Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, August 3, 1995 TAG: 9508030058
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: INDIANAPOLIS LENGTH: Medium
Gordon reached 171.894 mph in one of the 12 laps he ran in his Chevrolet Monte Carlo during a busy four-hour practice session.
While that's not as fast as the 172.414 mph Rick Mast ran to win last year's pole, Gordon said he and the other drivers probably still have something left for today's pole qualifying, which begins at 2 p.m.
``Today is just a shakedown,'' Gordon said. ``But tomorrow is really when we're going to see the times go down and see guys really going for it. It's a whole new game tomorrow.''
Rusty Wallace only ran seven laps Wednesday - the fewest of the top drivers - but he was second-fastest in his Ford Thunderbird at 170.843 mph. Wallace ended his practice with more than an hour left in the session. Mark Martin also was done early.
``We really only ran two laps today - two qualifying runs,'' Wallace said.
The main reason for the limited practice Wednesday was a lack of tires. Teams are allowed to use only three sets of new tires from the time the track opened at 2 p.m. Wednesday until qualifying is finished.
Bill Elliott was the third-fastest in his Ford, reaching 170.558 mph on one of the 29 laps he ran. Elliott was among the busiest drivers. Several drivers, including Ted Musgrave, Dick Trickle, Mike Wallace, A.J. Foyt and rookie Elton Sawyer, ran 30 to 35 laps.
Mast, of Rockbridge Baths, Va., was fourth-fastest at 170.309 mph in his Ford. Greg Sacks, who on Monday was named to replace Chuck Bown in the Active Racing Chevrolet, was fifth-fastest with a lap at 170.161 mph.
Also in the top 10 were Bobby Labonte in a Chevy at 170.129 mph, Martin in a Ford at 170.068 mph, Joe Nemechek in a Chevy at 169.969 mph, John Andretti in a Ford at 169.936 mph and Terry Labonte in a Chevy at 169.901 mph.
65 DEGREE SPOILER: NASCAR has set a minimum spoiler angle of 65 degrees for the Brickyard 400, but most teams already are using that much of an angle.
``I don't think that anybody was going to put it down any less than that anyway,'' Gordon said.
``Every time we laid our spoiler back [more than that], it hurt our corner speed and we didn't run as good,'' Wallace said. ``I would run so much quicker through the corners with the spoiler up, it would improve my straightaway speeds.''
CHILDRESS NOT WORRIED ABOUT EARNHARDT: Richard Childress said he's 95 percent sure that he'll be able to sign another multi-year contract to keep Dale Earnhardt.
``As far as Dale and I, we've got another year on our contract, and we're negotiating to stay together through the year 2000,'' he said. ``Everything is good with us. I think it's just a matter of going through the formalities, just a matter of one attorney clearing the contract with another attorney.''
Childress said he's not surprised of the rumors he heard, especially ``when you get a little behind.'' But he pointed out that when Earnhardt dropped to fourth after the second Pocono race [he's now back in third], it was ``the first time in 77 races the team has been out of the top three. That type of thing can't last forever.''
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB