All News Bill Elliott Bobby Labonte Boris Said Greg Biffle Jeremy Mayfield Kasey Kahne Kevin Lepage Matt Kenseth Randy LaJoie Ricky Rudd Ryan Newman Stanton Barrett Terry Labonte

Samsung/RadioShack 500 qualifying notes:

April 15, 2005 at 12:00 AM

* Ryan Newman won the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Bud Pole for the Samsung/RadioShack 500, lapping Texas Motor Speedway in 28.040 seconds at 192.582 mph. Bill Elliott holds the track-qualifying record of 27.803 seconds, 194.224 mph, set April 5, 2002.
* This is Newman’s 30th career Bud Pole in 123 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races.
* This is Newman’s first Bud Pole and second top-10 start in four NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races at Texas Motor Speedway. His previous best start here was third in 2003.
* This moves Newman to 22nd on the all-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Bud Pole list.
* Jeremy Mayfield posted the second-quickest qualifying lap of 28.062 seconds, 192.431 mph and will join Newman on the front row for the Samsung/RadioShack 500. It is Mayfield’s fourth top-10 start in 2005 and his third top-10 start in nine races at Texas.
* This is the third Bud Pole for Dodge in 2005. Chevrolet and Ford each have two.
* Kasey Kahne (third) posted his second top-10 start in two races at Texas. He also started third here in 2004. It is his fourth top-10 start in 2005.
* Ricky Rudd (fourth) posted his first top-10 start in 2005. It is his fourth top-10 start in nine races at Texas.
* Greg Biffle (fifth) sixth top-10 start in 2005. His only start outside the top 10 was 23rd at Daytona. It is his second top-10 start at Texas – both top-fives.
* Bill Elliott (15th) and Terry Labonte (43rd) each qualified for their third NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race this season.
* Boris Said (40th) qualified for his fifth career oval-track race and his second race this season. Said has also competed in nine road-course races since making his NASCAR NEXTEL Cup debut at Watkins Glen in 1999.
* Three drivers failed to qualify for the Samsung/RadioShack 500: Kevin Lepage, Stanton Barrett and Randy LaJoie.
* There have been six different Bud Pole winners at Texas Motor Speedway. Bobby Labonte (2003 and 2004) is the only repeat Bud Pole winner. Qualifying was canceled by weather for the inaugural race (1997).
* No NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Texas has been won from a front-row starting position but six have been won from the top 10 – five from the top five.
* Six of the eight NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at Texas have been won from a starting position of seventh or better. Matt Kenseth started 31st in route to his victory there in the 2002 Samsung/RadioShack 500, the deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Texas.(NASCAR Statistical Services)(4-15-2005)