THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, March 23, 1996 TAG: 9603230448
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DARLINGTON, S.C. LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines
Before NASCAR car owners Bill and Gail Davis moved to their new shop in High Point, N.C., last week, they kicked out the team, sending driver Ward Burton and the crew to Darlington Raceway for testing.
That strategy paid off. The Davises moved to the new shop with minimal disruption, and Burton and the team made good use of the test, winning the pole Friday for Sunday's TranSouth 400 with a track-record speed of 173.797 mph.
Burton shattered Jeff Gordon's old record by about a half-second. In fact, the top 20 drivers all exceeded Gordon's 1995 mark of 170.833 mph. It was the second consecutive pole for the new Pontiac Grand Prix.
``This is the first place Bill Davis and I had been able to test anywhere except Daytona,'' Burton said. ``I think it helped us.''
Gordon was second-fastest at 173.613 mph in a Chevrolet Monte Carlo, followed by Dale Jarrett in a Ford Thunderbird at 172.384. Morgan Shepherd was fourth-fastest in a Ford at 171.704, followed by Bill Elliott in a Ford at 171.632.
Also in the top 10 were Ken Schrader in a Chevy at 171.602 mph, followed by four Ford drivers: Kenny Wallace at 171.429, Rusty Wallace at 171.423, Jeremy Mayfield at 171.321 and Elton Sawyer at 171.315.
``There's no question that the tires are what is picking up all the speed,'' Burton said. Goodyear has introduced a new tire for this race.
But after a few laps Sunday, Darlington will again become the same old Darlington, he said.
``I think you're going to see a pretty interesting race after people get 25 or 35 laps on their tires,'' Burton said. ``After 25 laps you're holding on, and that's when you'll see where the setups come in. Anything above 40 laps, there's going to be a lot of slipping and sliding going on.''
But for a one-lap qualifying run, the tires were unparalleled.
``I knew I had pretty much gotten everything out of (the lap),'' Burton said. ``I drove it in pretty deep in (turn) 1. I got loose all the way through two, but it wasn't loose enough where I had to back off. It was a good-turning loose, a fast loose. ``(Turns) 3 and 4 were pretty uneventful. But I really didn't think the lap was that fast.''
This was Burton's second career pole. He won the top starting spot for the October 1994 Charlotte race. He also has one race victory, at Rockingham last fall.
Darlington is a track with pits on both the front and back straights, so much of the interest centered on who finished 24th or better, and had to pit on the backstretch.
Ricky Rudd just made the frontstretch cut, qualifying 24th-fastest. Lake Speed made the field at 25th-fastest but will pit on the backstretch.
Dale Earnhardt was 26th-fastest, so for the first time since 1992, he's assured a backstretch pit.
``I got down into turn 1 and the shadows down there caused me to miss my line a bit,'' Earnhardt told Chevy's Ray Cooper. ``I haven't won here pitting on the backstretch before, but it really doesn't matter where you pit.''
Others who failed to qualify Friday included Darrell Waltrip (29th-fastest), Ernie Irvan (31st), Sterling Marlin (32nd) and Atlanta pole-winner Johnny Benson Jr. (36th).
But it's better to be on the backstretch than not in the race at all. And after 44 cars made qualifying runs for 38 regular starting spots, those sitting 38th or slower were, in order: Bobby Hillin, Kyle Petty, Joe Nemechek, Dave Marcis, Mike Wallace, Randy MacDonald and Robby Faggart. Second-round qualifying is set for 11:30 a.m. today. ILLUSTRATION: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ward Burton credited a new tire compound after circling Darlington
Raceway at a track-record 173.797 mph.
FRIDAY'S QUALIFYING
[For a copy of the graphic, see microfilm for this date.]
by CNB