Scott Riggs won the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Bud Pole for the Coca-Cola 600, lapping Lowes Motor Speedway in 28.744 seconds at 187.865 mph. Elliott Sadler holds the track-qualifying record of 27.948 seconds, 193.216 mph – set Oct. 13, 2005.
This is Riggss second career Bud Pole in 82 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races. This is his first Bud Pole and first top-10 start in 2006. His other Bud Pole came at Martinsville last spring.
This is Riggss second top-10 qualifying effort in five NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at Lowes Motor Speedway. His other top-10 here was in October 2004.
Riggs became the eighth different Bud Pole winner this season.
Jeremy Mayfield posted the second-quickest qualifying lap of 28.832 seconds, 187.292 mph and will join Riggs on the all-Evernham Motorsports front row for the Coca-Cola 600. This is Mayfields sixth top-10 start in 25 races at Charlotte, but his first since October 2000. It is just his second top-10 start in 2006.
This is the fifth Bud Pole for Dodge in 2006. Chevrolet and Ford each have three. Qualifying was canceled at Bristol.
Jimmie Johnson (third) posted his eighth top-10 start this season. It is also his eighth top-10 start in 10 races at Charlotte.
J.J. Yeley (fourth) posted his fourth top-10 start of the 2006 season. Yeley is making his career-first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup start at Charlotte.
Bobby Labonte (fifth) Labonte posted his fourth top-10 start in 2006. It is his 14th top-10 start in 27 races at Lowes Motor Speedway.
Johnny Sauter (14th) qualified for his first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race since Phoenix in November 2005.
Ten drivers failed to qualify for the Coca-Cola 600: Kevin Lepage, Hermie Sadler, Chad Chaffin, Michael Waltrip, Stanton Barrett, Mike Garvey, Chad Blount, Carl Long, Kirk Shelmerdine, and Kertus Davis. The last time Waltrip failed to qualify for a race was at Phoenix in October 1998. The last time there was a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race without a Waltrip participating was the final race of 1975.(NASCAR Statistical Services)(5-25-2006)
