NASCAR BGN Qualifying Notebook -- Advance Auto Parts 250
13 July 1997
NASCAR Busch Series Grand National Division Qualifying Notebook Advance Auto Parts 250 Myrtle Beach Speedway July 11, 1997 MYRTLE BEACH, SC - - If Elliott Sadler can win the Advance Auto Parts 250 from the pole, he'll have more than a trophy to show for his efforts. At the beginning of the season, car owner Gary Bechtel promised to buy Elliott a brand new toy if he could win the race from the top spot twice this season. "If I win the race from the pole I get a Harley. So I'm looking for that this weekend" said Elliott. "I've done it once (at Nazareth Speedway) and we had to do it twice. So if I win the race I've got a new Harley Davidson coming to me. I'm looking forward to that. "I've never ridden one before. I've never been on a bike before. It'll have to have training wheels on it, I guess," he joked. "If it happens three times I have to buy (crew chief) Sandy Jones a Harley. We've got all kinds of deals going on around that pit. So we'll see what happens." - Larry Pearson has replaced Rookie of the Year contender Jimmy Foster in the #11 Speedvision/Outdoor Life Ford. Foster turned in his resignation earlier this week following a disappointing test session at Myrtle Beach Speedway. Pearson had trouble getting the Thunderbird up to speed and took a former champion's provisional to make the field. "It wasn't good," said Pearson after time trials. "We found something wrong with the car earlier during practice and we made some changes and we didn't get to go back out. We changed both front springs and adjusted the toe-in and changed the shocks around a little bit on it. It wasn't turning before and it's turning too good now. So we've got to go back the other way just a little bit. We'll be OK for the race." - Two drivers had trouble during practice yesterday and were forced to qualify backup cars. Steve Park lost control of his #3 ACDelco Chevrolet between turns one and two and slapped the wall doing heavy damage to the right side of the car. He could do no better 27th fastest during time trials and will start way back in the 14th row. "It was slow," was the only comment Park would make following his qualifying lap. Mark Krogh flattened the rear end of his primary #80 Clearwater Industries Chevrolet in a separate accident. He was unable to make the field on time and took a provisional 33rd starting position. - Dale Earnhardt, Jr. was orginally scheduled to compete this weekend at Myrtle Beach, but after blowing an engine at Watkins Glen two weeks ago the DEI team decided to skip this event and concentrate on the inaugural Gateway 300 in Madison, IL scheduled for July 26. - Three drivers failed to qualify for the race. They are: Rookie of the Year contender Chris Diamond, Eddie Beahr, from Mchanicsville, VA, and Thomas Daw, from Charlotte, NC.