Date: July 12, 2013
Event: Camping World RV Sales 301 Qualifying (Round 19 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Location: New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon (1.058-mile oval)
Pole Winner:Brad Keselowski of Penske Racing (28.022 seconds at 135.922 mph – new track record)
SHR Lineup: Ryan Newman (16th, 28.245 seconds at 134.849 mph); Tony Stewart (17th, 28.265 seconds at 134.753 mph); Danica Patrick (33rd, 28.658 seconds at 132.905 mph)
Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 39 WIX Filters Chevrolet SS, led the three-car Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) contingent in time trials Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon by qualifying 16th for the Camping World RV Sales 301 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race Sunday. Newman turned a lap of 28.245 seconds at 134.849 mph on the 1.058-mile oval.
“That was a pretty good effort,” said Newman, who has three Sprint Cup wins at New Hampshire (September 2002, September 2005 and July 2011). “The second lap was better than the first. The car was a lot better than we practiced, I can tell you that. We spent first practice working on qualifying runs, so the guys will change our WIX Filters Chevrolet over to race trim tonight and we’ll work on race runs in tomorrow’s practice sessions.”
Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Mobil 1 Chevrolet SS, will start 17th after posting a lap of 28.265 seconds at 134.753 mph.
“That was an ok lap,” said Stewart, who also has three Sprint Cup wins at New Hampshire (July 2000, July 2005 and September 2011). “We’re lacking some rear grip and sidebite. We’ve got two more practice sessions tomorrow to get this Mobil 1 Chevy dialed in for Sunday.”
Danica Patrick, driver of the No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet SS for SHR, qualified 33rd after clocking in at 28.658 seconds at 132.905 mph.
“We picked up four tenths (of a second) from practice, which was a good pick up,” said Patrick, who will make her 29th career Sprint Cup start on Sunday and her first at New Hampshire. “I wish we could’ve been a little higher up the board, but it was a good day of progress for the GoDaddy Chevy. Testing up here last month really helped and I think it will pay dividends in the race on Sunday.”
Brad Keselowski captured his third career Sprint Cup pole, his first of the season and his second at New Hampshire by turning a lap of 28.022 seconds at 135.922 mph, breaking the previous Sprint Cup track qualifying record of 28.165 seconds at 135.232 mph set by Newman on July 15, 2011.
Jimmie Johnson will start on the outside of row one after clocking in at 28.026 seconds at 135.902 mph. Kurt Busch was third (28.040 seconds at 135.835 mph), while Dale Earnhardt Jr. (28.050 seconds at 135.786 mph) and Kyle Busch (28.056 seconds at 135.757 mph) rounded out the top-five.
Forty-three drivers attempted to qualify for the Camping World RV Sales 301. All made the race since there are 43 starting positions in a Sprint Cup field.
Ford took the top spot among manufacturers via Keselowski’s pole run. Chevrolet was next-best at the hands of Johnson. Toyota was the third-fastest make thanks to Kyle Busch.
The Camping World RV Sales 301 gets underway at 1 p.m. EDT Sunday with live coverage provided by TNT beginning with a pre-race show at noon.
