NASCAR Winston Cup Series Testing in Atlanta (11/15/97)
6 November 1997
HAMPTON, GA - Defending Winston Cup champion Terry Labonte recorded the
fastest lap during Wednesday's test session at Atlanta Motor Speedway
circling the newly configured 1.54-mile track at a speed of 192.166 mph.
Todd Bodine's Team Tabasco Pontiac was second-quickest at 192.097 mph.
"This is a tough track, and it's going to take some time to get used to it,"
said Labonte. "Right now, with the new asphalt, it's real fast. And, right
now, everybody's running down at the bottom. After the ARCA race on Saturday
and the last Winston Cup practice that day, you should be able to pass fairly
easily in the race."
Three-time ARCA champion Tim Steele crashed the Bud Moore Engineering Ford
into the fourth turn wall during the session. Steele was unconscious for a
brief period and had to be extricated from the car by safety workers. He was
transported to Southern Regional Medical Center in Jonesboro, GA where he
underwent a CAT scan, which was negative, and was treated for a sprained left
ankle before being released shortly after 6 p.m.
"I really don't know what happened," Steele said after leaving the hospital.
"I'm not sure I want to know, but I'm OK. My ankle is a little sore, but I'm
fine."
November 5, 1997 test times at Atlanta Motor Speedway:
Ps.No. Driver Sponsor Make Lap Time M.P.H.
-- ---- ----------------------------------------------------- -------- -------
1 5 Terry Labonte Kellogg's Corn Flakes Chev 0:28.850 192.166
2 35 Todd Bodine Tabasco Pont 0:28.860 192.097
3 90 Dick Trickle Heilig-Meyers/Simmons Ford 0:28.870 192.033
4 22 Ward Burton MBNA Pont 0:28.880 191.966
5 15 Tim Steele Bud Moore Engineering Ford 0:28.900 191.834
6 44 Kyle Petty Hot Wheels Pont 0:29.110 190.450
7 2 Rusty Wallace Miller Lite Ford 0:29.120 190.385
8 43 Bobby Hamilton STP Pont 0:29.140 190.254
9 10 Ricky Rudd Tide Ford 0:29.200 189.863
10 17 Darrell Waltrip Western Auto Chev 0:29.230 189.668
11 37 Jeremy Mayfield KMart/RCA Cola Ford 0:29.390 188.635
12 1 Morgan Shepherd R&L Carriers Pont 0:29.410 188.507
13 77 Robert Pressley Jasper Engines Ford 0:29.430 188.379
14 78 Gary Bradberry Hanes Ford 0:29.460 188.187
15 41 Steve Grissom Kodiak Chev 0:29.480 188.060
16 91 Kevin Lepage LJ Racing Chev 0:29.570 187.487
17 71 Dave Marcis RealTree Chev 0:29.690 186.729
18 95 Ed Berrier Sadler Racing Chev 0:29.930 185.232
19 Mike Miller Chev 0:30.230 183.394
Track Length : 1.5400 Miles