Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, May 22, 1993 TAG: 9305220093
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CONCORD, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
"It was either going to be fast or it was going to be in the wall. I was going for it," Gordon said after lapping the 1.5-mile speedway at a speed of 178.100 mph in his Chevrolet Lumina.
Brett Bodine won the outside pole in a Ford Thunderbird at 177.842.
A 32-car field will start the 50-lap race at 7:45 p.m., with the top-five finishing cars qualifying for The Winston.
\ WALLACE'S DECIDING FACTOR: Rusty Wallace said his strong run at Sears Point last Sunday prompted him to change his mind and agree to run in The Winston.
"The way we ran at Sears Point had a lot to do with our decision to run The Winston," he said. "We had a real strong car out there and were running in the top five most of the race when the transmission broke.
"We've got a real strong car for this race and since I didn't have any problems with the wrist, we decided to run it. I want to stay out of trouble so I don't hurt the wrist anymore. I plan on getting out front in this car and keeping well ahead of the pack so I can't get into trouble."
\ KULWICKI AFTERMATH: The price of Alan Kulwicki collectables immediately skyrocketed in the wake of his death April 1 in a plane crash near Bristol, Tenn.
Fortunately, however, the charitable Winston Cup Racing Wives Auxliary will reap one of the largest windfalls from Kulwicki souvenirs.
Hooters restaurants, which was widely criticized for pulling its sponsorship from the Kulwicki team 11 days after the crash, donated its entire inventory of Kulwicki souvenirs to the auxiliary.
The organization has set up Kulwicki's souvenir trailer in souvenir row across from the speedway and is selling the Kulwicki/Hooters items through the Coca-Cola 600 next weekend or until everything is sold. There is a limit of five items per person.
Proceeds will go in the auxiliary's trust fund, which is used "for catastrophic medical and family disasters among the racing community," a press release said.
\ SPORTSMAN RACE: Tim Bender captured the pole Friday for this evening's Winston Sportsman 100 with a speed of 155.141 mph. Kirk Shelmerdine was second at 155.043.
\ NEW SPONSOR: Factory Stores of America is the new sponsor of the Ford Thunderbird driven by Dick Trickle and owned by Butch Mock and Bob Rahilly.
by CNB