THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 5, 1995 TAG: 9510050514
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER NASCAR NOTES
DATELINE: CONCORD, N.C. LENGTH: Medium: 95 lines
The folks in the Winston Cup garage were gearing up for a long, wet wait Wednesday at Charlotte Motor Speedway when NASCAR surprised everyone by calling off the day's events five hours early.
With rain pelting the entire Southeast, NASCAR officials canceled the 7 p.m. Winston Cup pole qualifying session.
``There's a clearing in South Carolina, but we don't see much else but rain behind that,'' NASCAR spokesman Kevin Triplett said.
Pole qualifying for Sunday's UAW-GM Teamwork 500 was rescheduled for noon today, with Grand National qualifying to follow at 1:30 p.m. and a 100-mile sportsman race at 4. But NASCAR will be lucky indeed if this schedule sticks. The forecast for today called for an 80 percent chance of rain.
``We've all raced here enough that if we didn't get back onto the track until Sunday morning, it wouldn't bother any of us that badly,'' driver Darrell Waltrip said.
Forty-nine Winston Cup cars have been entered for Sunday's race. A maximum of 43 cars will start.
KYLE ENTERTAINS: Leave it to Kyle Petty to steal the show at the only quasi-newsworthy event of the day - a UAW-GM ``teamwork'' news conference featuring all of the General Motors drivers.
``Y'all keep talking about teamwork, but I'm the only driver here looking for a team,'' he said. ``We haven't had the greatest year, but you all know about that.
``I'm going to be honest with you, I'm loving this rain. I'm out of provisionals and if they start by points, it'll be my greatest qualifying effort there in three years.''
Petty has one saving grace: He's won this year, at Dover in June.
The same can't be said for Ken Schrader, who has watched his Hendrick Racing teammates Terry Labonte and Jeff Gordon rack up 10 wins while he remains winless since 1991. Schrader, however, has kept his wit.
``We've run the last three weeks and not used a tow truck or an ambulance to finish the day, so we're looking up,'' he said. ``Jeff's won a lot. Terry's won a lot. And I ain't won nothin'. So I got a little bit more to learn about it.''
``WONDER BOY'': Some weeks ago, when Jeff Gordon expressed his distaste of the nickname ``Wonder Boy,'' Dale Earnhardt saw an opportunity.
Now Earnhardt loses no opportunity to use the nickname, and that included Wednesday's news conference, with Gordon sitting right there to hear it.
``We're chasing Wonder Boy,'' Earnhardt said. ``He don't like that. That's why I call him that.''
Gordon said it doesn't bother him. ``He only calls me that when he's in front of you guys,'' Gordon told reporters. ``He doesn't call me that when we're together. He had fun with it.
``It doesn't bother me at all. He thinks it does, but it doesn't.''
If Gordon finishes 17th or better in the last four races, the title is his.
BENSON MOVING UP: Chuck Rider, owner of the No. 30 Pennzoil Pontiac Grand Prix, formally announced this week that Grand National points leader Johnny Benson Jr. will replace Michael Waltrip as its driver in 1996.
Rider said Benson, 32, a native of Grand Rapids, Mich., has signed a three-year contract and will run for Winston Cup rookie of the year next season.
Rider is hoping Benson will drive his car to its first win.
``The name of the game in this sport is winning,'' Benson said in a statement. ``Hopefully, we will achieve that soon.''
SHOP TALK: The hunt for new Winston Cup crew chiefs is intensifying, with Ricky Rudd, Richard Childress and Felix Sabates interviewing candidates and narrowing their choices.
``It's winding down,'' Rudd said. ``Hopefully after Charlotte we'll have it squared away.''
Rudd has talked to Richard Broome, the general manager/crew chief on the No. 26 Ford driven by Hut Stricklin, and Jeff Hammond, the veteran crew chief on the No. 40 Pontiac team, among others. Rudd is seeking to replace Bill Ingle, who hopes to announce his 1996 plans Friday.
Childress is considering mechanics already on his team as well as outside candidates. ``We're visiting all the angles,'' he said.
The No. 26 Ford team is still for sale, but there is increasing speculation that it will shut its doors, along with the No. 40 Pontiac team.
MORE SHOP TALK: Michael Waltrip and the Wood Brothers have officially announced their new alliance for 1996. And Morgan Shepherd, dropped by the Woods, is still looking for a ride.
And they're still at work at Bud Moore's No. 15 Ford shop, trying to find a sponsor and perhaps a driver. Crew chief Greg Moore has talked to Shepherd and former Grand National driver David Green among others, but also hasn't ruled out the return of Dick Trickle.
. . . Former Winston Cup driver D.K. Ulrich has sold controlling interest in Jasper Motorsports and the No. 77 Ford Thunderbird to Doug Bawel, president of Jasper Engines and Transmissions, the team has announced. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Driver Darrell Waltrip feels that the field knows the layout of the
track, come rain or shine.
by CNB