SBRS: Watkins Glen Team Green Qualifying Notes

GURNEY QUALIFIES 14TH AT WATKINS GLEN

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (June 27, 1998) - After setting the fifth fastest time in this morning's qualifying session, Alex Gurney slipped to 14th fastest in the afternoon's final qualifying session for tomorrow's Barber Dodge Pro Series race.

Gurney's quick lap this afternoon was a 1:16.070 (115.946 mph), placing the Team Green Academy Class of '97/'98 graduate on the outside of row seven for tomorrow morning's 40-minute race at Watkins Glen International.

Jeff Simmons earned his second consecutive Barber Dodge pole position with a fast lap of 1:15.422 seconds (116.942 mph) in the afternoon session. Rocky Moran, Jr. will start alongside Simmons, having turned a lap of 1:15.597 seconds (116.671 mph) in the final session.

Round four of the 12-race Barber Dodge Pro Series is scheduled for 9:45 a.m. Eastern tomorrow morning. The first ESPN2 broadcast is slated for Sunday, July 12, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern.

ALEX GURNEY, #27 Team KOOL Green Reynard Dodge: "To tell you the truth, I'm a little bit baffled. The car feels a lot different than it did in the first session, and we just didn't pick up as much time as the other guys. I'll sit down with my coach Bob Earl and try to figure out why and get ready for the race tomorrow. I had some good drafting opportunities, both in front of and behind other cars, which is important on the straights here, but it didn't seem to help."