Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 19, 1995 TAG: 9502200066
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. LENGTH: Medium
There are only 14 Chevrolets among the 42 cars that will start today's Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, but the way things have been going, that's more than enough to do the job.
Dale Jarrett drives a Ford Thunderbird and will start on the pole for the 37th running of NASCAR's biggest race, which begins at 12:15 p.m., but his speed of 193.494 mph was on an empty track eight days ago.
A lot has happened since then.
Jarrett's car has been handling loose, and it still was loose during the crucial final practice Saturday afternoon.
``I tell you what, that son-of-a-gun is loose,'' another driver told his crew on the radio a few minutes before the one-hour session ended.
But even without handling problems, Jarrett and the field's 23 other Ford drivers will have their hands full battling the new Chevrolet Monte Carlos. The field also includes four Pontiac Grand Prixs.
``We've got our work cut out for us,'' said Jarrett's crew chief, Larry McReynolds. ``But last year, the Fords had the best car and we certainly didn't win the race. So we could win tomorrow.''
``The Chevys are getting real good,'' Steve Hmiel, Mark Martin's crew chief, said. ``We think if we're not the best Ford, we're among the best Fords. But all of the Fords are going to have to work together real hard. In order for us to get the big prize, we're going to have to be right on the money. One on one, they [Chevys] got us beat.''
Dale Earnhardt had the fastest Chevrolet in qualifying, reaching 193.449 mph to win the outside pole in his 17th 500.
It is well known that Earnhardt never has won the Daytona 500, but once again he's among the favorites. He won his Twin 125 qualifying race Thursday for the sixth straight time with comparative ease.
``Not taking anything away from the Lumina [last year's Chevy], but it just didn't have a body design capable of matching the Fords,'' Earnhardt's car owner, Richard Childress, said. ``We carried it as far as it would go.
``This Monte Carlo design is just like the Ford as far as the aerodynamic numbers from the wind tunnel. This year we'll see how the Chevy teams work with the same bodies as the Fords. We have a whole lot better chance.''
But Earnhardt will have stiff competition from several of his fellow Chevy drivers. The consensus in the garage is that the four fastest Chevys belong to Earnhardt, defending 500 champion Sterling Marlin, Terry Labonte and Jeff Gordon.
But everyone is talking about Marlin, who won his Twin 125 race.
``The scary thing about it was that he said his car wasn't handling good in the 125,'' Michael Waltrip said. ``He said it was pushing, and he was having to let off a little bit in the turns. He had that first race totally pulled apart. He pulled the whole draft apart. He was that strong.''
Marlin said he believes his 1995 car is stronger than last year's winner.
``We probably had a third or fourth-place car last year when we won the race,'' he said. ``I think we've got a winning car this year. I'll put our car up against anybody's. It's run good the whole time we've been here.''
Although Darrell Waltrip's Chevy is not considered one of the fastest by garage observers, he personally believes ``this is the best chance'' he's had since 1989, when he won in his 17th try at Daytona. Team members have been wearing PGA golfer Greg Norman's trademark shark hats, signifying that ``Jaws'' is back.
Waltrip finished second behind Marlin in his Twin 125 qualifying race.
``We never thought the [Monte Carlo] would qualify as fast as it did,'' Waltrip said. ``We thought it would race well and be comfortable in traffic, but we never expected it to be as fast by itself as it is. It's just aerodynamically different than the Lumina. If you put them side by side, one of them looks like a football and the other one looks like a box.''
Still, today's race is likely to be determined by who's car handles the best.
``Whoever hits the nail on the head with handling and gets the car hooked up good will be hard to beat,'' Marlin said.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB