Lenox Industrial Tools 301 Qualifying
STEWART-HAAS RACING
Lenox Industrial Tools 301 Qualifying
Date: June 25, 2010
Event: Lenox Industrial Tools 301 Qualifying (Round 17 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Location: New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon (1.058-mile oval)
Pole Winner: Juan Pablo Montoya of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (28.781 seconds at 132.337 mph)
SHR Lineup: Ryan Newman (5th, 28.862 seconds at 131.966 mph)
Tony Stewart (25th, 29.164 seconds at 130.599 mph)
Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 39 Haas Automation Chevrolet Impala, led the two-car Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) contingent in time trials at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon by qualifying fifth for Sunday’s Lenox Industrial Tools 301 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. Newman turned a lap of 28.862 seconds at 131.966 mph on the 1.058-mile oval.
“So far, it’s been a good weekend for us,” said Newman, who has two Sprint Cup victories at New Hampshire, which includes his first point-paying win in September 2002 before winning again in September 2005. “The Haas Automation Chevrolet was good in practice. We struggled a little bit and made it better, and then got it better in qualifying trim. So, we’re happy about that. At least I’ll have a good starting spot because it’s a relatively short race.”
Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Old Spice/Office Depot Chevrolet Impala for SHR, was the first driver to make a qualifying attempt. He will start 25th after turning a lap of 29.164 seconds at 130.599 mph.
“It’s pretty slick out there,” said Stewart, who has four victories at New Hampshire – two in Sprint Cup (July 2000 and July 2005) and one each in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (2008) and IndyCar Series (1998). “Our balance was still the same from what we ran in practice, we just ran a slower lap because of the heat. I’m really proud of our guys on this Old Spice/Office Depot team. This is the best we’ve been here in a while. I was really happy with the way race practice went, and then we went straight into qualifying trim and it was pretty good there too. Good start to the weekend so far.”
Juan Pablo Montoya captured his third career Sprint Cup pole, his first of the season and his second at New Hampshire by making a lap of 28.781 seconds at 132.337 mph.
Kasey Kahne will start alongside Montoya on the outside of row one, as he timed in at 28.820 seconds at 132.158 mph. Kurt Busch (28.841 seconds at 132.062 mph) was third, while Mark Martin (28.855 seconds at 131.998 mph) and Newman rounded out the top-five.
Forty-five drivers attempted to qualify for the Lenox Industrial Tools 301. Those not making the cut in the 43-car field were Travis Kvapil and Mike Bliss.
As far as manufacturers went, Chevrolet took the top spot thanks to the qualifying effort of pole-winner Montoya. Ford was next best at the hands of Kahne, while Dodge was the third-fastest make thanks to Busch. David Reutimann, who qualified sixth, was the top Toyota at 28.862 seconds at 131.875 mph.
The Lenox Industrial Tools 301 gets underway at 1 p.m. EDT on Sunday, June 27 with live coverage provided by TNT beginning with its pre-race show at noon.
-SHR-
