Rusty Wallace tops 'Monster' Tamer on Friday
Rusty Wallace is the best when it comes down to record time at 'The Monster Mile' in Dover, Delaware, writes Karen Van Allen.
Wallace snagged his second straight pole at Dover Downs International Speedway on Friday afternoon and will lead the field of 43 on Sunday for the start of the MBNA 400 NASCAR Winston Cup Series event.
This is Wallace's fourth pole in the first 13 events so far this season, and the 30th of his series career.
Wallace didn't break his previous record of 159.964mph set last September, but his 22.870sec, 157.411mph, tour of the high-banked mile was the fastest time of the day.
"I'm probably in the minority about this place," said Wallace. "I just have a lot of confidence on concrete.
"It was a great engine combination and a great handling car."
Bill Elliott, Kenny Wallace, Mark Martin, Jeremy Mayfield, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Ricky Rudd, Mike Skinner, Bobby Labonte and Joe Nemechek round out the top-10 qualifiers.
Second-round qualifying is set for Saturday morning, before the start of the NASCAR Busch Series, Grand National Series MBNA 200, where Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender Kevin Harvick took the Bud Pole Award.
MBNA 400 1st Round Qualifying Results
ROW 1
1 R Wallace, Ford, 22.870s
2 B Elliott, Fordm 22.880s
ROW 2
3 K Wallace, Chev, 22.907s
4 M Martin. Ford. 22.909s
ROW 3
5 J Mayfield, Ford, 22.934s
6 D Earnhardt Jr, Chev, 22.953s
ROW 4
7 R Rudd, Ford, 22.960s
8 M Skinner, Chev, 22.964s
ROW 5
9 B Labonte, Pont, 22.965s
10 J Nemechek, Chev, 22.972s
ROW 6
11 K Irwin, Chev, 22.980s
12 W Dallenbach, Ford, 22.982s
ROW 7
13 B Bodine, Ford, 22.997s
14 J Burton, Ford, 23.022s
ROW 8
15 M Waltrip, Chev, 23.059s
16 T Stewart, Pont, 23.060s
ROW 9
17 S Park, Chev, 23.064s
18 D Jarrett, Ford, 23.084s
ROW 10
19 J Gordon, Chev, 23.095s
20 K LePage, Ford, 23.097s
ROW 11
21 S Compton, Ford, 23.103s
22 G Bodine, Chev, 23.106s
ROW 12
23 W Burton, Pont, 23.108s
24 R Pressley, Ford, 23.136s
ROW 13
25 S Marlin, Chev, 23.139s
DID NOT QUALIFY:
26 K Schrader, Pont, 23.158s
27 E Sadler, Ford, 23.159s
28 J Andretti, Pont, 23.160s
29 J Benson, Pont, 23.181s
30 D Waltrip, Ford, 23.183s
31 J Nadeau, Chev, 23.191s
32 R Mast, Pont. 23.211s
33 J Spencer, Ford, 23.231s
34 C Little, Ford, 23.268s
35 D Earnhardt, Chev, 23.312s
36 M Kenseth, Ford, 23.334s
37 K Petty, Pont, 23.361s
38 B Hamilton, Chev, 23.442s
39 E Berrier, Ford, 23.471s
40 T Labonte, Chev, 23.519s
41 S Pruett, Ford, 23.599s
42 D Marcis, Chev, 23.667s
43 M Bliss, Pont, 23.679s
44 D Blaney, Pont, 24.217s
45 C Long, Ford, No Time
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