Ailing father in Pressley's mind at Talladega

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Robert Pressley's body may be at Talladega Superspeedway, but his heart and soul are back home in North Carolina.

Pressley's father, Bob, is fighting cancer, and Robert skipped Busch Series qualifying Thursday to be with his dad. Mark Green qualified the No. 47 Ford seventh, but Pressley will have to drop to the rear of the field for Saturday's race.

	Pressley will start from the rear in tomorrow's Aaron's 312. Credit: Autostock

Bob Pressley, a legendary short track driver in North Carolina, slipped into a coma recently, and doctors told the family Bob may not have much time left.

"It's very hard when they call you in and they tell you that it could be the next three hours that it could be over," Pressley said. "You know you don't need to be in Talladega. It's not a necessity."

Pressley has been encouraged by words his father spoke five years ago when the cancer was discovered.

"Listen here: I've lived a good life and I've raced and that's what I want everybody else to do, keep on going," Bob Pressley told his son.

Robert Pressley's team and sponsor recently told him to take some time off, and for that Pressley is grateful.

"Whenever (owner) Tad (Geshisckter) and (crew chief) Steve (Plattenberger) and all the guys at Ford and Clorox said, 'We want you to take a couple days off and stay home,' that makes me feel good," Pressley said.

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"We've had five years to talk about it, and we know what he did in racing. He knew what we liked, and I know what he would want, but it's just hard to do that right there -- to go out and race -- when you know he's there like that.

"He was a racer, and I'll tell you what, if he was able he would be right down here today."

Pressley said he "probably" will race Saturday.

"Really, we're just playing everything by ear," Pressley said. "We've taken care of everything back at home, so there's nothing we could do right now."

Pressley was 10th fastest in Friday's Busch Happy Hour, with ST Motorsports teammate Stacy Compton 12th. Justin Ashburn, who starts 33rd, led the practice at 189.440 mph, with Ashton Lewis second at 189.204 and Tony Raines third at 189.189.

Pressley isn't worried about having to come from the rear of the field.

"I started third or fourth in a Cup race here, and on the third lap, I was running in the back," Pressley said. "I've also started in the back and have been leading in 10 laps. If there's anywhere you want to start in the back and know that it isn't any penalty, it's right here."

But for Pressley, right here isn't where he wants to be.