THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, June 3, 1995 TAG: 9506030199
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DOVER, DEL. LENGTH: Medium: 82 lines
If Jeff Gordon showed anything Friday in winning the pole for Sunday's Miller Genuine Draft 500 at Dover Downs International Speedway, he showed that NASCAR still hasn't found his speed secrets, even after confiscating an unapproved wheel hub last week.
Gordon set a track record of 153.669 miles per hour in his Chevrolet Monte Carlo on the new concrete of the one-mile track. He was more than a mile an hour quicker than Ward Burton, who qualified at 152.588 mph in his Chevy.
Gordon's sixth pole of the year likely was the most satisfying for crew chief Ray Evernham, who was still feeling the sting of NASCAR's pinch. Evernham was fined a record $60,000 Tuesday after NASCAR said he used an unapproved suspension part on Gordon's car during the Coca-Cola 600 last weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
``That didn't have anything to do with our performance and we just showed that today,'' Gordon said.
In the garage after the run, Evernham gave Gordon an especially vigorous high-five salute and told his 23-year-old driver: ``That just made a statement.''
Asked later if he thought the unapproved part had anything to do with how well Gordon and the team were running, Evernham said, ``I would say obviously not.''
``This one's for Ray,'' Gordon said during the pole winner's interview. ``He's taken a lot of heat this week, and it's understandable why. He's very intense and he wants to win and sometimes he does what it takes to win. The only way to handle the pressure and media is to go out there and do what we did today.
``Sometimes it takes negative things to really get you focused and get you going.''
And get going Gordon did, easily breaking Geoff Bodine's September 1994 record of 152.840 mph.
And while Gordon was about 1.1 mph quicker than the next-fastest driver, Burton, in turn, was more than a half-mph quicker than the third-fastest qualifier, Bobby Labonte, who was at 151.995 in another Chevy.
``I don't know why we ran so fast,'' Gordon said. ``The track felt good and smooth and had a lot of grip. When we first went out there (for practice), the track was not very fast. It took all day . . . it just kept getting faster and faster.''
John Andretti qualified fourth in the fastest Ford Thunderbird at 151.924 mph, followed by Sterling Marlin in a Chevy at 151.758 mph.
Also in the top 10 were Bodine at 151.579 mph in a Ford, Ricky Craven at 151.197 mph in a Chevy, Joe Nemechek at 151.153 mph in a Chevy, Hut Stricklin at 151.076 mph in a Ford and Brett Bodine at 151.026 mph in a Ford.
The most notable among those who failed to qualify in the top 20 Friday was Dale Earnhardt, who was only 39th-fastest out of 43 drivers who attempted to qualify. Earnhardt was only marginally faster than Darrell Waltrip, who was 41st - with three broken ribs.
``We qualified about the way we ran in practice,'' Earnhardt said. ``I didn't like it too much.''
He'll get another chance, if he wants it, during the second round of time trials at 11:30 a.m. today. But it may not be much of a session, because only 43 cars are vying for 42 starting spots, and all the regulars appear certain to make the race.
Others who failed to make the top 20 included Elton Sawyer (23rd), Ricky Rudd (25th), Ted Musgrave (28th), Kyle Petty (32nd) and Ken Schrader (34th).
Meanwhile, Tracy Leslie won the pole for today's Goodwrench 200 Grand National race with a lap of 147.832 miles per hour in his Chevrolet Monte Carlo.
Rich Bickle was second-fastest in a Ford at 147.535 mph, followed by Elton Sawyer in a Ford at 146.729 mph, Jeff Green in a Chevy at 146.610 mph and Mike McLaughlin in a Chevy at 146.520 mph.
The race starts at 1 p.m. MEMO: Qualifying results/C5
ILLUSTRATION: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jeff Gordon set a track record of 153.669 mph in winning the pole
for Sunday's Miller Genuine Draft 500 at Dover, Del.
by CNB