Daytona 500 Qualifying : Schrader Wins Pole Position; Injured Elliott Is Third

Ken Schrader won the Daytona 500 pole for the second straight year Saturday, taking the top qualifying spot away from Darrell Waltrip and an injured Bill Elliott in the first round of time trials for the Feb. 19 race.

Schrader turned a fast lap of 196.997 m.p.h. on the 2.5-mile, high-banked oval at Daytona International Speedway. Waltrip, Schrader’s teammate with Hendrick Motorsports, took the other front-row position at 195.916.

Schrader and Waltrip, both in Chevrolet Monte Carlos, were the only drivers to gain starting positions for the $1.7-million, season-opening NASCAR Winston Cup race.

The rest of the 42-car field will be determined in further time trials Monday through Wednesday and in the twin 125-mile qualifying races Thursday.

Elliott, the defending Winston Cup champion and a three-time Daytona 500 pole-winner, drove his Ford Thunderbird to a lap of 195.737--the third-fastest of the day--despite a broken left wrist suffered in a crash during practice Friday.

He drove without use of his left hand.

Elliott, who said he is not certain if he can run more than one or two laps with his aching and heavily bandaged wrist, could skip the qualifying races, which determine positions three through 30, and start next Sunday’s event 31st by virtue of his fast lap Saturday.

Elliott, who later complained of pain on his right side and had precautionary X-rays taken of his ribs at the track medical center, said his only real problem in qualifying was shifting as he left the pits and gaining speed on the banking.

It is expected that the two-time Daytona 500 winner will start next Sunday’s race to get the championship points, then use a relief driver most of the day.