Thursday, June 4, 1998 | 7:44 a.m.
By JOHN NICHOLSON
Associated Press Writer
Buckshot Jones is fast proving he has the on-track skills to match his high-profile, off-track trappings.
He's a sponsor's dream with a catchy nickname, a slick marketing program and a degree in business administration from the University of Georgia. But they're useless approaching 200 mph, especially in close quarters with NASCAR's top stars.
Just finishing the ride must seem like an education. The Busch Grand National driver got one Sunday, when he stepped up to the elite Winston Cup tour.
He drove the Stavola Brothers' Chevrolet to an eighth-place finish in the MBNA Platinum 400 at difficult Dover Downs. He showed the patience needed to carry him to success at the top level of the sport.
"Four hundred laps is a lot different than 200," said Jones, conditioned to a shorter drive on the BGN circuit. "It wears you out.
"You look up and see it's 200, I was thinking more like 300 or 320. It drove me crazy."
And he drove the Stavolas to the NASCAR schedule, looking for more opportunities to put him behind the wheel. Given his Busch commitment, there won't be many.
He will attempt to qualify the Circuit City entry for the Winston Cup race in Richmond, Va., on Saturday night. NASCAR's top two series don't share the same venue again until July 31-Aug. 1 in Indianapolis.
Even the lone weekend without a Busch event is out. On June 21, in the Pocono 500, Jones plans to make the first of five starts in his own Buckshot Racing Pontiac.
He tested the Aquafresh entry this week on the unique, triangular layout in Long Pond, Pa. There, the education continued.
"Pocono is as different as anything you run," Jones said of the 2 1/2 -mile oval. "We need as much experience as we can get in these cars.
"There's just so much more power. It's easier to control the Busch cars."
His strong performance on Dover Downs' Monster Mile was in stark contrast to his disappointing Winston Cup debut last fall in Hampton, Ga. He finished last in the season-ending event, completing only 38 laps at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
"The biggest thing is to finish every lap," he said. "If you're not out there finishing the races, you're not gaining the experience you need. That's the biggest thing I need right now."
Jones signed a two-race contract with the Stavolas two weeks ago, after Hut Stricklin was fired. The 27-year-old Jones promptly gave the team its first top-10 finish since Stricklin wound up second in the 1996 Southern 500.
"Everybody thought our equipment wasn't what it should be," Bill Stavola said. "This showed that if you put a group together and get a driver who can get in there and get the job done, obviously the car can go."
Stricklin, winless in 11 Winston Cup seasons, was fired after failing to qualify for three straight races. He made only six fields in 11 tries, finishing a season-best 29th four months ago in Rockingham, N.C.
The Stavolas are scrambling to find a driver for the Miller Lite 400 on June 14 in Brooklyn, Mich.
"We were very impressed with Buckshot," said general manager Donnie Johnson. "We would like to take him with us to Michigan, but his Busch race at Pikes Peak interferes with that plan."
Jones has four top-10 finishes - including his second career victory - in 13 Busch starts this year. He won last month in Loudon, N.H., rallying from last place following a first-lap accident.
He also brushed off adversity at Dover, overcoming early front-end damage and taking advantage of a midrace caution to adjust the insulation pad under his seat. He steered clear of Randy LaJoie as well, leaving their crashed-filled rivalry to the Busch series.
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