Kevin Harvick won the Nextel Cup Series Bud Pole for the Sylvania 300, lapping New Hampshire International Speedway in 28.793 seconds at 132.282 mph. Ryan Newman holds the track-qualifying record of 28.561 seconds, 133.357 mph – set Sept. 12, 2003.
This is Harvicks fifth career Bud Pole in 205 Nextel Cup Series races.
This is his first Bud Pole and 11th top-10 start this season. He became the 12th different Bud Pole winner in 2006.
This is his first Bud Pole at New Hampshire. He became the 12th different Bud Pole winner here. Harvick has started from the top-10 in five of his 12 races at New Hampshire.
Kurt Busch (five), Kasey Kahne (four), Jeff Burton (four), Greg Biffle (two), Denny Hamlin (three) and Ryan Newman (two) are the multiple Bud Pole winners this season.
Jeff Gordon posted the second-quickest qualifying lap of 28.909 seconds, 131.751 mph and will join Harvick on the front row for the Sylvania 300. Gordon posted his 14th top-10 start in 24 races at New Hampshire. This is Gordons 10th front-row start here.
This is the 10th Bud Pole for Chevrolet in 2006. Dodge has 12 Bud Poles and Ford has four. Qualifying was canceled at Bristol.
Kurt Busch (third) posted his Series-leading 19th top-10 start of 2006. It is also his career-best among his six top-10 starts in 12 races at New Hampshire.
Ryan Newman (fourth) has posted 12 top-10 starts this season and eight in 10 races at New Hampshire. This is his sixth top-five start here.
Denny Hamlin (fifth) and David Stremme (sixth) put multiple rookies in the top-10 starters for the 13th time this season. Hamlin started 12th and finished sixth in July – his career-first start at New Hampshire. Stremme started 22nd and finished 11th in July – his career-first start here.
Ken Schrader (10th) posted his season-best start and his best since he started seventh at Bristol in August 2005. This is the best start for the Wood Brothers since Ricky Rudd started second at Martinsville last October.
Four of the 10 Chase drivers qualified in the top 10: Harvick, Gordon, Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson (seventh).
Kyle Petty (27th) was the fastest of the drivers that were required to qualify in time.
Ted Christopher (43rd) made the field for his sixth Nextel Cup race and his first since this race last season. Five of his six races have been at New Hampshire. Christopher will become the 71st different driver to compete on the Nextel Cup circuit this season.(NASCAR Statistical Services)(9-15-2006)
