The Virginian-Pilot
                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Saturday, October 19, 1996            TAG: 9610190492
SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C4   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: ROCKINGHAM, N.C.                  LENGTH:   55 lines

JONES CLIMBS INTO NEW PONTIAC, WINS POLE FOR TODAY'S BUSCH RACE

Buckshot Jones is only 26, but he's been quick to learn the art of NASCAR public relations.

He already has a catchy nickname. (His given name is Roy.) And he managed to come through with a pole-winning performance on the same day he had a big press conference.

After announcing Friday that his Busch Grand National team has switched from Ford to Pontiac, Jones went out in his new Grand Prix and won the top starting spot for today's AC Delco 200 Busch Grand National race (2 p.m., TNN) with a lap of 150.425 mph.

Dale Jarrett, who won the pole for Sunday's Winston Cup race, took the outside pole for today's race with a lap of 150.222 mph.

``Winning the pole is great, but that's already behind us now, and winning the race tomorrow is the next and foremost thing in our minds,'' Jones said.

Jones received his nickname from his grandfather years ago. He fell into a table, hit his head and gave himself a knot.

``I got up and kept running,'' he said. ``And my grandfather said, `That boy is as tough as buckshot.' ''

A 42-car field is scheduled to take the green flag at 2 p.m. today.

GLOVER MOVING? As the Winston Cup ``silly season'' winds down, rumors in the garage have shifted to crew chief changes.

The hottest rumor Friday was that Tony Glover was leaving as crew chief for Sterling Marlin and the No. 4 Morgan-McClure team, apparently to join car owner Felix Sabates as Robby Gordon's crew chief.

Glover was mum on the subject.

``Today and this weekend, all I'm concentrating on is the 4 car,'' Glover said. ``That's my main concern today and throughout the rest of the season. Next year, it may be a different story.''

Sabates confirmed that he has signed a crew chief for Gordon but said he couldn't reveal who it is and would not confirm it is Glover, who reportedly approached Sabates rather than the other way around.

Sabates said he hasn't had to do any recruiting for his crew: ``We've probably had 60 applications and maybe more than that during the last three weeks, and we have not approached a single person.''

DALLENBACH TO SABATES: Wally Dallenbach Jr. definitely will be a Sabates convert for 1997.

Dallenbach will drive a Pontiac on a limited schedule of at least 15 races with sponsorship from First Union.

Dallenbach, who has been driving Bud Moore's Ford this year, said he expects to run a full season in 1998.

``It's perfect for me,'' he said. ``My main goal is to win my first race. Only about four or five teams have a shot at the championship anyway.

``I saw what Felix is doing to expand his operation and I wanted to be a part of it.

``All I ask for is to give me what I need to win a race. With Felix, I'll be in the best equipment and have the best backing I've ever had. That's 90 percent of it.'' by CNB