THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 1, 1994 TAG: 9410010427
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines
The Earnhardt family was out in force Friday at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
Dale Earnhardt's three older children, Dale Jr., Kerry and Kelly, all were competing against 75 other drivers to make it into the 32-car field for today's Lowe's 150 late model stock car race.
None of the Earnhardts qualified in the top 20 Friday.
But Mike Dillon, who won the pole, is the son-in-law of Richard Childress, Earnhardt's car owner.
The fastest Earnhardt was Dale Jr., who was 33rd. Kerry was 36th fastest. And Kelly struggled to 70th, which was ninth slowest.
A second round of qualifying is at 11 a.m. today.
WAITING, WAITING: There's still more questions than answers and more rumors than facts in the 1994 silly season.
First on the list of unresolved matters is Robert Yates Racing, and who will be driving the No. 28 Ford Thunderbird.
Yates has told reporters he may be prepared to run two cars next year, so he can offer a full-year ride to a new driver and still have a car for injured Ernie Irvan, if and when Irvan can drive again.
But Yates said Friday: ``We haven't planned anything yet. Maybe we'll listen to all of the news reports and figure out what to do.''
Yates currently has Kenny Wallace as a replacement driver for Irvan, but Wallace reportedly will move up to Winston Cup with his current Grand National team, Filmar Racing.
Dale Jarrett has been mentioned as a possible candidate for the Yates car, but he said Friday, ``Nothing to it. Pure and simple.''
Brett Bodine still appears certain to take over for Bill Elliott in Junior Johnson's No. 11 Ford Thunderbird, with sponsorship from Lowe's, but no official announcement has been made. Jimmy Spencer, meanwhile, said his plans with Johnson are still ``up in the air.''
Another apparent deal has Grand National driver Ricky Craven going to the No. 41 Larry Hedrick Chevy, with Kodiak sponsorship. Joe Nemechek reportedly will field his own team.
Bill Davis, owner of the No. 22 Pontiac, still hasn't found a sponsor. And now his driver, Bobby Labonte, is being courted by others, including Bud Moore and the No. 15 Ford Thunderbird car. Labonte also may be a candidate for Yates.
``A lot of people are after him,'' Davis said. ``I didn't think it would be a struggle'' to find a sponsor.
As for the No. 15 car, team manager Greg Moore said, ``The only thing I know at this point is it's not going to be Lake (Speed).''
SPEED SPEAKS: Speed, meanwhile, said no one thing made him decide to walk away from Moore's No. 15 Ford Thunderbird.
``If you don't enjoy being where you are, you need to do something else,'' he said Friday during practice for Sunday's Holly Farms 400 at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
``There was nothing specific,'' he said. ``It's kind of like dust settling on something. You don't really know you've got a problem until you wipe your finger across it.
``It was more a thing where Bud and them race one way and I just see things a little differently. So I felt like I should let them do it their way and let me go and do it my way.''
Speed said he may try to revive his own team, but is considering rides with other teams as well. ``I'm looking for a ride, I'm looking for a sponsor.'' As to what he would accept on either front, ``it depends on what the deal is,'' he said.
Both Speed and Greg Moore said the parting was amicable and that Speed will finish the season in the car.
DODSON HIRED PERMANENTLY: Veteran crew chief Barry Dodson has been hired permanently at Sabco Racing as team manager for Kyle Petty's No. 42 Pontiac team.
Dodson has held the position on a temporary basis since July, after he was released as Darrell Waltrip's crew chief.
Meanwhile, Jimmy Hensley, substituting for Kyle Petty in practice and qualifying here Friday, was 21st fastest in time trials. Petty, who was too sick last weekend to finish the Martinsville motel, is recovering from a severe case of case of bronchitis.
``Kyle will start it Sunday and go as long as he feels like he can go,'' Hensley said. by CNB