The Virginian-Pilot
                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Saturday, April 13, 1996               TAG: 9604130458
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: C4   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C.             LENGTH: Medium:   75 lines

HE'LL MAKE HISTORY FROM FRONT-ROW SEAT LABONTE EDGES SAWYER FOR THE POLE IN HIS BID TO TIE THE ``IRONMAN'' RECORD.

Elton Sawyer was doing a nice job of looking unruffled during qualifying Friday afternoon at North Wilkesboro Speedway, but the tension was still evident.

Only seven cars stood between Sawyer and his first pole position in the Winston Cup series. Not only would winning the top starting spot be a tremendous accomplishment for the second-year driver from Chesapeake, it also would give his unsponsored team badly needed exposure leading up to Sunday's First Union 400.

But Terry Labonte was on the track, qualifying for his record-tying 513th consecutive start in a Winston Cup race. Labonte had his own agenda - and a fast Chevrolet Monte Carlo.

Sawyer took a deep breath as Labonte took the checkered flag. A moment later, announcer Benny Parsons gave Sawyer the bad news: Labonte had swiped the top starting spot with a lap of 116.659 mph.

``What's wrong with him?'' Sawyer said good-naturedly. ``He's won enough races to know better than to do that.''

And just as quick as you can click a stopwatch, the spotlight jumped from the young, struggling driver to the old vet everyone has taken to calling ``The Ironman.''

Sawyer will start from the outside pole after a lap of 116.159 mph in his Ford Thunderbird. Mark Martin was third fastest at 116.141 in a Ford, followed by Bobby Hamilton at 116.129 in a Pontiac Grand Prix and Ken Schrader at 116.087 in a Chevy.

``We were pretty good in practice, but I really didn't think we had a chance to win the pole,'' Labonte said. ``But at the end of practice, we made some changes. And (crew chief) Gary DeHart said, `Trust me, it's going to stick.' ''

And if the car didn't stick in the turns, DeHart told him not to sweat it. The backup car in the truck was even better.

So Labonte cut it loose, and came back to the pits with a nice little prize to commemorate his record-tying race. And he did it in a special steel-gray ``Ironman'' Chevy.

Next weekend, at Martinsville Speedway, Labonte will break the record set by Richard Petty between 1971 and 1989. Labonte's streak began Jan. 14, 1979.

``I think it's attracted a little bit more attention than maybe I thought it would,'' Labonte said. ``And it's attracted a little more attention than maybe it deserves. But I guess when you think about it and look around, there's not too many big stories right now. But it's a neat deal.''

``I watched the baseball game where (Cal Ripken) broke the record'' for consecutive games played. ``And he knocked a home run. I thought maybe if I could win a race or something, it would be nice.

``The thing that's excited me most about the record is this is the best team I've ever been with. And I felt like when we got to these events, I had a chance to qualify well and a chance to win the race.''

So Sawyer will have to wait for his chance to shine.

``That's OK,'' Sawyer said. ``There will be many, many more chances. And we're in great shape for Sunday.''

Ted Musgrave was sixth-fastest. Completing the top 10 were Ricky Craven, Sterling Marlin, Jeff Burton and Jeremy Mayfield.

Among those who failed to qualify Friday were Dale Earnhardt (26th-fastest), Geoff Bodine (27th), Bobby Labonte (28th), Dale Jarrett (29th), Bill Elliott (36th), Ward Burton (40th) and Ricky Rudd (41st).

A second round of time trials is scheduled for noon today. No more than 37 cars (32 regular starters and up to five provisionals) will start Sunday's race, and 42 cars made qualifying runs Friday. ILLUSTRATION: ASSOCIATED PRESS Photo<

Pole-sitter Terry Labonte will tie Richard Petty's record of 513

consecutive Winston Cup starts Sunday at North Wilkesboro.

by CNB