ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, February 15, 1996 TAG: 9602150086
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: DAYTONA NOTES
DATELINE: DAYTONA BEACH, FLA.
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
Look for three-wide racing, big packs of cars and, perhaps, big trouble in today's Twin 125 qualifying races at Daytona International Speedway.
``It's ugly out there in practice,'' Darrell Waltrip said Wednesday after the morning practice. ``Guys are all over each other and three-wide. Because we're not going any faster than we're going, you're fairly well under control. I really think the errors that will be made this time will be driver errors, because the cars are stable.
``No faster than we're going, you can move around and feel fairly comfortable. That could create some problems with these cars all bunched up.''
Ricky Rudd agreed.
``We'll wait and see what happens, but this is a different Daytona than I've ever seen,'' Rudd said. ``It's more like Talladega, three-wide in the turns and four-wide down the back straightaway. Even when you're with guys who are capable of doing it, everything's got to be just right to make it through those corners.
``Nobody seems to be able to drive away,'' Rudd said. ``I don't know how to explain it, except to look at the engine rules changes, which have taken more horsepower out. So far, the cars have been driving so well at these speeds, it's been fun because you see a hole, you go for it and the tires stick.''
As Ted Musgrave put it, there are three lines: ``the high line, low line and no-man's line.''
Ernie Irvan, who has had one of the best cars in practice, offered a different opinion of today's 50-lap races. ``What will happen is the lead draft will take off and then there's going to be a pack behind that's going to get beat by a second a lap,'' he said. ``That's why everybody's goal is to do whatever it takes to catch that lead line.
``But if guys get side-by-side, another will come up and go three-wide and go right by you. The guy in the middle is the one who has to give.''
The first 125-mile race, with Daytona 500 pole-winner Dale Earnhardt leading the field, starts at 12:30 p.m., immediately followed by the second race. The races will be televised by CBS on a tape-delay basis at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.
SECOND-ROUND BUSCH QUALIFYING: Some of the top names in the Grand National division failed to qualify for Saturday's Goody's 300 during the second round of time trials Wednesday.
After eight provisional starting spots were doled out, the list of those going home early included Stevie Reeves, Mike and Kenny Wallace, Buckshot Jones, Ward Burton, Michael Ritch, Tim Fedewa, Patty Moise, Tommy Houston, Randy Porter and Andy Belmont.
Sixty-four cars tried to make the race and 46 will start. Tim Bender led the second round with a speed of 186.893 miles per hour.
MOORE GETS SPONSOR: Hayes Modems will be the Daytona 500 sponsor of the Bud Moore Ford Thunderbird driven by Wally Dallenbach Jr., the company announced Wednesday.
But will the support extend beyond the year's biggest race?
``It's something we're looking at and something we can evaluate'' after the 500, said Hayes spokesman John Stuckey.
Moore said this is the longest he has gone into a new season without a sponsor.
Asked how much longer he can go without sponsorship, Moore said, ``I would say we'll probably go through Rockingham (Feb.25). It's been a hard road, but I think the Hayes people are real thrilled at what they've seen so far.''
MEHL TO RETIRE: H. Leo Mehl, the director of Goodyear's worldwide racing program for the past 22 years, announced he will retire March 1.
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines KEYWORDS: AUTO RACINGby CNB