Posted on 05/17/2003 9:44:02 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
Elliott on pole for the Winston
Bill Elliott put his fear of speeding down pit road aside Friday night and earned the pole for NASCAR's all-star race a record fifth time. Under the unique qualifying format for The Winston, drivers race two laps around Lowe's Motor Speedway then pit to change four tires before running a third and final lap. The speed limit coming on to pit road is 45 mph, but there is no limit exiting.
Lowe's Motor Speedway is a beehive of racing activities during the whole year. With the longest Winston Cup race on the NASCAR circuit -- the Coca-Cola 600, the only All-Star event in racing -- The Winston, the fall Homecoming classic -- The UAW-GM 500, and many other racing events, Lowe's Motor Speedway is the premier facility in racing, the Mecca of Motor Sports.
Race 1 Lineup
Pos. | |||||||
|
|||||||
1 | #9 | Bill Elliott | Dodge | Dodge Dealers | 43.834 | 123.192 | Leader |
2 | #20 | Tony Stewart | Chevrolet | Home Depot | 43.631 | 123.764 | -0.572 |
3 | #29 | Kevin Harvick | Chevrolet | GM Goodwrench Service | 43.261 | 124.825 | -1.633 |
4 | #8 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Chevrolet | Budweiser | 43.195 | 125.014 | -1.822 |
5 | #40 | Sterling Marlin | Dodge | Coors Light | 43.187 | 125.038 | -1.846 |
6 | #25 | Joe Nemechek | Chevrolet | UAW/Delphi | 43.184 | 125.047 | -1.855 |
7 | #32 | Ricky Craven | Pontiac | Tide | 43.183 | 125.049 | -1.857 |
8 | #5 | Terry Labonte | Chevrolet | Kellogg's/got milk? | 43.164 | 125.103 | -1.911 |
9 | #15 | Michael Waltrip | Chevrolet | NAPA Auto Parts | 43.164 | 125.105 | -1.913 |
10 | #24 | Jeff Gordon | Chevrolet | DuPont | 43.077 | 125.358 | -2.166 |
11 | #97 | Kurt Busch | Ford | Rubbermaid | 43.056 | 125.417 | -2.225 |
12 | #12 | Ryan Newman | Dodge | ALLTEL | 42.970 | 125.668 | -2.476 |
13 | #22 | Ward Burton | Dodge | Caterpillar | 42.969 | 125.671 | -2.479 |
14 | #6 | Mark Martin | Ford | Viagra | 42.875 | 125.949 | -2.757 |
15 | #10 | Johnny Benson | Pontiac | Valvoline | 42.853 | 126.012 | -2.820 |
16 | #48 | Jimmie Johnson | Chevrolet | Lowe's | 42.853 | 126.013 | -2.821 |
17 | #17 | Matt Kenseth | Ford | DeWalt Power Tools | 42.723 | 126.396 | -3.204 |
18 | #2 | Rusty Wallace | Dodge | Miller Lite | 41.601 | 129.805 | -6.613 |
19 | #38 | Elliott Sadler | Ford | M&M's | 41.552 | 129.959 | -6.767 |
20 | #21 | Ricky Rudd | Ford | Motorcraft Quality Parts | 41.461 | 130.242 | -7.050 |
21 | #18 | Bobby Labonte | Chevrolet | Interstate Batteries | 37.673 | 143.340 | -20.148 |
22 | #88 | Dale Jarrett | Ford | UPS | 37.598 | 143.623 | -20.431 |
Race 2 Lineup
Pos. | |||||||
1 | #30 | Steve Park | Chevrolet | America Online | 184.244 | 29.309 | Leader |
2 | #154 | Todd Bodine | Ford | Army National Guard | 183.667 | 29.401 | -0.092 |
3 | #7 | Jimmy Spencer | Dodge | Sirius Satellite Radio | 183.368 | 29.449 | -0.140 |
4 | #01 | Mike Wallace | Pontiac | U.S. Army | 183.206 | 29.475 | -0.166 |
5 | #23 | Kenny Wallace | Dodge | Stacker 2 | 182.970 | 29.513 | -0.204 |
6 | #49 | Ken Schrader | Dodge | BAM Racing | 182.914 | 29.522 | -0.213 |
7 | #4 | Mike Skinner | Pontiac | Kodak EasyShare | 182.914 | 29.522 | -0.213 |
8 | #11 | Brett Bodine | Ford | Hooters Restaurants | 182.859 | 29.531 | -0.222 |
9 | #74 | Tony Raines* | Chevrolet | Staff America | 182.679 | 29.560 | -0.251 |
10 | #77 | Dave Blaney | Ford | Jasper Engines & Transmissions | 182.593 | 29.574 | -0.265 |
11 | #1 | Jeff Green | Chevrolet | Pennzoil | 182.365 | 29.611 | -0.302 |
12 | #19 | Jeremy Mayfield | Dodge | Dodge Dealers | 181.971 | 29.675 | -0.366 |
13 | #0 | Jack Sprague* | Pontiac | NetZero | 181.892 | 29.688 | -0.379 |
14 | #31 | Robby Gordon | Chevrolet | Cingular Wireless | 181.781 | 29.706 | -0.397 |
15 | #45 | Kyle Petty | Dodge | Georgia Pacific | 181.598 | 29.736 | -0.427 |
16 | #43 | John Andretti | Dodge | Cheerios | 181.494 | 29.753 | -0.444 |
17 | #14 | Larry Foyt* | Dodge | Harrah's | 181.299 | 29.785 | -0.476 |
18 | #99 | Jeff Burton | Ford | CITGO | 180.917 | 29.848 | -0.539 |
19 | #41 | Casey Mears* | Dodge | Target | 180.596 | 29.901 | -0.592 |
20 | #172 | Kirk Shelmerdine | Ford | Freddie B's | 178.749 | 30.210 | -0.901 |
21 | #37 | Derrike Cope | Chevrolet | Great Barrier Reef Online | 178.371 | 30.274 | -0.965 |
22 | #02 | Hermie Sadler | Pontiac | GoTeamVa.com | 178.236 | 30.297 | -0.988 |
23 | #171 | Kevin Lepage | Ford | TBA | 177.492 | 30.424 | -1.115 |
24 | #146 | Carl Long | Dodge | TBA | 176.638 | 30.571 | -1.262 |
25 | #90 | Jason Hedlesky | Ford | Superior Logistics Services | 171.909 | 31.412 | -2.103 |
26 | #189 | Morgan Shepherd | Ford | Racing With Jesus/Red Line Oil | 158.539 | 34.061 | -4.752 |
* Denotes Rookie |
But what's with Morgan Shepherd Racing with Jesus??
CONCORD, N.C. -- The top seven in qualifying for The Winston would've looked a lot different if it weren't for penalties handed down to four drivers Friday night.
Bobby Labonte, the first car to qualify at Lowe's Motor Speedway, would've had the second-fastest time, but was penalized 20 seconds for speeding entering the pits. He'll start 21st.
Dale Jarrett faced a similar penalty. Instead of starting third, Jarrett's 20-second penalty put him back to 22nd, next to last.
"Not to criticize the format, but that's what it opens it up to," Jarrett said. "It's the same for everybody, but it's a judgment call. Why put one more thing in (NASCAR's) hands when it should be in the driver's and the crew's hands.
"We either need to go back to the way we did it from the standing deal, where we just go right to the pits, or let us haul ass in here like we used to do and have a little fun."
Rusty Wallace and Elliott Sadler were hit with five-second penalties for loose lugnuts. Wallace, who went from fifth to 18th, said his lug nut was a "16th of an inch loose."
"This is like the Union 76 pit stop contest," Wallace said. "If you make one mistake, they look bad. But we know we've got great guys."
Sadler would've been seventh. Instead, he'll line up 19th.
"We had a great pit stop - just one lugnut loose, so we've got to start in the back," Sadler said. "We've got to have a fast race car because we've got to make up some time tomorrow night."
CONCORD, N.C. -- Steve Park sat on a canvas director's chair in the Lowe's Motor Speedway media center Friday evening, blue eyes gleaming, confident grin screaming, "new beginning."
Getting fired never felt so good.
Park won The Winston Open pole Friday evening, culminating what he considers his best week in recent memory. During the past 10 days, Park was fired from the only Winston Cup ride he'd ever known and hired by his mentor's mentor.
"I think everyone knows I'm just elated," Park said. "The last seven days have been unbelievable. Losing one job, then landing at RCR -- just a whole bunch of mixed emotions. When I lost my job and signed up with Richard, it was a big weight lifted off my shoulders.
"Richard said, 'Know what? We've got to have fun. This team is struggling. They're not having fun going to the races.'
"I said, 'I'm not having fun, either.' These last few months were miserable, and it showed on the racetrack. To have the supposed confidence in you from your team and two weeks later you're fired."
Park was the driver Dale Earnhardt chose to build his Winston Cup program around, and feels that were Earnhardt still alive, he wouldn't have been taken by surprise.
"Do I think it would have been different? I know it would have been different," Park said. "He'd have had me out in a field bailing hay, working, telling me to pick it up. He wouldn't be out there patting me on the back, then two days later fire me."
When Park was fired in favor of Jeff Green, Richard Childress saw an opportunity. He called Park and told him to come to dinner. Didn't ask. Told.
Fourteen hours later, Park was unemployed no longer.
"He reminded me of Dale -- Dale never asked you to do something, he told you (to do it)," Park said. "He called me and said 'Come up here and have dinner.' I said, 'Yes sir.'
"It didn't take me half an hour to sit down with him and hear the forward thinking he had with the AOL team and what he wanted to do, where he wanted to be. I said, 'sign me up, man.'"
Childress did just that. In the brief time since, a solace has engulfed Park. He's happy. Change is good.
"You feel good, like you're capable of running up front and you're not (running up front)," Park said. "You ask yourself 'Why not?' You don't question yourself, you question your race team. They're questioning you, too, so suddenly everybody's pointing fingers.
"We had a huge loyalty to each other (at DEI) and that may have gotten in the way. Change was in order for them. I agreed. We just were not getting it done together as a team. Maybe change is good. I think I was out of work for about 14 hours."
After Park won his first career Winston Open pole Friday, he jumped from the America Online Chevrolet and slapped high-fives all around. He didn't quite know how to thank his team. He didn't even know some of their names.
"I wish I knew everybody's name on the team, but only been there seven days," Park said with a chuckle. "I can't remember everybody's name ... but (they told me) 'If you run like that, you don't need to know our names.' That's what I was shooting for.
"I'm not a very smart person -- I just know I got fired from my last job. I'm real happy to be integrated at RCR. That main thing, for us, we need to run good, but have fun doing it. The most fun I've had in a long time is past seven days, even before we came to Charlotte.
"(Getting fired) caught me off guard, but things happen for a reason. If they'd waited a month, this opportunity with RCR wouldn't be available. Time is everything. I'm a true believer in that. We're one qualifying lap old."
Not a bad start. Or new beginning, as it were.
The correct URL for the Show Our Support page is http://www.nascar.com/promos/2003/troops/index.html
Real glad to see Park won the pole for the Open. I hope he can continue to improve in the #30 car.
SHORT TERM FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
153 PM EDT SAT MAY 17 2003
NCZ034>037-054>057-066>072-082-SCZ008-009-014-172000- ALEXANDER-BURKE NC-CABARRUS-CALDWELL-CATAWBA-CHEROKEE SC-CHESTER- CLEVELAND-DAVIE-GASTON-IREDELL-LINCOLN NC-MCDOWELL-MECKLENBURG- POLK NC-ROWAN-RUTHERFORD-UNION NC-YORK- 153 PM EDT SAT MAY 17 2003
.NOW...
CLOUDS WILL BLANKET THE PIEDMONT AND FOOTHILLS OF THE CAROLINAS DURING THE AFTERNOON. FOG WILL REDUCE THE VISIBILITY TO ONE MILE OR LESS...ESPECIALLY IN THE FOOTHILLS AND ALONG THE EASTERN SLOPES OF THE MOUNTAINS. PATCHES OF LIGHT RAIN AND DRIZZLE WILL CONTINUE.
Doesn't look too promising. Here is the link to the NWS forecast for Concord.
Any idea what the rules are for Winston regarding rain? It's not considered a points race so I know many of the rules are different.
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