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Park's rise picks up speed with pole

By KEVIN KELLY

© St. Petersburg Times, published November 11, 2000

HOMESTEAD -- Steve Park's breakout season continues.

Park, who got his first win in August, grabbed his second pole position of the year during Friday's qualifying for the Pennzoil 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Park, the last driver on the track, lapped the slightly-banked oval at 156.440 mph.

"We knew we had a good race car," he said. "We've had an awesome season. ... We've struggled in the past and these guys are getting their just rewards for what we've been through."

Ricky Rudd, winless in 72 consecutive starts, qualified second (156.408), followed by points leader Bobby Labonte (156.223), Jimmy Spencer (156.191), Casey Atwood (155.718) and Lakeland's Joe Nemechek (155.525).

Labonte, who finished second in this race one year ago, leads Dale Earnhardt by 218 points and can clinch his first Winston Cup championship Sunday.

He would do so by finishing fifth, sixth with one lap led, seventh with the most laps led or simply leave with a 185-point lead.

"If you're in my shoes, you definitely want to wrap it up last weekend, but you couldn't do that," Labonte said. "So, this weekend? Yes, and then if it doesn't happen we want to do it next weekend (at Atlanta). But the sooner the better for us."

Earnhardt, who owns Park's No. 1 Chevrolet, posted the 36th-best speed. Jeff Burton, 226 points behind Labonte, was 30th.

RELIEF: Darrell Waltrip was all smiles after first-round qualifying.

The three-time Winston Cup champion qualified 24th at 154.635 mph to assure a spot not only in the Pennzoil 400 but also in the season-ending Napa 500 on Nov. 19 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Waltrip has a provisional starting spot available for the final race of his 84-win career.

"That was one that I needed real badly," said Waltrip, who started 43rd and finished 31st in March at Atlanta. "I've struggled a little at Atlanta and I wanted to be able to go there with some assurance that I'd be in the last race. Now I will be. So that makes the year complete."

Waltrip's career could extend past Atlanta, though.

The 53-year-old, who will be part of Fox's broadcast team next season, said he might consider a fill-in driving role.

"It would have to be a team that is a very competitive team," Waltrip said. "If something happened and I was available ... I might do that."

ELECTION REACTION: It's no secret that Ward Burton, like many other Winston Cup drivers, is a staunch Republican.

So when the driver of the No. 22 Pontiac was asked about the presidential election, he had plenty to say, especially when it came to the importance of Florida and California in the Electoral College.

"You've got to win at least one of (those states), and most likely both to be a president," he said. "All the rest of the states didn't make doodly. A lot of them are under 11 electoral votes. California, I believe, is (54). That's almost five times the representation of winning one state. That's not right. We've got the best system of the world but still, (George W. Bush) kicked butt from state to state and was not awarded for it."

YOUTHFUL EXPERIENCE: Bobby Hamilton Jr. won his first career Busch Grand National pole and will start beside Mark Martin in the Miami 300 today.

The 22-year-old son of Winston Cup driver Bobby Hamilton topped the speed chart with a lap of 151.490 mph. Martin qualified second (150.872 mph) in what will be his final BGN race.

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