Pennzoil 400 Notebook

Green's 1st Cup pole track's 1st, too

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO

© St. Petersburg Times, published November 13, 1999

HOMESTEAD -- David Green admitted the rap on him always has been "good qualifier, can't race."

He thinks he can put that perception to rest in Sunday's Pennzoil 400 after winning the pole Friday at Homestead-Miami Speedway at 155.759 mph.

David Green, left, and car owner Tim Beverly are all smiles after Green's fast lap of 155.759 mph. [AP]

It was Green's first Winston Cup pole.

John Andretti qualified second at 155.597 mph. Bobby Labonte was third at 155.342. Dale Jarrett, who needs an eighth-place finish to clinch the Cup points title, will start 12th at 153.833.

"This is good. This is special," Green said. "My goal is to show we can win these races."

Green is fighting out of a box he created. The 41-year-old has 19 Busch poles with only five victories. In earning the Busch title in 1996, he won only twice.

"The car worked good and it stuck good," said Green, who also qualified 13th for today's HotWheels.com 300 Busch race.

That was a tribute to his pit crew, which Green said set up the car perfectly to deal with gusty winds that made handling difficult through Turns 1 and 2 and pushed the car up the track through 3 and 4.

With just one lap led in 71 career starts, Green has his work cut out for him.

"The times," he said, "are changing."

PONTIAC ROLLING: Pontiac took the first five qualifying positions and six of seven. Rick Mast, sixth at 154.272, had the fastest-qualifying Ford. The first Chevy qualifier was Jeff Gordon, who was 10th at 154.026.

The results did not surprise. Pontiac's body type creates better downforce, which is an advantage on flat tracks like Homestead.

STRICKLIN SETS RECORD: Hut Strickland set the track's BGN qualifying record of 149.456 mph and won the pole for the HotWheels.com 300.

Six drivers bettered the record of 148.262 set in 1996 by Casey Atwood. Jeff Green followed Strickland at 149.324.

Steve Park and Sean Studer hit walls in qualifying. Both were treated and released from the infield care center.

ODDS AND ENDS: Coleman, the outdoors equipment company, announced a three-year partnership with NASCAR in which it will repair appliances and deliver water to fans who camp out at NASCAR events. . . . The Marines will sponsor a BGN car in 2000. Hank Parker Jr. will drive. . . . NASCAR fined driver Mike Skinner $5,000 for "actions detrimental to auto racing."

Skinner bumped Hermie Sadler's car during the cool-down lap of last weekend's Outback Steakhouse 200 BGN race.

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