Qualifying Report - Chicagoland

QUALIFYING RESULTS:

1. Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 29.580 seconds, 182.556 miles per hour
2. Martin Truex, Jr., Chevrolet, 29.593 seconds, 182.476 miles per hour
3. Ryan Newman, Dodge, 29.595 seconds, 182.463 miles per hour
4. Mark Martin, Chevrolet, 29.662 seconds, 182.297 miles per hour
5. Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Chevrolet, 29.626 seconds, 182.272 miles per hour
9. John Andretti, Dodge, 29.764 seconds, 181.427 miles per hour
12. Bobby Labonte, Dodge, 29.791 seconds, 181.263 miles per hour

Bobby Labonte and the #43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge team also put in a good effort on Friday, qualifying for Sunday's USG Sheetrok 400 in 12th place. The lap was also nearly two-tenths faster than his practice session. The team was 24th fastest in practice. Labonte has now qualified 13th or higher six times this season.

“The car was just a little tight to really hang it our there,” said Labonte. “That’s still a good job by the guys. We really picked it up when a lot of the guys slowed down. The team did a good job today.”

Casey Mears won his third career pole Friday afternoon at the 1.5-mile Chicagoland Speedway for Sunday’s USG Sheetrock 400. Mears has led the field to the green in the past, but this is his first pole racing for Hendrick Motorsports.

Track conditions were the biggest concern when qualifying Friday. The Midwest sun made the Chicagoland Speedway very slick and slower than the morning practice session. Clouds loomed large over the track and occasionally blocked the sun. Teams and drivers constantly beg for a cloud to cool the track before qualifying. Ryan Newman felt he needed a calculator and blackboard to figure out if a cloud helped his time. Martin Truex, Jr. said it was more mental than anything else. Pole sitter Mears said he asked the crew to give him a darker helmet shield to convince him there is a cloud on the track. In any case, it’s Mears on the pole for Sunday’s 400-mile race.

John Andretti and the #45 National Tire and Battery Dodge team qualified ninth fastest on Friday. It’s the highest qualifying run for the #45 Dodge this season. Andretti was 23rd fastest in the practice session and made a big jump in qualifying. Andretti ran nearly two-tenths faster in qualifying. The qualifying effort is also Andretti’s best at the track.

“Hats off to the guys on this NTB crew,” said Andretti. “They gave me a good car. It was all them. We tested at Kentucky and had a good test there. Everyone worked really hard. I’m glad it has paid off for them today. The car has been fun to drive. It’s been like going back home racing for Petty Enterprises the past few weeks.”

Friday’s qualifying session was televised live nationally by SPEED Channel and broadcast on MRN Radio. Sunday’s race will be televised live on TNT and broadcast live on MRN Radio. The race is scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m. (ET).