Samsung 500 Qualifying Report No. 43 Cheerios Racing/Sam’s Club Dodge April 4, 2008 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway QUALIFYING RESULTS: 1. Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Chevrolet 2. Carl Edwards, Ford 3. Kyle Busch, Toyota 4. Ryan Newman, Dodge 5. Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet 30. Bobby Labonte, Cheerios Racing/Sam’s Club Dodge 45. Chad McCumbee, Marathon American Spirit Motor Oil Dodge Dale Earnhardt, Jr. scored his first pole as a member of Hendrick Motorsports during Friday’s qualifying session for the Samsung 500 at the Texas Motor Speedway. Carl Edwards, a two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup winner in 2008, will start alongside. Kyle Busch and Ryan Newman will start third and fourth, respectively, to give each manufacturer a car inside the top-four qualifiers Some of the biggest news of the day came when Michael McDowell was involved in a scary wreck while driving into turn one during his qualifying effort. The car slammed violently into the wall, head on, and proceeded to roll eight times. The best news is that McDowell was out of the car, under his own power, when the medics arrived. The incident proved to be the most stern test yet of the new car’s safety characteristics. Bobby Labonte and the No. 43 Cheerios Racing/Sam’s Club Dodge will start Sunday’s event from the 30th position. Labonte, a Texas native, is looking for his first win in his home state. He does have two pole positions to his credit. After having great cars the last two weeks, only to have been involved in other driver’s mistakes, Labonte is looking to lasso the momentum that the team enjoyed earlier in the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. “The car was just a little too snug, especially coming off turn two. That’s a tight turn anyway,” said Labonte. “Jeff (Meendering, crew chief) and I talked and we have a plan to get it to turn better tomorrow. I’m running the Nationwide Series race too, so maybe that will help.” “I’m just glad that Michael McDowell walked away from that wreck with no injuries,” continued Labonte. “I called him to make sure he was okay because those can be a little scary. But you have to tip your hat to NASCAR and the new car. You know, its No. 1 goal was to improve safety. Anyone that was in attendance today can verify that this is a safe racecar.” Sunday’s race will be televised live on FOX and broadcast live on PRN Radio. Pre-race coverage is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. (EDT).