Baird Clocks Fastest Lap in Day Two of ARCA Series Testing at Daytona

22 December 1997

    

        DAYTONA BEACH FL. -- Bill Baird, who drives for NASCAR Winston Cup
Series regular Ken Schrader, posted the fastest speed on the second of three
days of ARCA Series testing Sunday at Daytona International Speedway.  

        Baird, driving a No. 52 Schrader Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo, was 
clocked at 47.8 seconds, for an average speed of 188.285 mph.

        Baird, who has limited superspeedway experience, was impressive in his
Daytona debut last February, turning in a fourth-place finish in the Daytona
ARCA 200.  The ARCA Series' season-opening Daytona ARCA 200, to be held in
conjunction with the all new Bud Shootout At Daytona, is scheduled for Feb. 
8. 

        "We just made a lot of short runs yesterday (Saturday)," said Baird. 
"And today, after making some simulated qualifying runs, we got the car down 
to where we wanted, so we're loading up and going home.  We're happy because
this is the fastest we've ever had this car.  We went faster than we did last
year and that's why we came down to Daytona in the first place. Everybody at
Schrader Racing has been working hard for a whole year to be where we are, so
it's paid off.  

        "Last year I came down to Daytona looking for a top 10 in the race and
hoping just to finish and we finished fourth.  My goal this year is to sit on
the pole and win this thing (Daytona ARCA 200).  I've been racing on asphalt
now for four years and I've never won an asphalt race.  If I win the ARCA 200,
I'll probably be more emotional than Jeff Gordon was at the (NASCAR Winston
Cup Awards) banquet."

        The test continues tomorrow (Monday). A section of the Oldfield 
Grandstand is open daily at no charge from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with access 
through DAYTONA USA, "The Ultimate Motorsports Attraction." Guided Speedway
Tours are also available from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. for a nominal fee.

DAYTONA BEACH FL -- Practice times for the ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series - 12/21 

          
Ps.No.  Driver              Make  Lap Time M.P.H.
-- ---- ------------------- ----- -------- -------
 1  52  Bill Baird          Chev  0:47.800 188.285
 2  59  Mark Gibson         Ford  0:48.300 186.335
 3   7  Chad Coleman        Ford  0:48.400 185.950
 4  55  Russell Landrum     Ford  0:48.500 185.567
 5  66  Mark Thompson       Ford  0:48.600 185.185
 6  80  Andy Hillenburg     Ford  0:48.900 184.049
 7  15  Dale Kreider        Chev  0:49.100 183.299
 8  11  Glen Morgan         Chev  0:49.400 182.186
 9  31  Randal Ritter       Chev  0:49.709 181.087
10  42  Dan Pardus          Chev  0:49.700 181.087
11  53  Bob Kelly           Chev  0:49.800 180.723
12  18  Josh Baltes         Chev  0:49.900 180.361
13  32  Mark Stahl          Ford  0:49.900 180.361
14   5  Bobby Gerhart       Chev  0:50.100 179.641
15  74  Gary Laton          Chev  0:50.200 179.283
16   3  Kirk Shelmerdine    Chev  0:50.500 178.218
17  44  Greg Usher          Chev  0:51.200 175.781
18  93  Wayne Larson        Chev  0:51.600 174.419
     
Track Length      :  2.5000 Miles

*Electronic times taken randomly throughout the day
 Mike Snow -- The Auto Channel