Lepage tops first qualifying session
Kevin Lepage set fast time early in Bud Pole qualifying for the NASCAR Winston Cup NAPA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Friday
Lepage's lap around the 1.54-mile speedway was completed in 26.617 seconds at 193.731 mph, earning him his first series career Bud Pole Award and a start in the Bud Shootout at Daytona in February.
Steve Park was also looking for his first Bud Pole at the track where a practice crash in March 1998 ended his Rookie of the Year hopes and left him with a broken femur in his right leg and months of recovery.
Park missed 15 races last season, and returned to action in Indianapolis.
Park's lap was fast, but he slipped ever so slightly in Turns 3 and 4 and clocked in at 28.641 seconds, 193.569 mph. Park will line up alongside Lepage.
Mark Martin will follow in third, followed by Geoffrey Bodine.
Both drivers were among the tail-end of the qualifiers.
Todd Bodine managed to hold onto the second spot until Park took his lap and rounds out the top-five.
Ward Burton, Dave Blaney, Michael Waltrip, Gary Bradberry and Dale Jarrett took
positions 6-10.
Kenny Irwin held onto the 25th slot in his last ride in the #28 Texaco-Havoline Ford.
Second round qualifying will take place on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. EST [18:00 GMT].
|
Position |
Driver |
Car |
Time |
|
1 |
K Lepage |
Ford |
28.617 |
|
2 |
S Park |
Chevrolet |
28.641 |
|
3 |
M Martin |
Ford |
28.697 |
|
4 |
G Bodine |
Chevrolet |
28.702 |
|
5 |
T Bodine |
Pontiac |
28.736 |
|
6 |
W Burton |
Pontiac |
28.781 |
|
7 |
D Blaney |
Pontiac |
28.831 |
|
8 |
M Waltrip |
Chevrolet |
28.842 |
|
9 |
G Bradberry |
Chevrolet |
28.887 |
|
10 |
D Jarrett |
Ford |
28.892 |
|
11 |
B Jones |
Pontiac |
28.909 |
|
12 |
C Little |
Ford |
28.918 |
|
13 |
D Earnhardt Jr |
Chevrolet |
28.927 |
|
14 |
J Burton |
Ford |
28.942 |
|
15 |
R Rudd |
Ford |
28.948 |
|
16 |
J Gordon |
Chevrolet |
28.955 |
|
17 |
J Benson |
Ford |
28.956 |
|
18 |
S Marlin |
Chevrolet |
28.967 |
|
19 |
R Wallace |
Ford |
28.977 |
|
20 |
K Schrader |
Chevrolet |
29.016 |
|
21 |
J Nadeau |
Pontiac |
29.023 |
|
22 |
E Berrier |
Ford |
29.031 |
|
23 |
J Mayfield |
Ford |
29.034 |
|
24 |
J Spencer |
Ford |
29.034 |
|
25 |
K Irwin |
Ford |
29.034 |
|
26 |
B Elliott |
Ford |
29.034 |
|
27 |
J Nemechek |
Chevrolet |
29.075 |
|
28 |
W Dallenbach |
Chevrolet |
29.080 |
|
29 |
T Stewart |
Pontiac |
29.092 |
|
30 |
R Pressley |
Ford |
29.118 |
|
31 |
K Wallace |
Chevrolet |
29.130 |
|
32 |
J Andretti |
Pontiac |
29.141 |
|
33 |
E Sadler |
Ford |
29.189 |
|
34 |
B Hamilton |
Chevrolet |
29.203 |
|
35 |
D Earnhardt |
Chevrolet |
29.207 |
|
36 |
M Skinner |
Chevrolet |
29.222 |
|
37 |
H Stricklin |
Ford |
29.222 |
|
38 |
B Bodine |
Ford |
29.256 |
|
39 |
D Cope |
Ford |
29.287 |
|
40 |
D Waltrip |
Ford |
29.353 |
|
41 |
B Labonte |
Pontiac |
29.361 |
|
42 |
D Marcis |
Chevrolet |
29.376 |
|
43 |
D Green |
Pontiac |
29.422 |
|
44 |
T Labonte |
Chevrolet |
29.559 |
|
45 |
S Compton |
Ford |
29.700 |
|
46 |
K Petty |
Pontiac |
29.725 |
|
47 |
R Craven |
Chevrolet |
29.774 |
|
48 |
M Shepherd |
Pontiac |
30.101 |
|
49 |
R Mast |
Ford |
32.554 |
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