THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, April 8, 1995 TAG: 9504080373
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
Jeff Gordon is still winning everything in sight, but after capturing another pole Friday at North Wilkesboro Speedway - his fourth this season - it was obvious he isn't taking his success for granted.
Gordon was pumping his fists and returning high-fives on pit road after his Chevrolet Monte Carlo won the top starting spot for Sunday's First Union 400 with a speed of 118.765 mph.
Gordon's speed edged the 118.677 mph lap turned in by Brett Bodine, who was hoping to put Junior Johnson's Ford on the pole at Junior's home track.
``I've been excited here lately, really excited about a lot of things,'' Gordon said. ``But for some reason, the pole here today got me pumped up. This is our worst track and here we are on the pole. I didn't think this was the place we'd be on the pole at all.''
Of course, he said that last weekend after winning the pole at Bristol. But when you're as good as anybody in the most competitive major racing series in the world, and you're still only 23 years old, it's bound to take some time to learn how good you are.
``I can't believe that we've gotten four poles already this year,'' Gordon said. ``I don't know how to explain it. I don't know how to react. Brooke (his wife) didn't even come today because she didn't think there was a chance.''
Since winning at Bristol last Sunday for his third win in six races, ``this whole week has just flown by,'' Gordon said. ``All of a sudden, here we are at Wilkesboro and we're on the pole. I'm just constantly pinching myself.''
Gordon's pole-winning lap came on the second of his two qualifying laps. On the first lap, ``I went down into turn 1 and the car pushed pretty badly on me,'' he said. ``So I threw that first lap out the window and decided to be smooth and see what we could do on the second lap. But I didn't think it was the lap we needed . . . ''
Derrike Cope won the third starting spot in a Ford with a lap of 118.353 mph, followed by Bobby Hamilton in the fastest Pontiac Grand Prix at 118.346 mph. Dale Earnhardt was fifth fastest in a Chevy at 118.098 mph, followed by Lake Speed in a Ford at 117.850 mph, Mark Martin in a Ford at 117.764 mph, Joe Nemechek in a Chevy at 117.752 mph (despite a practice incident), Ted Musgrave in a Ford at 117.586 mph and Morgan Shepherd in a Ford at 117.555 mph.
Forty-five cars took the green flag Friday, battling for only 36 spots. Nine drivers will be going home after a second round of time trials today at noon.
Those in the danger zone are Jeremy Mayfield, who was 36th fastest, followed by Jay Hedgecock, Dave Marcis (who had one of the fastest cars in practice), Chuck Bown, Jeff Purvis (driving the No. 27 Ford recently vacated by Loy Allen), Randy McDonald, John Andretti, Davy Jones, Billy Standridge and Steve Kinser, who was unable to complete either of his two laps at speed after experiencing ignition problems.
A number of other prominent drivers, although not in danger of missing Sunday's race, did not qualify well. Darrell Waltrip was 22nd fastest, Kyle Petty was 24th, Geoff Bodine was 27th and Terry Labonte was 30th.
Even further down the line was Dale Jarrett, who was 33rd fastest in the Robert Yates Ford with a lap of 116.592 mph. Jarrett's time was more than three-tenths of a second slower than Gordon's. Just behind Jarrett was Bobby Labonte, who is still recovering from the broken left shoulder he suffered in a crash at Darlington.
Despite the handicap, Labonte was only 6/1000ths of a second slower than Jarrett in the Joe Gibbs Chevy Jarrett vacated. Labonte's speed was 116.556 mph. ILLUSTRATION: Prior to Friday's run, Jeff Gordon considered North Wilkesboro
his ``worst track.''
by CNB