Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 8, 1995 TAG: 9510090127
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B11 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CONCORD, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
He will start dead last in the 43rd starting position - in a row of his own - for today's UAW-GM 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
``I've started back there before,'' Earnhardt said. ``We started 38th in this race last year and finished third. It'll just take a little longer for us to come to the front.''
Earnhardt was only 37th fastest after the pole qualifying session Friday. He tried again Saturday and went about a half-mile an hour faster, but ended up even further down the speed list in 40th. He is using a champion's provisional to get into today's race.
``Some days you can run fast, and some days you can't,'' he said. ``We've got a good car. It's not the car's fault that we didn't qualify. It's just a combination of things.''
Ray Evernham, Jeff Gordon's crew chief, said: ``Earnhardt ain't having no problems. He'll be leading this race in 75 laps. All that's done is made him madder. He never qualifies good here, and he always gets up front.''
Evernham's driver qualified third, while Ricky Rudd won the pole.
Meanwhile, Lake Speed led the second round of time trials in his Ford Thunderbird with a speed of 178.607 mph, which was tied for 15th fastest overall.
The four other provisional starting spots went to Derrike Cope, Mike Wallace, Rich Bickle and Elton Sawyer. Failing to make the race were Chad Little, Kenny Wallace, Jeff Purvis and Delma Cowart.
FINAL PRACTICE: Terry Labonte unofficially had the quickest car in the final Winston Cup practice Saturday afternoon, reaching 176.470 mph in his Chevy. Just behind him were Ricky Rudd, Jeff Gordon and Bobby Labonte, who won the Coca-Cola 600 here in May.
RUTTMAN TO ROUSH: Veteran Joe Ruttman, who is second in NASCAR SuperTruck points this season in Ernie Irvan's truck, has signed a multi-year agreement with Jack Roush to drive one of his trucks beginning in 1996.
SPORTSMAN IMPROVEMENTS: Amid the heavy media criticism of the NASCAR sportsman series in the wake of Friday's gruesome accident that killed Russell Phillips, NASCAR spokesman Kevin Triplett sought to make a counterpoint.
Triplett said there have been a number of improvements, including single-file starts and restarts, a requirement that every driver have a two-way radio and spotters and a requirement that drivers submit resumes with references.
``Those things have come in the last two or three years as we've looked at ways to improve the series,'' he said.
There was another sportsman race here Saturday. It included a three-car crash in turn four. No one was hurt. Lester Lesneski of Stanfield, N.C. won the race.
A CLOSE FRIEND: Jeff Purvis, a close friend of Phillips, was feeling a bit better Saturday after finishing third in the Grand National race after starting 39th.
``To finish third the way we did today makes this a little better weekend, especially after we lose a real close friend in yesterday's race,'' Purvis said Saturday. ``Phillips was a very close friend of ours and we're on our way now to visit the family and offer any help that we can.''
by CNB