
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, February 9, 1991                   TAG: 9102090366
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: DAYTONA BEACH, FLA.                                LENGTH: Medium

ALLISON FASTEST AT DAYTONA

Davey Allison had the fastest time in Friday's first Winston Cup practice session for the Daytona 500, but he is not assuming he will win the pole position when qualifying for the top two starting spots begins at 2 p.m. today.

"We were fastest, but that was today," Allison said. "I'm never confident at Daytona. I've come down here three times with a chance to win the pole and I finished second, third and eighth."

Allison toured the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway at 195.980 mph Friday, about a half-mile per hour faster than Harry Gant, who was second quickest at 195.482. Michael Waltrip was third at 195.160, followed by Ricky Rudd at 194.864 and Ernie Irvan at 194.599.

Allison said he thinks it will take a lap at 196 or 196.5 mph to win the pole, but it will depend on the weather.

"If the sun comes out and it gets warm, it will be around 195 1/2," he said.

It was overcast and cool Friday, with temperatures in the upper 50s to low 60s. The forecast for today calls for mostly sunny skies and highs in the upper 60s.

Sports car and off-road sensation Robby Gordon, a newcomer at Daytona, hit the fourth-turn wall during practice and wrote off one of Junie Donlavey's two Fords. Gordon, who was uninjured, will go to the backup car in his effort to make the 500 on Feb. 17.

"I had just come up to the wall in turn four," Gordon said. "A guy was slowing down and I got in his air. It started to push the car to the wall, so I turned it. The front end sat down and it spun around. I hit real hard. These Winston Cup cars don't have the downforce our other [IMSA GTO] cars do."

Rick Jeffrey also crashed after losing control in turn one. The front and back ends received moderate damage. He was not hurt.

Rounding out the top 15 in practice were Sterling Marlin (194.145), Dale Earnhardt (194.032), Rick Mast (193.940), Alan Kulwicki (193.855), Mark Martin (193.661), Ken Schrader (193,594), Bill Elliott (193.573), Darrell Waltrip (193.540), Rusty Wallace (193.519) and Kyle Petty (193.478).

Among other top stars, Geoff Bodine was 19th fastest at 193.216, Richard Petty was 25th at 192.534 and defending Daytona 500 champion Derrike Cope was 30th at 191.245.

by CNB