THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 16, 1997 TAG: 9702160232
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. LENGTH: 90 lines
If you can imagine slow-motion action at 190 mph, that's what you can expect to see in today's Daytona 500.
After a winter of preparation, a month of testing and nine days of practicing and qualifying, the NASCAR Winston Cup cars are ready to go in stock-car racing's biggest event.
A week ago, after a tepid Busch Clash, the big concern was that the drivers weren't able to pass one another on the track. That concern evaporated after Thursday's Twin 125 qualifying races, which featured a lot of passing, although not many passes for the lead.
So not much has changed.
But it has changed some.
``It will look like the same racing, but it will kinda look like it's in slow motion,'' said Ford's Preston Miller. ``Now, it will take an entire lap to pass somebody, where in years past, you could do it in one straightaway.
``What we're seeing here that has fundamentally changed the racing is the cold air box.''
The cold air box now required by NASCAR connects the air cleaner to the cowl, creating a direct channel for air to reach the engine. Before, there was no direct channel.
``The cold air box has taken away the advantage of the guys who knew how to make old system work,'' Miller said.
Another over-the-winter rule change - raising the rear quarter-panels by one inch - has also affected the racing.
``That has added the equivalent of 20 horsepower of drag,'' Miller said. ``The minute you pull out of the draft now, you're going the same speed but your car has lost 20 horsepower in drag. So if you're alone, your car is going to go backwards even faster than it did before.''
``We're going to run a good race,'' Miller said. ``It's just going to be in slow motion.''
Meanwhile, NASCAR delayed for another day its announcement of fines for teams that used side-door roll bars that were too thin.
NASCAR Winston Cup director Gary Nelson said he fined two teams but has decided not to release the information until today so the crew chiefs would have enough time to notify sponsors and others.
He said he also wanted to make sure there were no more backup cars coming into the field that would need to be checked.
Nelson also said two teams were found to have windshield bars that did not conform to NASCAR specifications. But these teams will not be fined because the windshield bar is a new requirement, and ``these two teams didn't understand the new rule, and we have to give them time to adjust to it.''
Forty-two cars will start the 200-lap race at 12:15 p.m., with rookie Mike Skinner leading the pack to the green flag. Skinner won the pole position eight days ago with a speed of 189.813 mph. Steve Grissom starts from the outside pole.
In the final Winston Cup practice Saturday, which was incident-free, Robert Pressley recorded the fastest lap, reaching 191.669 mph around this 2.5-mile superspeedway in a Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Ken Schrader was second-fastest at 191.502, followed by Greg Sacks, Robby Gordon and Ward Burton.
But when it comes down to the final 50 miles, those in the garage with a clear sense of reality are predicting that the same bunch will be at the front - Dale Earnhardt, Sterling Marlin, Dale Jarrett, Ernie Irvan, Mark Martin, etc.
``You're going to race the same people - the 3 (Earnhardt), 25 (Ricky Craven), 4 (Marlin), 88 (Jarrett), 28 (Irvan),'' said Marlin's crew chief, Tim Brewer. ``The 6 (Martin) is pretty decent. The 2 (Rusty Wallace) thought he was pretty good, but he's kind of gone the other way now. It's the same people you normally race at Daytona and Talladega.''
But that doesn't make it any easier.
``I guess if you added up all the days I've spent down here, it's probably two or three years of my life,'' veteran crew chief Dale Inman said. ``But I tell ya, it feels like half of my life with all the stress we have down here.''
``Pit stops and track position is definitely going to be the deal,'' said crew chief Buddy Parrott. ``Pit stops are going to be real important. You're going to see two tires all day long under green and four under caution.
``Nobody will change four tires under green. That's going to be the deal. But it could all change. You never know.''
For many fans, the sentimental favorite will be Earnhardt, still looking for his first victory in his 19th Daytona 500 start.
``I think we're awfully good,'' said Earnhardt's crew chief, Larry McReynolds. ``We're just trying to stay focused and take care of the things we can control, making sure nothing falls off and making sure we get the car driving as good as we can and not worry about flat tires on the last lap.''
The field features two rookies, Skinner and Robby Gordon, as well as 55-year-old Dave Marcis, who will be making his 30th consecutive start. ILLUSTRATION: Color photos
Dale Jarrett
Dale Earnhardt
Sterling Marlin