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Wednesday Roundup NASCAR waiting for 125s before making decision on Ford
Updated: Wednesday February 14, 2001 11:17 PM
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- NASCAR wants to see how well the Fords perform Thursday in the qualifying races for the Daytona 500 before considering changes to the car's aerodynamics package. Ford teams have complained since the start of Speedweeks that they are at a disadvantage against the Chevrolets, Pontiacs and even the new Dodges. NASCAR technical director Gary Nelson said Wednesday that the sanctioning body could order some changes after the twin 125-mile qualifying races that will set positions 3-30 for Sunday's $11 million race. But he said wind-tunnel tests Monday were inconclusive and there were no plans to make changes unless needed. "Each of the manufacturers has an opinion of what we took a sample from," said Nelson, who added that NASCAR is aware of rumors in the garage area about test numbers. "Some numbers are accurate, some of or not." He said NASCAR will not release its numbers. But he said the sanctioning body might send cars back for additional testing next week. "The bottom line number on who was best in the wind tunnel, there are so many categories that it's difficult to say," Nelson explained. Todd Parrott, crew chief for three-time and defending Daytona 500 champion Dale Jarrett, was reluctant to criticize NASCAR's approach, but insists the Fords must have help to be competitive. "I don't want to complain too much, because I don't want to lose focus on why we're here, for the Daytona 500," Parrott said. "But they knew we were at a disadvantage when we came down here last Thursday." He said the disadvantage of the Fords -- which took the first five spots in last year's Daytona 500 -- has been obvious in practice, qualifying and in the non-points Budweiser Shootout. The Fords are fine in the turns. "Once they get on the straightaways, they just won't run," Parrott explained. "It's like you were throwing a parachute out from behind it." He says the answer to the Ford woes is to reduce the width of the rear spolier from 59 to 57 inches to match those of the other makes. NASCAR impounded each brand's top-finishing car from the Shootout and shipped them to Lockheed's wind tunnel in Marietta, Ga.
Change of color for EarnhardtDale Earnhardt, seeking to add to his record 34 victories at Daytona, drew the pole position for the first race of this year's IROC competition. But Earnhardt, who for about 15 years has driven a black car, was unhappy because his Pontiac Trans-Am Firebird will be green."I like the pole, but I don't like green cars," Earnhardt said. Green traditionally has been considered unlucky by most racers. But Earnhardt was happy to settle for what he got after Jeff Green drew a black car and the final starting position in the all-star field of 12 drivers from NASCAR, CART and the IRL. "I'll trade you," Green said. "I'll trade you green for black, but not the pole," Earnhardt replied.
Sixth racing Petty set to make debutCraftsman Truck series driver Mark Petty is excited about upholding the honor of the stock car racing's most famous family when he competes Friday in the Florida Dodge Dealers 250."Anything we've ever done, we done to win," said Petty, who starts 11th in his first race at Daytona. His late grandfather, Lee, won the first Daytona 500, in 1959. Mark's uncle, Richard, won the race a record seven times. Richard's son, Kyle; and his son, the late Adam, and Mark's brother, Ritchie, also have raced at Daytona. So the sixth Petty to lay rubber at the sport's most famous facility has heritage on his side. But that isn't why the 31-year-old driver is so optimistic about his Dodge. "We felt we were going to be a better race truck than we were a qualifier, but we qualified pretty decent," Petty said.
Colorful fans wantedNASCAR fans -- often covered from head to toe with paraphernalia supporting their favorites drivers -- are perhaps the most colorfully dressed of any in the world.Now, a new promotion seeks to identify the most colorful of the colorful, and nine of them will win trips next year to Las Vegas for a Winston Cup race. There, Ken Schrader and some celebrities will try to pick the most colorful of all. "I've been to autograph singings and through the stands at lot of races over my 17 years, and I've seen a lot of zany people, whether they're pulling for me, Jeff Gordon or Tony Stewart," said Schrader, whose sponsor, M&M's is running the promotion. Photographers will select fans at each track and post their pictures on a Web site. Eventually, nine voting fans chosen at random and the nine most colorful will win trips for four.
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