NASCAR Chevy Teams Glum About Chances In Upcoming Brickyard 400

07/30/96

Pocono performance, they say in NASCAR-land, indicates how things will go for the various Winston Cup teams heading for the Brickyard 400 this coming weekend. Both tracks have similar characteristics . . . flat, long straights . . . and it looks like it could be a Ford benefit. At Pocono last week Ford copped four of the first five finishing positions, and seven of the top ten spots. The Ford jockeys were Rusty Wallace, Ricky Rudd, Dale Jarrett, and Ernie Irvan followed by Sterling Marlin's Chevy. NASCAR, much to the chagrin of the top Chevrolet teams, has tried to even up the playing field between the three racing nameplates by giving Ford some roof and rear spoiler improvements/modifications. The bow tie brigade is miffed, the Ford guys are saying 'OK we can live with these mods . . . let's go racing,' and the Pontiac contingent (with a slew of new nose configurations) just shrugs and says 'let's just go stab it and steer it.' The Brickyard awaits. Who will it be . . . Ford or Chevy?

Bill Maloney -- The Auto Channel