FORD TESTING AT DAYTONA -- 1-16-95
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Dale Jarrett posted the fastest lap of the winter Monday in pre-season NASCAR Winston Cup stock car testing at Daytona International Speedway, as 33 Ford teams opened the final three-day session for that make in preparation for Speedweeks '95, Feb. 8-19.
Jarrett, who was fastest each day when the Ford teams tested earlier in the month, turned a lap of 192.226 mph on his last run. Other quick times were logged by Morgan Shepherd (191.693), Bill Elliott (191.449), Mark Martin (190.799) and Steve Kinser (190.678).
Testing continues today. A section of the Oldfield Grandstand will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with access through the Visitors' Center.
The three Wallace brothers, former Winston Cup champion Rusty, Kenny and Mike, were all on hand with their respective teams. While Mike had tested at Daytona earlier in the month, Rusty and Kenny were making their first appearance at Daytona this winter. Kenny Wallace is raring to go in his return to the Winston Cup ranks, after competing in the NASCAR Busch Series in 1994.
"I had opportunities for '95 to maybe do something with teams that were more dramatic, but these are a good bunch of guys and I think they fit my profile a lot better," said Wallace of team owner Filbert Martocci's team, which made the move up together. "I had a good year last year winning races in the Busch Series and getting the opportunity to drive some very good Winston Cup cars.
"This is probably the first time I've come to Daytona, with the possible exception of 1989 when I sat on the pole for the Goody's 300, that I feel really good about myself, good about the car and good about the whole operation."
Wallace's initial foray into Winston Cup racing, in 1993, was filled with high hopes, but ended with Wallace frustrated.
"I don't feel like I have to prove myself this time," said Wallace. "I look at it like this: I got into Bill Elliott's (Hardy Boys Racing) car at Talladega (DieHard 500) and finished ninth in the lead draft.
"I learned a lot driving the #28 car for Robert Yates Racing. One thing I have to keep in focus is that I'm not a superstar. I'm a second-year Winston Cup driver. The expectation level is real high on us right now with all the talent in the series. Todd Bodine, Steve Grissom, Joe Nemechek -- we're on the same playing field so I feel real good about myself and what the season holds."
AGATE
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The fastest laps* posted Monday in Ford NASCAR Winston Cup stock car testing at the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway, listing driver/car No., time in seconds and speed in miles-per-hour:
Dale Jarrett/28 46.82 192.226 Morgan Shepherd/21 46.95 191.693 Bill Elliott/94 47.01 191.449 Mark Martin/6 47.17 190.799 Steve Kinser/26 47.20 190.678 Brett Bodine/11 47.40 189.873 Ken Bouchard/67 47.41 189.833 Ricky Rudd/10 47.46 189.633 Rick Mast/1 47.47 189.593 Kenny Wallace/81 47.56 189.235 Todd Bodine/75 47.69 188.719 Mike Wallace/90 47.70 188.679 Jeff Burton/8 47.71 188.640 Davy Jones/77 47.72 188.600 Geoff Bodine/7 47.75 188.482 Joe Ruttman/80 47.84 188.127 Ritchie Petty/53 47.84 188.127 Ronnie Sanders/62 47.86 188.048 Derrike Cope/12 47.90 187.891 Dick Trickle/15 47.98 187.578 Rusty Wallace/2 48.00 187.500 Chad Little/97 48.05 187.305 John Andretti/37 48.07 187.227 Gary Bradberry/52 48.09 187.149 Jeremy Mayfield/98 48.27 186.451 Jimmy Spencer/23 48.41 185.912 Shawna Robinson/99 48.45 185.759 Mark Thompson/66 48.80 184.049 Phil Barkdoll/73 49.13 183.187 Jeff Wood/55 49.96 180.144 Delma Cowart/0 NT Phil Parsons/9 NT Steve Seligman/65 NT
* = Randomly hand-timed and from various sources
