Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, July 3, 1993 TAG: 9307030107
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. LENGTH: Medium
Jones improved his Thursday speed by almost 2.5 mph, and even though he was only 36th-fastest, Friday's lap got him into the 41-car field, which takes the green flag at 11 a.m. today.
"We're not really sure what we did to pick the car up," Jones said. "I figured we weren't going to be in the program, as slow as we were going. But we changed a bunch of things right before qualifying as a last-ditch effort. I don't know where the speed came from. I just know we had it when we needed it."
The mid-day heat seemed to slow most of the other drivers, including Ken Schrader. He plummeted from his Thursday speed of 188.045 mph, which was disallowed in a cheating scandal, to 182.567 mph - the slowest qualifying lap of the weekend and too slow to make the race.
Schrader needed a provisional starting spot to make the field in the 41st starting position.
\ STILL ACHING: Hooters Chairman Robert Brooks held his first news conference since the April 1 plane crash that killed his son, Mark; Winston Cup champion Alan Kulwicki; and two other Hooters employees.
"Time heals a lot of things, but it is still fresh in our minds," he said. "We think next year will be okay."
Brooks called the news conference to introduce 27-year-old Loy Allen Jr., who will make his Winston Cup debut today in a Ford Thunderbird sponsored by Naturally Fresh Foods, another company headed by the Atlanta executive.
Brooks wanted Allen to replace Kulwicki, but that idea was vetoed by Felix Sabates, the administrator of Kulwicki's estate. Brooks then withdrew Hooters as the sponsor of Kulwicki's car and was heavily criticized.
"We did what we thought was necessary to put all of this behind us," Brooks said Friday. "It's hard to explain. I had to get away from it this year. We wanted to get away from what was so vivid in our mind.
"But you keep on. It's just like a race. You have your bad days but you go on."
For Allen, Friday was almost one of those bad days. He made the field, but just barely, after a strategic mistake.
The Raleigh, N.C., native was securely in the field in the 37th starting spot after Thursday's pole qualifying, but his team apparently decided it was not so secure and requalified Friday.
Allen dropped from 185.854 mph to 183.703 mph, but still managed to hold the 40th starting position.
"I'm hoping just to try to get in and draft with the guys," he said. "If we can get in it and finish, that's our goal.
Meanwhile, Kulwicki's old No. 7 Ford Thunderbird, with new owner Geoff Bodine pulling the strings and Jimmy Hensley in the driver's seat, continues to acquire sponsorship race by race.
The Family Channel is sponsoring the car for the Pepsi 400 and the upcoming races at Talladega and Watkins Glen, while Purolator will reassume sponsorship July 11 for the inaugural race at New Hampshire International Speedway and the July 18 Pocono race.
Bodine, who will take over as owner/driver in 1994, has been working hard to secure The Family Channel as his major sponsor next year.
At this point, "they have the first option" over any other potential sponsors, Bodine said. "It's a matter of whether they have time to put a program together."
\ RIDE SHOPPING: Indy car driver John Andretti was spending the weekend here, sniffing around for a Winston Cup ride.
"I've always said I wanted to do some racing down here and, obviously, the addition of Indianapolis Motor Speedway to the Winston Cup series next year is a great one," he said.
Andretti, who does not have a full-time Indy car ride this year, said he is simply exploring his options.
"The reason I'm here now is I don't want to wait until the time is too short" for next year. "Hopefully, I'll get an opportunity."
But Andretti said he is not necessarily looking for a full-time Winston Cup ride. "It would take a real hard talk to get me to skip the Indy 500," he said.
by CNB