Bodine sets track record in second qualifying

Bodine's efforts were rewarded with a grid position of only 26th as the first 25 spots were locked in during pole qualifying on Thursday, when Ricky Rudd took the top spot with a record lap of 49.705s, only 0.001s slower than Bodine.

"During my run (Friday), the car handled the best it had all weekend," Bodine said. "I knew it was going to be tough, so I had to take some chances. It surprised me that we set a new track record. I'm not surprised I made the race. I learn more with each turn. I kept getting more and more confidence in the car. And that's what it takes to run those things at that speed."

The Brickyard 400 will start at 18:15 BST tonight (Saturday), and it will be the first Winston Cup line-up since 1979 without two-time series champion Terry Labonte. Todd Bodine will drive the Kellogg's Chevrolet, as Labonte's record streak of 655 consecutive Winston Cup starts will end due to persistent dizziness during this event.

"At Daytona (in July), I had a concussion," Labonte said of his crash during the Pepsi 400. "I had symptoms for a little bit and got better. I ran one lap here yesterday, and I was dizzy. I decided I'm going to sit out tomorrow and Watkins Glen, then pick up where we left off. When you run 200 mph at this place, you've got to be right."

Jeremy Mayfield, a two-time winner this season, also won't start the race. Mayfield suffered a closed-head injury in a morning practice crash in his Mobil 1 Ford. He was released from Methodist Hospital on Friday afternoon. Kyle Petty will substitute for Mayfield in the race as he didn't qualify for the race in his Hot Wheels Pontiac.

NASCAR Winston Cup Series Brickyard 400 Starting Lineup
Pos No Driver Car Avg Speed (mph)
28 Ricky Rudd Ford 181.068
66 Darrell Waltrip Ford 180.923
18 Bobby Labonte Pontiac 180.857
88 Dale Jarrett Ford 180.697
8 Dale Earnhardt Jr Chevrolet 180.527
94 Bill Elliott Ford 180.448
3 Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet 180.393
31 Mike Skinner Chevrolet 180.317
2 Rusty Wallace Ford 180.303
32 Scott Pruett Ford 180.285
6 Mark Martin Ford 180.108
10 Johnny Benson Pontiac 179.989
7 Michael Waltrip Chevrolet 179.845
43 John Andretti Pontiac 179.408
22 Ward Burton Pontiac 179.401
55 Kenny Wallace Chevrolet 179.386
20 Tony Stewart Pontiac 179.301
77 Robert Pressley Ford 179.286
40 Sterling Marlin Chevrolet 179.283
26 Jimmy Spencer Ford 179.279
1 Steve Park Chevrolet 179.258
25 Jerry Nadeau Chevrolet 179.215
14 Rick Mast Pontiac 179.169
5 Todd Bodine Chevrolet 178.77
11 Brett Bodine Ford 181.072
60 Geoffrey Bodine Chevrolet 179.037
21 Elliott Sadler Ford 178.749
24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 178.745
50 Ricky Craven Chevrolet 178.745
75 Wally Dallenbach Ford 178.731
4 Bobby Hamilton Chevrolet 178.731
99 Jeff Burton Ford 178.720
27 Mike Bliss Pontiac 178.426
33 Joe Nemechek Chevrolet 178.402
90 Hut Stricklin Ford 178.394
17 Matt Kenseth Ford provisional
36 Ken Schrader Pontiac provisional
97 Chad Little Ford provisional
16 Kevin Lepage Ford provisional
01 Ted Musgrave Chevrolet provisional
93 Dave Blaney Pontiac provisional
9 Stacy Compton Ford provisional
12 *Kyle Petty Ford 180.825
(*Jeremy Mayfield crashed in practice Friday after qualifying fourth Thursday. Kyle Petty, who did not qualify, will start in Mayfield's place from the rear of the field in a backup car)