He Should Be Named Drive, Not Park

By SHAV GLICK

Oct. 19, 1997 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

FONTANA —

Busch Grand National cars, 100 pounds lighter and with substantially less horsepower than their Winston Cup big brothers, make their first California appearance today at the new California Speedway.

Steve Park, a precocious rookie from East Northport, N.Y., and a protege of seven-time Winston Cup champion Dale Earnhardt, will be on the pole when a field of 42 cars takes off at 1 p.m. in the Kenwood Home & Car Audio 300. Park, already assured of rookie-of-the-year honors, was the fastest qualifier Friday with a 175.157-mph lap in the Earnhardt family’s No. 3 Chevrolet Monte Carlo.

“I had three goals before the start of the year--to win a race, to finish in the top 10 in points and to win a pole,” Park said. “I had done the other two and had just needed to win a pole. Now, the goals completed, I want to win the race.”

Park, already signed to drive a Winston Cup car for Earnhardt next year, has won more races (three), won more money ($423,659), had more top-five finishes (11) and accumulated more points (3,633) than any other Busch rookie in the history of the series.

“I give a lot of credit to Dale, he’s been like a father to me,” Park said. “I’ve made some big mistakes, but Dale has always stood by me, let me know it’s all right. He is a great teacher.”

Randy LaJoie, the defending champion and series leader, crashed during practice Friday, but qualified his backup Chevrolet car 18th for today’s 300-mile race.

“It’s a good car, it won at Darlington in the spring,” LaJoie said of his backup. “I had just one lap of practice in it, but we’re absolutely happy with it.”

LaJoie needs only to finish eight positions better than Todd Bodine to become the first repeat champion since Larry Pearson a decade ago.

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Race Facts

* WHAT: Kenwood Home & Car Audio 300 for Busch Grand National cars, part of NASCAR Doubleheader Race weekend.

* WHERE: California Speedway, a two-mile oval, in Fontana.

* WHEN: Today, 1 p.m.

* TELEVISION: ESPN

* RADIO: KCKC, 1300 AM