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Friday, Sept. 8
The one thing all 43 teams need to take into account at Richmond International Speedway on Saturday night is that they're racing on a short track. And buddy, things happen at places like Richmond that never take place any where else.
Mel Gibson starred in a movie called "Pay Back" a couple of summers ago. Well, that is a common occurrence on the Winston Cup tour at a short track. And, guess what? This is the final short-track race of the season.
Trust me, after a season of heated tempers and worn out patience, some drivers who have made mental notes tend to pay back offensive or unjust maneuvers. So, sit back and enjoy Saturday night, as ESPN covers our final 400 laps at Richmond.
Will the Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400 be a money- and history-making event? It could be for five drivers and five lucky race fans.
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RICHMOND, Va. -- Jeff Burton, normally a poor qualifier who
has become expert at climbing his way through the field, capped a
great day of time trials Friday night by winning the pole for the
Chevrolet 400.
Burton, the Virginia native who won Friday night's Autolite-FRAM
250 Busch Series race, qualified at an event-record 125.780 mph in
his Ford to claim the top spot for only the second time in 214
career races.
"It doesn't mean anything if you don't finish in the front,"
said Burton, whose other pole came 134 races ago at Michigan in
August 1996.
"I'd rather start in the back and finish in the front than
start in the front and finish in the back," the 13-time race
winner said.
Burton said he probably didn't learn anything to improve his
qualifying history, which has long been a source of frustration.
"We just hit on some things that worked really well," he said.
The previous record of 125.465 mph was set by Mike Skinner last
year, and that speed also was bettered by Winston Cup points leader
Bobby Labonte, his best Richmond showing ever, and No. 3 qualifier
Jerry Nadeau.
Labonte circled the 0.75-mile oval at 125.646 mph in his
Pontiac, and Nadeau put his Chevrolet in the third spot with a
speed of 125.622 mph. Next were Virginian Rick Mast in a Pontiac
and Rusty Wallace in a Ford.
Labonte, who leads defending champion Dale Jarrett by 111 points
in the championship race, continued his recent string of good
showings at Richmond, a short track that has traditionally given
him trouble.
"We've run pretty good here most every time the past two or
three years, so I feel confident that we've got a race team that
can make the right decisions tomorrow to go into Saturday night's
race," he said.
Labonte finished second and third here last year, then stumbled
in the spring, his 26th-place finish ranking as his worst of the
season.
Like Burton and Nadeau, he also tested here between races.
"We figured this race was coming up prior to Loudon, prior to
Phoenix, prior to Homestead, and they have the same
characteristics," Labonte said.
"We said, 'Let's go to Richmond first because it comes up first
on the schedule and try to make it better and then hopefully it
will make the other racetracks better,"' he said. "Plus, it pays a
million dollars."
Labonte and four others will be eligible to win the No Bull $1
million dollar bonus in Saturday night's race if they take the
checkered flag.
Nadeau tested here a few weeks ago, but said it didn't help at all.
"When we came out here, we were pretty much out to lunch," he
said. "We were trying to get a good qualifying setup and we just
kept working and working. We must have changed gears five or six
times.
"Springs, shocks, everything in the car. And we made a bunch of
changes right before qualifying. I owe it to the guys."
Defending race champion Tony Stewart qualified 14th, and rookie
contender Dale Earnhardt Jr., who won here in the spring, was 31st.
Skinner, who used a setting sun and cooling track in setting the
track record a year ago, was 12th out this time around and
qualified 30th.
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ALSO SEE
Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400 lineup
Yocum: A short trip to $1 million
Weber: Looking to get 'rich' in Richmond
Furr: Richmond remains Little E's signature victory
Night racing offers different set of challenges at Richmond
Busch Series win caps Jeff Burton's 'great day'
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Jeff Burton grabs his first pole in over 4 years.
avi: 1430 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Jeff Burton talks with ESPN's Bill Weber after grabbing the provisional pole in Richmond.
RealVideo: 28.8
 Jeff Burton understands winning the pole doesn't mean you've won the race.
wav: 291 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
With a little work, Bobby Labonte thinks he could make a strong finish.
wav: 200 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
After a disappointing practice, Jerry Nadeau has his team to thank for qualifying third.
wav: 243 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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