA. LENGTH: Medium
Sacks, driving a D.K. Ulrich-owned Chevy with Hoosier tires, went flat out around the 1.522-mile oval. His lap of 185.830 mph was more than 5 mph faster than the previous record of 180.204 mph set by Loy Allen in March.
Sunday's race is the last in this season's Winston Cup series.
``I felt I could run wide open,'' Sacks said. ``And I told [crew chief] Tony Furr and all the guys, and D.K., too: `We're either going to be on the pole or we're going to have to roll another car off the truck, because we're going wide open.''
Sacks had tested here about two weeks ago and discovered he could run flat out through turns three and four, but he had problems in one and two.
``Last night, I ran about 500 laps around the track in my mind,'' he said. ``I don't think I slept two minutes.''
It was Ulrich's first visit to victory lane here in his 25 years of racing. ``I couldn't have done it without no-lift Sacks,'' he said.
Sacks has never lacked the ability to go fast, but he has had trouble finishing. He failed to finish five races this year because of crashes. This was his second career pole. He also has one victory - the 1985 400-miler at Daytona.
But Sacks believes he has a ``real legitimate shot'' to win Sunday and he's not worried about the speeds. ``I don't know `too fast,''' he said. ``Whatever they'll run, I'll go that.''
The game of chicken enticed many other drivers, who circled the track with their accelerators mashed, or almost mashed, to the floor.
John Andretti noted: ``I had a mindset, whether it's right or wrong, to try and get around here wide open.'' But Andretti lost the back end of his Richard Petty-owned Pontiac in turn two and had to lift. His lap of 183.147 mph earned him the ninth starting spot.
But others were none too pleased with the fast speeds.
``We're going way too fast,'' said Jeff Gordon after qualifying sixth at 183.502 mph. ``I've been scared to death all day long. For those one-lap runs at that speed, I think it's crazy. I held my breath on that qualifying lap, but really, I've been holding it all day.''
Kenny Wallace, the last of 56 drivers to attempt to qualify, won the outside pole position at 184.746 mph in a Ford. Fords swept the top five starting positions.
Derrike Cope qualified third at 183.921, followed by Geoff Bodine (183.909) and Mark Martin (183.736).
Also in the top 10 were Gordon, Joe Nemechek (183.386) in a Chevy, Ricky Rudd (183.220) in a Ford, Andretti and Terry Labonte (183.128) in a Chevy.
At the other end of the qualifying order, at least 14 drivers will fail to make Sunday's 40-car field and some regulars may be among them.
Drivers who were unable to run in the top 40 included Dick Trickle (41st), Jimmy Hensley (43rd), Bobby Hamilton (44th), Robert Pressley (45th), Michael Waltrip (47th), Dave Marcis (48th), Kyle Petty (49th), Joe Ruttman (50th), and Ted Musgrave, who blew an engine during his run and failed to finish the lap.
Those who failed to qualify in the top 20 will have another shot to improve their position during the second round of time trials at 11 a.m. today.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB