Two for one tonight when it came to quals…..
First off, we timed in for the NEXTEL Open. Mike Bliss knocked Kyle Busch off the pole late to take the top-spot for tomorrow night’s 30 lapper. His speed of 189.208 (28.540) was easily a new track record, but I betcha that’ll stand for all of a week!
Four Chevys and four Dodges in the Top-8. Only three Fords in the Open…the other six are already where you wanna be.
Scott Riggs and Jason Leffler had problems and they’ll be the caboose when they throw the green. With the Open being only a 30-lapper there’ll be no time to waste on this train.
Qualifying for the NEXTEL All-Star Challenge was up next, and we used the format which included a pit-stop again this year. Apparently, these guys still haven’t figured out that NASCAR is timing pit-road speeds cause the usual cast of characters were caught again.
One thing that didn’t change was Ryan Newman on the Pole…..by three quarters of a second! Not only is he fast, but if you let his pit crew help they beat you to death even more!
We’ve got twenty cars already in the Challenge….the winner of the Open will transfer along with a driver voted in by the fans (provided he’s on the lead lap at the end of the Open).
With a cool $1M on the line for the winner, forget that trophy & steering wheel stuff….just bring back that check!(Stock Car Fans)(5-20-2005)
