THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 12, 1994 TAG: 9406120253
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940612 LENGTH: LONG POND, PA.
After failing to lure Bill Elliott from Ford, Pontiac has turned its sights on Dale Jarrett and Ricky Rudd, according to sources familiar with the discussions. Rudd is driving a Ford, while Jarrett is already in the GM camp with Chevrolet.
{REST} ``We have been approached,'' Jarrett said Saturday. ``But I would say right now we're pretty happy where we're at. Chevy has a new car (Monte Carlo) coming out, and (crew chief) Jimmy (Makar) has been working hard with GM on that. So at this particular time, I couldn't foresee us making a change from where we're at.''
Rudd said he couldn't comment on whether he has been approached by Pontiac or what his team might do for next year, ``but we'd have to have open ears, as would anybody in the sport,'' to any offers.
Pontiac currently has Kyle Petty, Wally Dallenbach, Bobby Labonte, Michael Waltrip and Bobby Hamilton. The best finish among these drivers in 1994 is Waltrip's third at Talladega. But the Pontiac drivers have been more optimistic since NASCAR agreed to lenghthen the body of the Grand Prix by 4 3/4 inches to make it more stable and thus more competitive.
Don Taylor, the Winston Cup program manager for GM's Motorsports Technology Group, said he could not comment on whether Pontiac is courting Rudd and Jarrett. But he did say: ``I don't believe Pontiac would want to be in a situation where they're adding teams just to add teams.
``Pontiac has had a small number of teams and the MTG has been working very closely with those teams. Our first priority is working with the existing teams to optimize their performances and get them back in the winner's circle.''
RAIN CANCELS RACES: Intermittent light rain forced the cancellation of all on-track activities at Pocono International Raceway on Saturday.
Second-round qualifying for today's UAW-GM Teamwork 500 was wiped out, as were the ARCA and sportsman races.
The cancellation of time trials sent two drivers home early: Billy Standridge and Andy Belmont. The two provisional starting spots went to Chuck Bown and ARCA regular Bob Keselowski, who is in Jimmy Means' No. 52 Ford Thunderbird this weekend.
The most exciting action Saturday was a showdown between the track staff and a deer that strayed into the facility. The deer eluded several different attempts to capture it.
Finally the animal was cornered while trying to find a way under the fence on the inside of the 2.5-mile tri-oval.
The sportsman and ARCA races were rescheduled to the upcoming Pocono race weekend in July. They will be run on Thursday, July 14, which is normally the qualifying day for those divisions. The sportsman and ARCA races already set for Saturday, July 16, will also be run as scheduled.
HOOSIERS OFF: The Hoosier tires have matched the Goodyears on performance in the past several races, but that may not be the case this weekend.
Most Hoosier drivers were privately shaking their heads about the company's Pocono tire, although there was some sentiment that the tire would perform better during long runs.
``The Hoosiers are off this weekend,'' driver Jeff Burton said.
The first indicator of that was the decision by all the switch-hitting drivers - Darrell Waltrip, Harry Gant, Rick Mast, Steve Grissom and Joe Nemechek - to use Goodyears at Pocono.
Greg Sacks, who will start 20th in today's race, was the fastest Hoosier qualifier. Ward Burton starts 25th, while Geoff Bodine is 30th, Loy Allen Jr. is 31st and Jeff Burton 35th.
HOT PROSPECT: Although his 19th-place finish at Sears Point is his best this year, John Andretti has emerged as the hottest early prospect for teams looking to make a driver change in 1995.
Former Ford racing honcho Michael Kranefuss, co-owner of the new Kranefuss-Haas Winston Cup team, is one of about six car owners who are interested in Andretti, according to sources close to the situation.
Although he has yet to record a good finish in 1994, Andretti has done a fine job in the unsponsored, underfinanced No. 14 Chevrolet owned by Billy Hagan.
by CNB