Requalifying on Monday Allows Park Opportunity at Daytona on Sunday
13 February 1998
The biggest moment so far in Pennzoil Monte Carlo driver Steve Park's Winston Cup career didn't occur on Thursday during the rookie's first qualifying race at the Daytona International Speedway. In fact, Park's moment of reckoning didn't even occur on the track. Instead, crew chief Philippe Lopez and team manager Ty Norris decided Monday to take a chance and requalify the Pennzoil Monte Carlo. NASCAR determines the field of the sport's most prestigious race by taking about 30 cars from two qualifying races, six cars based on their qualifying lap times and seven provisional starters based on last year's points. Since the Dale Earnhardt Inc. team is new, it has no points and therefore ineligible for provisonals. If Park were to fall out of his qualifying race, then he would have to rely on that single lap qualifying time to make the field. Park's Sunday speed which was 24th quickest would be on the borderline of getting him in the race. But the team risked dropping even further down the speed chart if it went slower on Monday. "It was a risk, but it's something we thought is worth taking," said Lopez, a veteran crew chief. After a slow first lap, Park picked up the pace and posted a lap good enough for 17th quickest time. The lap made Park the fastest of the cars qualifying in the second round and eligible for the Bud Shootout preliminary race in 1999. Unfortunately, Lopez's fears were realized on Thursday. Park wrecked in an accident caused by several other cars in the early laps of the second qualifying race. Although uninjured, it was time to wait and see if Monday's speed was good enough to allow him to race in his first Daytona 500. "We'll just have to see what happens," said the East Northport, NY rookie after walking out of the track hospital. "This is the reason we gambled on requalifying on Monday. Let's see if it pays off." The gamble paid off. But just barely. Billy Standridge's 20th quickest speed was the last speed transferred into Daytona 500 field. Park made it and only made it into the Daytona 500 field because of Lopez's and Norris's decision to requalify on Monday. "Man, that was something. I think it is a credit to Philippe and (car chief) Chad (Knaus) and Ty that they were able to make a decision like that," Park said. "It took some guts to make that call, but that's what put us in the race." Park starts Sunday's race in 33rd position with plans to practice the back up Pennzoil Monte Carlo on Friday and Saturday in preparation for Sunday's race. "I think this car might be a better in the draft than the car we crashed today, but I guess we won't know until we take it out on the track," Norris said. Sterling Marlin and Dale Earnhardt won each of their qualifying races on Thursday. Johnny Benson, David Green, Kenny Wallace, Hut Stricklin, Jeff Green, and Todd Bodine did not make the field for the Daytona 500. Sunday's race will be televised by CBS. For More Information Contact: Drew Brown Pennzoil Racing (704) 895-3651 drewbrown@pennzoil.com
