THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, April 1, 1995 TAG: 9504010394
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BRISTOL, TENN. LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines
It's still the best-kept secret in NASCAR racing.
If any of the leading Winston Cup teams had information about the results of NASCAR's comparative wind tunnel tests of the Fords, Chevys and Pontiacs, they weren't talking Friday at Bristol International Raceway.
``I got my car back. That's all I know,'' said Richard Petty, whose Pontiac, driven by Bobby Hamilton, was one of the three cars used in the tests.
There was a report that Rusty Wallace had told some sponsor guests that the tests had showed that the Chevys, indeed, had an aerodynamic advantage over the Fords and that changes would be forthcoming in a week or so.
But on Friday, Wallace said, ``I don't know nothing yet, nothing at all. It's all rumors.''
Meanwhile, NASCAR issued a statement from Mike Helton, vice president of competition, saying the sanctioning body was ``very pleased'' with the tests, which were held on Tuesday at the Lockheed wind tunnel in Marietta, Ga., and Wednesday at the General Motors wind tunnel in Warren, Mich.
``It will take several weeks for the gathered data to be analyzed,'' Helton's statement said.
GREEN ON BUSCH POLE: After filling in for injured Bobby Labonte and qualifying fifth for Sunday's Food City 500 Winston Cup race, David Green returned to the series where he is reigning champion and won the pole for today's Goody's 250 with a speed of 122.474 mph.
Green's lap in his Chevrolet Monte Carlo was less than a tenth of a mile per hour faster than that of Chad Little, who took the second starting spot with a lap of 122.396 mph in his Ford.
Also in the top five were Darlington winner Larry Pearson at 122.318 mph in a Chevy, Mark Martin at 122.232 mph in a Ford and Curtis Markham at 121.313 mph in a Pontiac.
Elton Sawyer of Chesapeake ran 25th at 119.128.
LABONTE WILL START: Bobby Labonte, meanwhile, says he plans to start Sunday's Winston Cup race and then let Green take over, although he was still uncertain as to how far he would try to go.
Labonte cracked his left shoulder bone in a crash in last Sunday's TranSouth 400 at Darlington. He is also recovering from pneumonia.
``Starting at the rear of the field Sunday may be the best thing to do,'' Labonte said. ``I'd like to go to the first yellow.''
ALLEN RESIGNS: After a year and a half of trying to make it in the Winston Cup, Loy Allen resigned as driver of the Junior Johnson-owned No. 27 Ford Thunderbird.
The 28-year-old Allen's resignation came after a team meeting Thursday that included crew chief Mike Hill and representatives from team sponsor Hooters.
A surprisingly frank statement announcing the resignation said: ``All parties agreed that Allen made his entrance to stock car racing's premier division prematurely.''
Hill was quoted as saying: ``With time and laps, Loy Allen will make a fine driver. . . . There is a future for him in this sport when he has more experience.''
Hut Stricklin will replace Allen at Bristol. The team is still looking for a permanent replacement.
Allen won three poles last year, including the Daytona 500 pole, but failed to qualify for a dozen other races. He failed to qualify for one race so far this year. by CNB