THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 6, 1995 TAG: 9510060628
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CONCORD, N.C. LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines
Pole qualifying for Sunday's UAW-GM 500, washed out for a second consecutive day Thursday, was rescheduled for noon today at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Qualifying for Saturday's All Pro 300 Grand National race will follow at 1:30, with the second round of Winston Cup qualifying rescheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday.
Two days of rain would wreak havoc on a normal three-day Winston Cup weekend, but Charlotte's five-day schedule has a huge built-in fudge factor.
Both the Winston Cup and Grand National cars had a couple of practice sessions in between showers Thursday, and the speed leaders, all above 178 mph, were Bobby Labonte, Ricky Rudd, Rick Mast and Ward Burton.
``The good news is, this is supposed to all clear out, and by tomorrow we should be OK for the rest of the weekend,'' NASCAR spokesman Kevin Triplett said late Thursday afternoon.
OUT SHOPPING: Winston Cup car owner Felix Sabates has been looking for a new team for driver Kyle Petty, and he apparently has hit paydirt at Rusty Wallace's shop.
Wallace said Thursday that one crewman, Billy Woodruff, has already left his team, apparently to become Petty's crew chief, and that another, longtime engine builder David Evans, may also be joining Sabates.
``Maybe, maybe not,'' said Sabates. ``Hope so. There is an offer.''
``He's got himself in trouble because the car's not running, so he just went to the checkbook,'' said Wallace. ``This team has enough depth to it that a couple of guys could go and it wouldn't be a problem.''
RUDD'S PLANS: Ricky Rudd says he's losing sleep trying to decide whom to hire as crew chief, replacing Bill Ingle.
``I'm tossing and turning every night worrying about it,'' he said.
Speculation was centered on Richard Broome, the team manager of Kenny Bernstein's No. 26 Ford team, which is on the sales block.
Rudd said he has talked to Broome, adding, ``I've probably talked to 50 people. I hope to wrap it up by the end of next week.''
Ingle, meanwhile, is scheduled to announce his plans today, and the speculation was that he'll join Steve Grissom and the No. 29 Chevrolet Monte Carlo team.
BRETT'S BACK: Brett Bodine said he'll return to drive the No. 11 Lowe's Ford Thunderbird in 1996. The only question is who will control the operation.
As to reports that he is trying to buy the team from owner Junior Johnson, Bodine said, ``We've discussed it. It would not be a complete buyout.'' Bodine said he's trying to buy enough of a stake in the team to have control over it. by CNB