Date: June 14, 2013
Event: Quicken Loans 400 (Round 15 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Location: Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn (2-mile oval)
Pole Winner: Carl Edwards of Roush Fenway Racing (35.564 seconds at 202.452 mph)
SHR Lineup: Tony Stewart (14th, 36.038 seconds at 199.789 mph); Ryan Newman (35th, 36.784 seconds at 195.737 mph); Danica Patrick (37th, 36.942 seconds at 194.900 mph)
Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 39 Quicken Loans Chevrolet SS for SHR, will start 35th after posting a lap of 36.784 seconds at 195.737mph.
“That wasn’t the run we were hoping for with our Quicken Loans Chevy in qualifying, especially since we are here in their backyard this weekend,” said Newman, who won at Michigan in August 2003 and June 2004. “Our car was just way too loose, so I brought it in after one lap. We have two practices tomorrow to make it better, and I know that’s what (crew chief) Matt Borland and the boys are already trying to figure out so we can ‘Bring it Home’ Sunday.”
Danica Patrick, driver of the No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet SS for SHR, qualified 37th after clocking in at 36.942 seconds at 194.900mph.
“It was loose all around,” said Patrick, who will make her 25th career Sprint Cup start on Sunday but her first at Michigan. “We’ve got two more practices tomorrow to get the GoDaddy Chevy a little faster. I know the guys are working hard, and we’ll have a good racecar on Sunday.”
Carl Edwards captured his 12th career Sprint Cup pole, his first of the season and his first at Michigan by turning a lap of 35.564seconds at 202.452 mph.
Kurt Busch will start on the outside of row one after clocking in at 35.665 seconds at 201.879 mph. Kasey Kahne was third (35.783seconds at 201.213 mph), while Paul Menard (35.856 seconds at 200.803 mph) and Aric Almirola (35.863 seconds at 200.764 mph) rounded out the top-five.
Forty-four drivers attempted to qualify for the Quicken Loans 400. The lone driver failing to make the 43-car field was Scott Riggs.
Ford took the top spot among manufacturers via Edwards’ pole run. Chevrolet was next-best at the hands of Kurt Busch. Toyota was the third-fastest make thanks to eighth-quick Matt Kenseth, who qualified at 35.898 seconds at 200.568 mph.
The Quicken Loans 400 gets underway at 1 p.m. EDT Sunday with live coverage provided by TNT beginning with a pre-race show at noon.
-SHR-