THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 21, 1996 TAG: 9609210537
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MARTINSVILLE LENGTH: 58 lines
Winston Cup team owner Richard Petty and his driver, Bobby Hamilton, both have spent a good bit of time this week explaining why they were in such a hurry.
But Hamilton surely had more fun talking about his pole-winning run at Martinsville Speedway on Friday than Petty had talking about a highway incident on Sept. 11 in which he bumped a car he was trying to pass.
Hamilton put his Pontiac Grand Prix on the pole for Sunday's Hanes 500 with a lap of 94.120 mph, edging Ford driver Rusty Wallace, who claimed the outside pole with a lap of 93.882.
``I really thought we had a good shot at the pole and I thought Rusty had a shot to beat us,'' Hamilton said. ``I really thought he was going to get us.''
When asked whether Petty's incident had any impact on his run for the pole, Hamilton said, ``Well, I just didn't want to start behind someone.I was afraid I'd hit 'em.''
Petty left the track before qualifying - on his motorcycle.
``He told me the reason he rode his motorcycle is because (wife) Lynda wouldn't let him have a car. His motorcycle doesn't have a bumper on it,'' Hamilton said.
Petty was charged with hit-and-run after bumping the back of a car he was trying to pass in the left lane of Interstate Route 85 near Concord, N.C. Petty paid $65 in court costs Thursday after pleading guilty to a lesser charge of following too closely.
Petty, having left the track early Friday, wasn't around to see what turned out to be one of the biggest days of Hamilton's career. After winning the Winston Cup pole, Hamilton hopped into a NASCAR truck that had been hastily assembled for this event and won the pole for today's Hanes 250 Craftsman series race.
``The first time I ever sat in one of these trucks was Thursday,'' Hamilton said. ``It was just a fun thing to come here and do this thing. We just throwed this team together. It's fun.''
Although Hamilton put his Pontiac on the Winston Cup pole, Fords dominated the top 10. Behind Wallace, the next four positions also went to Ford drivers. Mark Martin was third-fastest at 93.770 mph, followed by Dale Jarrett at 93.488, John Andretti at 93.318 and Morgan Shepherd, who had the same speed as Andretti.
Kyle Petty qualified seventh-fastest in a Pontiac at 93.285 mph, followed by Dick Trickle in a Ford at 93.258 and Bill Elliott in another Ford at 93.249. Jeff Gordon was 10th in the fastest Chevy Monte Carlo at 93.161.
Ernie Irvan qualified 18th-fastest to earn the 18th and last pit on the frontstretch. Dale Earnhardt was 19th-fastest and will have to pit on the backstretch.
At the bottom of the lineup, a half-dozen drivers faced the prospect of failing to make the 36-car field (32 regular starting spots plus four provisional starting spots).
Chad Little was 36th-fastest, followed by Bobby Hillin Jr., Ricky Craven, Michael Waltrip, Joe Nemechek, Billy Standridge and Gary Bradberry.
The second round of qualifying, which is more crucial and nerve-racking at Martinsville than any other track, is set for 12:30 p.m. today. by CNB