Early Draw Doesn't Help Labonte in Qualifying at Pocono
LONG POND, Pa., Friday, July 30, 2004 Bobby Labonte qualified 17th for the Pennsylvania 500 during Bud Pole Qualifying July 30 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa.
Due to an early morning fog and light rain, practice was limited to only one hour and qualifying began about an hour later than scheduled.
Labonte was the sixth of 46 cars to attempt to qualify and turned a lap of 52.934 seconds, 170.023 mph in the No. 18 Interstate Batteries Chevrolet. The effort gave him the provisional pole, but track temperatures cooled after 5 p.m. and several cars managed to post faster times that Labonte in the cooler conditions.
"We were seventh in practice, but I think that late draw really hurt us," Labonte said. "We've got a good race car, we just went out early when the conditions weren't quite as good. The car should be strong in the race, and we'll work to get it better during practice tomorrow. The guys did a great job today. They worked on the car all day long. They worked really hard to give me a good solid race car. And they did that. We were able to pick up a little bit."
Casey Mears won his first career Bud Pole with a time and speed of 52.411, 171.720. Labontes teammate, Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet, qualified eigth at 52.698, 170.748.
The Pennsylvania 500 starts at 1 p.m. (EDT) Aug. 1 and will be broadcast live on TNT and MRN.
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