ROOKIE TAKES DAYTONA POLE : SKINNER SECOND TO EARN HONOR.Byline: Mike Harris For other persons of the same name, see Michael Harris. Michael Deane Harris (born January 23, 1945, in Toronto, Ontario) was the twenty-second Premier of Ontario from June 26, 1995 to April 15, 2002. Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. As thrilled as Mike Skinner Mike Skinner is the name of:
Skinner surprised everybody but himself and car-owner Richard Childress Richard Childress (born September 21, 1945 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina) is a former NASCAR driver and successful team owner of Richard Childress Racing (RCR) in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup competition. when he put his Chevrolet on the pole Saturday in the opening round of qualifying at Daytona International Speedway Daytona International Speedway is a superspeedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is a 2.5 mile (4 km) tri-oval race track facility with a seating capacity of 168,000 spectators. . He is only the second Winston Cup rookie to win the Daytona pole, joining Loy Allen Jr., who won took the top qualifying spot in 1994 and faded quickly before finishing 22nd. ``They'll drop-kick me like a hard football,'' Skinner said with a chuckle. ``But I'll just try to get in line and keep up with the lead draft and maybe later in the race I can drop-kick some of them back.'' Skinner, supposedly driving in the shadow of superstar teammate Dale Earnhardt This article is about the elder Dale Earnhardt. For his son, see Dale Earnhardt, Jr.. For the racing team he founded, see Dale Earnhardt, Inc.. Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. , turned a lap of 189.813 mph that was better than anything the seven-time champion or everyone else could produce on the 2-1/2-mile oval. ``This is unbelievable,'' said Skinner, who has driven in 15 previous Winston Cup races scattered over 11 years. ``I can't believe it.'' Childress, who reluctantly went to a two-car team this season because he felt that would help him stay competitive, said, ``I knew Mike had talent when I saw him. I had confidence he would fit right in with this team.'' Asked if he was nervous about qualifying the first time for Childress, one of the top car-owners in the business, Skinner, the 1995 NASCAR NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing), organization that sanctions American stock-car races, est. 1948. It held its first race in Daytona Beach, Fla. Craftsman Truck Series champion, said, ``I talked to Richard and Dale Earnhardt and tried to get some pointers from Dale. I tried not to be nervous and just do the best I could. ``Now we'll try to get a good race setup under the car. We'll talk to Dale a lot and go out and get some drafting practice and see what goes on from there.'' CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: Rookie Mike Skinner won the pole position for Daytona 500 by going 189.813 mph. Associated Press |
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