Atlanta Test 98-10-27

Teams flock to Atlanta test

ATLANTA (Oct. 27, 1998) More than 13 teams from three racing divisions opened a stock car test session Tuesday at Atlanta Motor Speedway in preparation for the upcoming tripleheader NASCAR/ARCA weekend, Nov. 5-8.

Ward Burton posted the fastest speed of the 13 NASCAR Winston Cup Series teams that were preparing for the Nov. 8 NAPA 500, the season finale for that series, and its Bud Pole Qualifying day, set for Nov. 6. Burton's MBNA America Pontiac was unofficially clocked at 187.297 mph.

John Andretti was the fastest qualifier in March at the 1.54-mile track with a speed of better than 192 mph. On Tuesday, however, his STP Pontiac was mired at 184.247 mph. Pontiacs have been the dominant make at Atlanta this season as Todd Bodine qualified the Tabasco Pontiac on the outside of the front row in March, and Bobby Labonte won the race in the Interstate Batteries Pontiac.

On Tuesday, rounding out the top-five speeds were Jeremy Mayfield in the Mobil 1 Ford (186.666 mph); Ken Schrader, Skoal Bandit Chevrolet (185.915); Bobby Hamilton, Kodak Max Film Chevrolet (185.666); and Chad Little, John Deere Ford (185.480).

Also on hand at the test in NASCAR Winston Cup Series cars were Rick Mast, Kenny Wallace, Rich Bickle, David Green in the No. 41 Kodiak Chevrolet, Robert Pressley, Wally Dallenbach and Ed Berrier.

Berrier drove a Sadler Racing car that was one of three machines the Nashville, Tenn., team had on hand. Bobby Hamilton Jr. tested ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series and NASCAR Busch Series Grand National Division cars for the Sadlers.

Good tickets are still available for all three days of racing. Tickets for the NASCAR Winston Cup Series finale start at $30, with tickets for the Nov. 7 Stihl 300 NASCAR Busch Series race starting at $15. For information call the AMS ticket office at (770) 946-4211.

Source: NASCAR Online