ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, February 10, 1996 TAG: 9602120071
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: SPEEDWEEKS NOTES
DATELINE: DAYTONA BEACH, FLA.
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
STERLING MARLIN posted the fastest speed of the day as drivers experienced slower cars.
They didn't look any different to the casual observer, but the NASCAR Winston Cup cars practicing on the track at Daytona International Speedway on Friday were set up differently than they will be for most of Speedweeks.
``They're really a handful out there right now getting ready to qualify,'' said Dale Jarrett, who was fourth-fastest during the afternoon practice session. ``The cars are four to five miles per hour slower than last year, so they should be easier to drive.
``But the things we do to gain the speed back really make the car not drive good.''
Defending champ Sterling Marlin was the fastest of the day with a speed of 189.478 mph in the morning session. Dale Earnhardt was second-fastest, at 189.418 mph in his Chevrolet Monte Carlo on Friday afternoon. Rick Mast was third in the quickest Pontiac Grand Prix, at 189.278. Jarrett was fourth at 189.207 in his Ford Thunderbird. Jeremy Mayfield came home at No.5 at 189.016.
Qualifying for the first two starting positions of the Feb.18 Daytona 500 is at 2 p.m. today.
``It's no secret the way people have made these cars go faster - by softening the springs in the car,'' Jarrett said.
With softer springs, the car sits lower and cuts through the air better.
``But the car moves around a lot more,'' Jarrett said. ``It's up and down and side to side. It's not like it is getting ready to wreck. But we usually have 3.5 inches of shock [absorber] travel in the back. Right now, it's closer to five inches.''
``You've got some weird stuff on these cars right now,'' Marlin said. ``We've got real soft springs to get the car down out of the air and tricked-up shocks to hold it down. Those things will be gone on Monday.''
The track was busy all day Friday, but the fact is that most teams did not expect to learn much that they already didn't know.
``Everybody is just trying to get a clean lap and see what they've got,'' said Ernie Irvan. ``Everybody has tested a lot. Everybody's got what they've have. Basically, they could line them up and qualify right now.''
Jarrett said he expected the pole to be won at about 188.50 to 189 mph.
He won the pole last year at 193.498 mph, but speeds are slower because of a new NASCAR rule that effectively lowers engine compression.
``We'll get back to a race setup after [today] and things will be pretty much back to normal after then,'' Jarrett said.
BODINE INTO THE WALL: The only incident of the day happened in the morning practice session when a fire broke out in Brett Bodine's car and he hit the wall after being blinded by the fire extinguisher chemicals circulating in his Ford.
``We had a fuel line failure,'' Bodine said. ``Before I could get to pit road, the heat and the flames burned up the brake lines so fast I had no brakes.
``It was pretty bad inside, heat-wise and the fact that I couldn't breath. No burns, I just took in a lot of smoke and chemicals.''
IRVAN'S DAYTONA RETURN: For Ernie Irvan, Friday was business as usual at the race track.
Any emotions he felt about his return to Daytona to race for the first time in a year and a half came Thursday.
``That happened yesterday when I went through the tunnel,'' he said Friday. ``Kind of the biggest emotion for me was just being able to be here and see that Texaco Havoline Ford sitting there with my name on the door.
``As far as my comeback, that's pretty much behind us now and we're looking forward to a new season.''
PHONE TALK: Cellular phones have become the rage in the NASCAR Winston Cup series, and Darrell Waltrip used that fact to pull a practical joke on Larry Balewski, a top Daytona International Speedway official.
Balewski's phone rang several times Thursday during the Busch Clash brunch at Pelican Bay Country Club. Finally Waltrip, sitting at the head table about 25 feet away, dialed Balewski himself.
``Hey, Balewski, you're not doing anything. Bring me a cup of coffee,'' the voice on Balewski's phone said.
"Who's this?'' Balewski asked.
``It's me. Darrell. I'm sitting right here next to you,'' Waltrip replied.
LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. Sterling Marlin (left) and crew chief Tony Gloverby CNBwork on Marlin's car Friday. color. KEYWORDS: AUTO RACING