Daytona tests

Perry Tripp Fastest on Final Day of ARCA Testing DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 22, 1996) -- Perry Tripp posted the fastest speed on the third and final day of ARCA stock car testing at Daytona International Speedway in preparation for the Feb. 9 Daytona ARCA 200. Tripp was clocked at 48.80 sec. for an average speed of 184.42 mph in his Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Tripp, who picked up an impressive seven mph since yesterday was pleased with the lap that turned out to be the fastest recorded during the test. "We've been fighting a miss since we got here, and we ended up rewiring the whole car and finally today with some other changes we got it running on eight cylinders instead of six," said Tripp. "We only really have six laps on the car, so we are very pleased with that speed." Although Tripp sports a disappointing 33.5 average finish in his two previous ARCA 200s, he feels that his team and himself are ready to take the next step. "We feel like we've got a real good chance to win that race (ARCA 200) this year. We don't want to put undue pressure on anybody but we're coming back to Daytona in February to win the race. That is the reason we came down to test and when we come back, winning will be our main goal." Practice for the Daytona ARCA 200, Round One of the ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series, begins on Wednesday, Feb. 5.

ARCA TEST SPEEDS -- Dec. 22

         NO   DRIVER              TIME           SPEED                    
         6    Perry Tripp         48.80          184.42 mph              
         94   Ron Barfield        48.86          184.20              
         59   Mark Gibson         48.91          184.11             
         56   Dill Whittymore     49.08          183.37    
         66   Mark Thompson       49.25          182.74    
         41   Glenn Morgan        49.76          180.87    
         28   C.W. Smith          50.10          179.64
         85   Bobby Gerhart       50.15          179.46
         33   Harris DeVane       50.69          177.55
         15   Dale Kreider        50.81          177.13
         42   Dan Pardus          51.15          175.95
         88   Jimmy McCune        52.03          172.98
         99   Drew White          52.90          170.13       
         69   Glenn Miller        53.34          168.72
         68   David Boggs         56.24          160.03

Bill Baird Fastest on Second Day of ARCA Testing

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 21, 1996) -- Bill Baird, former "Most Improved Driver" on the midwestern American Speed Association (ASA) stock car circuit, posted the fastest speed on the second of three days of ARCA stock car testing at Daytona International Speedway in preparation for the Feb. 9 Daytona ARCA 200. Baird, who drives for NASCAR Winston Cup regular Ken Schrader, was clocked at 49.04 sec. for an average speed of 183.52 mph in his Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Ron Barfield, who drives for former NASCAR Winston Cup champion Bill Elliott, posted the second quickest speed of the day when he was clocked at 49.14 sec. for an average speed of 183.15 mph. Barfield, who finished an impressive fifth in the 1996 ARCA 200 in his first ever race at the Speedway, is pleased with the test so far. "We were really running good yesterday day). The team has brought a lot of new equipment and two new cars down here for this test, trying to get ready for February, said Barfield. "We're running good now and hopefully we can find a little more speed over the next couple of days." Besides the upcoming ARCA 200, 18 NASCAR Busch Series races, 15 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races and one NASCAR Winston Cup race awaits Barfield and his team in 1997. Although a busy year is ahead, Barfield says Speedweeks 1997 and the ARCA 200 are the focus right now. "The ARCA 200 is a good race and it will give me a lot of speedway seat time, so the team and myself are really looking forward to it." ARCA TEST SPEEDS -- Dec. 21

         NO  DRIVER               TIME           SPEED     
         52   Bill Baird          49.04          183.52 mph          
         94   Ron Barfield        49.14          183.15 
         2    Tommy Houston       49.24          182.78
         59   Mark Gibson         49.58          181.52 
         66   Mark Thompson       49.63          181.34
         16   Tim Steele          49.95          180.18
         32   Mark Stahl          50.13          179.53
         26   Blaise Alexander    50.17          179.39
         33   Harris DeVane       50.20          179.28
         85   Bobby Gerhart       50.22          179.21    
         15   Dale Kreider        50.75          177.34
         56   Dill Whittymore     50.77          177.27
         6    Perry Tripp         50.78          177.24
         41   Glenn Morgan        51.02          176.40
         93   Wayne Larson        51.19          175.82
         42   Dan Pardus          52.30          172.08         
         69   Glenn Miller        54.07          166.45
         88   Jimmy McCune        53.97          166.37
         28   C. W. Smith         54.68          164.59              

Ron Barfield Fastest on First Day of ARCA Testing

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Dec. 20, 1996) -- Ron Barfield posted the fastest speed on the first of three days of ARCA testing at Daytona International Speedway in preparation for the Feb. 9 Daytona ARCA 200 ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series opener. Barfield, who drives for former NASCAR Winston Cup champion Bill Elliott, was timed at an average speed of 181.64 mph in his New Holland Ford Thunderbird. Tim Steele, 1993 and defending ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series champion, posted a 180.32 mph lap for the fifth fastest speed on the day. Steele, who is planning to run the full ARCA series in 1997 with hopes of a full-time NASCAR Winston Cup ride in 1998, is focused on winning the 1997 edition of the ARCA 200. "We want to win this race really bad! Daytona is the one speedway we haven't won one yet and we're going to do everything we can to win right here," said Steele, winner of 11 ARCA races last season. "This race means a lot to myself and the guys on the team, if it takes me until I'm 60 years old, I guess I'll run this race until I win it."

ARCA TEST SPEEDS -- Dec. 20

         NO DRIVER/CAR                      SPEED
         94   Ron Barfield                  181.64 mph
         59   Mark Gibson                   180.72 
         26   Blaise Alexander              180.51
         2    Tommy Houston                 180.48
         16   Tim Steele                    180.32
         41   Andy Hillenburg               177.58
         66   Mark Thompson                 177.58
         85   Bobby Gerhart                 176.47
         15   Dale Kreider                  175.64
         42   Dan Pardus                    175.34
         93   Wayne Larson                  173.71
         6    Perry Tripp                   172.84
         00   Rick Eckert                   172.58
         69   Glenn Miller                  170.84
         28   C. W. Smith                   No Time   
         56   Dill Whittymore               No Time