#01-Boris Said [who is subbing for Mike Wallace, who is subbing for Jerry Nadeau ] won the pole at Infineon Raceway for the Dodge / Save Mart 350k. It is the first pole for Pontiac in 2003 and put Said into the 2004 Budweiser Shootout . Said speed of 93.620mph [76.522 seconds] is a new track record in the current 1.99 mile configuration. #31-Robby Gordon is on the outside pole, with #1-Ron Fellows starting 3rd. Points leader, #17-Matt Kenseth will start 4th, Kenseth will leave the race still in the points lead, even if he finishes dead last. All six of the Rookie of the Year candidates [who made an attempt] made the race, only one used a provisional. Missing the race were all road warriors: #00-Inglebright, #02-Ash, #14-Jones, and #33-Menard (using a backup car). Two teams used a provisonal : #43-Fittipladi and #49-Schrader and are now out of provisionals again until Bristol in Aug [the 24th races], unless there is a race with 43 or less teams entered or either team gets into the top 25 in owners points, where provisionals are not charged, which is unlikey since the #43 is 35th in owners points and the #49 is 39th at present. For qualifying results, with practice to pole progression, how did the rookies do? how did the road warriors do? the top manufacturers starts, qualifying speed comparisions, provisional rank, lineup links, notes and more, see my Jayski’s Sonoma Qualifying/Grid Page .(6-20-2003)
