All News Bill Elliott Carl Edwards Dale Jarrett Elliott Sadler Greg Biffle Jimmie Johnson Joe Nemechek Kerry Earnhardt Kevin Harvick Ryan Newman Tony Stewart

Talladega Qualifying Notes:

September 30, 2005 at 12:00 AM

• Ellott Sadler won the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Bud Pole for the UAW-Ford 500, lapping Talladega Superspeedway in 50.597 seconds at 189.260 mph. Bill Elliott holds the track-qualifying record of 44.998 seconds, 212.809 mph, set April 30, 1987 – prior to the implementation of restrictor-plates. Elliott also holds the restrictor-plate qualifying record at Talladega – 48.128 seconds, 199.388 mph, set May 4, 1990.
• This is Sadler’s fifth career Bud Pole in 242 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races. It is his second Bud Pole and fifth top-10 start in 13 races at Talladega. This is Sadler’s third Bud Pole and 15th top-10 start in 2005.
• Dale Jarrett posted the second-quickest qualifying lap of 50.727 seconds, 188.775 mph – and will join Sadler in the all-Robert Yates Racing front row for the UAWFord 500. This is his16th top-10 start in 38 races at Talladega. This is Jarrett’s seventh top-10 start in 2005.
• Kevin Harvick’s time, which was second, was disallowed following post-qualifying inspection.
• This is the sixth Bud Pole for Ford in 2005. Chevrolet has 12 Bud Poles and Dodge has nine. Qualifying was canceled at Dover in June and Watkins Glen.
• There have been 10 different Bud Pole winners at Talladega since 1998. Joe Nemechek (three), Elliott Sadler (two) and Stacey Compton (two) are the repeat Bud Pole winners in the 14-race period. Qualifying was canceled in October 2002.
• Four of the Chase drivers qualified in the top 10: Ryan Newman (third), Tony Stewart (fourth), Greg Biffle (eighth), Jimmie Johnson (ninth) and Carl Edwards (10th). Nine of the last 13 races at Talladega have been won from a starting position outside the top 10.
• Ryan Newman (third) scored his fifth top-10 start in eight races at Talladega. This is the 25th top-10 start for Newman in 2005, the most of all drivers.
• Tony Stewart (fourth) posted his sixth top-10 start in 14 races at Talladega. It is Stewart’s 15th top-10 start this season.
• Joe Nemechek (fifth) posted his eighth top-10 start in 2005. It is also his eighth top- 10 start in 22 races at Talladega.
• Kerry Earnhardt (35th) qualified for his seventh NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race, his third in 2005. Six of his races have been restrictor-plate races.
• Forty-one of the 72 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at Talladega have been won from the first four starting positions (57 percent).(NASCAR PR)(9-30-2005)