#39-Ryan Newman showed he is a threat to win the pole no matter the division, posting the fastest unofficial lap Monday evening as 29 NASCAR Busch Series teams tested at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in preparation for the inaugural nighttime running of the CARQUEST Auto Parts 300 on Saturday, May 28. NASCAR Busch Series point leader #60-Carl Edwards was among four drivers who walked away from grinding crashes during the six-hour testing session. #14-David Stremme, #38-Tyler Walker and #88-Brian Sockwell were the others who tested the SAFER barriers. The unofficial watches caught Newman with a lap of 29.303 seconds, 184.281 mph, in his new #39 Penske Racing Dodge. Newman, who plans to makes his first Busch Series start since 2001 in the CARQUEST Auto Parts 300, did not participate in the last week’s NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series testing sessions and this was his first time on the recently renovated 1.5-mile superspeedway. Shane Hmiel was second fastest on the unofficial stopwatches at 183.032 mph in the #32 WIN Fuel Chevy. Greg Biffle recorded the third fastest lap at 182.729 mph in the #66 Duraflame Ford with defending Busch Series champion Mark Truex Jr. next on the chart at 182.716 mph in the #8 Bass Pro Shops Chevy Stremme was the first to make wall contact when his #14 Dodge slammed the wall early in the session. Stremme was able to drive back to the garage, but the car suffered heavy right-side damage and he was finished for the evening. Sockwell was next to find the wall when he spun the #88 Chevy shortly after the dinner break. Like Stremme, Sockwell was able to drive back to the garage area. Edwards was checked and released from the Carolinas HealthCare System Infield Care Center after a hard crash when his #60 Ford slammed the turn four wall near the end of the session and Tyler Walker crashed the #38 Dodge with less than 15 minutes remaining.
NASCAR Busch Series teams will be on the track again Tuesday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. The six-hour session concludes testing for the track’s slate of May races.
Fans can attend the final NASCAR Busch Series testing session free of charge. Lowe’s Motor Speedway’s frontstretch grandstand will be open and fans should enter through Gate 5A, located next to the main ticket office.
The top-10 unofficial speeds:
Showing driver, car number and speed: 1. Ryan Newman, #39, 184.281;
2. Shane Hmiel, #32, 183.032;
3. Greg Biffle, #66, 182.729;
4. Martin Truex Jr., #8, 182.716;
5. Reed Sorenson, #41, 182.402;
6. Jimmie Johnson, #48, 182.303;
7. Kevin Harvick, #21, 182.205;
8. Bobby Hamilton, #95,181.855;
9. Tyler Walker, #38, 181.415;
10. Paul Menard, #11, 181.342.(Lowe’s Motor Speedway)(5-10-2005)
