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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.