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Good Morning NASCAR Fans! Welcome to qualifying day. We did no Wednesday Stats day this week due to the fact California really hasn't got any yet. I would have done Michigan but the track is definately different accord to the drivers and you've already seen the Michigan stats. I'll tell you that I expect the California track to be alot the same. It appears that Musgrave is again going to be strong at this track as he was at Michigan. His speeds are very consistent. I also look for Mark Martin to continue his strong finishes, as well as Jeff Gordon. It might be another Rousch finish at a new track. The only thing that could keep them out is the length (500 miles) which they have had troubles with, or the 24 team.

Reminder for qualifying this afternoon.  We will have the cybercast today
at 5:00 central.  Join us for all the action.  Should be an exciting
qualifying.  Also a reminder to try or to submit your picks for Mike
Packer's Pick 12.  You can do this through the website, under Pick 12.

Information about the race Sunday (Courtesy of one of our fine Fans)

Times given in Pacific Time

California 500

California Speedway 9300 Cherry Ave. Fontana, California 92335

2-Mile Oval

FRIDAY JUNE 20TH

Winston Cup 1st round qualifying - 3 p.m.

SATURDAY JUNE 21ST

Winston Cup 2nd round Qualifying - 11 a.m. Winston West race - 12 Noon IROC race - appx. - 5 p.m.

SUNDAY JUNE 22ND

Winston Cup California 500 - 11 a.m. ------------------------------------------------------------ Television - CBS Radio - MRN ------------------------------------------------------------ Inaugural event

Spurlock and Bud Moore

Courtesy of another fine fan in the local Spartanburg area. Word from the Bud Moore camp here in Spartanburg is that the deal with K.C. Spurlock is off. No reason given at this time. About 5 employees currently remain working at BME full time. If nothing happens this year they will be ready for 1998. Work being done on a car for Daytona complete with race ready motor.

Here is a rundown on the times from yesterday

1 24 Jeff Gordon DuPont Chevy 39.265 183.369 0.000 0.000

2  5 Terry Labonte     Kellogg's       Ford  39.670 181.497 -0.405 -1.872
3  6 Mark Martin       Valvoline       Ford  39.689 181.410 -0.424 -1.959
4  9 Lake Speed        Mobil           Ford  39.705 181.337 -0.440 -2.032
5 16 Ted Musgrave      Family Channel  Ford  39.762 181.077 -0.497 -2.292
6 75 Rick Mast         Remington       Ford  39.766 181.059 -0.501 -2.310
7 98 John Andretti     RCA             Ford  39.779 181.000 -0.514 -2.369
8 43 Bobby Hamilton    STP             Pont. 39.808 180.868 -0.543 -2.501
9 29 Jeff Green        Cartoon Network Chevy 39.822 180.805 -0.557 -2.564
10 31 Mike Skinner      Lowe's          Chevy 39.830 180.768 -0.565 -2.601
11 99 Jeff Burton       Exide Batteries Ford  39.882 180.534 -0.617 -2.835
12 44 Kyle Petty        Hot Wheels      Pont. 39.882 180.533 -0.617 -2.836
13 90 Dick Trickle      Heilig-Meyers   Ford  39.938 180.279 -0.673 -3.090
14 40 Robby Gordon      Coors Light     Chevy 39.945 180.248 -0.680 -3.121
15 42 Joe Nemechek      BellSouth       Chevy 39.956 180.199 -0.691 -3.170
16 46 W. Dallenbach     First Union     Chevy 39.968 180.144 -0.703 -3.225
17 36 Derrike Cope      Skittles        Pont. 40.017 179.924 -0.752 -3.445
18 81 Kenny Wallace     Square D        Ford  40.022 179.900 -0.757 -3.469
19 33 Ken Schrader      Skoal           Chevy 40.057 179.744 -0.792 -3.625
20 94 Bill Elliott      McDonald's      Ford  40.089 179.600 -0.824 -3.769
21 18 Bobby Labonte     Interstate      Chevy 40.134 179.399 -0.869 -3.970
22 96 David Green       Caterpillar     Chevy 40.153 179.314 -0.888 -4.055
23 37 Jeremy Mayfield   Kmart / RC Cola Ford  40.155 179.303 -0.890 -4.066
24  2 Rusty Wallace     Miller          Ford  40.157 179.296 -0.892 -4.073
25  3 Dale Earnhardt    GM Goodwrench   Chevy 40.183 179.180 -0.918 -4.189
26  7 Geoff Bodine      QVC             Ford  40.205 179.082 -0.940 -4.287
27 21 Michael Waltrip   Citgo           Ford  40.251 178.878 -0.986 -4.491
28  8 Hut Stricklin     Circuit City    Ford  40.262 178.829 -0.997 -4.540
29 17 Darrell Waltrip   Parts America   Chevy 40.275 178.771 -1.010 -4.598
30 30 Johnny Benson     Pennzoil        Pont. 40.279 178.753 -1.014 -4.616
31 23 Jimmy Spencer     Camel           Ford  40.282 178.740 -1.017 -4.629
32 97 Chad Little       John Derre      Pont. 40.289 178.708 -1.024 -4.661
33 71 Dave Marcis       Realtree        Chevy 40.333 178.514 -1.068 -4.855
34 11 Brett Bodine      Close Call      Ford  40.337 178.496 -1.072 -4.873
35  1 Jerry Nadeau      R&L Carriers    Pont. 40.390 178.262 -1.125 -5.107
36 77 Morgan Shepherd   Jasper          Ford  40.434 178.068 -1.169 -5.301
37 41 Steve Grissom     Kodiak          Chevy 40.438 178.052 -1.173 -5.317
38 22 Ward Burton       MBNA America    Pont. 40.456 177.971 -1.191 -5.398
39 28 Ernie Irvan       Texaco/Havoline Ford  40.493 177.809 -1.228 -5.560
40 88 Dale Jarrett      Quality Care    Ford  40.504 177.760 -1.239 -5.609
41  4 Sterling Marlin   Kodak           Chevy 40.540 177.602 -1.275 -5.767
42 91 Mike Wallace      Spam            Chevy 40.576 177.445 -1.311 -5.924
43 25 Ricky Craven      Budweiser       Chevy 40.687 176.962 -1.422 -6.407
44 10 Ricky Rudd        Tide            Ford  40.757 176.657 -1.492 -6.712
45 78 Billy Standridge  Hanes           Chevy 40.878 176.135 -1.613 -7.234

Drivers living a life of luxury in California

Winston Cup drivers look like golfers in the County Club setting of California's new track Thursday while shaking down there cars for qualifying. Jeff Gordon posted a hot 183.369 mile per hour lap in practice yesterday showing that the new track would be fast and furious. Gordon downplayed the hot lap, ''I don't think anybody made true qualifying runs today,'' Gordon said. ''That was a lot faster than I thought we'd run. I'll probably never be able to make that lap again.'' Bobby Hamilton who tested at this track also had some comments about his practice, ''We've got a whole day to test, no use in getting in a hurry. Everybody is just stumbling around and creeping up on what we need to do.'' Robby Gordon will be back in this race for the first time since his troubles at the Indy 500. ''I wanted to run last weekend, but if they'd given me a drug test I probably wouldn't have passed,'' Gordon said. ''I was on some pretty stiff pain medication, Percodan, for about 20 days. And it takes about seven days to get it out of your system. So I stopped last week. ''Then the first couple days this week I was sore. Every morning you wake up, it burns, it stings, every time you take a step. We've been putting silvertine ointment on the burns, but they weren't improving, so we've started putting salt water rags on 'em, and now they've got a scab. We've moved the seat out a little on the right side (to accommodate his burned leg). I've had a brace made, but I haven't had to use it yet. I might use it in the race. ''It's been a bummer to sit out these last few weeks. We put together a first-class Indy-car team for Felix, and something freaky happened. If the fuel had been drained Monday night after we ran that first 20 laps, there's no doubt in my mind we would have won the race. We had easily the fastest car; Luyendyk started on the front row and we started in row four, but we caught him in 12 green flag laps.'' Micheal Waltrip has posted some good times in his practice session's yesterday. ''We're running really low on the track because the cars are sticking so well,'' Michael Waltrip said. ''That means it's not really driving like Michigan at all. And I think it will probably be follow-the-leader one-groove racing. All you have to do is ride with me once out of the second corner and look over at that nice pale white part of the track up next to the wall, and you'll be saying, like me, 'O-o-oh, no, I don't think I want any part of that.' ''

Gary Bradberry

It would appear that Bradberry got his money problems worked out. He has been practicing so one could only assume he will run the race.

Geoff Bodine to sell?

Rumor is from Jayski that the Geoff Bodine team is close to selling the team to either Andy Evans or the Dr. J Team. The stipulation to this deal is that he remain the driver for 3 years.

Ward Burton and a special Paint Scheme for California

I hear Ward Burton will be running a special MBNA paint scheme on the #22 Pontiac this weekend for with Anaheim Mighty Ducks Logo on the car(thanks Chad) and Jayski.

John Andretti crash yesterday

I have failed to mention that John Andretti was supposedly involved in a crash in the late practice session yesterday. John was fine.

Darrell Waltrip Sponsors rumor (Jayski)

I hear potential sponsors for DW include Snapple and KFC/Pepsi. No firm word yet.

Robby Gordon crashes

In the practice session today Robby Gordon has wrecked. He was transported to the hospital and was confused but concious. It doesn't seem to be a really bad injury but he will have a cat scan as a precautionary measure.

Von Hall NASCAR Fans _______________________________________ NASCAR Fans Website http://www.nascarfans.com

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