Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, August 19, 1995 TAG: 9508210058
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BROOKLYN, MICH. LENGTH: Medium
``I guess what that says is we need to qualify more often when I'm not awake,'' Jarrett said after the session, which began about 8 a.m. on Friday after rain ended Thursday's time trials with only 12 cars qualifying.
Fellow Winston Cup regular Mark Martin won the outside pole with a speed of 174.098 mph. Jason Keller was the fastest Grand National regular, winning the third starting spot with a speed of 173.481 mph in his Chevrolet.
Jarrett said he wasn't too keen on trying to run a fast lap so early in the morning on a green track. ``This is a place where you kinda like to work up to it,'' he said.
But he took it easy, and did not try to go flat out, as some do here.
``There's only two places where we run wide open, and this is not one of them,'' he said.
A 42-car field is scheduled to take the green flag in the 200-mile race at 1 p.m. today.
JARRETT'S 1996 PLANS: Jarrett said he's uncertain who he will be driving for in 1996, but it probably won't be Robert Yates, even if Ernie Irvan doesn't come back.
``It hasn't even been something that's been discussed,'' he said. ``The whole plan was that Ernie was going to be back. We've known this all year.''
Jarrett said he should know later this month whether he'll be starting his own team or moving to another.
``I've given the [potential sponsors] I've been working with until the Monday after the [August 26] Bristol race,'' he said. ``We've got to come out of the box with things in place.''
If he launches his own team, Jarrett said he'll run Fords with Robert Yates engines. In the meantime, ``people have been talking to me about other rides,'' he said.
PETITION DRIVE: Michigan International Speedway will use Sunday's race to generate thousands of signatures on petitions opposing President Clinton's proposed measures to restrict sports sponsorships by tobacco companies.
Speedway president Walt Czarnecki said 50,000 pieces of literature will be distributed to fans Sunday and kiosks will be set up to get signatures on petitions. And officials from R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. were busy on Friday obtaining drivers' signatures on an oversized copy of the petition.
In addition, Geoff Bodine will address the crowd about the issue during driver introductions on Sunday, Czarnecki said.
``Our efforts are aimed toward respecting the right of commercial free speech,'' said Czarnecki, who is president of ACESS, the American Coalition of Entertainment and Sports Sponsorships.
BEAM MAKES IT OFFICIAL: Mike Beam, who rejoined Bill Elliott as a consultant and head of research and development on May 15, has been officially named crew chief.
Since Beam rejoined the team, Elliott has climbed from 18th to 10th in the Winston Cup points standings.
HEVERON RECOVERING: Doug Heveron, who broke his left ankle in a crash during Grand National practice here Thursday, underwent surgery Thursday night and was fitted with a cast Friday at Foote Memorial Hospital in Jackson.
A LONG FLIGHT: Kyle Petty and his car owner, Felix Sabates, were part of a group of 99 who flew on the Concorde Wednesday as it set a world record for an around-the-world flight by a passenger.
The jet flew from New York to New York in 31 hours, 27 minutes and 49 seconds.
Both Sabates and Petty had the same reaction to the flight: Boring.
After all, what do you think it would be like to spend 31 straight hours on an airplane?
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB