Newman fastest qualifier at Atlanta

[Elwood]

Newman fastest qualifier at Atlanta

 

By MIKE HARRIS, AP Motorsports Writer

 

March 8, 2003

 

AP - Mar 7, 6:00 EST

 

HAMPTON, Ga. (AP) -- Qualifying at Atlanta Motor Speedway is really living on the edge.

 

After Ryan Newman won the pole Friday for the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 with a lap of 191.417 mph, he acknowledged that the 1 1/2 -mile quad-oval can be a real thrill ride when trying to squeeze out a little more speed.

 

``It's tense,'' he said. ``If you're going to put a lap down, you have to be on the edge. That's true at any racetrack.''

 

Besides winning his eighth career pole in only his 48th race, last year's top rookie also turned the tables on Bill Elliott, who nipped Newman for the pole last spring.

 

``It doesn't matter who we beat, as long as we beat everybody,'' Newman said.

 

The 25-year-old Newman, who had a series-high six poles last year after getting one in an abbreviated first season, beat Elliott by only .028 seconds.

 

 

Asked about his qualifying ability, the youngster said, ``It's a team thing, just like everything else in racing. There's just less variables to the equation.

 

``You don't need a spotter and your tires don't go off. You just go out there and race the track. And, fortunately, I'm a pretty good driver.''

 

Newman, who drives a Dodge for Penske Racing South, was the 15th of 45 drivers in the qualifying line and had a long, nervous wait to see if his speed would hold up on the warm, sunny afternoon.

 

Elliott, a former Winston Cup champion with 55 career poles, came the closest to knocking the precocious Newman off the pole with a lap of 191.232 in his Evernham Motorsports Dodge.

 

The veteran shrugged off the second-place finish, saying, ``If you miss by a little bit or a lot, you just go on and race and come back next week and try again.''

 

Elliott Sadler, in only his fourth race with Robert Yates Racing, put his Ford third at 190.883.

 

``This place is so fast, you're really holding your breath here,'' said Sadler, who ran only one of the two allowable qualifying laps. ``When I heard our time, I decided that was fine. I shut it off. One lap here is enough for me.''

 

He was followed by the Chevrolet of former series champion and five-time Atlanta winner Bobby Labonte at 190.594.

 

Also above 190 on one of NASCAR's fastest tracks were Jimmy Spencer at 190.339 in a Dodge and series points leader Michael Waltrip at 190.287 in a Chevy.

 

Rounding out the top 10 were Rusty Wallace, Newman's teammate, defending series and race champion Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch and Jeremy Mayfield.

 

Rookie Greg Biffle, who failed to make the field last week in Las Vegas, was the best of the first-year drivers Friday, taking the 20th spot.

 

``We've run good here before and had a lot better car to bring here,'' last year's Busch Series champion said. ``That (Las Vegas) car wasn't any good in the wind tunnel and it wasn't any good on the track.

 

``We're just paying the price for being behind and, now, we're starting to get caught up.''

 

Matt Kenseth, Biffle's Roush Racing teammate and last week's winner, qualified 24th, while four-time series champion Jeff Gordon was 30th at 187.964.

 

Dale Earnhardt Jr., one of the last drivers to make a qualifying run, nearly crashed on his first lap and wound up posting the worst lap of the day at 183.564. He will start 37th in Sunday's 43-car field, thanks to last year's car-owner points.

 

 

Starting Grid

 

1 #12 Ryan Newman Dodge ALLTEL

2 #9 Bill Elliott Dodge Dodge Dealers

3 #38 Elliott Sadler Ford M&M's

4 #18 Bobby Labonte Chevrolet Interstate Batteries

5 #7 Jimmy Spencer Dodge Sirius Satellite Radio

6 #15 Michael Waltrip Chevrolet NAPA Auto Parts

7 #2 Rusty Wallace Dodge Miller Lite

8 #20 Tony Stewart Chevrolet Home Depot

9 #97 Kurt Busch Ford Rubbermaid

10 #19 Jeremy Mayfield Dodge Dodge Dealers

11 #48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Lowe's

12 #22 Ward Burton Dodge Caterpillar

13 #25 Joe Nemechek Chevrolet UAW/Delphi

14 #01 Jerry Nadeau Pontiac U.S. Army

15 #1 Steve Park Chevrolet Pennzoil

16 #88 Dale Jarrett Ford UPS

17 #29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet GM Goodwrench Service

18 #31 Robby Gordon Chevrolet Cingular Wireless

19 #43 John Andretti Dodge Cheerios

20 #16 Greg Biffle* Ford Grainger

21 #21 Ricky Rudd Ford Motorcraft Quality Parts

22 #32 Ricky Craven Pontiac Tide

23 #10 Johnny Benson Pontiac Valvoline

24 #17 Matt Kenseth Ford DeWalt Power Tools

25 #11 Brett Bodine Ford Hooters Restaurants

26 #99 Jeff Burton Ford CITGO

27 #77 Dave Blaney Ford Jasper Engines & Transmissions

28 #30 Jeff Green Chevrolet America Online

29 #6 Mark Martin Ford Viagra

30 #24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet DuPont

31 #42 Jamie McMurray* Dodge Havoline

32 #4 Mike Skinner Pontiac Kodak

33 #41 Casey Mears* Dodge Target

34 #40 Sterling Marlin Dodge Coors Light

35 #154 Todd Bodine Ford National Guard

36 #74 Tony Raines* Chevrolet Staff America

 

Provisional

37 #8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet Budweiser

38 #45 Kyle Petty Dodge Georgia Pacific

39 #5 Terry Labonte Chevrolet Kellogg's/got milk?

40 #23 Kenny Wallace Dodge Stacker 2

41 #14 Larry Foyt* Dodge Harrah's

42 #49 Ken Schrader Dodge 1-800-CALLATT

43 #0 Jack Sprague* Pontiac NetZero

 

Did not Qualify

44 #135 Bobby Hamilton Jr. Ford U.S. Marine Corps

45 #57 Jeff Fultz Ford CLR