ROCKINGHAM, N.C., Nov. 2 (UPI) -- When the No. 1 Pennzoil Chevrolet last appeared at North Carolina Motor Speedway, Steve Park drove it to victory in February. Kenny Wallace drove that same car to the pole Friday for Sunday's Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 NASCAR Winston Cup race.
Wallace is filling in for Park, who continues to recover from a head injury suffered in a NASCAR Busch Series race at Darlington, S.C. on Labor Day weekend.
"It's really great to come here and sit on the pole after Steve won the race," Wallace said. "They wonder if it is the driver or the team and I'll tell you it is mostly the team in this case. They set that car up great. Steve did a good job setting it up for me."
It was Wallace's first pole since Bristol in 1997 - 129 races ago.
Ironically, second-fastest qualifier Ricky Craven also suffered a head injury at Texas Motor Speedway in 1998 that ultimately led to post-concussion syndrome and cost him his ride a year later. Craven qualified a Ford Taurus at 154.351 miles per hour.
"I've actually talked to Steve's mom," Craven said. "I think Steve is a perfect example of how to handle things. I was an example of how not to handle things. The urgency to get back in the car exists. There is the difficulty of not racing, but it is compounding by seeing a different driver in your car. The insecurity of being a race driver comes into play.
"I can assure you he will be back and when he comes back, he'll pick up where he left off. That's critical."
There have been plenty of innuendoes and rumor involving the seriousness of Park's head injury. Craven heard similar rumors when he was out of the race car during his recovery.
"The frustrating side of this business is when you are absent, there is a lot of speculation and I remember hearing so many things from friends because I was not at the race track," Craven said. "The reason I didn't go to the race track was because I was miserable. I truly believe Steve is not here because he is focused on getting healthy.
"I've heard some ridiculous statements that come with being absent. I feel that Steve Park will come back 100 percent healthy. I can't say when or where more than anyone else."
Craven scored his first career NASCAR Winston Cup victory at Martinsville, Va. three weeks ago and continues to be on a wave of momentum.
"After 30 laps, you have the haves and have nots," Craven said of the race. "That is when the race will shake out. There has to be a better ways of doing things and hopefully this is the start of it."
