ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, February 11, 1997 TAG: 9702110108
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: DAYTONA BEACH, FLA.
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
As Winston Cup drivers and teams tried to think of new tricks on how to pass each other on the track at Daytona International Speedway after Sunday's one-pass Busch Clash, rain washed out an entire day of practice and the second round of qualifying.
The Busch Grand National cars were able to get on the track shortly before 4 p.m. Monday for their first practice session of the week, but steady rain in the morning and early afternoon kept the Winston Cup cars off the asphalt.
Considering that a garage full of cars can do little more than play follow-the-leader on the 2.5-mile superspeedway, the lost day does not bode well for Sunday's Daytona 500.
This is a track where the first 500 laps in 1959 were nearly a dead heat. This is a track with a reputation built not only on door-to-door racing, but on laps with two and three passes for the lead.
But that brand of excitement has been harder and harder to find in the era of restrictor-plate racing. The drivers this week are saying 1997 is worse than ever. And they are describing characteristics they've never experienced here before, almost as if some new virus has descended on the cars.
``There's like an invisible beach ball between you and the car in front of you,'' said Terry Labonte, the 1996 Winston Cup champion. ``You pull up there and there's a cushion of air and you can't seem to get any closer. You can't pull out or nothing. It's kind of frustrating.''
Actually, you can pull out. You just don't go anywhere.
``I tried it [Sunday in the Clash], because I was tired of sitting there,'' driver Dale Jarrett said. ``What good is finishing eighth? I had a good run going into the corner, just like I've had in the past. I went to the outside and it was just like my car stopped right there.
``Normally in the draft, you can feel the car pick up and feel the rpms pick up,'' Jarrett said. ``You've got that feel that the car wants to go. But here, you get that feeling, then, bam, it stops, and you're not going any farther than that.
``Before, two cars used to be able to make a difference, but they can't get close enough now to help you.''
The only hope at this point is that passing will begin in the 500 as soon as the tires begin to lose their grip and the differences in the chassis setups begin to kick in.
So why has the problem appeared?
``The rear spoilers are an inch higher than they were a year ago. That creates more drag,'' Labonte said. ``And the way they go through inspection today ... probably has a little effect on them.''
Also, there's a new ``cold-air box'' that channels air from the cowl directly to the air cleaner.
``One or two or three of the things together make a big difference on it,'' Labonte said.
Jarrett concurred, saying: ``I don't know that it is any one thing.''
Monday's rainout was especially tough on the teams that were slower in Saturday's pole qualifying. Usually, they would have requalified Monday. Now they have to wait until today, which means they can't begin to convert to their race setups until this afternoon.
``It's really important to get qualified and get to work on the race setup,'' said Jeff Burton, who will requalify after running 40th fastest Saturday. ``This just sets us back a day. That gives us only one day of [race] testing before the Twin 125s on Thursday.''
The cancellation of Monday's session means today's qualifying session, scheduled for 12:30 p.m., is the final time trial for Winston Cup cars.
It will be followed by pole qualifying for Saturday's 300-mile Grand National race.
LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshot) Jarrett KEYWORDS: AUTO RACINGby CNB