Drivers Go For Pole Today

Forget the controversy over the aerodynamic rules. For one lap, almost anybody could be quick enough to win the pole position for the Feb. 18 Daytona 500.

Sterling Marlin, the two-time defending Daytona 500 winner, and fellow Chevrolet driver Dale Earnhardt led the way, turning fast laps of 189.478 mph and 189.418 in practice Friday.

Only the top two qualifiers today will lock in starting positions in the season-opening NASCAR Winston Cup event. The rest of the fast laps run in qualifying today, Monday and Tuesday will be used to set the fields for Thursday’s Twin 125-mile qualifying races.

A news conference has been called for Tuesday in New York, where Bobby Rahal is expected to introduce TV star David Letterman as a minority interest owner of the Team Rahal IndyCar team.