Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, July 16, 1995 TAG: 9507170091
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: LONG POND, PA. LENGTH: Medium
They didn't kick the Miller Genuine Draft Ford Thunderbird out of the Miller Genuine Draft 500.
But NASCAR's penalty for use of ``unapproved'' roof flaps put driver Rusty Wallace in an unenviable position in today's $1.5 million NASCAR Winston Cup race.
``I think we had a top-five car,'' Wallace said Saturday, 24 hours after he was not permitted to qualify because of the infraction.
Now, he must make his run from the 22nd position on the 41-car grid, no easy task on the 2.5-mile Pocono International Raceway. The track has been very slick this weekend because of extremely high temperatures.
Thunderbird driver Bill Elliott has the pole for the race, posting a fast lap Friday of 162.496.
The violation resulted in a $20,000 fine and probation until Aug.30 for crew chief Robin Pemberton. Although not held accountable, Wallace took the blame for putting the flaps on the car 18 months ago.
``Our fab shop came up to me and said, `Rusty, can we make something lighter and stronger and nicer than this?' and I said `Go ahead and do it.' Robin never had a clue,'' Wallace said. ``He had no idea.
``He was so dumbfounded that I had to pull him aside and get in there and talk, and I didn't want him to take the fall for something he didn't know anything about.''
But NASCAR spokesman Kevin Triplett said the crew chief must be charged with the responsibility for any unapproved devices on a car. He said the flaps were not dangerous, but that the sanctioning agency cannot permit unapproved changes of any kind.
``We did not feel that in this instance that these flaps compromised the safety of the car,'' he said. ``They simply were not the ones that we approved to be on the car.''
Wallace said the lighter titanium flaps apparently worked better and faster than the composition matter on the approved flaps. The devices open to slow an out-of-control car and keep it from becoming airborne.
Wallace, who set the track qualifying record last June at 164.558 mph, said the flaps were installed after he had some serious crashes. He said the team had failed to get NASCAR approval for the titanium flaps, which made the top of the car slightly lighter.
He said NASCAR caught the violation only because it noticed the flaps being installed openly Friday on the new car Wallace is using this weekend. He was upbeat despite the punishment, saying he understood NASCAR's position.
``They don't want everybody coming in the back door with unapproved parts,'' he said.
The fine brings to $225,000 the amount NASCAR has assessed since the season began.
``We want to punish the offenders and discourage others,'' Winston Cup director Gary Nelson said.
Elliott led a 1-2-3 qualifying effort by Fords, putting his Thunderbird on the pole for the first time in 42 races. Mark Martin was second in qualifying at 161.993 and Morgan Shepherd third at 161.438.
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 today.
Ken Schrader, the pole winner last month with a speed of 163.375, was the highest-qualifying Chevrolet at 161.305. Next was seven-time Winston Cup champion Dale Earnhardt at 161.273.
Six drivers attempted to move up in second-day qualifying for the 41-car field in Saturday's 90-degree weather.
Only Dave Marcis succeeded, going from 38th Friday to 37th Saturday.
Todd Bodine went from a lock in the field Friday as the 35th fastest with a speed of 158.192 mph to a provisional start after covering 2.5 miles Saturday in 156.454.
Positions 1-38 are decided by speed. Three provisionals have been added.
Also qualifying was Ricky Craven, who crashed during his first qualifying lap. Craven took a provisional, and will start 39th.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB