All News Bill Elliott Greg Biffle Jeff Gordon Jeremy Mayfield Joe Nemechek Mark Martin Matt Kenseth Ryan Newman Terry Labonte

Qualifying Notes – Texas:

November 4, 2005 at 12:00 AM

• Ryan Newman won the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Bud Pole for the Dickies 500, lapping Texas Motor Speedway in 27.987 seconds at 192.947 mph. Bill Elliott holds the track-qualifying record of 27.803 seconds, 194.224 mph, set April 5, 2002.
• This is Newman’s 35th career Bud Pole in 150 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races. He moved into a tie with Ned Jarrett and Fireball Roberts for 18th on the all-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Bud Pole list.
• It is Newman’s eighth Bud Pole and 28th top-10 start this season. He clinched the Bud Pole Award for the fourth consecutive year with his seventh Bud Pole of the season last week at Atlanta.
• It is also Newman’s third top-10 start in five races at Texas Motor Speedway, including a sweep of both Bud Poles this season. He also won both Bud Poles at Atlanta and is the only driver to sweep both Bud Poles at a track this season.
• Jeff Gordon posted the second-quickest qualifying lap of 28.067 seconds, 192.397 mph – and will join Newman on the front row for the Dickies 500. Only Newman and Gordon broke the 192-mph mark. Gordon posted his 17th top-10 start of 2005. It is his seventh top-10 start in 10 races at Texas Motor Speedway and his best qualifying effort here. He also started second in 1997 when qualifying was canceled.
• This is the 11th Bud Pole for Dodge in 2005. Chevrolet has 13 Bud Poles and Ford has eight. Qualifying was canceled at Dover in June and Watkins Glen.
• There have been 16 different Bud Pole Winners this season, the most since there were 18 in 2001. That season tied 1997 for the most in the modern era.
• Matt Kenseth (third) posted his ninth top-10 start this season. It is his first start better than 13th in seven races at Texas Motor Speedway.
• Joe Nemechek (fourth) posted his 10th top-10 start this season and his fifth top-10 start in nine races at Texas.
• Jeremy Mayfield (fifth) posted his 14th top-10 start this season. It is his fourth top-10 start in 10 races at Texas, including both races this season.
• Five of the 10 Chase drivers qualified in the top 10: Newman, Kenseth, Mayfield, Greg Biffle (seventh) and Mark Martin (eighth).
• Bill Elliott (ninth), appearing in his ninth race of the season, posted his second top- 10 start in 2005. He has started from the top 10 in five of his 10 races at Texas.
• Terry Labonte (34th) qualified for his 14th race this season.qualifying.(NASCAR Statistical Services)(11-4-2005)