Waltrip's last Indy drive earns front row, ovation

By KEVIN KELLY

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 4, 2000

INDIANAPOLIS -- For about 20 minutes Thursday, Darrell Waltrip was the best again.

His car was fast, his mouth was even faster and the fans loved him.

The three-time Winston Cup champion, in his final season and final race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, qualified second (180.923 mph) for the Brickyard 400 and will start beside Ricky Rudd.

It was Waltrip's best qualifying effort since he won his 59th career pole in 1995 at Atlanta.

"The greatest drivers in the world have walked these hallowed grounds," said Waltrip, an 84-time winner. "That does something to me. It puts a lump in my throat. This is as good as it gets right here."

Fans immediately recognized Waltrip's accomplishment since he has failed to qualify for four races this season, has just two top-25 finishes and is 38th in the standings. They cheered wildly as the 53-year-old pulled down pit road with his arm extended outside the driver's side window and his gloved left hand in a fist.

Waltrip stopped, got out of his No. 66 Ford and basked in a 10-minute ovation. Fellow drivers stood by amazed.

"I got goose bumps whenever he turned a lap," said Dale Jarrett, the defending Winston Cup champion. "To see his name come on top of the computer screen was the greatest feeling."

Standing by Waltrip's side throughout the ovation and the interviews was his family -- wife, Stevie, and two daughters, Jessica and Sarah.

"I've never not believed in him," Stevie said. "This has been the toughest summer for him and our family. To have had the career that's his, he still has the ability to win. But for people to not believe in him is probably the worst thing that Darrell has ever experienced. So, this has been really big."

RECORD BREAKER: Rudd won the pole by breaking a track record at 181.068 mph. Jeff Gordon set the mark last year at 179.612. It's Rudd's second pole of the season, 26th of his 681-race career. And it came with a new race car and a new engine.

"I'm a lot more confident than I was 10 minutes ago," Rudd said. "We had a last-minute engine change so I was a little concerned bout that."

HOMETOWN DRIVERS: Two drivers with Indiana ties did not fare as well as expected.

Tony Stewart, who lives in Columbus, qualified 18th. Three-time Winston Cup champion Gordon, a two-time winner of the 400 who spent some of his childhood in Pittsboro, was 27th (178.745 mph) and will attempt to requalify today or stand on his time.

LABONTE SUB: Still bothered by a broken right shinbone in the Pepsi 400 on July 1 and feeling ill, Terry Labonte did not qualify his No. 5 Chevrolet.

Todd Bodine, a regular in the Busch Grand National series, subbed and was 25th (178.770 mph). Labonte is expected to start Saturday's race, his 656th straight, and give way to Bodine during a pit stop.

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.

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