Saturday, July 27, 2002
Pocono polesitter Elliott chases mountain milestone
Ties record with 5th pole at track; looks for 5th win
The Associated Press
LONG POND, Pa. - Bill Elliott was the fastest qualifier for the second week in a row and tied the record Friday for the most career poles at Pocono Raceway.
On Sunday, in the Pennsylvania 500, Elliott will try to become the first driver to win five times on the mountaintop. Despite that, he hasn't done well on the track in recent years, last winning in 1989.
But his prospects have changed in his second season driving for Ray Evernham.
“This team has done so well this year,” Elliott said. “We've just communicated real well. They just keep digging it out.”
The pole was his fourth this year - giving Elliott the lead in the Winston Cup series - and the 55th overall for the 46-year-old driver. It also was his fifth at Pocono, matching Ken Schrader's track record.
Elliott's Dodge sped around the 21/2-mile triangular-shaped track in 52.765 seconds, posting a fast lap of 170.568 mph. His first qualifying lap (169.393) was fast enough to win the pole, but Elliott took another and went even faster.
“I felt like I didn't get it done on the first lap,” Elliott said. “All the guys on the team said just go for it, so I was just digging.”
Most drivers, faced with NASCAR's one-engine rule for each race, are reluctant to try a second fast lap. If an engine must be changed, a driver is forced to go to the rear of the field.
Elliott, the 1988 Winston Cup champion, hopes to convert the pole into his 42nd career victory. He also won the pole for the race last Sunday at New Hampshire, but a mechanical problem dropped him to 17th place.
Second-fastest was Ricky Rudd, followed by Michael Waltrip, Jeremy Mayfield and John Andretti.
IRL: Defending IRL champion Sam Hornish Jr., the only driver with three victories this season, has never turned a competitive lap at Michigan International Speedway, which Sunday will host its first IRL race, the Michigan Indy 400.
“I'm not comfortable here with the car on this racetrack, yet,” Hornish said Friday. “But we've got until Sunday to get that taken care of.”
Buddy Rice, making his IRL driving debut, had the best lap of 221.833mph during two practices sessions on Friday. Hornish turned a lap of 219.809mph, which ranked ninth among 25 drivers.
Qualifying is today.
Hornish would like a shot at winning both the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500.
Dale Earnhardt Inc. has had preliminary discussions with Hornish to explore the possibility of him making the switch from open-wheel cars to stock cars. Hornish drove a stock car to a second-place finish in the IROC race at Daytona in February.
“I've always wanted to win the Indianapolis 500 since I started racing,” Hornish said. “That is still a major goal, but of course, you can't do that if you're racing stock cars. But I'd also like to win the Daytona 500. I think I pretty much have to take care of one before I go after the other ... I'm just weighing all of my options.”
Gil de Ferran is the IRL points leader with 347 points, but his Marlboro Team Penske teammate, Helio Castroneves, is just behind him with 337 points. Hornish has 333.
FORMULA ONE: Michael Schumacher had the fastest time in Friday's practice for the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim, Germany.
Schumacher's Ferrari teammate, Rubens Barrichello, was a close second, and Kimi Raikkonen was third in a McLaren-Mercedes.
Barrichello edged Schumacher in the closing seconds of the one-hour morning session but could not improve his time in the afternoon. Schumacher, who wrapped up his record-tying fifth Formula One championship by winning the French Grand Prix on Sunday, eclipsed Barrichello with five minutes remaining.
HAKKINEN HANGS IT UP: Two-time Formula One champion Mika Hakkinen is retiring and the McLaren-Mercedes team will continue with drivers David Coulthard and Kimi Raikkonen into next year.
Hakkinen took a sabbatical this season after an 11-year Formula One career.
“I have been through so much in my Formula One career and achieved a lot and I just didn't think it was worth it to push things any further,” Hakkinen said. “I want to spend time with my family and see (son) Hugo grow up.”
Hakkinen stayed nine seasons with McLaren, capturing back-to-back titles in 1998 and '99.
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