Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, July 15, 1995 TAG: 9507170127
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS AND STAFF REPORTS
DATELINE: LONG POND, PA. LENGTH: Medium
Elliott turned a lap of 162.496 mph at the 2.5-mile Pocono International Raceway to put his Thunderbird on the pole for the first time in 42 races. Mark Martin was second at 161.993 and Morgan Shepherd third at 161.438.
Rick Mast of Rockbridge Baths, Va., qualified 10th in his Ford Thunderbird at 161.019. It was his second straight top-10 qualifying effort.
Also qualifying was Jimmy Hensley of Horsepasture, Va. He drove his Pontiac Grand Prix to the 20th starting position at 160.088 mph.
But the biggest story in time trials for Sunday's $1 million Winston Cup race was that Wallace never left his garage.
``He did not pass technical inspection because of unapproved roof flaps,'' NASCAR spokesman Kevin Triplett said. ``We are examining them, and I don't think anything will be decided before [Saturday].''
Triplett refused to be specific about the infraction other than to say the material used in the flaps - which slow cars in the event they spin - was being studied. Wallace, contacted outside his hauler, said only that he was confused.
He set the track qualifying record last June with a run of 164.558.
Elliott said the 47th pole of his career and the success of the other Fords - pole winners just five times in 17 events - should not be misconstrued to mean the Chevrolets are underdogs Sunday.
``That was qualifying,'' he said. ``The race is another deal altogether. We'll just have to see what happens.''
Elliott, whose last pole came in March 1992 at Darlington, said he was relieved to have the inside of the front row after a run that extended to 12 years his streak of starting up front at least once.
``I think everybody gets down on themselves a little bit in our situation,'' he said. ``You kind of question what you're doing.
``There used to be you could have a bad car and nurse it through to a top-10 or a top-five. With the technology in this sport in the last several years, if you have a bad car, you're a lap down.''
Elliott's pole was the fourth of his career at the troublesome triangular layout, where he has won four races.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB