BUSCH: Charlotte Thursday Notes

All Pro Bumper to Bumper 300 Thursday notebook By Shawn A. Akers

CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 1, 1998) Notes and quotes Thursday from Bud Pole Qualifying for Saturday's NASCAR Busch Series Grand National Division All Pro Bumper to Bumper 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway:

Matt Kenseth couldn't have been any happier with his Bud Pole Qualifying lap Thursday. Unfortunately for the driver of the No. 17 LYCOS.com Chevrolet, it wasn't quite fast enough. Kenseth turned a lap of 176.887 mph, early in the session of 59 qualifiers, only to be upstaged by Dave Blaney, the driver of the No. 93 Amoco Pontiac, who won his first Bud Pole with a lap of 177.247 mph. "It was an awesome lap," Kenseth said. "We couldn't have gone any faster if we would've wanted to. We're real happy with that. It's been an awesome car for the last hour. That lap was the fastest we ran all day, so we're excited."

Some familiar faces were in different cars for Bud Pole Qualifying Thursday. Mike Wallace, a regular in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, drove the No. 50 Dr Pepper Ford of Washington-Erving Motorsports, and recorded the 29th-best time. He'll have to try and make the field for Saturday's race through the Challenge Race, to be held on Friday. Hank Parker Jr., who began the year in the No. 78 Mark III Motorsports Chevrolet, qualified a Chevrolet owned by his father, Hank Parker Sr., and sponsored by B.A.S.S. Parker was only 49th-fastest out of 59 cars, and will have to try and make the race through the Challenge Race as well. Rich Bickle, who finished in the top-five in both the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway last weekend, attempted to qualify the No. 59 Kingsford/Matchlight Chevrolet in the absence of Robert Pressley, who is still nursing injuries he suffered at Richmond a few weeks ago. Bickle, however, managed only a 53rd-best lap of 169.035 mph.

A few cars did their imitation of the demolition derby Thursday morning during practice. David Green, driver of the No. 36 Stanley Pontiac, crashed in the first practice session and was forced to go to a backup car for the remaining two practice sessions and Bud Pole Qualifying. In the second practice session Thursday, Shane Hall, driver of the No. 85 Big A Auto Parts/BAMA Jellies Chevrolet, and Jeff Fuller, driver of the No. 42 Carolina Turkey Pontiac, both crashed in separate incidents. Both teams went to backup cars for qualifying attempts on Thursday afternoon.

In a morning press conference held in Winston Media Center, officials from America Online announced their plans for the 1999 season. AOL will continue its sponsorship of Andy Belmont in the ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series, with plans for the team to run five NASCAR Busch Series events in 1999. AOL will also continue to sponsor the Featherlite Southwest Series, NASCAR Touring, team of Mark IV Motorsports and driver Damon Lusk. Plans call for that team to also run three NASCAR Winston West Series races.

Oakwood Homes has hit the NASCAR scene full force in 1998. Their "Racin' Sellabration" promotion kicked off in June when Ken Schrader debuted the No. 15 Oakwood Homes Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet at Richmond International Raceway. From Wednesday through Sunday, Oakwood Homes will have on display at Charlotte Motor Speedway the 44-foot "Racin' Sellabration" Dream Home. The special edition home features a racing-theme room, with furniture designed exclusively for this home. On Monday, Nov. 16, Oakwood Homes has reserved Charlotte Motor Speedway to participate in the Richard Petty Driving Experience. Ten winners will be brought to Charlotte Motor Speedway to spend the day with Schrader and experience driving a race car. Fans can enter to win by filling out a form at an Oakwood Homes sales center and mailing it in.

Mark Green hasn't had much to crow about lately in the NASCAR Busch Series. The driver of the No. 37 Timber Wolf Chevrolet, however, hopes Saturday he can recapture some of the good fortune he encountered in last year's All Pro Bumper to Bumper 300 at CMS, when he finished fifth. Green had a solid Bud Pole Qualifying run, qualifying in the 11th position with a lap at 174.633 mph. Wilco Food Stores, a convenience store chain with 132 locations in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, is an associate sponsor on the No. 37 Timber Wolf Chevrolet Monte Carlo for Saturday's race.

Source: NASCAR Online