We had two stoppages for rain today but they managed to get in qualifying for Sunday’s Advance Auto Parts 500 at Martinsville Speedway. And, we had a bit of a surprise as Scott Riggs nipped Ryan Newman for his first ever Bud Pole in Nextel Cup competition.
Riggs was 3/1000th’s of a second quicker than Newman and becomes the 5th qualifier for next February’s Budweiser Shootout….at this rate we’ll have 35 drivers in that event!
Rigg’s previous best starting spot was 4th, which he’s accomplished four times, the most recent of which was at Las Vegas last month.
Last week a short track….five sets of ties in qualifying. This week another short track…..and no ties in qualifying. Go figure!
Kevin Harvick (5th) has his best starting spot since he qualified 5th at Phoenix last November.
Bobby Labonte (6th) has his best starting spot since he lined up 6th at Homestead last November.
Ken Schrader (11th) has his best starting spot since he timed in 7th at Talladega in September of 2003! But it will only give him a better pit selection cause he crased in turn one of his second lap and will go to a backup for the race.
Kyle Petty (19th) has his best starting spot since he qualified 18th at Atlanta last October.
Mike Garvey (34th) has his career-best starting spot. He started 43rd in his only other start at Atlanta last month.
Johnny Sauter (40th) makes his first start of the season.
STREAKIN….Ryan Newman has 13 Top-10 starts in a row. Greg Biffle has 5 Top-10 starts in a row.
(Stock Car Fans)(4-9-2005)
