Labonte Qualifies 3rd at Dover

QUALIFYING RESULTS:

1. Ryan Newman, Dodge, 23.541 seconds, 152.925 miles per hour
2. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 23.624 seconds, 152.387 miles per hour
3. Bobby Labonte, Dodge, 23.637 seconds, 152.304 miles per hour
4. Kasey Kahne, Dodge, 23.678 seconds, 152.040 miles per hour
5. Carl Edwards, Ford, 23.710 seconds, 148.490 miles per hour
*36. Kyle Petty, Dodge, 24.244 seconds, 181.038 miles per hour

DOVER, DE (June 1, 2007) - Bobby Labonte and the #43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge team nearly walked away with the pole on Friday at the one-mile Dover (Del.) International Speedway. Labonte and the team were fast at the start of the day. Labonte ripped off the second fastest time in practice. The team also had a late qualifying draw. The pieces were in place for a pole run. Labonte’s lap was second best only to Earnhardt Jr. at the time the Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge team qualified. Newman qualified moments later and beat both, but Labonte’s effort was the best of the season. The team has qualified inside the top 10 three times in 2007.

“I think I lost more off turn two than I did turn four,” said Labonte after his lap. “I slide more in four, but I probably wasn’t on the gas hard enough in turn two. I don’t think it had the grip there, but it was actually a little tighter than I thought it would be. It’s hard for me to pick up a lot of time here from practice because you can overdrive it and usually get too free. Today was a very productive day on our part. Everybody did a good job making the car faster and faster every time we went out. We started off fair. We didn’t start off great, but we got better as we went and that was good. From last weekend to right now I feel a lot more confidence.

“I just thank God that we qualified up front here today and won’t be in dirty air. Even though the track widens out a little bit, I think it will still be hard to pass. I feel good about it. We really haven’t had a bad race in the Avenger yet. Darlington really wasn’t as good as we wanted, but we still had a better run than finish. It’s a track we’ve struggled at so many times, and I’m so glad they’re paving it. I don’t care if it’s 330 mph there, it would probably still be better for me I’m sure. That was probably the worst race we’ve had. I think Richmond was fair, and Martinsville was going to be good.”

Kyle Petty and the #45 Wells Fargo Dodge team are coming off their best race effort last weekend. There is a lot of momentum for the Wells Fargo Dodge team after finishing third at Lowe’s. Dover is also one of Petty’s best tracks on the circuit as he is a former winner here. Petty’s qualifying day didn’t go as wanted, but the team plans to work on their race setup in final practice sessions on Saturday. Petty will start 36th.

“We have been working on the car,” said Petty. “We just keep working and getting better with it. Billy (Wilburn) and the guys are getting it close. Dover is a good track for us. Hopefully we can learn some more in practice and be ready for Sunday.”

Ryan Newman led a Dodge Avenger brigade Friday afternoon during qualifying for Sunday’s Autism Speaks 400 presented by Visa. Newman won his second straight pole and third of the season. Newman blistered a lap of 23.541 seconds. The lap was nearly a tenth-of-a-second faster than second fast time of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dodge teams qualified first, third and fourth.

Friday’s qualifying session was televised live nationally by SPEED Channel and broadcast on MRN Radio. Sunday’s race will be televised live on FOX and broadcast live on MRN Radio. The race is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. (ET).