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ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series Winn-Dixie 500K: Post Qualifying Quotes

10 October 1997

MATT HUTTER (#4 Lance Snacks Chevrolet) - Qualified 3rd - "That's about what 
we thought we would run. There's a lot of other good cars here. We were able 
to get in a good lap and we'll be up there somewhere. There's not much you 
can do here but put the hammer down and let it eat. All in all, that's a 
pretty good lap. We were hoping to go a little bit faster, but we ran earlier 
when the sun was still out and that probably hurt us some. We will put a race 
set-up in it and see what we've got. 

BILL BAIRD (#52 Spee-Dee Pop Popcorn Chevrolet) Qualified 4th - "We're 
pleased with that run, but I think we left a little bit out there, the car 
was a little tight. We came down here to qualify in the top-10 and finish in 
the top-10, and basically get some experience on this racetrack. We're going 
to beat them all next year, but we're doing our best right now. We're a whole 
lot quicker than a lot of the other cars here. 

ANDY HILLENBURG (#80 Elcon Ford) - Qualified 10th - I feel great about 
Saturday. We were expecting to qualify somewhere between eighth and 12th 
fastest. Not everyday you can have a car to go out and run for the pole but I 
feel like we can win on Saturday and that's what we're here for. I really 
like these race tracks, Daytona and Talladega have always been two of my 
favorites. I think we've run in the top-three the last four races at these 
tracks, and I'm looking for more of that on Saturday. 

MARK GIBSON (#59 Cunningham Historic Motorcars Ford) - Qualified 5th - "The 
car has felt good since we got here. With the shocks and springs we've got 
on it makes it pretty bumpy and bouncy but that's the best we've run so far. 
We'll take it. We're probably off on the body a little from where Tim 
(Steele) is. It was a good run, now we'll start working on getting another 
top-five in the race Saturday."

MARK THOMPSON (#66 Midway Island/Phoenix Air Ford) - Qualified 2nd - "It was 
a nice lap, it went about the way we expected. As long as we can see Tim 
(Steele) from wherever we start. I think we have a real good car for the 
race."

DOUG REID (#97 Toys "R" Us/Birmingham Auto Show Chevrolet) - Qualified 34th - 
"We had some motor problems on our lap. I'm not sure exactly what's wrong, 
but I was dirt tracking it all around turns three and four. I felt like Sammy 
Swindell out here. We'll be alright. Requalifying's no big deal, I wouldn't 
be happy unless I qualified on the pole anyway. We were quick in practice so 
we'll be okay for Saturday's race. We know the car is quick."

JOHN WILKINSON (#2 Day Motorsports Chevrolet) - Qualified 21st - "The first 
gear stripped out of the transmission and we had to start in second gear and 
it killed us here. I was coming by the flag before I shifted into fourth 
gear, it took so long to get wound up. We just changed gears from a 300 to a 
290 and that didn't really help it that much and the car was way too tight. 
We were about the same as our practice speeds, but we could've run a lot 
better than that. We just had some difficulties with the transmission the car 
was too tight and I think the gears might have hurt us. 

JIMMY KITCHENS (#47 Dunlop Golf Ford) - Qualified 6th - "The car stayed 
pretty much the same from practice. I feel like with our race setup we're 
going to be good for the race. A lot of guys qualified faster than us, but 
we're going to be consistent for the race. We'll be prepared come Saturday. 

TIM STEELE (#16 HS Die/CIMLINC Ford) - Pole Winner - "The guys did a great 
job. We brought this car down here without ever testing it and everybody on 
the team did their homework. To go fast here, the shocks are so stiff it 
about rattles your eyes out of focus. We'll work on the car to make it 
comfortable for the race now. I was really surprised we went that fast. When 
my crew came on the radio and said we ran a 50.9 (seconds), I couldn't believe 
it. So, we're real happy with the speed we ran. I believe this is the seventh 
time that we've won three in a row and we really want to win that fourth in a 
row. Talladega is the first place I ever won an ARCA race, so this would be a 
great place to win the fourth at. 

By Talladega Superspeedway Public Relations