Stewart-Haas Racing: Southern 500 Qualifying Report from Darlington
STEWART-HAAS RACING: Southern 500 Qualifying
Date: May 8, 2009
Event: Southern 500 Qualifying (Round 11 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Location: Darlington (S.C.) Raceway (1.366-mile oval)
Pole Winner: Matt Kenseth of Roush Fenway Racing (27.394 seconds at 179.514 mph) – New Track Record
SHR Lineup: Ryan Newman (3rd, 27.510 seconds at 178.757 mph)
Tony Stewart (18th, 27.847 seconds at 176.594 mph)
Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 39 U.S. Army/Haas Automation Chevrolet Impala SS, led the two-car Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) contingent in time trials at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway by qualifying third for Saturday night’s Southern 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. Newman turned a lap of 27.510 seconds at 178.757 mph on the 1.366-mile oval.
“I didn't know what to expect after it rained,” said Newman, who scored one of his 43 career Sprint Cup poles at Darlington for the 2003 Southern 500. “The U.S. Army/Haas Automation Chevrolet felt pretty good out there this afternoon. We struggled with balance from one end of the racetrack to the other because of the egg-shape, but we were able to get a solid lap.”
Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Old Spice/Office Depot Chevrolet Impala SS for SHR, qualified 18th with a time of 27.847 seconds at 176.594 mph.
“We were just really loose,” said Stewart, whose best Sprint Cup finish at the 60-year old Darlington racetrack is a pair of fourth-place finishes (Spring 2000 and Fall 2001). “It is big to win everywhere you go. This is one of three places left that I haven’t won at (in Sprint Cup) so that makes the importance a little more than normal.”
Matt Kenseth captured only his fourth career pole in 339 races with a time track record time and speed of 27.394 seconds at 179.514 mph. It was Kenseth’s first pole at Darlington and his first since October 2005 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City.
Four-time Sprint Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon will start alongside Kenseth on the outside of row one, as he timed in at 27.494 seconds at 178.861 mph. Newman was third, while 2006 Indianapolis 500 winner Sam Hornish Jr., (27.512 seconds at 178.744 mph) and rookie Joey Logano (27.542 seconds at 178.549 mph) rounded out the top-five.
Forty-five drivers attempted to qualify for the Southern 500. Those not making the cut in the 43-car field were Scott Speed and Jeremy Mayfield.
As far as manufacturers went, Ford took the top spot via the pole run made by Kenseth, while Chevrolet was next best at the hands of second-fastest Gordon. Dodge was the third-fastest make thanks to Hornish’s fourth-place run, while fifth-quick Logano carried the flag for Toyota.
The Southern 500 gets underway at 7:20 p.m. EDT on Saturday, May 9 with live coverage provided by FOX beginning with its pre-race show at 7 p.m.
