Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500k Qualifying
STEWART-HAAS RACING
Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500k Qualifying
Date: Nov. 13, 2009
Event: Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500k Qualifying (Round 35 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Location: Phoenix International Raceway (1-mile oval)
Pole Winner: Martin Truex Jr., of Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing (26.643 seconds at 135.120 mph)
SHR Lineup: Tony Stewart (8th, 26.850 seconds at 134.078 mph)
Ryan Newman (24th, 27.019 seconds at 133.240 mph)
Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Old Spice/Office Depot Chevrolet Impala SS, led the two-car Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) contingent in time trials at Phoenix International Raceway by qualifying eighth for Sunday’s Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500k NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. Stewart turned a lap of 26.850 seconds at 134.078 mph on the 1-mile oval.
“We’ll take that,” said Stewart, who scored the second of his 37 career Sprint Cup wins at Phoenix during his rookie season in November 1999. “That was a solid lap and it’ll give us a pretty good starting spot for Sunday.”
Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 39 U.S. Army/Haas Automation Chevrolet Impala SS for SHR, qualified 24th with a time of 27.019 seconds at 133.240 mph.
“That’s all I had out there today,” said Newman, who still holds the track qualifying record at Phoenix with a time of 26.499 seconds at 135.854 mph – a mark Newman set on Nov. 5, 2004. “I can’t complain about the car. I didn’t have any issues with the handling other than I was lacking grip. I just didn’t go any faster.”
Martin Truex Jr., captured his fourth career Sprint Cup pole, his third of the season and his first at Phoenix by posting a lap of 26.643 seconds at 135.120 mph.
Kurt Busch will start alongside Truex on the outside of row one, as he timed in at 26.750 seconds at 134.579 mph. Jimmie Johnson was third (26.775 seconds at 134.454 mph), while Kasey Kahne (26.807 seconds at 134.293) and Denny Hamlin (26.820 seconds and 134.228) rounded out the top-five.
Forty-six drivers attempted to qualify for the Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500k. Those not making the cut in the 43-car field were Brandon Ash, Kevin Conway and Regan Smith.
As far as manufacturers went, Chevrolet took the top spot via Truex’s pole-winning mark. Dodge was next best at the hands of Busch, while Toyota was the third-fastest make thanks to Hamlin. Sixth-quick Greg Biffle was the top Ford (26.821 seconds at 134.223 mph).
The Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500k – the penultimate race of the 36-race Sprint Cup season – gets underway at 3:15 p.m. EST on Sunday, Nov. 15 with live coverage provided by ABC beginning with its pre-race show at 2:30 p.m.
