All News Denny Hamlin Greg Biffle Jeff Burton Jeff Gordon Jimmie Johnson Kasey Kahne Kurt Busch Robby Gordon Ryan Newman

Watkins Glen Qualifying News and Notes:

August 11, 2006 at 12:00 AM

• Kurt Busch won the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Bud Pole for the AMD at the Glen, lapping Watkins Glen International in 71.727 seconds at 122.966 mph. Jeff Gordon holds the trackqualifying record of 70.798 seconds, 124.580 mph – set Aug. 8, 2003 – in the most recent qualifying session at Watkins Glen. Qualifying was canceled by weather in the past two seasons.
• This is Busch’s sixth career Bud Pole in 206 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races.
• This is his third Bud Pole and series-leading 16th top-10 start in 2006. It is his second Bud Pole on a road-course this season.
• Busch became the third three-time Bud Pole winner in 2006 joining Kasey Kahne (four) and Jeff Burton (three), Greg Biffle (two), Denny Hamlin (two), Ryan Newman (two) are the other multiple Bud Pole winners this season.
• This is Busch’s first Bud Pole and fifth top-10 start in six race at Watkins Glen, including both of the past two seasons when qualifying was canceled. Busch has improved his starting position each race since he started 20th in his first Watkins Glen race in 2001.
• Busch became the 14th different Bud Pole winner in 24 races at Watkins Glen.
• Kasey Kahne posted the second-quickest qualifying lap of 72.387 seconds, 121.845 mph – and will join Busch on the front row for the AMD at the Glen. It is his 14th top-10 start in 2006. Kahne posted his first start better than 11th in three races at Watkins Glen. It is his career-best road-course start.
• This is the 10th Bud Pole and fifth front-row sweep in 2006 for Dodge. Chevrolet has seven Bud Poles and Ford has four. Qualifying was canceled at Bristol.
• Ryan Newman (third) posted his fourth top-10 start in five races at Watkins Glen.
• Jeff Gordon (fourth) posted his ninth Watkins Glen top-10 start in his 14th race here.
• Jimmie Johnson (fifth) has posted his first top-10 qualifying effort at Watkins Glen He started on the front row in both of the past two races when qualifying was canceled. His best start in his other two races here was 12th in 2002.
• Robby Gordon (sixth) posted his fourth top-10 start in eight races at Watkins Glen.
• Greg Biffle (41st) posted his worst start of the season and tied his career-worst start, which was also on a road course (Infineon – 2005). He failed to qualify in the top-10 for just the seventh time this season, but the fifth in the past six races.(NASCAR Statisical Services)(8-11-2006)