Bristol Qualifying Results
QUALIFYING RESULTS:
1. Kasey Kahne, Dodge, 16.016 seconds, 119.805 miles per hour
2. Juan Montoya, Dodge, 16.064 seconds, 119.447 miles per hour
3. Jamie McMurray, Ford, 16.103 seconds, 119.158 miles per hour
4. David Ragan, Dodge, 16.105 seconds, 119.143 miles per hour
5. Dave Blaney, Dodge, 16.110 seconds, 119.106 miles per hour
22. Bobby Labonte, Dodge, 16.266 seconds, 117.964 miles per hour
32. Kenny Wallace, Dodge, 16.371 seconds, 117.207 miles per hour
Bobby Labonte and the #43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge team qualified 22nd for Saturday night’s popular Sharpie 500 at the .533-mile Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. The position is the last one available in order to pit on the frontstretch for the race. The No. 43 team are fresh off a top-10 finish in last Tuesday’s rain postponed event in Michigan. Labonte and new crew chief Doug Randolph are working together at Bristol for their second consecutive weekend.
“We were a little loose,” said Labonte. “The surface has a lot of people guessing. You’re going to be seeing some guys running higher than what we’ve seen in the past. We have some work to do, but it’s not too bad. We’re going to work on it to get better.”
Kasey Kahne finally has a bright spot to his 2007 season. He won the pole for Saturday night's event. Pole qualifying was held Friday afternoon in the blistering heat at the newly-surfaced speedway.
The Bristol Motor Speedway is one of only two Nextel Cup tracks that have concrete racing surface. Bristol’s surface is brand new and thus has brought a new racing groove to the track. Drivers are now racing more in the middle and near the top of the speedway. In the past, the bottom of the speedway was the preferred line. Kahne found the line he liked and won the pole. He beat rookie Juan Montoya. Teams are again competing in the Car of Tomorrow as the Avenger makes up the front row for Saturday night’s race.
Kenny Wallace steps into the #45 Wells Fargo Dodge for this weekend’s events. Wallace is filling in for Kyle Petty who is still recovering from an injured hand. Wallace qualified the car 32nd for Saturday night’s race. Wallace was 33rd in the practice session earlier in the day. His qualifying time the team’s best all day.
“It’s not bad for the first time working with this bunch,” said Wallace. “We were delayed a little going through inspection. I just ran down to the car and hopped in it. I held my breath for a few laps and that was it. It’s not bad. Billy (Wilburn) and the guys are great. We’re working on it. It’s not where we want to be, but we’re getting better each time we get on the track.”
Friday’s qualifying session was televised live nationally by ESPN2 and broadcast on PRN Radio. Sunday’s race will be televised live on ESPN and broadcast live on PRN Radio. The race is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. (ET). |