THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 3, 1996 TAG: 9610030557
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CONCORD, N.C. LENGTH: 66 lines
After winning three races in 1995, Bobby Labonte has found success much harder to come by in the 1996 Winston Cup season.
But when all else fails, a couple of pole positions can be a pretty nice consolation prize.
Labonte won his second pole in four races Wednesday, winning the top starting spot for Sunday's UAW-GM 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway with a lap of 184.068 mph in his Chevrolet Monte Carlo.
Jeff Gordon won the outside pole at 182.574 mph in his Chevy, more than two-tenths of a second slower - a significant amount, considering that less than seven-tenths separated the top 25 qualifiers.
``The car just ran awfully good,'' Labonte said. ``Maybe this will bring us good things for Sunday.''
Added team owner Joe Gibbs, ``We're absolutely thrilled.''
Jeremy Mayfield was third-fastest in a Ford Thunderbird at 182.451, followed by Bobby Hamilton in a Pontiac Grand Prix and Todd Bodine in the unsponsored No. 27 Ford, both at 182.272.
Completing the top 10 were Jeff Green, Jeff Burton, Ricky Craven, Ernie Irvan and Dale Jarrett.
Newcomer Robby Gordon qualified 13th-fastest in a Dale Earnhardt-owned Chevy, while Earnhardt himself was only 33rd-fastest.
``I don't know what we're doing wrong,'' Earnhardt said. ``We'd been a lot better than that in practice, and the car felt good, too. I don't understand it.''
Forty-eight cars made qualifying runs. After today's second round, at 1:30 p.m., the field will be whittled to 38 regular starters and up to five provisional starters.
Gary Bradberry is currently 38th fastest, followed by John Andretti, Kyle Petty, Kenny Wallace, Ricky Rudd, Joe Nemechek, Robert Pressley, Darrell Waltrip, Robby Faggart, Dave Marcis and Delma Cowart.
SCHRADER MOVES ON: Ken Schrader, who has spent the last nine seasons with Hendrick Motorsports, is heading to the No. 33 team, which is being sold by Leo Jackson to crew chief Andy Petree.
``Rick Hendrick and I have a good relationship,'' Schrader said. ``I thought it was time to make a change. When the opportunity came up with Andy, it was time to go for it.''
Schrader had two years remaining on his contract with Hendrick, but asked for and was granted his release. The team will continue to have Skoal as its primary sponsor.
NEMECHEK TO SABCO: Car owner Felix Sabates announced the purchase of Joe Nemechek's team. Nemechek will move into the Sabco shop in Mooresville, N.C., and will have a new sponsor for 1997.
Nemechek will drive the No. 42 Chevrolet being vacated by Kyle Petty, while Sabates' new driver, Robby Gordon, will drive the No. 40 Chevy. The team also plans to enter a third car in selected events.
``It's definitely going to make it easier for me to concentrate on racing,'' Nemechek said. ``The cost of the sport seems to be going up and up, and single-car teams have a harder and harder time.''
ROUSH CHANGES: Car owner Jack Roush is shuffling the leadership of Ted Musgrave's team.
Roush said that James Ince has replaced Howard Comstock as the crew chief on the No. 16 Family Channel Ford team. Comstock will retain his title as the team manager and will concentrate on administrative duties.
MATTHEWS DIES: Longtime NASCAR driver and car builder Edwin ``Banjo' Matthews, 64, died Wednesday in a Hendersonville, N.C., nursing home after a long illness. Matthews drove from 1952-63. He won the first modified sportsman race at Daytona in 1959. by CNB