Boris Said won the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Bud Pole for the Pepsi 400, lapping Daytona International Speedway in 48.350 seconds at 186.143 mph. Bill Elliott holds the track-qualifying record of 42.783 seconds, 210.364 mph, set Feb. 9, 1987 prior to the advent of restrictor-plate racing. Ken Schrader holds the track restrictor-plate qualifying record with a lap of 46.434 seconds, 198.823 mph – set Feb. 7, 1988.
This is Saids first Bud Pole and second top-10 start in three NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at Daytona.
This is Saids second career Bud Pole in 23 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races.
It is Saids best-ever qualifying effort other than on a road course. His previous best oval-track start was fourth in this race in 2005. He has only one other start better than 26th in 11 oval-track races: 12th at Talladega in May 2005.
Tony Stewart posted the second-quickest qualifying lap of 48.478 seconds, 185.651 mph and will join Said on the front row for the Pepsi 400. Stewart posted his 10th top-10 start in 16 races at Daytona.
This is the fourth Bud Pole for Ford in 2006. Dodge has eight Bud Poles and Chevrolet also has four. Qualifying was canceled at Bristol.
David Stremme (third) started 32nd in his only other race at Daytona. This will be his best start in 20 career races.
Jeff Gordon (fourth) has posted 17 top-10 starts in 28 races at Daytona, including third in his career-first attempt here. He has three Bud Poles at Daytona two in this event.
Joe Nemechek (fifth) posted five top-10 starts in 25 races at Daytona all in the July race.
Kirk Shelmerdine (27th), who posted his career-best finish of 20th in the 2006 Daytona 500, qualified for his third race of 2006 all restrictor-plate races.(NASCAR Statistical Services)(6-30-2006)
